[stayathomegeek]

Overview

This problem concerns my very old, but still-peppy emachine.

The specs

Emachine T6540
Windows 7 Home Premium, 32 bit
AMD Athlon X2
NVIDIA onboard chip: GEFORCE 6150 LE
4 GB RAM
No graphics card

The problem

This emachine runs great, but a few times a day, freezes up so that the display has diagonal grayish dashed lines and nothing works. It recovers fine after a reboot. I tried a different display cable, a different display, and an update to the device driver, but still no joy.

I figure maybe there's a problem with the NVIDIA chip? I'm not a hardware gal, so please tell me what other information you need.

I did do an experiment which might jump out at someone here:

I tried using "logmein" to get a remote connection to the emachine from my laptop, and guess what? It doesn't crash.

What could this mean in terms of where the problem really lies? I'm thinking that even with a remote connection, I am still using the emachine's NVIDIA onboard chip, no?

Also, what could be a remedy? Thanks!

Linda

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stayathomegeek
When was the last time that the inside was cleaned out of heat trapping dust?

Download Speedfan and install it. Once it's installed, run the program and post here the information it shows. The information I want you to post is the stuff that is circled in the example picture I have attached.
If you are running on a vista machine, please go to where you installed the program and run the program as administrator.


(this is a screenshot from a vista machine)

[phillpower2]

stayathomegeek
When was the last time that the inside was cleaned out of heat trapping dust?

Download Speedfan and install it. Once it's installed, run the program and post here the information it shows. The information I want you to post is the stuff that is circled in the example picture I have attached.
If you are running on a vista machine, please go to where you installed the program and run the program as administrator.


(this is a screenshot from a vista machine)

[stayathomegeek]

Fan1: 1372 RPM
Fan2: 987 RPM
Fan3: 0 RPM
Fan4: 0 RPM
Fan5: 0 RPM


GPU: 0C
Temp1: 40C
Temp2: 40C
Temp3: 25C
HD0: 40C
Temp1: 40C
Core: 43C

Vcore1: 1.36V
Vcore2: 2.48V
+3.3V 1.76V
+5V: 5.00V
+12V: 5.82V

-12V -10.96V
-5V: 0.27V
+5V: 4.78V
Vbat: 3.10V

[phillpower2]

The +3.3V and the +12V readings of your PSU are showing as being very low, download and run HWMonitor and post a screenshot of the readings http://www.cpuid.com.../hwmonitor.html

To capture and post a screenshot;

Click on the ALT key + PRT SCR key..its on the top row..right hand side..now click on start...all programs...accessories...paint....left click in the white area ...press CTRL + V...click on file...click on save...save it to your desktop...name it something related to the screen your capturing... BE SURE TO SAVE IT AS A .JPG ...otherwise it may be to big to upload...
then after typing in any response you have... click on browse...desktop...find the screenshot..select it and click on the upload button...then on the lower left...after it says upload successful...click on add reply like you normally would.

[stayathomegeek]

Thank you for instructions.

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[phillpower2]

Ok HWMonitor also reports the same low readings so lets try and confirm them with Everest;

Download and install http://www.filehippo...d_everest_home/

Open it.
1: In left pane expand Computer folder.
2: Click once on Summary
3: In upper menu, go Report
4: And then to Quick Report-Summary
5: Save it in text file, and paste it in your next post.
Click the + by computer, click on Sensor. Get a screenshot and post it so your temps and voltages can be checked.


DO NOT INCLUDE ANYTHING UNDER THE LINE THAT SAYS "DEBUG- PCI"

Uninstall the previous programs I had you use when you are ready

[stayathomegeek]

--------[ EVEREST Home Edition © 2003-2005 Lavalys, Inc. ]------------------------------------------------------------

Version EVEREST v2.20.405
Homepage http://www.lavalys.com/
Report Type Quick Report
Computer MMG-EMACHINE
Generator MMG
Operating System Windows 7 Home Premium Home Edition 6.1.7601
Date 2012-03-01
Time 16:07


--------[ Summary ]-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Computer:
Operating System Windows 7 Home Premium Home Edition
OS Service Pack Service Pack 1
DirectX 4.09.00.0904 (DirectX 9.0c)
Computer Name MMG-EMACHINE
User Name MMG

Motherboard:
CPU Type Unknown, 2000 MHz
Motherboard Name Unknown
Motherboard Chipset Unknown
System Memory 3456 MB
BIOS Type Award (08/16/06)
Communication Port Communications Port (COM1)
Communication Port Printer Port (LPT1)

Display:
Video Adapter NVIDIA GeForce 6150 LE
3D Accelerator nVIDIA C51
Monitor Generic PnP Monitor [NoDB] (000000000)

