Can some please help me with this matter? I have eMachines 570 PC which I am having trouble with. Every time I turn the computer on after a couple of seconds I hear a click and it shuts down or turns its self off. I also notice the three lights on the keyboard keep flashing. I have changed the DDR memory stick also used a different hard drive but still have the same problem. It just can’t get past the black screen. I would be very grateful if some could help!!! Thanks Mark

It sounds like you may have a power supply problem or possibly a heat problem.

Does the system react the same way if trying to boot with a floppy boot disk or bootable CD?

Have you removed the cover and checked all your fans, heatsinks, and power supply/case vents for dust buildup?

Can you determine where the pre power down "click" is coming from?

Thanks for your reply Dan. I had a look at my fan and heatsink and they seem ok. I have tried to boot with a floppy but nothing happens. It just stays on a black screen without the POST screen loading up. With you saying I might have a problem with the power supply I still get a yellow power light on the front of the tower!!!

The power LED on the case means power is reaching the board, but if one of the "legs" of the power supply is delivering low or high voltage, it could be triggering the board to shut down. Or a component in the power supply itself (capacitor, etc) may be failing and it collapses seconds after power is applied.

An inexpensive (~$15.00 US) power supply tester can be purchased at most large/good computer stores. There are three main possibilities at this point. Power supply, motherboard, CPU, and in some systems a failed device (hard disk, CDROM, LAN card, etc) can prevent the system from posting. It just stops. HP's are famous for this.

I have an article on troubleshooting POST problems here which may help.

Are you able to determine where the "click" is coming from?

Thanks again Dan...

I have Read your article on troubleshooting POST problems. Its very good.

I tried a new hard drive, memory and a difrent graphics card and also disconnected other parts inside the PC like cd-rom and floppy. But still the same problem. Still no POST but i can hear the fan running ok and the yellow power light is still on.

I can't determine where the "click" is coming from?

It sounds like you might be right about the power supply Dan. I will have to pick up a new one from the computer shop. I do hope this is the answer friend.

Quick update; Sorry, I've been busy (took on a short term side contract), but I've got the report and I'm checking through it. The fact that it's an (older) IBM says something. I'll be back.

My computer is starting to get me down. I have since changed the power supply the memory and I still have this problem. The power light is on, and my fan is working fine. It just won’t boot up. I don’t even get the post screen. Just a complete black screen. Its like I haven’t even turned the computer on. HELP NEEDED THANKS! Mark

Did you;

"If the machine is getting power to the motherboard, but won't post, remove everything (including the cmos battery) but the CPU, one stick of RAM (ensure it's in memory slot 1, inserting it two or three times to help clean oxides from the contacts), and the video card if so equipped (seat this two or three times as well). Remove the floppy and IDE data cables connectors from the motherboard end. Remove power to any disconnected devices.

Insert the cmos battery. Try to boot the machine."

The cmos battery too?

Is the "pre-power down click" still present?

Could the CPU/heatsink bond have been broken/loosened?

Have you tried booting with the onboard video output?

Is THIS your motherboard?

Without "spare" parts which you can swap out, there's not much you can do other than take it in and have the motherboard and CPU tested.

You can download a Memory Testing Bootdisk to test your memory. Once you make this bootdisk from the downloaded file, you won't see any files on the bootdisk, but they are there. Try booting the machine with this disk.