EMachines T2042 not powering up

I have an emachines t2042. I had to use the power cord to turn it on
and off for the first time today since the power button does not appear
to be working. When I plug in the power cord, the fan turns on from the
power supply, but i cannot hear the hard drive spinning up. Would this
be the power supply or the mother board or some other problem?

dtmcdermott wrote:
> I have an emachines t2042. I had to use the power cord to turn it on
> and off for the first time today since the power button does not appear
> to be working. When I plug in the power cord, the fan turns on from the
> power supply, but i cannot hear the hard drive spinning up. Would this
> be the power supply or the mother board or some other problem?

Yes, any of the three. If you have a video card (instead of onboard
video) and just cannot hear the hard drive, even though it's booting up,
it could also be that card that's causing the problem.

Without any other information I can only recommend:

1) Reduce your system to a minimum state:

a) No drives until you can get video back.

b) Pull any extra cards (switch to onboard video if you have it)

c) Unplug USB devices

d) If you have multiple memory modules, go down to one.
Alternately try each module by itself.


2) If the system boots, reintroduce parts until problem reemerges.
Otherwise:

3) Try a known good power supply.

4) Try a known good memory module.

dtmcdermott wrote:
> I have an emachines t2042. I had to use the power cord to turn it on
> and off for the first time today since the power button does not appear
> to be working. When I plug in the power cord, the fan turns on from the
> power supply, but i cannot hear the hard drive spinning up. Would this
> be the power supply or the mother board or some other problem?
>

When I see emachine, I start looking for "Bestec". I think
the ATX-250-12E is the one that blows motherboards. I have
a bad feeling about this. Trying a known good power supply
may change the symptoms, but it still might show a black
screen.

http://www.censuspc.com/Bestec-ATX-2...3-pr-4389.html

(Anecdote)
http://www.techspot.com/vb/all/windows/t-62782-p-3.html

The thing is, with the Bestec, you should stop doing
experiments with it, as soon as it shows abnormal signs.
I read another web page, where a guy heard "snapping" from
the supply, but kept torturing it. It died.

Paul