Need Help...I may not know what I am doing.

I am not sure if this is the right group for inquiries like this one but it
seemed like a good spot to start.

I got a phone call from my mother-in-law saying that when she hits the power
switch on her e-machine nothing happens. She gets no lights or noises that
are normally expected during power-up. She asks me to come over to try to
fix it if I can.

When I get there I of course check to make sure that everything is plugged
in her power strip is turned on. everything looked normal. She has had
this machine for several years and has not had really any serious problems
with it until now.

I thought that she may have a bad power supply. I wasn't sure if power
supplies routinely go bad or not but I tested the one that was in the box
with a multimeter and did not get any readings from any of the peripheral
connectors.

I then went down to the local electronics store (Fry's) and purchased a new
power supply with the same specs as the original and returned to install it
for her.

Now here is the issue that I am trying to deal with. I installed the unit
in her machine and plugged in all the harnesses where they should be.
However, when I plugged the main power cord, both the fans (CPU fan as well
as the one inside the power supply) started turning slowly and I still
cannot get the machine to power up.

I am fairly confident that her original PS is bad because I brought it home
and tried to install that one in my computer and it did not work. The one
that I purchased is good because it is powering my PC even as I type this.

What I am wondering is, did I miss something? Could there be a problem with
either the MB or with the power switch?

Please help me out. Reply to the group(s) or you can email me directly.
Thanks in advance.

Gerry Morgan

 

I would disconnect the switches to the front of the machine and see if it
still turns on the fans, if so I think you have a bad motherboard

 

Reinstall the power supply and make sure that all connections are secure and
that cpu, memory and add-in cards are properly seated.
If the computer will not post, if you do not hear a beep and see the BIOS
data on the monitor then it is indeed likely the motherboard was damaged by
whatever event killed the power supply. If you hear the hard drives spinning
up they are probably ok.
Unfortunately the cpu, memory chips and add-in cards could also have been
damaged.
The power supply may have died a natural death and took the motherboard with
it. However unless you have a surge suppressor of at least intermediate
quality power surges can do this also: I lost two computers several years
ago before I learned that lesson the hard way.

 

Switch the power cord from the monitor to the PSU...then plug the cord
directly into the wall outlet...by-passing the power strip. Does the
power strip have a built-in surge protector?

Many folks install a new PSU...but don't use the NEW power cord. The
cord could have a burned wire in it.

Yes...to either...or both. That would be the next test.

Good luck...let us know.


Have a nice one...

Trent©

Budweiser: Helping ugly people have sex since 1876!

 

Gloria Goitre, ignoring the facts, forged on to say...

 

Gloria Goitre, ignoring the facts, forged on to say...

 

Yep. I've put on 12 pounds, and I don't mean Sterling.

 

Gloria, you need to smack your head with a 12 X 12. You're in a loop.
If you can't figure out how to do that there's probably many people on
here (TINH) that would be happy to assist.

 

Have Usenet posters always forced you to display a violent tendency when
words get the better of you? Just curious. You don't have to answer.