I was recently asked to look at a friends computer.  When the power is turned on the hard drive does not seem to be loading.  No sound, keyboard and mouse never loads, and the screen stays blank.  The DVD drive appears to working.  

The computer is a Emachines W3107

Processor: AMD SEMPRON 3100+ processor, Operates at 1.8GHz 256KB L2 Cache 1600MHz SYSTEM Bus
 
Memory: 512MB DDR (1 x 512MB), 400Mhz (PC3200)Expandable to 2GB
 
Hard Drive: 100GB (7200 rpm, 2MB Cache)hard drive
 
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP Home (with SP2)
 
Optical Device: DVD +/-RW, 16x Multi-Format Double Layer(up to 8.5GB with Double Layer media)
 
Expansion Slots: 1 PCI-E x16, 1 PCI-E x1, 1 PCI


I suspect that it is the motherboard as they've replaced the hard drive several times.  However, I would LIKE to make sure that the drives are all hooked up right.  I've compared to a couple computers I have around here but are a bit different inside.  I'm wondering if anyone might direct me to a tutorial of replacing a hard drive in this machine.. preferably with images.  

I'm also looking for additional ideas on what this could be.  I've read that the power supplies on these can be bad, but I'm wondering if the fans and dvd drive would run if this was the issue?  

Thanks for any information and help you can provide!  If a machine is so new that it has a dual layer 16X DVD drive and has had several hard drives, it indicates other serious issues.

By the DVD drive "working" you mean that the tray opens and closes, right? That ability and a FAN running does not mean all is right in the power department. That doesn't take much anyway.

There is a difference in a power supply working and working correctly. eMachines have notoriously poor ones and can take out other components as they fail. For this reason alone I would start there and see what happens. Hopefully nothing more serious has occurred.Sounds like Emachines is using re-conditioned / remanufactured hard drives.  What a shock...The tray opens and closes and the green light comes on and flashes  like it's reading whatever is in there when I put a disk in.

With the hard drive replacements, I'm not sure it needed replacing.  This is the first computer for the owners of this and I don't think they took it to a SHOP.  

If it's the power supply, this is going to be something internal and not just the main cord that plugs into the wall, correct?  


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If a machine is so new that it has a dual layer 16X DVD drive and has had several hard drives, it indicates other serious issues.

By the DVD drive "working" you mean that the tray opens and closes, right? That ability and a fan running does not mean all is right in the power department. That doesn't take much anyway.

There is a difference in a power supply working and working correctly. eMachines have notoriously poor ones and can take out other components as they fail. For this reason alone I would start there and see what happens. Hopefully nothing more serious damage has not occurred.

If it's the power supply, this is going to be something internal and not just the main cord that plugs into the wall, correct?