computer flickers but will not turn on

[toygua]

Hello everybody, i am new to this forum. I came across this forum as I was searching for why my computer had problems. The problem is, about 2-3 weeks ago, i turned my computer on as normally, and I went into another room for about 10 minutes, when i returned to the computer, the computer looks like it had been turned off but the yellow light that shines when the computer is running is still blinking. For this computer, it is an emachines that i have gotten 3 years ago, and the warranty just expired 3 months ago . Well the computer has a power on button and aroudn that button is a circlle that lights green when the computer is running. Well that circle was not green but the yellow light was still blinking. The monitor went into its self check mode saying that the monitor works. And for the next few weeks, I tried to start the computer twice. And it was hard to turn the computer on. Although the status light was flickering and i could hear stuff moving inside the computer, when i press the power on button, it will not turn on. So then once i left the flickering go on, and btw, the flickering will not stop until i unplugged the computer. So i left the flickering go on and the flickering grew into a long continuous light. So then i pressed the power on button and it worked. That was the only time it worked. I tried to repeat the same thing but a week ago, when i plugged the power cable back in, it would not even flicker. It is like there is no more energy reaching the computer or anything. Nothing happens now when i plug in the power cable. So i opened up the computer and i saw a lot of dust . I removed all of the dust yesturday and i tried to replug the power cord but still nothing happens.
Does anybody know what is happening,
I have looked through the message boards but most of the times the answers were too sophisticated for me , Please reply with terms a noob can understand or at least explain it .
Thanks for helping!

[skier]

post more info about your computer, PSU(power supply), processor, motherboard, etc. and check to see if ALL the internal wires are plugged in correctly

[toygua]

some information

And this computer was factory installed, Nothing was ever changed inside the computer, it worked well for all three years before it broke.

The reconditioned T2682 Desktop PC from Emachines is a great choice for the budget conscious buyer who wants a lot of features for an economical price. See product details
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Product Details and Features
Key Features
Form Factor Mini Tower
Processor Intel Celeron 2.6 GHz
Installed Memory 256 MB (DDR SDRAM)
Operating System Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Recommended Use Home Use
Processor
Processor Type Intel Celeron
Processor Speed 2.6 GHz
Processor Manufacturer Intel
Processor Upgradability Upgradable
Motherboard
Bus Speed 400 MHz
Video Output Interface AGP
Memory
RAM Technology DDR SDRAM
Installed RAM 256 MB
Max Supported RAM 1 GB
Installed Cache Memory 128 KB
Hard Drive
Hard Drive Capacity 80 GB
Hard Drive Interface DMA/ATA-100 (Ultra)
CD / DVD
Optical Drive Type CD-RW/DVD-ROM (Combo)
Optical Drive Read Speed 16x (DVD) • 48x (CD)
Other Drives
Floppy Drive 3.5" 1.44 MB floppy
Audio / Video
Audio Output Type Sound Card • Headphones • Line out
Modem
Modem Type Fax / Modem
Networking
Networking Type Integrated 10/100 Network Card
Data Link Protocol Ethernet • Fast Ethernet
Dimensions
Width 7.25 in.
Depth 16 in.
Height 14.13 in.
Weight 22.5 lb.
Miscellaneous
OS Certified Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
MPN 000002965
Product ID 22127870

the power supply box, outside of it, says Bestec model: ATX-250-12E

and i do not know how/what cables to check inside the computer, this is the first time i ever seen/opened/ tried to work in an open computer

[skier]

well, just try to push ALL cables in as far as they can go in case they got loosened

[toygua]

all of the wires are connected in, i pressed all of the wires and they seemed to be in as far as they would go

[toygua]

and also when i searched for my model's specs online, there seems to be quite a few people with this problem but i think the solutions were varied as to what had happened. Some said they replaced their power source and tried it again but it had no effect. Others said they changed their mother board and processor. The model T2682 problems were very similar to mine. i.e. it blinks but does not turn on. But for mine, it does not even blink anymore. When the power is plugged in, nothing happens at all.

And from what I have read, it seems that some processor or power source or something seems to be the culprit and after trying to replace a processor, the new processor just dies again.

So I was wondering whether it would be possible to take out the hard drive and ram/ other stuff and place it into another computer? would the parts work out/

[skier]

your stuff in a compatable computer should work for troubleshooting, as would other (known to work) parts in yours

[toygua]

what would be called a compatible computer to the t2682? What should I look for to find out whether a computer is compatible?

[Nein]

what would be called a compatible computer to the t2682? What should I look for to find out whether a computer is compatible?

