Problem solved - I hope...

[notimprest]

I bought an eMachines T6000 last late January. It features
the AMD Athlon 64 3200+, 160 GB hard drive, one CDROM drive
and one CD/DVDROM drive. It also has six USB ports and a
faceplate dealie that lets you read memory sticks from
cameras and stuff.

I had a problem in April where the machine wouldn't boot up.
I thought I had damaged something when fiddling with a
memory stick, so I sent it back. They said they reloaded Win
XP Home, but all of my files were still on the drive.
Hmmmmm.

Anyway, the problem returned a couple of weeks ago. The
machine would boot up sometimes and then other times it
would take a few days off without one successful boot.

I then read somewhere that if the power supply is marginal,
this will happen upon occasion. It was then that I realized
that I did not start having problems with this computer
until I added a wireless USB TX/RX unit, along with a USB
external CDROM drive, a USB external hard drive, a USB
M-Audio Audiophile box, well, I'm sure you get the idea.

By turning off, or removing, some of the USB devices, the
machine began behaving properly. It is too soon to say that
this won't happen again, even without the extra USB
accessories plugged in, but I'm beginning to think that the
system is loaded down with just too much stuff. Fortunately,
I don't really need the outboard CD/DVD ROM drive. I was
just testing it for another computer. The only time that I
need the extra hard drive is when I backup the 160 GB drive
in the computer, so that shouldn't be a problem. I'm stuck
using the WIFI radio dealie, but that shouldn't be that much
of a load.

I am beginning to think in terms of replacing the stock
power supply, but I don't want to do that if it is the board
that is giving me a problem. Any opinions? TIA

NI

 

[johns]

I can't see where those external USB devices would
cause the machine to fail to boot. Only thing I can think
of at all is you could be pushing your AC strip to its
limit, and it is tripping off. Each of those devices should
have its own power supply ( cheap little piece of crap ),
and I don't think they are well regulated. Just guessing
there. As for your internal power supply, it is my opinion
that most of them are garbage too ... with possibly one
exception .. the Antec supplies. Sounds like the techs
tried to do a "recovery" of your OS. I think they lied to
you. It is my experience 90% of the time, that the user
drags the box in to my shop, and it boots right up. I
don't take it in for "service" and hide the fact that the
average user does this. If you are going to replace that
internal supply, get the Antec 350 Watt with 2 fans.
Still, in my opinion, I think the problem is the setup of
several of those USB devices. Probably you have not
completed the installs, and also you may not be dismounting them properly if
they required their own
el-crapo drivers ... like that Maxtor OneShot backup
thing ( which should NEVER be installed ). Those
programs will corrupt other drivers in your system ..
and the fix for that is about 5 reboots to let WinXP
sort it out once you have unplugged the devices.

johns

 

[Shelly F]

I bought an eMachines T6000 last late January. It features
the AMD Athlon 64 3200+, 160 GB hard drive, one CDROM drive
and one CD/DVDROM drive. It also has six USB ports and a
faceplate dealie that lets you read memory sticks from
cameras and stuff.

I had a problem in April where the machine wouldn't boot up.
I thought I had damaged something when fiddling with a
memory stick, so I sent it back. They said they reloaded Win
XP Home, but all of my files were still on the drive.
Hmmmmm.

Anyway, the problem returned a couple of weeks ago. The
machine would boot up sometimes and then other times it
would take a few days off without one successful boot.

I then read somewhere that if the power supply is marginal,
this will happen upon occasion. It was then that I realized
that I did not start having problems with this computer
until I added a wireless USB TX/RX unit, along with a USB
external CDROM drive, a USB external hard drive, a USB
M-Audio Audiophile box, well, I'm sure you get the idea.

By turning off, or removing, some of the USB devices, the
machine began behaving properly. It is too soon to say that
this won't happen again, even without the extra USB
accessories plugged in, but I'm beginning to think that the
system is loaded down with just too much stuff. Fortunately,
I don't really need the outboard CD/DVD ROM drive. I was
just testing it for another computer. The only time that I
need the extra hard drive is when I backup the 160 GB drive
in the computer, so that shouldn't be a problem. I'm stuck
using the WIFI radio dealie, but that shouldn't be that much
of a load.

I am beginning to think in terms of replacing the stock
power supply, but I don't want to do that if it is the board
that is giving me a problem. Any opinions? TIA

NI

A powered USB hub might do the trick!

 

[notimprest]

A powered USB hub might do the trick!

An excellent idea, Shelly. Thanks.

NI

 

[notimprest]

I can't see where those external USB devices would
cause the machine to fail to boot. Only thing I can think
of at all is you could be pushing your AC strip to its
limit, and it is tripping off. Each of those devices
should
have its own power supply ( cheap little piece of crap ),
and I don't think they are well regulated. Just guessing
there. As for your internal power supply, it is my opinion
that most of them are garbage too ... with possibly one
exception .. the Antec supplies. Sounds like the techs
tried to do a "recovery" of your OS. I think they lied to
you. It is my experience 90% of the time, that the user
drags the box in to my shop, and it boots right up. I
don't take it in for "service" and hide the fact that the
average user does this. If you are going to replace that
internal supply, get the Antec 350 Watt with 2 fans.
Still, in my opinion, I think the problem is the setup of
several of those USB devices. Probably you have not
completed the installs, and also you may not be
dismounting them properly if they required their own
el-crapo drivers ... like that Maxtor OneShot backup
thing ( which should NEVER be installed ). Those
programs will corrupt other drivers in your system ..
and the fix for that is about 5 reboots to let WinXP
sort it out once you have unplugged the devices.

johns

Thanks for the input, John. Most appreciated.

I'm not using Maxtor's backup routine, but, instead, I am
using the one included with Win XP Home in the
accessories/system section of the OS. It seems to have
worked okay and didn't require an extra install.

The AC strips are not tripping their breakers. I would have
noticed the LED's going off on my powered studio monitors,
the M-Audio Audiophile USB and other stuff.

NI

 

[Guest]

The problem most probably isn't power....

There is a setting in your BIOS that allows you to boot from a USB device.
If you have that enable (this is normally the default setting) your system
may experience 'hangs' when booting if you happen to have a USB device
plugged in while booting. I do pc repair for a living....have seen this
LOTS of times (mostly with all-in-one printers that have media readers).

I would sugest checking your BIOS settings and disabling the "Boot from USB
Device" option. Be careful while making changes in your BIOS. Don't change
any setings unless you're sure of what they do. Making the wrong changes
can cause your system to become unstable or completely unusable.

Let me know what happens.

- TomClymer

 

[notimprest]

The problem most probably isn't power....

There is a setting in your BIOS that allows you to boot
from a USB device. If you have that enable (this is
normally the default setting) your system may experience
'hangs' when booting if you happen to have a USB device
plugged in while booting. I do pc repair for a
living....have seen this LOTS of times (mostly with
all-in-one printers that have media readers).

I would sugest checking your BIOS settings and disabling
the "Boot from USB Device" option. Be careful while
making changes in your BIOS. Don't change any setings
unless you're sure of what they do. Making the wrong
changes can cause your system to become unstable or
completely unusable.

Let me know what happens.

- TomClymer

Thanks, Tom. I'll give the bios a check.

I might have enabled it after I burned some .iso Linux
disks.

NI