W2646 Problems
gcottingame said:
This is my first visit and my first post. I'm unfamiliar with this forum and can't find a place to start a new post, so here goes.
I have a W2646 emachine, that is 2yr 11mo. old.. All of a sudden it has started to shut down and turn off the CPU on its own. I never know how long it will stay on, it may last an hout or 10 hours. Who knows !! At that time, the optical mouse (red LED) light goes out and doesnt respont. The power setting in control panes is set to never shut off. It is not set to hibernate. I have to hold in the power button to get it to power all the way down, and then completely restart it. I talked to emachine tech support. There comment was, "sorry" your out of warranty. But suggested that I get a UPS. I assumed that he meant an external power supply.
Is there a UPS inside the machine that I can change out and solve my problem??
Can someone help me out as to how to fix this problem??
Thanks
gcottingame
Your trouble may be caused by one of several possibilites:
1) Defective power supply - If it is an EMachines PC, then that would be the first step I would recommend. Don't buy a "cheap power supply". Find a good name brand (like Antec) and one that gives you enough power. minimum of 300 watts or 350 watts would be better. You should be able to find one for about $50. If you need assistance changing it the first time, draw yourself a diagram before removing any connections. Note that the connector that plugs into the system board can only be connected "one way".
Before restarting the system, follow the connections to ensure all the drives have power. Locate some miniature "zip ties" and neatly arrange the wiring away from the cooling fan and away from any moving parts (like the side panel cover).
2)If your system has a cooling fan on the CPU, it could be caked with dirt causing the processor to get overheated. Most PC's will shutdown and try to reboot when the processor gets too hot. If the fan needs cleaning, remove the screws holding it (and noting the proper orientation of the fan), and clean the fan very delicately with a damp coton swab making sure that you don't leave any cotton threads in the fan. Do not use an external agent like a high powered air hose or the fan bearings will fail immediately from being forced into an overspeed condition and possibly blowing any lubricant out of the bearings. Most fans are mounted on an aluminum heat sink. Sometimes the heat sink can also get caked with dirt / dust. If you are not experienced in removing the heat sink, I would not advise it for beginners unless you are mechanically inclined. Use something like a very thin plastic knife to clean the fins.
3)A UPS is a battery type system that you plug into your power recepatacle that provides uninterrupted power to your PC.
That is very good advice! Make sure you find a good one that offers a good warranty for your equipment. APC is a very good brand. When plugging your PC into a UPS, look for the receptacles that are marked "battery power" or some similar markings. Some models have battery protected receptacles and they also have "surge protected receptacles". Ensure that the only device plugged into the battery power is the PC tower or desktop unit only if you are using a standard monitor. The standard type monitors will run the battery down quickly and the monitor does not absolutely need backup power.
4)My last suggestion is to always have an "up to date" Anti-virus software utility running on your system. Never install more than one so they won't be in conflict with each other.
5)A system may also try to reboot if the Windows Update is set to "Automatic".
6) The optical mouse problem may have a software conflict or it may be intermittent. Viewing the hardware connections using ""Device Manager" will confirm whether or not a conflict exists; find someone who knows this utility well and have them show you how to check it. Optical mice have a short life expectancy. If yours is 3 years old, you can find a replacement for $10.
I hope this helps!