DO NOT use your parts in another compatible computer for testing, low grade Emachines typically are made with bottom barrel parts, designed by bottom barrel newbie graduate engineers, assembled by bottom barrel assemblers, rebuilt by bottom barrel hi-school dropout techs...

If your parts are really bad they can kill the compatible computer you used for testing.

For example - a bad PSU can kill the motherboard, a bad motherboard regulator can smoke a CPU, so could a bad CPU in frying a motherboard, memory, etc...

My suggestion is that you bring your computer to someone who actually knows what to do.

In a way your computer is like a car, when your car is not running and making abnormal screeching/clanking noise when turning on... You can't keep cranking the key over and over and over without expecting greater and greater damage to your car.

When your computer won't turn on, don't keep forcing it to turn on... over and over and over without knowing whatsup.

[DMB2000uk]

While Neins outlook is a bit harsh (Though I'm sure he's just telling it like is (in his experience at least)) I do agree with some aspects of what he's saying, I've had bad motherboards take out more than one PSU before, so it might not be worth risking it with some of the more sensitive parts.

But things like floppy drive, and cd/dvd drives should be ok to move to a new PC. Monitor would be ok to move over too.

But it might be worth trying to save up and get another (cheap?) computer.

Dan

[Nein]

OK toygua, let assumed your comp is basicly toasted, you wanted to fix it as much as you could yourself to save money.

I can try to walk you through some basic steps with what you have. Do you really want to give it a try?

[toygua]

alright guys, i have been away for a while. So here is what's going on. After reading numorous reports of how the emachines t2682 died in 2-3 years and it is not clear which parts need to be replaced, I started to look for a cheap computer. I saw a best buy newspaper for a compaq sr5010nx windows xp 120 gb etc... for 199. So I bought that computer without monitor and now i am currently using it. I used the old monitor since it has a self check saying it works. This is a crt monitor.

So now i want to get back my pictures albums from my old hard drive. i do not think i am capable of adding a hard drive into another computer. I have an extra xp computer by hp that is about 3-4 years old that i can try to put the new harddrive in, but i use norton ghost on that computer once in a while. So would the norton ghost affect the harddrive that would be added into the hp computer? And is it relatively simple to add the hard drive as a slave, that is almost all i know about adding extra harddrive, the word slave drive.

Another option that i may want to try out is one of those hard drive enclosures that can be used with usb 2.0. Which option should i do, I am willing to try either method but i guess simpler is better. Hopefully someone can walk me through one of the ways.

Thank you for reading.

[Major_A]

Since I don't really understand what you are say/asking I'll try my best...

If you have pictures you want off the dead computer the only way to get them off there is to put the hard drive in another working computer. You need to set the jumper to the opposite of what is in the working PC. From there you can navigate through the drive and find the stuff you want. After you backup your stuff you can now format the old drive and backup everything to that drive if you want.

Don't feel comfortable doing this? Then call around for a mom and pop shop to help you out, avoid Geek Squad and Fire Dog. They are groups of idiots who screw people out of their hard earned money.

*EDIT*
And what you described in your first post sounds like a dead PSU or a motherboard with bad capacitors.

[toygua]

lol i guess i tried to say too much in one post last time.

I read about hard drive enclosures in which you can place a hard drive into this case, and when you connect the cables, etc. Then you can use it as a portable hard drive via a usb 2.0 cable or firewire depending on which type of enclosures you get.

I kind of want to use the enclosure method because it seems simpler and will be less likely i will damage other computers lol

[Major_A]

You can go the external enclosure route.

[toygua]

can you explain how to set up the external exclosure? and i still am not able to remove the hard drive from my dead computer, seems to be screwed on and i removed the semi-large screw to the case holding the hard drive. There are several more screws covering the case of the hard drive. And for the wiring, is it alright if i just pull it out or is there some special method to remove the wires connecting to the hard drive? My machine again is the emachines t2682.

[Major_A]

1. Remove the old hard drive, likely held in with 4 small screws. Just unplug the connections from the back of the drive. If there are more screws search for them. You aren't going to screw up the computer any more than it already is.
2. Buy the enclosure.
3. Read the directions, hook it up in the box and fire it up.

If you don't know how involved it will be look up an enclosure manufacturer's website and download the user manual. From there you can see if you want to try it.

[toygua]

how about the different types of hard drives. IDE and etc.. do they require different types of enclosures and how do i find out what type my hard drive is?

[Major_A]

If you eMachines is older than 2 years I'd be 99% sure it is an IDE drive.

[stev]

From what your first post mentions, of only having a yellow ring around the monitor button, I had that problem too on my emachines W2247 unit. The 80Gb WesternDigital HDD had died.

Everything inside the case sounded like it was working, but nothing even booted. The screen would only flicker ever so often.