Help troubleshooting a bum rig...

[Raines8416]

I got an EMachines T1842 here I need to fix.

I got it with a note "Will not turn on". So I plugged power cable in and there was an immediate humming from the power supply. I turned it off opened the rig, took out the PSU and there was a loose peice inside. It was a small capaictor had broken off.

I thought I had the problem solved, ordered a replacement PSU and put it in today.

Only problem is, computer still wont turn on. Plug everything in and flip the switch on the PSU and it immediatly starts running. LEDs on the front of the case all turn on, all the fans start including the heatsink fan. Power switch on case does nothing, and there is no video or anything. The PSU runs but the comp does not boot. No bios beeps or anything.

So right now, its looking to me like the PSU took the mobo with it when it fried. Hence why the PSU just runs and is not being controlled by the motherboard. Does this sound like a good conclusion?

 

[MjrStryker]

Something similar happened to my sister's PC during an electrical storm. Oddly enough, it too was an emachines. :'/ If you have another machine to test the HD, vid card, sound card, etc, I'd suggest seeing what still works for sure. Odds are, the mobo is a writeoff and the processor as well. I've heard of RAM surviving surges occasionally, but I'd definitely test it to make sure before you try to sell it or hand it off to anyone.

This may sound a bit stupid, but did you double-check that you got the right type of ATX power supply and that all the proper molexes are connected to the motherboard? I forgot the 4pin molex once and it really screwed things up.

 

[Raines8416]

Something similar happened to my sister's PC during an electrical storm. Oddly enough, it too was an emachines. :'/ If you have another machine to test the HD, vid card, sound card, etc, I'd suggest seeing what still works for sure. Odds are, the mobo is a writeoff and the processor as well. I've heard of RAM surviving surges occasionally, but I'd definitely test it to make sure before you try to sell it or hand it off to anyone.

This may sound a bit stupid, but did you double-check that you got the right type of ATX power supply and that all the proper molexes are connected to the motherboard? I forgot the 4pin molex once and it really screwed things up.

Yea, Im in the midst of striping it right now to test each peice of it. I hope its only the motherboard, but we will see I was hoping it was just the PSU originally and that didnt work out to well. Yea, the PSU isnt an actually OEM replacement but I got it off newegg, and there was a couple reviews of people using them as replacements in the same exact emachines model as this one without any problems. Deffinatly made sure everything is plugged in right. I know what you mean with the 4pin molex not plugged in. I was given a computer to fix last summer where the person took it to bestbuy to have fixed. Got it back and it still didnt work after they had "fixed it". "Fixed it" so he would have to bring it back and spend more money that is. The voltage switch on the back was at 220v instead of 115, and the 4pin molex wasnt plugged in.

This computer belongs to a family friend, so as soon as I figure out what parts need to be replaced, Ill give them a call and see if they want me to replace them, or spring for a new computer.