ThirdLif3 Forums

[fezzman]

My old ass e-machines desktop is dead. For the past few days I noticed that it was rebooting itself when left dormant. I dismissed it as rebooting after automatic updates or something.

Yesterday it was off completely and won't turn back on...no power...zilch. Does this mean that the power supply is toast? Is that an easy replacement for the computer un-saavy? Anything else that may cause lack of power?

Thanks, yo

[Cronan]

Hmm:

Good trouble-shooter

Please note that everything you try is at your own risk, no-one should do this stuff at home, not even professionals.

Q. How do you troubleshoot a dead motherboard? (Orignally... I purchased an EP-MVP3G. I'M having a problem powering- up the motherboard... Do you have any suggestion?)

A. Try these steps:

• Disconnect the power cord from the power supply, be sure the power supply is set for 110 or 220 volts depending on your location and power and double check it (most have a 110/220 switch)
  
• Feel/look at the back of the power supply to determine if the fan is working.
  
• If not, trouble-shoot the power supply and replace it if necessary.
  
• If the fan is working, try another power supply anyway.
  
• Plug the computer directly into a known-good (a lamp works) power outlet
  
• Check to be sure you do not have a motherboard stand-off in the wrong position and shorting-out the bottom of the motherboard.
  
• Inspect/shake and listen for loose metallic objects (loose screws) on top of and under the motherboard and in expansion board slots
  
• Look carefully at the ISA and PCI slots, see if any of the contacts got bent/shorted-out. Sometimes an expansion board will dislodge one and it will be pushed into the bottom of the slot.
  
• Inspect the motherboard for broken or burnt components.
  
• Carefully inspect the motherboard for black soot from bad bearings and clean and replace the culprit.
  
• Look for bent/shorted pins on the motherboard headers and straighten.
  
• Be sure the speaker is plugged into the motherboard. If you hear beeps. Decode the beep code.
  
• If not, double-check all jumpers.
  
• Push down on all chips that have sockets in attempt to reseat them.
  
• What CPU are you using? Be sure the core voltage is correct.
  
• Be sure the CMOS battery jumper is in the correct position. Some distributors purposely ship motherboards with the jumper in the wrong position.
  
• Find the jumper that clears the CMOS, put it into the clear position for several minutes, put it back in the normal position, plug-in the power cord, and push the power-on button. If you apply power to the motherboard with the jumper in the clear position you may damage the motherboard.
  
• Pull all boards except video.
  
• Disconnect all cables going to all drives, pull all cables except power, power on, and speaker, connect the power supply to the motherboard (the black wires go in the middle on AT power supply connectors--"Black OK, red your dead"), reseat the memory, plug-in and screw-down the display adapter and nothing else (push down on the top, front of the adapter and make sure it is properly seated by looking at it all along the PCI or AGP connector), connect the power-on switch and the speaker.
  
• Check the monitor plug for bent or pushed-in pins, connect the monitor and nothing else. Check the monitor power cable.
  
• Reseat/replace the memory.
  
• Check for Motherboard Electrolytic Capacitor Failures
  
• Check the CPU for bent pins.
  
• Try another processor. Note: If you apply power to a motherboard with an Athlon or Duron processor without the CPU fan connected, even for a few seconds, you will fry it (see http://duxcw.com/digest/guides/cpu/socketa/heattip.html).
  
• Check the CMOS battery with a multi-meter. Should be around 3 volts (2.8 is ok).
  
• Try a different video board.
  
• See if the CPU and memory will work with another motherboard.
  
• Pull the motherboard, set it on the box it came in, install video, memory, CPU, power, and power on. See if it boots. I have seen several instances where this works when the board will not work in the case. And, when reinstalled in the case, it continues to work. I have also seen where it didn't work out of the case immediately, but did work the next day and continued to work. One of those mysteries.
  
• Replace the motherboard.

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[Cronan]

The chances are, it's something really simple, replacing the power-supply should cost you very little.

Do you have a buddy who works at a computer store or doing IT for a company, they should be able to lend you stuff to test out (like power supplys, etc)
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[fezzman]

[Cronan]

Fezz, start with the checklist and work your way down, post here if you get stuck or can't work something out, there are enough people here to get you up and working again, I'm sure of it.

I'm pretty sure you won't need to buy a full replacement, unless it's been struck by lightning.

You didn't notice any scorch marks all over the case did you, no fire damage?
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[fezzman]

[Cronan]

The good news is, if it's the power supply, it's probably one of the easiest things to fix ...
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[Kaptain Kanada]

Power supplies and the various fans are easy to replace. Just a few screws and a couple of plugs. Just take photos before you unplug anything so you can put the wires back in the right places. Most of the time the plugs only fit in one place, but if it's an older machine, you might have some that are similar enough that you can plug them in wrong. Take Photos before and during work.
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[Cronan]

Good tip re: the photos Kap.

Fezz, you had any luck yet?
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[fezzman]

Great idea with the photos. I've not yet had the time to dive into it yet...hopefully this weekend. By the time I get home from work, walk the dogs 2-3 miles, make dinner, clean up, etc...there's not much drive to piddle with my junks.

I don't really use it a whole lot but I am surely starting to miss it. The wife has an Acer Aspire with a tiny 7" screen. It is a fun toy but I can't be buggered to surf with it because my hands are too big to be comfy on it. That and i'm so old school I need to have a mouse, yo.

[Cronan]

I know the feeling - so have a go this weekend, I'll check this thread from time to time to help you if you need any.
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[bob jnr]

I had some issues with a DELL ... these dock disk readers are good to recover your data. They connect with USB and just let you read the data on the attached disk.

http://www.engadget.com/tag/hdd%20dock

Unless you've got a SCSI disk like myself

[fezzman]

I finally got a new power supply in the mail and hooked it up last night. Unlike my previous supply, this one has an external power switch. When I flipped that switch I got power to my mobo, dvd drive, and hdd light was on solid. Good thing the psu was cheap.

The power switch on the front of the computer still did nothing to turn on/off and never lit up. Nothing displaying on the monitor. I'm guessing the p/s was never my problem and now it is merely bypassing whatever the main issue is because of its own switch.

Any ideas?