HowToFixComputers.com

Guest · Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 11:30 pm Post subject: Need help please

I have a Gateway GT 4010. I turned it off last night and it will not come back
on this morning. I can hear what sounds like the fan but nothing else happens.
Is there anything I can do like a reset button or something? Of course I'm two
months out of warranty.
Thanks

Lee · Guest

karen402@nomail.com wrote:

Ben Myers · Guest

Karen,

"nothing else happens" means that nothing even displays on the screen? If so,
the most probable causes are motherboard failure and a failed power supply (even
though the fans spin)... Ben Myers

On Sat, 14 Apr 2007 15:09:19 -0400, karen402@nomail.com wrote:

Guest · Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 6:39 pm Post subject: Re: Need help please

On Sat, 14 Apr 2007 20:12:57 -0400, Ben Myers
<ben_myers_spam_me_not@charter.net> wrote:

Ben Myers · Guest

From what you've confirmed, I'd say that the next action is to test the system
with another ATX12v power supply. If another power supply works, the one in
your system has failed. If not, then it's time for a motherboard replacement.

Any remaining warranty from Gateway? ... Ben Myers

On Sun, 15 Apr 2007 09:39:31 -0400, karen402@nomail.com wrote:

Postman Delivers · Guest

It happens that karen402@nomail.com formulated :

Guest · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 3:01 pm Post subject: Re: Need help please

Thanks to all. A friend is coming over today and said he will check the power
supply for me. He did ask me if I could try and find a wiring diagram for him to
check voltages. Anyone know where I can get one of these? I probably said that
wrong because that's from memory:-) He's not big into computers but is a
electronic person so he kind of know's what he's doing

Ben Myers · Guest

Really, it's nice to have a friend willing to check the power supply voltages.
but if he/she does not know much about computers, there is a reasonable chance
that your system will get messed up.

Going back to one of my earlier posts...

If you or a friend can get your hands on a spare ATX12v power supply, you can
use it to test whether the power supply or the motherboard has failed. From
what you described earlier, I'll bet that the motherboard has failed. But
rather than betting, it is better to be sure. If the system starts up with the
spare power supply, then you know that the original Gateway power supply has
failed. If the system does not start up with a spare power supply, you know
that the motherboard has probably failed.

Frankly, if you choose to do otherwise, you will end up with inconclusive
results and a waste of your time and your friend's time.

If you cannot get your hands on a spare power supply, put your system in the
hands of a competent computer repair person who won't be scared to service a
Gateway brand computer.

If you are anywhere fairly close to Routes I-495 & 2 in the metro Boston area,
please call. I do not rip off people for computer repairs... Ben

Ben Myers
Spirit of Performance, Inc.
Harvard, MA
tel: 978-456-3889

On Tue, 17 Apr 2007 09:03:21 -0400, karen402@nomail.com wrote:

Guest · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:29 pm Post subject: Re: Need help please

Thanks but I know no one that has any extra computer parts at all, and don't
live close to a town with a computer repair shop. To be honest I doubt if I
would pay much to have it repaired. Can get a new Dell for a little over $300 so
who's to say how much to spend on fixing?
He doesn't know much about computers but he is an electronic tech and has a
degree. He does electronic for a living, just not computers.
Thanks anyway

Postman Delivers · Guest

karen402@nomail.com submitted this idea :

Ben Myers · Guest

For what it's worth, if your Gateway GT4010 power supply is toast, I would
replace it for about $100 including labor. If the motherboard is toast, I have
no idea what a replacement would cost me. Some computer repair shops would
charge the same, others a lot more.

If you can't get the computer repaired simply and inexpensively, then maybe the
$300 Dell replacement is the best answer.

Tell your friend that he can find the ATX power supply information on the Intel
web site. Just about any Intel specification for Pentium 3 or Pentium 4
motherboards contains a table with the voltages supplied on each pin of the ATX
power supply connector. Because Intel promoted the ATX standard originally,
the Intel web site also contains separate specs for ATX, ATX12v and BTX, the
most contemporary types of power used in computers. Your friend may be an
electronic tech, but he is better off having some useful information available
to him, rather than flying blind... Ben Myers

On Tue, 17 Apr 2007 11:29:59 -0400, karen402@nomail.com wrote:

Guest · Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 8:14 pm Post subject: Re: Need help please

Sorry it's taken a few days to get back so no one may be following this thread.
We were able to try a new power supply. That wasn't the problem. I'm not going
to buy a motherboard so I guess the info I had on my hard-drive will just have
to stay there. I had a "little" backed up on Cd's but like most people not as
much as I wish I had
Thanks all

Ben Myers · Guest

If another power supply failed to revive the system, then it is more than likely
that the motherboard failed. However, do not despair at the possible loss of
your data on the hard drive. The odds are that the hard drive is still in
working order. if it is, I can be quickly and simply mounted in an inexpensive
external USB chassis,. then connected up to any computer running Windows 2000 or
Windows XP (or even Linux!) to give you access to personal documents and other
potentially valuable information... Ben Myers

Guest · Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 3:51 pm Post subject: Re: Need help please

Thanks Ben I did a google search and couldn't find a external USB chassis, or
even know what one is. Not knowing a bit about computers I was going to try to
pull the hard-drive out of a old Dell computer that I have now and put the
Gateway in and boot in the safe mode and try and get some info off it. I did
find on the Internet a S-attar to ide connector. Dumb idea?

Ben Myers · Guest

How about this link which popped up first when I entered "USB IDE" into Google:

http://www.pccables.com/cgi-bin/orders6.cgi?action=Search&search=USB_IDE&rsite=g.usbide

There are loads of these adapters available, both with and without an external
(usually) aluminum housing or chassis, at affordable prices.

If your drive is SATA rather than the older PATA/EIDE/IDE, there are adapters
available for SATA and USB, too. "USB SATA" turned up this one, among others:

http://www.usbgear.com/USB-SATA.html

I think you are way better off using a drive adapter to a USB cable. Booting
up in safe mode on your old Dell means that any sort of CD burning software is
probably not available to use. Also, although the SATA-IDE adapter may work,
you may stumble across serious BIOS limitations which make it impossible to boot
the Dell from the SATA drive... Ben Myers

On Tue, 24 Apr 2007 11:31:17 -0400, karen402@nomail.com wrote: