A SMALL PERSON’S E MACHINE WON’T BOOT UP. LIGHTS FLASH ONLY

[RayD]

Thank you in advance.

The small person next door (she’s 11) is having trouble with her computer.
When you turn the machine on the fan starts and the HD light at the front flashes, quickly. Also the light around the power switch flashes in unison. The CD and DVD drawers wont open. There are no lights lit on the motherboard, having said that I can’t see any that should be lit. I am testing the tower just on the power cable with nothing else connected, although I understand it was doing exactly the same when it was fully connected. It happened all of a sudden. The HD appears not to be running. I have rie holding the power button in for 40 seconds having rad a post with that suggestion, nothing changed. Felt around for loose wires. I have a multi meter if someone could point to me the connections to couple to.

If you could spell out the solution, or tests to carry out I’d be grateful, I won’t necessarily understand your expert abbreviations

E Machines 620
2.7GHz
Intel Celeron
80 GB HD Ultra DMA/100
3D AGP G Force FX5200 64MB TV out
512 MB DDR
48x CDRW
16x DVD
10/100 Mbps Ethernet
56 Fax Modem
Windows XP
Thank you
Ray

 

[RayD]

Using a digital AC DC Taylor TD20 Volts Ohms Meter set to DC on the wires you suggest I was getting a reading fluctuating between 8 and 10 volts. I may need to try the same on my own computer to check the meter. Or do you think this is a typical reading for a faulty PSU.
Thank you
Ray

 

[RayD]

I’ve just tested the meter on my machine; it reads 12.2 volts so the E Machine seems only to be producing 8 to 10v. I think I might borrow a PSU and try the rest of the hardware. Do you think if it starts up with a new PSU it will be OK or do you think a PSU going down more often than not damages something on the way.
Thank you
Ray

 

[RayD]

Thank you very much for your time.
Ray

 

[RayD]

When I went for the new power supply the shop owner was so convinced the flashing lights meant the motherboard had gone he talked me out of buying one. He suggested I try the one from my machine first. Having fitted the working PSU and switch the power back on the lights did in fact appear normal - no flashing. Connected my monitor, pressed start button and nothing came up on the screen. It did not seem to want to boot up. Seemingly the PSU had gone down and SOMETHING ELSE BESIDES. Could you help me identify what that something else might be. If I could repair it cheaply it would be worthwhile.
Thank you very much.
Ray

 

[RayD]

I used the 350W PSU from my own machine to test the E Machine. Since you pointed out at the start it could be the motherboard, and me not being a big believer in two things going wrong at once, something occurred to me, I wonder if the 8 to 10v fluctuations on my meter were in fact recording the power being used by the two flashing lights, 2 plus 2v. Or is that a crazy idea. I only ask because the PSU might be OK and it might only be a new board required. I’m trying to avoid getting a new PSU then a new MB then a new CPU.
Thank you
Ray

 

[RayD]

I will try that later, in the meantime I put the old PSU back in the machine and only coupled the MB up, the power light flashed rapidly. I then connected the HD and both the power and HD light flashed. This did not happen when I was using the PSU from my machine. But then it didn't boot up either. This may conclude there are in fact two things wrong at least.
Ray

 

[Athalus_nubie]

It certainly sounds like you may have at least 2 components damaged.
as mpilchfamily has said, its really not worth messing around with a system like that, its hardlt worth repairing ;p
see if you can convince the owners to buy a new pc instead.