Help my computer died
- Thread starter Higlac
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Stigmata
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Open up your motherboard's manual. Open your computer. Switch off the power supply. Switch the jumper that will reset your BIOS to the factory settings. Wait 30 seconds. Put the jumper back in its original position. Turn your computer on.
It's worth a shot.
It's worth a shot.
Higlac
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I think that the bus is messed up, that or the power supply. I have no power to the keyboard or mouse.
Worst case: motherboard.
There aren't any fuses that might have blown are there?
Sorry about the double post I just needed to bump the thread.
Worst case: motherboard.
There aren't any fuses that might have blown are there?
Sorry about the double post I just needed to bump the thread.
Higlac
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Ok, but I haven't messed with the BIOS at all, no overclocking or anything. It only started doing weird things like restarting at random and not turning off when I cranked the graphics on HL2 all the way up.
EDIT: What jumper?
EDIT: What jumper?
MRG
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Which model of E-machines and how old is it?
Stigmata knows what he is talking about. In the motherboard manual, it might be called "Clearing the CMOS" which will do the same thing and reset the motherboards's Bios. Just a different name is all. Refer to the below pic to see what I mean. On *most* PC's, the jumper to clear the CMOS is located near/next to the CMOS battery. (That silver disk that looks like a watch battery on your motherboard thats sometimes, though not always, located at the end of the white PCI slots.)
Generic Picture of a CMOS jumper
There will be 3 pins for the CMOS Reset. (The yellow piece with the arrow pointing at it, though it can and is often White, Black or Dark brown instead of yellow, it can also be other colors as well depending on the mobo and E-machines likes to use Purple jumpers on their motherboards)
If the Jumper is on the LEFT and MIDDLE pins, you'll want to gently pull the jumper up & then cover the MIDDLE and RIGHT pins. Wait 15 to 30 seconds & then REPLACE THE JUMPER TO ITS ORIGINAL LOCATION, which was on the LEFT and MIDDLE pins. This resets the motherboard CMOS to factory settings. Of course you would only do this after following Stigmata's instructions on turning off the PC and then removing the side panel. Also FIRST read the manual that came with your motherboard. It clearly states how to clear the CMOS, ALL motherboard manuals come with that info.
If after you have done this and triple checked that all electrical plugs and connectors are correctly & firmly plugged in and you still have problems, then we need to go onto the next step, but lets take this one step at a time.
Also if your PC IS stuill under warranty, it *might* void it if you open the case, in which case you would want to contact customer support for E-machines. Their customer service # is 1-408-273-0888 and their support and warranty site is here: http://www.emachines.com/support/warranty.html. It also has the feature to talk to a live e-machines tech online.
Let us know how things go.
-MRG
Stigmata knows what he is talking about. In the motherboard manual, it might be called "Clearing the CMOS" which will do the same thing and reset the motherboards's Bios. Just a different name is all. Refer to the below pic to see what I mean. On *most* PC's, the jumper to clear the CMOS is located near/next to the CMOS battery. (That silver disk that looks like a watch battery on your motherboard thats sometimes, though not always, located at the end of the white PCI slots.)
Generic Picture of a CMOS jumper
There will be 3 pins for the CMOS Reset. (The yellow piece with the arrow pointing at it, though it can and is often White, Black or Dark brown instead of yellow, it can also be other colors as well depending on the mobo and E-machines likes to use Purple jumpers on their motherboards)
If the Jumper is on the LEFT and MIDDLE pins, you'll want to gently pull the jumper up & then cover the MIDDLE and RIGHT pins. Wait 15 to 30 seconds & then REPLACE THE JUMPER TO ITS ORIGINAL LOCATION, which was on the LEFT and MIDDLE pins. This resets the motherboard CMOS to factory settings. Of course you would only do this after following Stigmata's instructions on turning off the PC and then removing the side panel. Also FIRST read the manual that came with your motherboard. It clearly states how to clear the CMOS, ALL motherboard manuals come with that info.
If after you have done this and triple checked that all electrical plugs and connectors are correctly & firmly plugged in and you still have problems, then we need to go onto the next step, but lets take this one step at a time.
Also if your PC IS stuill under warranty, it *might* void it if you open the case, in which case you would want to contact customer support for E-machines. Their customer service # is 1-408-273-0888 and their support and warranty site is here: http://www.emachines.com/support/warranty.html. It also has the feature to talk to a live e-machines tech online.
Let us know how things go.
-MRG
MRG
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For 3 hours? Really? Did they tell you why? I have never heard about anyone pulling out the battery and keeping it out past 30 mins, let alone 3 hours. Interesting... Keep informed on how things go.
-MRG
MRG
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Ok, so clearing the CMOS didn't solve your problem. Next step,
1) Are ALL power plugs, connectors and wires correctly installed/plugged into your motherboard, Video Card, Hard Drive(s) & Optical Drive(s)?
2) When you turn on the PC, both the switch at the back of the P/S & on the front of your PC, does the PC turn on? Does it beep? What screens come up?
3) Did this start happening after you installed new hardware?
4) Which PC are you posting your questions from?? lol..
5) Is the Power cord to the P/S plugged into an outlet that is turned on & off via a wall switch?
6) Take the RAM out of the PC, reinstall one strip at a time and try to boot. Anything?
7) Disconnect all CD & DVD drives and try to reboot. A bad drive can cause the system to hang.
8) Try to narrow down the hardware that might be bad. Take the hardware out of the PC thats not working and try it in another PC that you know does work. If the hardware works normal in the other system, then you know it's not causing you the problems. Repeat for all components. If you get down to just the CPU & mobo, this is where it get tricky. There are hardware kits you can get that plug into a free PCI slot that detects if the mobo or CPU itself are bad. Is the fan on the CPU's heatsink spinning? Does it have a fan? NEVER try to boot your PC if the heatsink & fan are not installed on your CPU & plugged in.
9) You might want to take the mobo & CPU down to your local electronics store and have them check for you. They have the hardware there. They will be able to narrow it down quickly.
Let me know how things are after you have done the above steps.
-MRG
1) Are ALL power plugs, connectors and wires correctly installed/plugged into your motherboard, Video Card, Hard Drive(s) & Optical Drive(s)?
2) When you turn on the PC, both the switch at the back of the P/S & on the front of your PC, does the PC turn on? Does it beep? What screens come up?
3) Did this start happening after you installed new hardware?
4) Which PC are you posting your questions from?? lol..
5) Is the Power cord to the P/S plugged into an outlet that is turned on & off via a wall switch?
6) Take the RAM out of the PC, reinstall one strip at a time and try to boot. Anything?
7) Disconnect all CD & DVD drives and try to reboot. A bad drive can cause the system to hang.
8) Try to narrow down the hardware that might be bad. Take the hardware out of the PC thats not working and try it in another PC that you know does work. If the hardware works normal in the other system, then you know it's not causing you the problems. Repeat for all components. If you get down to just the CPU & mobo, this is where it get tricky. There are hardware kits you can get that plug into a free PCI slot that detects if the mobo or CPU itself are bad. Is the fan on the CPU's heatsink spinning? Does it have a fan? NEVER try to boot your PC if the heatsink & fan are not installed on your CPU & plugged in.
9) You might want to take the mobo & CPU down to your local electronics store and have them check for you. They have the hardware there. They will be able to narrow it down quickly.
Let me know how things are after you have done the above steps.
-MRG
Higlac
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1) yes
2) turns on and stops at the big E no beeps
3) no only after I cranked the graphics up on hl2
4) the laptop
5) nope
6) did, nothing different happened
7) maybe... will try in a min update soon EDIT: didn't work
8) all coolers are working. Not sure what is causing the problems and no other computers are compatible with it's hardware, unless it works in something from 1998 or in this laptop.
9) only if nothing else works
2) turns on and stops at the big E no beeps
3) no only after I cranked the graphics up on hl2
4) the laptop
5) nope
6) did, nothing different happened
7) maybe... will try in a min update soon EDIT: didn't work
8) all coolers are working. Not sure what is causing the problems and no other computers are compatible with it's hardware, unless it works in something from 1998 or in this laptop.
9) only if nothing else works
MRG
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Thanks for clearing that up.
It would appear that you might have an issue with your installation of Windows. Do you have any critical files that you need saved? If not, simply reinstall Windows. A fresh install always seems to do wonders. If you are unable to, you might want to consider that you might have a HDD error. If this is the case, do you have another HDD you can test? If so, install Windows on it and then use the other HDD as a storage only drive. There might be a boot sector error which is not allowing the HDD to boot.
Are you familiar with how to reinstall Windows? Sorry if these questions are "below your knowledge level" Some people get insulted if I ask a question they deem basic.
Let me know, i'll gladly explain how to do everything if needed.
-MRG
It would appear that you might have an issue with your installation of Windows. Do you have any critical files that you need saved? If not, simply reinstall Windows. A fresh install always seems to do wonders. If you are unable to, you might want to consider that you might have a HDD error. If this is the case, do you have another HDD you can test? If so, install Windows on it and then use the other HDD as a storage only drive. There might be a boot sector error which is not allowing the HDD to boot.
Are you familiar with how to reinstall Windows? Sorry if these questions are "below your knowledge level" Some people get insulted if I ask a question they deem basic.
Let me know, i'll gladly explain how to do everything if needed.
-MRG
Higlac
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The BUS is dead I can't use the keyboard to enter the BIOS or boot menu. The optical drive is dead it won't read the restore CD. I think I have a dead computer. I'm gonna bring it to Best Buy and have them look at it. If the motherboard is fried then I'm probably gonna pull the hard drive and install it as a second drive on a new computer. If the motherboard isn't fried I'm might still get a new comp, depending on what dad says. It is a little outdated.
Higlac
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Well I checked it out, and I need a new motherboard. It will cost around $80, to replace it with the same kind.
I want to upgrade the computer, and I was thinking about replacing the processor once we got a new motherboard, how do I do that?
My dad says that windows is registered to one motherboard, or one type of motherboard. Is this true, or is there any way that I can transfer it.
Again I'm sorry about the double post I'm just bumping the thread.
I want to upgrade the computer, and I was thinking about replacing the processor once we got a new motherboard, how do I do that?
My dad says that windows is registered to one motherboard, or one type of motherboard. Is this true, or is there any way that I can transfer it.
Again I'm sorry about the double post I'm just bumping the thread.
MRG
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Your dad is correct. WinXP is not so much stuck to a motherboard, only to the hardware installed in general at the time WinXP is installed. Now some companies did make it so that if the mobo was replaced, then Windows would not install, E-Machines was known to do this and it pissed a huge amount of people off.
You see, when WinXP is installed, it takes a snap shot of your system. IF it detects any big changes, like say a new mobo or HDD, then it'll not boot up. It's one Microsofts ways of "trying" to stop multi-uses of a single WinXP copy. WinXP does not mind so much if new RAM, Sound Cards, Video Cards, or Optical Drives are installed, "Normally" winXP will boot up as normal and just detect that new hardware has been found and then all is fine. Though not always. If too much has been changed, WinXP might ask for the copy ot be Activited, even if there are several days of the 30 left before you have to activate. In the small writing, it states that after 25 activations, Microsoft has the right to Deny activation when you call in. You'll still be able to use WinXP, only you'll have to reinstall every 30 days to reactivate the 30 day count down.
However, you can update every single piece of hardware in your PC and still use your copy of WinXP. When you go to Activate it, if it says that you cannot, simply call Microsoft (When you activate, it'll give you the phone number to call) and speak to the Tech center and explain that you just did a full system upgrade. They'll ask if WinXP is installed in any other PC's in your household. Simply tell them No. (Even if it is, just don't try to activate another copy on another PC anytime soon, otherwise, they can terminate your CD-Key, forcing you to either buy a new version or reinstall every 30 days.) They will then give you the 16 or so digit's required to activate your copy.
If the mobo you buy is the same as the one comming out, chances are, everything will boot just fine, its when WinXP notices hardware changes that problems might occurr.
Sorry i'm rambling on, i'll shut up now...
What are you thinking of upgrading to?
-MRG
You see, when WinXP is installed, it takes a snap shot of your system. IF it detects any big changes, like say a new mobo or HDD, then it'll not boot up. It's one Microsofts ways of "trying" to stop multi-uses of a single WinXP copy. WinXP does not mind so much if new RAM, Sound Cards, Video Cards, or Optical Drives are installed, "Normally" winXP will boot up as normal and just detect that new hardware has been found and then all is fine. Though not always. If too much has been changed, WinXP might ask for the copy ot be Activited, even if there are several days of the 30 left before you have to activate. In the small writing, it states that after 25 activations, Microsoft has the right to Deny activation when you call in. You'll still be able to use WinXP, only you'll have to reinstall every 30 days to reactivate the 30 day count down.
However, you can update every single piece of hardware in your PC and still use your copy of WinXP. When you go to Activate it, if it says that you cannot, simply call Microsoft (When you activate, it'll give you the phone number to call) and speak to the Tech center and explain that you just did a full system upgrade. They'll ask if WinXP is installed in any other PC's in your household. Simply tell them No. (Even if it is, just don't try to activate another copy on another PC anytime soon, otherwise, they can terminate your CD-Key, forcing you to either buy a new version or reinstall every 30 days.) They will then give you the 16 or so digit's required to activate your copy.
If the mobo you buy is the same as the one comming out, chances are, everything will boot just fine, its when WinXP notices hardware changes that problems might occurr.
Sorry i'm rambling on, i'll shut up now...
What are you thinking of upgrading to?
-MRG
Higlac
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We finally replaced the mobo with the same model, and now I can't even get the giant E, I think it is the processor, so I want to replace it with the AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual core. Ane I want to get an Nvidea 8800, but dad might not like me buying a $150+ card.
