eMachines PC won't boot

I need help with my cousin's computer, it won't boot. It is a eMachines
T1840 with a 1.8 Celeron and 1 stick of 128MB PC2100 RAM

When I first looked at it, the machine would get stuck in an endless
cycle, with the power LED blinking slowly, on, off, on, off. Also, the
CPU fan didn't seem to be working. No POST or anything.

I thought it was a bad power supply, so I tried an old, working, PSU
that I had brought with me. It looks better, but still isn't working
correctly.

The PC is now giving me a POST code, but I don't know what it means. It
gives me 1-3-3-1 (beeps, pauses, beeps three times, pauses, beeps three
times, pauses, then beeps once more). Since I never saw it boot, I don't
know what kind of BIOS it has. I've looked at google, but nobody seems
to even know that eMachines have BIOS's or POST tests, thus making any
research impossible.

There is no display signal to the monitor. Every time it is turned on,
the monitor seems to go active shortly, then prints out the "Check
signal" screen, then goes blank after a while again.

Any advice? Where can I find which BIOS it uses? How do I decode the
POST message?

--
This space for rent

1 long 3 short = RAM error if AMI BIOS
http://www.bioscentral.com/beepcodes/amibeep.htm

1 long 3 short = Graphics card error if Award BIOS
http://www.bioscentral.com/beepcodes/awardbeep.htm

Try reseating both, but given the "no signal" message, I'd suspect #2
--
Cari (MS-MVP Windows Client - Printing, Imaging & Hardware)
www.coribright.com

"Usenet User" wrote in message
...
I need help with my cousin's computer, it won't boot. It is a eMachines
T1840 with a 1.8 Celeron and 1 stick of 128MB PC2100 RAM

When I first looked at it, the machine would get stuck in an endless
cycle, with the power LED blinking slowly, on, off, on, off. Also, the CPU
fan didn't seem to be working. No POST or anything.

I thought it was a bad power supply, so I tried an old, working, PSU that
I had brought with me. It looks better, but still isn't working correctly.

The PC is now giving me a POST code, but I don't know what it means. It
gives me 1-3-3-1 (beeps, pauses, beeps three times, pauses, beeps three
times, pauses, then beeps once more). Since I never saw it boot, I don't
know what kind of BIOS it has. I've looked at google, but nobody seems to
even know that eMachines have BIOS's or POST tests, thus making any
research impossible.

There is no display signal to the monitor. Every time it is turned on, the
monitor seems to go active shortly, then prints out the "Check signal"
screen, then goes blank after a while again.

Any advice? Where can I find which BIOS it uses? How do I decode the POST
message?

--
This space for rent

Cari wrote:
1 long 3 short = RAM error if AMI BIOS
http://www.bioscentral.com/beepcodes/amibeep.htm

1 long 3 short = Graphics card error if Award BIOS
http://www.bioscentral.com/beepcodes/awardbeep.htm

Try reseating both, but given the "no signal" message, I'd suspect #2

I'll try # 1, but unfortunately it is on-board video, so I don't know if
I can do anything about #2

--
This space for rent

"Usenet User" wrote in message
...
Cari wrote:
1 long 3 short = RAM error if AMI BIOS
http://www.bioscentral.com/beepcodes/amibeep.htm

1 long 3 short = Graphics card error if Award BIOS
http://www.bioscentral.com/beepcodes/awardbeep.htm

Try reseating both, but given the "no signal" message, I'd suspect #2

I'll try # 1, but unfortunately it is on-board video, so I don't know if I
can do anything about #2

If no results with #1, and therefore you suspect #2, the answer would be to:
a) RMA the motherboard if it's still under guarantee
or
b) Disable the onboard graphics and get a separate graphics card
--
Cari (MS-MVP Windows Client - Printing, Imaging & Hardware)
www.coribright.com