quick computer question (hardware)

[ser9mm]

Working on a friend of mine's computer. The power supply was bad, so I replaced that, and now it won't push anything thru the monitor. I even put in a different video card (it has onboard by default) to no avail. I am fairly positive it is starting the boot cycle but nothing is coming thru to the screen. I reset the CMOS settings and that didn't help. Help!

[easilyobsessed]

What kind of computer. Home-built, dell? What brand/power rating was the power supply you took out and what is the brand/power rating of the one you put in? Did you make sure to plug both cables into the motherboard? Reseat all the connections?

[ser9mm]

It's an emachines....took out an OEM 250W and replaced with a new OEM 250W...connections are tight, isn't there only one 24 pin cable for the motherboard?

[GT_Rat]

Depending on the card make sure you have the power connection plugged into the video card. I think most of the newer graphics cards need their own power connection.

[ser9mm]

this one has on board video. the card i hooked up was an older PCI, with no external power connection...

[GT_Rat]

Might be a bigger problem than just the power supply then. When did the computer go out. Was it over the last few days while we've had thunderstorms? Maybe took a lightning strike? That could take out the PS and damage the Motherboard.

[ser9mm]

its been down for a while. im thinking that it was during a storm or a surge and the power supply routed it thru the motherboard....

[easilyobsessed]

It's an emachines....took out an OEM 250W and replaced with a new OEM 250W...connections are tight, isn't there only one 24 pin cable for the motherboard?

Some motherboards (at least every one I have worked with) have a secondary 4 pin connector.

Usually when lightning pops a computer it will just blow out the fuse in the powersupply. The two times I have worked with a computer that got popped by lightning, I just replaced that fuse and it was good to go. That was, of course, 4 or 5 years ago, so that may have changed....

[ser9mm]

Some motherboards (at least every one I have worked with) have a secondary 4 pin connector.

Usually when lightning pops a computer it will just blow out the fuse in the powersupply. The two times I have worked with a computer that got popped by lightning, I just replaced that fuse and it was good to go. That was, of course, 4 or 5 years ago, so that may have changed....

This motherboard has a 20 pin main connector on it, and that is the only one I see. The power supply has a 20 pin main connector and a 4 pin secondary connector, but I don't remember unplugging the 4 pin one from anywhere...

[ReefBlueCoupe]

Unplug all the drives and cards from the motherboard and see if it boots. Does it use a dialup modem? If so it could have taken a lightning hit via the phone line causing the computer not to boot.. If it still doesn't boot after all that, it could be ram, motherboard, or processor.

I have seen more than one E-Machine with a dead motherboard - I'd be willing to bet that's the problem if it doesn't boot after unplugging everything.

[BenS]

Depending on the card make sure you have the power connection plugged into the video card. I think most of the newer graphics cards need their own power connection.

They'll also squeal like a pig if you leave that out. :lol: Try it sometime :D Most have an on board speaker for this very reason.

:werd: to what reef says. That behavior can happen if any component is not seated properly.

[GT_Rat]

True. I have done it before. :lol:

[Snake_Chaser]

Also it can fry through the Ethernet port........but Ill say this much the 4 pin connector came into play when the Pentium 4 chip came out.......also if everything else is spinning up like it should just no video pull out the RAM and put one at a time back in and see if it fires up
if it does with one stick but not two you have a bad stick of ram,but if it doesnt it could be both ram chips or the cpu

[ser9mm]

final ruling is that it was DOA. outta my hands now :)