Gateway won't wake up!!!

[shoride]

Ok a friend brought over his Gateway computer DX4200 series. It has quad core processor 4 gig ram etc etc and is running Vista. All the bells and whistles. He said he was getting no response from the video, so he brought it to Best Buy. They said "You need a new monitor" (without testing anything else). So he purchased a new monitor....still no signal. So he brought it to me. I hooked it up and....nothing. All the fans work but there is no video signal. All that happens is the blue LED on the power switch fades in and out as if in sleep mode. Here is what I have tried so far.

• Swapped out memory for known good memory
• Reset the BIOS
• Reseated processor and the lone PCI modem
• Unplugged hard drive and tried to boot
• Tested power supply and it tested good
• Attempted to come out of sleep mode using Gateway support recommendations

The only thing that comes to mind at this point is the motherboard. This computer is less than 2 years old but I know that doesnt mean much these days.
Unless someone else has an idea I am leaning towards replacing the motherboard on this system.

[Midknyte]

you should actually SWAP the PSU. How did you test it? Did you check each lead for voltage and amperage? It's way easier to swap.

If you change the motherboard, then the Gateway restore discs won't work. It would have to be an exact replacement.

[shoride]

I used a PSU tester that uses LEDS. I assume it to be reliable.

[shoride]

Ok I just tried swapping out the PSU with a known working unit. Still no luck.
As a side note if it means anything at all. There is not even a sound out of the mobo, no beeps at all, except when I removed the memory. I then got one long continuous beep.

[Midknyte]

If you mean the little plug-in tester you put on the end of the ATX connection, that tests continuity. It doesn't test voltages/amperages. I've seen PSUs that have pass continuity tests, but still fail to power up the system.

Starting to sound like a bad MB. