PC will not turn on

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gtmaster303

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Jun 1, 2012
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Hey guys,
I'm a little stumped on helping my friend with her PC, and I'm pretty handy with tech.
Computer is an emachines et1331G-03W
Here's a link to specs: http://www.engadget.com/products/emachines/et1331g-03w/specs/
It was built in 2009, so not that old. It's had a tough life in a not well ventilated desk cabinet and always left on 24/7

So the problem started when the computer shut off one day overnight. She tried powering up the next morning, but it looked like the file system was corrupted, because it would not boot the OS (computer was working fine up until then). Windows recovery did not work either. So I was going to recover the OS using a Windows 7 disc I had lying around. Put the disc in, and the computer now has trouble staying on. It would turn on for 15-20 seconds and then shut off. Every time I turned the computer on, the time it stayed on, gradually became less. Now it doesn't stay on for more than a second or two. Tried a new power cord. No luck. I took out the old PSU which was CAKED in dust and grime. They brought me a new Dynex PSU from bestbuy, but the connector to the motherboard is about 2 pins short. I managed to connect it anyway, but still has the same problem. I'm doubtful the power supply is the issue, even if I got a new one with the same exact connector.

Too long, didn't read: Computer won't stay on for more than a few seconds even after using a new power cord and PSU.

I'm really stumped here. Any help?
Thanks.
 
Solution
Darkbreeze
This is about the best cheap setup available. It is an anniversary edition dual core Pentium with a stock speed of 3.2Ghz which is 500mhz faster than the clock speed on the cpu you currently have in there. Plus, it can easily be overclocked to 4.5Ghz as discussed in this Tom's hardware write up:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/pentium-g3258-b81-cheap-overclocking,3888.html

I had to include a graphics card and RAM because the onboard video ports on the motherboard are only functional if you have a cpu with integrated graphics which this cpu does not. And the RAM you have is DDR2 and this CPU and board need DDR3. So it's faster than what you had and could be a LOT faster than what you had, but if you overclock it you'll need to get...
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thesleepydreamer

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Aug 2, 2014
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Hi i am not a pro in technology you know way more then me but i want you too try this

Open up the computer and check if there is any dust since dust can be a real pain in the butt it will freeze your computer or it wont be able too turn on games make you have lag spikes and may be even shutting it down

Computers need too be taken very good care off so try this get a fan and try blowing out the dust Slowly!

Or either your friend didnt update her drivers in a long time and they got old and rusty i don't know about this one

And if this doesn't help the PC may have just came too an end mine is 7 years old but it's still working fine since i updated everything every month and on so her PC might be a bit Overused and can't run anymore
 
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gtmaster303

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Jun 1, 2012
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But even with a dead hard drive the computer itself should still still turn on and sustain power, right?
My friend was telling me that too, but I didn't want to believe it, because to my knowledge a hard drive isn't necessary to keep a computer powered up
 
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JoakimL

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May 18, 2013
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What about the CPU heat sink? Did you clean it from dust too? If I were you I would take it off from the CPU, clean it and the CPU from old thermal paste, and put some new paste on before mounting it again.

If the heat sink have come off from the CPU by accident, the CPU will overheat and the thermal protection circuits will turn off the power to protect the CPU from damage. That is what I think is happening.
 
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Darkbreeze

Darkbreeze

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You need to get the correct type PSU for the motherboard, and hope you didn't fry the motherboard by connecting an incompatible psu. Those pins are there, or not there, for a reason. It's also important that the cpu power connector with either 4 or 8 pins is connected as well if there is one on the board near the cpu.

Plus, that is a terrible brand of PSU which is clearly at the bottom on the Tom's tier list of power supplies. It is in the category of "Tier five - Replace immediately. These units are NOT recommended for any system, no matter the purpose. Reference to higher tiered models for a better and potentially money-saving unit." So even if that was the correct type of PSU it would still be an extremely poor choice.

I'd take it back and tell them it's wrong. Here is the Tier list so you can find a good one.

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1804779/power-supply-unit-tier-list.html

Most likely you need an ATX power supply for that board although you should verify this by counting the number of pins on the board power connector and the cpu power connector and making sure they are correct. I can't find the specs for the motherboard to confirm this for sure and neither Gateway nor Emachines have any available information about the specifications on that model.

Some of those cheap big box ready made budget branded computers actually had proprietary power supplies that would not work with any other brand or motherboard standard aside from their own. I don't this this is one of them, but it could be.

I'd also take some compressed air (You can buy it in a can if you don't have access to a compressor) and blow out the heat sink under the CPU fan and then the rest of the components for as much as the can will allow, of course, after you get the correct power supply. Nothing else you do and nothing anybody tells you makes any difference until you get the correct power supply and hope you didn't damage the board.
 
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gtmaster303

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Nothing else was really that dusty apart from the PSU
Heat sink is fine. Intact and hasn't moved an inch. Putting down new thermal paste is a little beyond my scope of abilities and even if I wanted to take a crack at it, I wouldn't try it on my friend's computer first
 
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Darkbreeze

Darkbreeze

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As for the rest of you who have posted on this thread, the guy clearly indicated he used a power supply with two pins short of what should have been there. If you don't realize this is a problem, you shouldn't be posting an answer of any kind in relation to the question.
 
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Darkbreeze

Darkbreeze

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"I'm doubtful the power supply is the issue, even if I got a new one with the same exact connector."

Don't be doubtful, it IS the problem. Just hope more damage hasn't been done. Even with the correct connector I've seen NUMEROUS boards become coasters because somebody didn't get one end of the connector completely pressed down into the socket and fried the unit. And actually, I'm not even sure what you've got going on, maybe it is proprietary, because pretty much all standard PSU connectors are either 24 pin or 20 pin so you would have to either have four pins too many or be four pins short. There are actually adapters than can be used but with the power supply you bought, I wouldn't bother.
 
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gtmaster303

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Yes, Dynex is a terrible brand. I didn't recommend that brand. But that's what they brought me when they went to Bestbuy (of all the places to buy PC parts)
The connection on the motherboard is 12x2 pins big
 
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gtmaster303

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Ok, I'll arrange for the proper PSU and see if that solves the issue
 
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gtmaster303

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Will this be suitable?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?sdtid=7114794&SID=ba055143ba974fa3a99c6684538c2ba8&AID=10440897&PID=1225267&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-cables-_-na-_-na&Item=N82E16817139026&cm_sp=
 
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Darkbreeze

Darkbreeze

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For that system I'd probably say yes. It has a 20+4 connector so it should work on any motherboard that takes a 20 pin or a 24 pin connector. Make sure to use the 4 pin that belongs with the 20 pin as there may be additional 4 pin connectors. It should say MB or motherboard or be tied into the 20 pin wiring somehow.

Also, don't forget to plug in the 4 or 9 pin connector by the processor. That plug should say cpu on it but it may not. If it was a home built system or a higher end rig I'd say not to use that one, but it's actually on the middle or slightly higher on Tom's tier list and I know a lot of people have used them with good results.

Here's a link to the installation of that exact unit for reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O51m5U54Qo
 
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gtmaster303

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Standing by to pull the trigger...
 
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Darkbreeze

Darkbreeze

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Ok, that unit has a 24 pin connector with a 4 pin breakaway, which you don't need to do since you were short pins on the other unit, just leave the connector intact and plug it in. It also has a 4+4 cpu connector so regardless of whether your cpu power socket is a 4 pin or an 8 pin you're good. If it's a 4 pin, just pull the connector in half and use either half in the cpu power socket.
 
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gtmaster303

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Sorry, it's been a while since I last updated. Took quite a lot longer to have the PSU shipped to me, but I finally got it.
I have connected it but the PC struggles to start. It will light up for a second or two and then shut off
There is a 4 pin connector right next to the heatsink and fan, And there 2 connectors that fit it. One labeled CPU and the other not labeled. I connected CPU
What I've connected: HDD, CD Drive, 12x2 pin connector to motherboard, and 4 pin connector next to heatsink

Something weird happens when I unplug the 4 pin, the computer stays on continuously. At least the fan and everything else does.
 
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Darkbreeze

Darkbreeze

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Both those 4 pin connectors that are in the same bundle together need to be connected to the 8 pin socket next to the CPU or the system won't run. Make sure to put them side by side so that the little retaining clips are on the same side and then plug them in, with the power off of course. Also, make absolutely sure the 20 or 24 pin ATX connector is ALL the way down on both ends. It's easy to be slightly off on this. Don't break the board pushing too hard though. If you break the board, you were pushing too hard. Heh. If the system won't run after connecting the 8 pin CPU power connector and making sure everything else is good, then you probably damaged the board when you tried connecting the 20 pin ATX power plug to the 24 pin motherboard socket the first time around.
 
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gtmaster303

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Maybe I'm being stupid, but I really don't see an 8 pin connector anywhere on the motherboard
Attached you'll find pictures of the motherboard and the 4 pin connection I'm talking about
If you want any more pictures or info, please let me know
IMG_20140818_160621_1.jpg

IMG_20140818_160554_1.jpg
 
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Darkbreeze

Darkbreeze

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Ok, so yours has a four pin. You can use either half of the 4+4 pin connector that should be coming out of the PSU and says CPU on one of the halves. Also, I can see that the heat sink for the CPU is COMPLETELY full of junk. That needs to be blown out or taken off, cleaned and the cpu and heatsink re-pasted. That's probably the better plan. With the cpu plug connected though, press power and see if the cpu fan is coming on as well as any case fans, which it doesn't look like it even has but should. With that CPU heatsink so full of junk, I wouldn't be surprised if the CPU had gotten hot and burned up. Clean that or blow it out, plug in the CPU connector and see what happens. Let me know and we'll go from there.
 
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gtmaster303

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Jun 1, 2012
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I cleaned out the dust from the heatsink and fan. What a mess, yuck. Caked on dust.
Still the same problem. PC will turn the fan for maybe a second or two before shutting off
No picture displayed (of course)
 
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