I was given a broken eMachine C2480. Won't boot up at all, not even a start up chime or anything on the screen.

After doing a little research here and elsewhere, it is most likely a failed PS which I did swap out with a known working similar one. Didn't work, still the same. Fans powered up however. So, looks to me that the PS blew up the MB. Looks like it is a typical eMachine failure.

Any cheap replacement MBs or is she a goner and a parts box?

Thanks in advance,
Bill

Ah Bill Lumbergh,
All problem eMachines need their power supplies and motherboards replaced at the same time. The eMachines support site doesn't list your computers specs. I guess this doesn't really matter though.

We try to get a motherboard that uses the same processor and memory, so we can use the old stuff, but I have an eMachines T3958 here that was bought new 2 years (2005) ago. The motherboard was 3 years old (Bios 2002) when the computer was first sold. In other words, it was obsolete when it was built...

My standard eMachines upgrade (for reference):

Any better 350 watt power supply

MSI PM8M3V-H motherboard

1GB DDR PC2100 or better memory (2- 512MB sticks)

Intel Celeron D Cedar Mill 3.2GHz CPU

Not counting the XP operating system CD, you can do this for under $200

Thanks, just as I thought, it's now a parts box.

http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic62782.html

I did read the emachine sticky. I contacted TigerDirect and they don't carry motherboards that old.

It will make a great parts box for other computers I'm putting together.

Take care,
BL