Standby/Shutdown Issues

17 years ago

This has been going on sporadically since about last fall, but has become much more numerous lately. When I put my computer into Standby, it instead shuts down. Just my monitor power light continues to blink. The mouse is unresponsive. So then I turn it on by pushing on the power button on the computer. But sometimes when I do this, the mouse is still unresponsive and the monitor is dark, so I turn the power strip off and back on. Then everything is OK.

I got a new mouse, put in a new CMOS battery (because the date/time was WAY off one morning when I turned it on), uninstalled Norton Antivirus 2009 using the Removal Tool, added Avast free version, I run Windows Update Regularly, ran SuperAntiSpyware Free version, clean out the temp files etc regularly. Device Manager no problems.

IE 7, Windows XP SP3, eMachine T3085, 2.17GHz, 1G RAM, 160 HD

Any idea what may be causing this? Thanks alot.

Del

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Comments (11)

ravencajun Zone 8b TX
17 years ago
have you by any chance tried a new power strip just to make sure that is not going bad?

If it were me I would discontinue using the standby mode, just set up a screen saver and in fact since you now have AVAST you can set it to scan during the screen saver inactive time periods, that is how mine is set up, directions are on the Avast download page in the user guide pdf. I never use standby or hibernate, just leave it on at all times, turn my monitor off at night.
del5
Original Author
17 years ago
I thought about the power strip, just to remove one more variable from the problem. I'll try that tomorrow. I've done alot of Googling and ran across some stuff about bad motherboards on eMachines, so not sure if that would fit this situation. Maybe my computer is just on it's way out.

When you use a screensaver, the power/fans is still the same (the hum of the computer), right?
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del5
Original Author
17 years ago
The last few times I have tried Standby, it powers down as it should, but about a full second later, it just comes back to life. Not sure if this helps with a diagnosis. Lots of power issues!
zep516
17 years ago
I would not spend a lot of time trouble shooting power issues on an E-MACHINE,

Consider replacing the power supply.
owbist
17 years ago
If indeed your computer is an eMachine then you might well consider what Zep says and replace the power supply. Open the left side of the case and see if the P/S is made by Bestec, if so get it out of there sudden like before it takes your motherboard with it. Even a cheaper P/S will be better than the power supply by them.

You can easily replace this yourself. Give us a model number for the computer please.
del5
Original Author
17 years ago
It's a T3085. Yikes, I'm finding lots of info on bad power supplies on T-series machines. I will open the case tomorrow and get a look. I'll get back to you. Thanks.
owbist
17 years ago
Ouch, sorry Del seems I asked the model and it was listed in your original post.

If you check your manual or the link below for it you will see on page 11 (of the PDF below) the power connections from the power supply to the motherboard. You require one with a 20 pin and a 4 pin connector to the motherboard.

Here is a link that might be useful: PDF manual on the T3085
del5
Original Author
17 years ago
My power supply was a Bestec 300. I didn't want to order online and wait for the part, so I took it to a local computer store this morning and they sold me a Coolmax, which I immediately installed....and it's working!!! So hopefully all those issues will be gone and this computer will tide me over for a year or two til I get something better. Many, many thanks to you all for the help.
owbist
17 years ago
Ah, the dreaded Bestec rears it's ugly head one more time. Thankfully it never took out your motherboard. Glad all is well.
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
17 years ago
you were very lucky to have found out about those Bestec problems and eliminated that thing from your pc.
good work!

Is the standby working ok now?
del5
Original Author
17 years ago
Yes, the Standby has been working just great all day. I purposely used it more than I normally would just to give it a workout! I was dwelling so much on this being a software glitch that I didn't think about it being the whole Power Supply unit. And I was surprised how easy it was to replace (with my detailed drawings of what goes where!) Thanks again for the help.

Standby/Shutdown Issues

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ravencajun Zone 8b TX

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Standby/Shutdown Issues

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ravencajun Zone 8b TX

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