Multimedia:
Audio Adapter High Definition Audio Controller [NoDB]

Storage:
IDE Controller Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller
SCSI/RAID Controller NVIDIA nForce Serial ATA Controller
Disk Drive Generic USB MS Reader USB Device
Disk Drive Generic USB SD Reader USB Device
Disk Drive HDT722520DLAT80 ATA Device (186 GB, IDE)
Disk Drive Generic USB CF Reader USB Device
Disk Drive Generic USB SM Reader USB Device
Optical Drive LITE-ON DVDRW SHW-160P6S ATA Device
SMART Hard Disks Status OK

Partitions:
C: (NTFS) 190679 MB (123044 MB free)

Input:
Keyboard Standard PS/2 Keyboard
Mouse HID-compliant mouse

Network:
Network Adapter Belkin Wireless G Desktop Card
Network Adapter Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC (192.168.1.16)

Peripherals:
Printer EPSON NX510 Series
Printer Epson Stylus NX510(Network)
Printer HP Officejet Pro L7500 Series
Printer Lexmark S300-S400 Series
USB1 Controller Standard OpenHCD USB Host Controller [NoDB]
USB2 Controller Standard Enhanced PCI to USB Host Controller [NoDB]
USB Device USB Input Device
USB Device

[phillpower2]

3 out of 3 test programs report that your PSU is bad, the two suggestions I can make are borrow a known good PSU for testing on your PC or remove and take your present PSU to a tech who has the specialist equipment and knowledge to test your PSU.

See the table below for what your PSU outputs should be;

[stayathomegeek]

I realized today that I have another emachine power supply lying around so I tried it.

I *think* it's a good power supply that I'm trying. Here's why I think that: I had bought a new power supply a few years ago for a different emachine that had a noisy power supply. Once I swapped the new one in, I noticed that the noise continued, but it has continued to work so I gave up. In other words, there was no change.

So the power supply I'm trying now is the one I took out of that other emachine a few years ago.

And the numbers you were concerned about are EXACTLY the same now. And the freeze-ups are still happening.

What do you think? If we could assume for a moment that this trial power supply is good, what else could be wrong?

Linda

[stayathomegeek]

Phillpower2 has been an enormous help, as I now know more than I've ever known before how little I know. I'm not a gamer, so I never concerned myself with PSU's. Thank you Phillpower2!

But now that the replacement PSU is showing the same low voltages as the one I swapped out, I decided to run speedfan on a different emachine--the one my son uses to run games and which has never had a problem. Lo and behold, his power supply shows the same two low voltages that mine does.

So now my question is, could there be something else causing the freeze-ups on my emachine? Granted, a better PSU is a good idea but it doesn't seem logically that the PSU alone is causing the freeze-ups. I'm not even running games on mine. I'm using it like a mere mortal.

What else can I try? Anybody?

[phillpower2]

Hello stayathomegee
Please re-read my post #7;

Sorry if I am misinterpreting what you are stating but my suggestions were clear!

3 out of 3 test programs report that your PSU is bad, the two suggestions I can make are borrow a known good PSU for testing on your PC or remove and take your present PSU to a tech who has the specialist equipment and knowledge to test your PSU.
See the table below for what your PSU outputs should be;

I at no time suggested that you purchase a replacement PSU without previous testing!

[stayathomegeek]

I didn't purchase a psu. I had an extra one. So I thought I was doing what you suggested. I put in another psu for testing, but it produced the same results.

I was wondering what to do next. Thanks for sticking with me on this. I'm determined to figure this out, and I'm learning some things along the way.

Linda

[phillpower2]

I didn't purchase a psu. I had an extra one. So I thought I was doing what you suggested. I put in another psu for testing, but it produced the same result

Linda

Phew and thank goodness, I was worried that you had gone out and purchased a new PSU

Please provide a screenshot of your temp and voltage readings with the replacements PSU

[stayathomegeek]

Here are speedfan readings for replacement psu.

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[phillpower2]

Thanks for the screenshot

While it is not unheard of it is unlikely that both PSUs are bad in such a way as to put out the same low voltages, this may be a problem with the motherboards voltage regulator which if it needs replacing is not a task that the average user can or should undertake, some information @ http://www.hardwares...r-Circuit/616/1 I am only suggesting that you read the free information and in no way suggesting that you use any other product or service at the link.

I still suggest that you get one or both PSUs tested by a Tech so as to rule them out as the cause, one other thing that you can try which is a long shot - try restoring the motherboards default factory settings by removing the silver CR2032 battery (see .jpeg) for a few minutes and then replace it, upon first boot you will need to go into the BIOS - reset the time and date - save (F10) and then Y to accept the new changes.