eMachine won't boot up

  • Thread starter Thread starter Paul
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Paul

I have an emachine running windows XP. The PC won't boot up
completely. When I turn the system on, both the power supply fan & the
CPU fan starts working. The CD drive is also working (i can open &
close the cd drive). The monitor is just blank. I tried connecting the
CPU to anothet monitor & I got the same thing. Also, I notice that the
hard drive light is steady on when I turn the system off. When I turn
it on, it will flicker & then the light disappears. Also, the power
button's led won't turn on as well. I tried changing the RAM battery
but to no avail. I can only turn the system on & off by using the
power button. I don't see anything on the screen. Can someone give me
an idea what's going on. Even if I put a bootable CD, it doesn't do me
any good because I don't see anything on the PC. I'll appreciate any
help. Thank you. I can be reached at (e-mail address removed)
 
I have an emachine running windows XP. The PC won't boot up
completely. When I turn the system on, both the power supply fan & the
CPU fan starts working. The CD drive is also working (i can open &
close the cd drive). The monitor is just blank. I tried connecting the
CPU to anothet monitor & I got the same thing.
Click to expand...

Most people refer to (what you're calling the "CPU") as the
system itself, separate from the monitor. So you hooked the
system up to a different monitor, and your systems are
typical of a "No POST" condition, a generic all-encompasing
situation where it won't get going far enough to even
display the video card bios screen before the main system
bios info.


Also, I notice that the
hard drive light is steady on when I turn the system off. When I turn
it on, it will flicker & then the light disappears. Also, the power
button's led won't turn on as well.
Click to expand...

In the past, eMachines have been notorious for their power
supplies failing. I don't know if today's eMachines still
have that problem (they're not too old yet, still aging...
ask about them in 12-24 months), but if past history is
repeating itself (and considering the systems you just
mentioned), odds are high the power supply is dying and you
should not keep trying as the voltages might be off at this
point... though if you have a multimeter handy you might
take voltage readings.
I tried changing the RAM battery
but to no avail. I can only turn the system on & off by using the
power button. I don't see anything on the screen. Can someone give me
an idea what's going on. Even if I put a bootable CD, it doesn't do me
any good because I don't see anything on the PC. I'll appreciate any
help. Thank you. I can be reached at (e-mail address removed)
Click to expand...

You might try stripping the system down to minimal
components, unplugging EVERYTHING except 1 memory module,
CPU, heatsink/fan, (and video card if you have one, though
I'd expect the system has integrated video?), then try
powering it on. If that works, you could try adding back
components.

If you need a power supply check http://www.newegg.com ,
their Sparkle/Fortron mATX are decent and not too expensive.
Check the dimensions, whether your PSU mounts on the short
or long side, these are two common configurations for mATX
PSU. Newegg also has good pictures to help compare. Then
again I'm only assuming yours uses a mATX PSU.

Try clearing the CMOS too, with AC disconnected. The jumper
location or alternate method should be detailed in the
manual.
 
If you need a power supply check http://www.newegg.com ,
their Sparkle/Fortron mATX are decent and not too expensive.
Check the dimensions, whether your PSU mounts on the short
or long side, these are two common configurations for mATX
PSU. Newegg also has good pictures to help compare. Then
again I'm only assuming yours uses a mATX PSU.

Try clearing the CMOS too, with AC disconnected. The jumper
location or alternate method should be detailed in the
manual.
Click to expand...

Whenever that happened in my situation and it has numerous times with
various systems it was almost always fixed by clearing the CMOS and
cleaning contacts. However , the last emachines I took apart which was
a few years old, the one I posted about in a panic, had a cheapo 250
watt PS used in a XP 2000 system which really surprised me for some
reason since most systems had standardized on 300-350 watt PSes years
before then and were already moving on to 400-450 watt PSes.
 
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