eMachines T3120 help needed

[gphilmon]

If anyone has a working T3120, I would appreciate your help. My onboard video is dead and I need someone to document the exact keystrokes needed to disable the onboard video in the CMOS so that an add-in PCI Express card will work. I'll have to make the CMOS change blind, so I need the exact keystrokes.

These machines are crap, so why not replace it? It's my Dad's and it works fine for him.

Why do I think the OBV is bad? It seems to start up fine, making all the expected signs. The capslock light toggles as expected. It shuts itself down if I enter the keystrokes to shut down a WinXP machine (ctrl-alt-delete, ctrl-alt-delete, alt-s, enter). These things seem to indicate that it's functioning okay, except for video.

Could it be the monitor? I've tried two different monitors, both work fine when connected to other machines but have no signal when connected to the T3120.

What else have I tried? I installed a PCI-Express video card, but there's no picture. I installed an old PCI video card. Got one long beep and two short beeps, but no picture.

Any other suggestions appreciated.

 

[Leeky]

If the motherboard is faulty other issues won't be much further behind - if not already showing there ugly roots.

Have you tried resetting the CMOS?

A replacement motherboard will in my opinion be a wiser decision.

 

[dmill89]

If you don't get any video at all with a PCI-Express card it is likely that there is a failure in the northbridge chipset of the motherboard. Even with the onboard video enabled you should still receive video through an add-in card at least for BIOS and initial system messages before boot. With newer OSs it should boot and default to minimum resolution. The integrated video and the PCI-Express controller are both in the northbridge chip on the motherboard so it is very common for them to both fail at the same time.

 

[gphilmon]

Thank you both for your responses. I reset the CMOS, but it didn't help. I'm going to replace the motherboard.

 

[dmill89]

Thank you both for your responses. I reset the CMOS, but it didn't help. I'm going to replace the motherboard.

Just make sure you also replace the powersupply if it is a Bestec. There is argument weather the powersupply fries the motherboard or vice versa in e-machines but if a motherboard is fried it is virtually guarenteed that the powersupply has been damaged and will likely fry the new board if you don't replace it.

 

[gphilmon]

Fixed

It was a Bestec PS. I replaced the MB and power supply and the computer is now working fine.

I appreciate the help.