Helping repair a friends dead(?) computer

  • Thread starter Thread starter JamesG
  • Start date Start date
J

JamesG

A friend of mine mentioned that his computer died so I was curious if I
could fix it. Here are the symptoms.
They said that previously the computer would give two keystrokes per
keystroke and also noticed other weird behavior. At first I thought it
may have been a virus. Luckily at this point I told them to back their
stuff up immediately so I think they got everything on CDs.
Then things worsened to the point where it does nothing when the
computer is turned on. The computer does not post and all that happens
when the power is turned on is the case and CPU fans blow and the CD
and DVD players will open and close but there is no other signs of life
with the computer. I tried to boot to a floppy and nothing happened.
I am also unable to see the BIOS.
I am figuring that this is a dead motherboard.

Here are the specs:
eMachines T2482
FIC AM37 Motherboard
AMD XP 2400+ processor
256 MB of PC2100 RAM

I would just install a new motherboard and processor for this system,
but since they didn't get a Windows CD with the computer I am concerned
that they would also have to buy a new copy of Windows. This starts
making it possibly not worth upgrading this box. I also figure it
would be good to upgrade the power supply since the one in there may
have killed the motherboard.

I would appreciate any thoughts that anyone has out there.

Thank you very much,
James
 
JamesG said:
A friend of mine mentioned that his computer died so I was curious if I
could fix it. Here are the symptoms.
They said that previously the computer would give two keystrokes per
keystroke and also noticed other weird behavior. At first I thought it
may have been a virus. Luckily at this point I told them to back their
stuff up immediately so I think they got everything on CDs.
Then things worsened to the point where it does nothing when the
computer is turned on. The computer does not post and all that happens
when the power is turned on is the case and CPU fans blow and the CD
and DVD players will open and close but there is no other signs of life
with the computer. I tried to boot to a floppy and nothing happened.
I am also unable to see the BIOS.
I am figuring that this is a dead motherboard.

Here are the specs:
eMachines T2482
FIC AM37 Motherboard
AMD XP 2400+ processor
256 MB of PC2100 RAM

I would just install a new motherboard and processor for this system,
but since they didn't get a Windows CD with the computer I am concerned
that they would also have to buy a new copy of Windows. This starts
making it possibly not worth upgrading this box. I also figure it
would be good to upgrade the power supply since the one in there may
have killed the motherboard.

I would appreciate any thoughts that anyone has out there.

Thank you very much,
James
Click to expand...
I've found the best fix for EMachines boxes is a 14lb hammer. However it
sounds like the PSU has taken out the CPU, the mobo may be OK.
Is the PSU made by Bestec by any chance? If so, throw it away and get a new
one, in fact, throw it away anyway.
You may get round the Windows problem, by installing from another disk and
using the original serial number, which is presumably stuck to the box.
 
A friend of mine mentioned that his computer died so I was curious if I
could fix it. Here are the symptoms.
They said that previously the computer would give two keystrokes per
keystroke and also noticed other weird behavior. At first I thought it
may have been a virus. Luckily at this point I told them to back their
stuff up immediately so I think they got everything on CDs.
Then things worsened to the point where it does nothing when the
computer is turned on. The computer does not post and all that happens
when the power is turned on is the case and CPU fans blow and the CD
and DVD players will open and close but there is no other signs of life
with the computer. I tried to boot to a floppy and nothing happened.
I am also unable to see the BIOS.
I am figuring that this is a dead motherboard.

Here are the specs:
eMachines T2482
FIC AM37 Motherboard
AMD XP 2400+ processor
256 MB of PC2100 RAM

I would just install a new motherboard and processor for this system,
but since they didn't get a Windows CD with the computer I am concerned
that they would also have to buy a new copy of Windows. This starts
making it possibly not worth upgrading this box. I also figure it
would be good to upgrade the power supply since the one in there may
have killed the motherboard.

I would appreciate any thoughts that anyone has out there.
Click to expand...


If they have a restore cd, you may be able to install a new mainboard
and just use the code on the sticker on the box. I suspect psu and
mainboard as well. I had an emachine with a 2200 plus, the psu
crapped out and after about a year the mainboard joined it.
 
SteveH said:
I've found the best fix for EMachines boxes is a 14lb hammer. However it
sounds like the PSU has taken out the CPU, the mobo may be OK.
Is the PSU made by Bestec by any chance? If so, throw it away and get a new
one, in fact, throw it away anyway.
You may get round the Windows problem, by installing from another disk and
using the original serial number, which is presumably stuck to the box.
Click to expand...

SteveH,
You called it, it is a Bestec power supply. I was planning on
installing a new power supply regardless so I will be throwing that old
one away. I bought a new power supply to try out. If I install a new
motherboard I may either try to find one with the same socket to
attempt to use the old cpu or may just get a socket 939 and upgrade the
cpu anyway. Getting a substantially faster cpu would not be very
expensive. I was figuring using a 939 so that I could reuse the 256 MB
RAM that is currently in there. The old Ram is PC2100.

Thank you for the advice,
James
 
JamesG said:
SteveH,
You called it, it is a Bestec power supply. I was planning on
installing a new power supply regardless so I will be throwing that old
one away. I bought a new power supply to try out. If I install a new
motherboard I may either try to find one with the same socket to
attempt to use the old cpu or may just get a socket 939 and upgrade the
cpu anyway. Getting a substantially faster cpu would not be very
expensive. I was figuring using a 939 so that I could reuse the 256 MB
RAM that is currently in there. The old Ram is PC2100.

Thank you for the advice,
James
Click to expand...
James, I did a gratis repair on a similar comp a couple of weeks back
that had a bad FIC mobo. Bought a brand new Asus ADA-266 on Ebay for $26
incl. shipping, mobo ONLY, and used the old sdram--this mobo accepts 168
SDRAM or the DDR PC2100.
To use your 2400+ cpu, ass*uming it is good, you'd need the version 110
mobo, as the lower ones like I used (101, 103) only take up to a 2000+ cpu.
His ps was an el cheapo, but the outputs were well within tolerance.
His FIC was obviously bad; had the classic bulging and leaking
capacitors problem so prevalent on the "BX" mobos. You may take a close
look at your caps, esp. around the cpu. All it takes is a couple of bulged
ones, altho' some have brown chewing-tobacco-spit around the bases. Yuck!
BTW: Saw a 110-version like you'd need sell today for like $30, via a
different seller. The seller of the new ADA-266 version 101/103's goes by
the username of >>>>serpentinemagoo88 <<<<. He must've bought a thousand
of them to re-sell!!! Good guy. I've bought several items from him, and
all were as described.
If you replace the cpu, and will part w/the old one & wish to do a
'maybe' favor, I'd like to play w/it. Please lemme know.
 
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