[Lost in the Fog]

Last computer was E-machine with AU31 motherboard, AMD Athlon 2800 processor. After 2 years operation, my son loses video while in use on-line. Video never came back even after hard boot. It also appeared that there is no longer any posting. When powering up, all fans (PSU & CPU) run and power LED is lit but that is about it. The monitor stays in standby mode (amber light) and is blank, there is no activity out of the hard drive (no boot), but I hear no alarm beeps from motherboard. I tried replacing hard drive. Same problem. I removed CMOS battery. Same problem. Stripped all devices from motherboard but PSU, CPU, Memory, & Monitor. Same problem. E-machine PSU was a Bestec model #ATX-250-12E. Tried one from an older comuputer, AGI model #HP-250NLXAK. Same problem.

Bought another computer but would like to get the E-machine running again. From reading a number of forums I figured the motherboard was bad. Couldn't come across the AU31 so purchase a very similar board, BIOSTAR M7NCG, from newegg. Swapped the M7NCG into the E-machine case in place of the AU31. Installed the AMD Athlon 2800 CPU from the E-machine using the conducting gel. Installed the Memory from the E-machine. Plugged in the Bestec PSU. Hooked up the monitor. Same problem. No video, no post, no beeps. Do I need to be doing something with the BIOS, but how as I do not get any video? Any suggestions?

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have you tried a different video card in the emachine? also a different monitor?

[dsenette]

have you tried a different video card in the emachine? also a different monitor?

[dsenette]

have you tried a different video card in the emachine? also a different monitor?

[Lost in the Fog]

have you tried a different video card in the emachine? also a different monitor?

I know the monitor works as I verified on my newer computer. The emachine had an onboard video, hence why I thought it might be the motherboard. The new motherboard also has onboard video. I am now wondering if it is the PSU. My older computer from which I got the 2nd PSU, experienced the same problem which led me to buying the emachine. The only difference was the older computer did have a video card and I assumed it was bad and decided to upgrade rather than bother with the video card.

It is just tough to imagine that it is the PSU if the fans are running and I'm not driving very much with bare bones motherboard (no devices like hard drive), but I read some common threads that just because the PSU seems to be providing power to the fans doesn't mean you will post. Is that true even if I only have motherboard, CPU, Memory, and monitor attached?

[Samm]

Hi there
A very good friend of mine is an engineer for a company that services a lot of emachines (amongst others). He's told me recently that they have come across a large number of these systems (using the Bestec PSUs) that have experienced this exact problem.

Basically the fault is with the power supply. They are cheap & underpowered with little by the way of overcurrent protection. If you're lucky, when the PSU blows, only the PSU is damaged but in several cases the PSU has blown the motherboard with it.

If you have a new motherboard now, do not attempt to use the Bestec PSU. It is almost certainly blown anyway, and even if it wasn't, 250W is nowhere near powerful enough for a system of that spec.

[Lost in the Fog]

Thanks for the info on the Bestec PSU, but unfortunately I have already plugged it into the new motherboard. Do you figure that my new motherboard is now toast also? Would it be worth buying another power supply and hoping for the best? If you figure my new motherboard is fried I might just cut my loses and pitch the whole mess. Any reccommendations on a new PSU if I chose to buy another one?

[Samm]

It depends. If the PSU was already fried & not producing any power, then the board should be ok. Check the new motherboard for any signs of damage (especially around the components), signs of discoloration or burning smell. If you can't detect anything, its probably ok. If you can test it with a known good PSU first though, before ordering a new power supply, then I would do that.
Failing that, would you be able to return the new motherboard as faulty to the supplier? If it is damaged but with no obvious signs of damage, then you'll probably get a replacement.

[Samm]

As for new power supplies, I suggest you get a minimum of 400W & preferably a decent brand such as Antec, XPro, Enermax or similar

[Lost in the Fog]

OK, purchased an Antec SP-350 (350 watts) power supply. They were out of the 400 watts and at this point did not want to sink the money to go higher. So I am still at bare bones with motherboard out of case now, with CPU & fan, monitor, and Antec SP-350 PSU. Same results, fans run, but no beeps, no video. Shut down and installed memory. Same result.

At this point, I have swapped everything with reliable counterparts except CPU and memory. Could the problem be either of these to get the symptons that I am experiencing. From your last reply I suspect that the motherboard is fried. Don't see any visual evidence, so I plan to take your advice and try to return the motherboard for a replacement.

What is the bare minimum of hardware that must be hooked up in order to see some sign of life other than fans running. I have been told that with just the motherboard (no CPU & no memory), with the monitor (& video card or onboard video), and PSU, that I should get something to display on the monitor. Is this true?

What do you suggest I do next?

Thanks

[Samm]

Hi there

The bare minimum hardware is as follows :
To actually get the board to post successfully, you require :
motherboard, cpu+heatsink/fan, ram, power supply, video, monitor (in order to see it post).
You can also power the board up with just motherboard, cpu+hsf, PSU but without video and/or ram, you will get a series of beeps (assuming the system speaker or onboard buzzer is present)

[Lost in the Fog]

Thanks for your reply.

From what I read, if my CPU is bad than it may not post either? If my power supply fried my original motherboard, what is the likelihood that my CPU is gone as well? And if it is bad, than I would have the same symptoms I am having with no beeps, and no video?

[Samm]

If your PSU fried your last motherboard, then there is a chance it damaged the CPU as well, yes.
If the CPU is fried, then the system won't post.

One check that may be worth doing is this :
Fire up the board with the bare minumum hardware, with the monitor connected to the integrated video but with no RAM installed. Make sure the system speaker is connected correctly as well (i.e connected to the right pins & the right way round).
When you power up the board, you should hear a series of beeps due to the absence of any RAM. If you don't hear anything, then I would suspect that either the board or the CPU is faulty.

[HJRich]

Hello,

I also am working on an Emachine T2672 for a friend of mine. Apparently he was experiencing the same problem. Anyway tested the power supply in another pc and it worked fin., I took apart the power switched and manually connected the wires and the fan would run for a few seconds and then off again. So I disconnected all the peripheral devices, HD,FD, DVD&CD drives and just left the video connected and the keyboard, I figured if the CPU is good the keyboard lights should come on. The pc came on and it stayed on, but no lights appeared on the keyboard and the monitor light was still amber.
Then I Tried removing the RAM and no beeps.
I still wasn’t determined that the problem was the power supply, although I believe that the PS caused the issue originally, I knew at this point the damage is much more involved.
I definitely agree it is not near enough resource for all the components on the machine. And it is a Bestec PS (By the way thanks for that info about the bestec PS)
I tried another PS 350w and still no luck.
So then I took the CMOS out of the PC for a few min. then reseated it and cleared the CMOS. Tried to power on now the fan wouldn't even come on (nothing at all)

At this point I thought I should try a motherboard, but after reading what "Lost in the fog" has tried, I'm concerned that the CPU is shot. Or is it both?
I would like to find out your thoughts on this. Thanks

"Also I have experienced in the past on PC's that bad ram can cause the monitor to not display and the PS not to give any power, I might try a new stick tomorrow if i do I will let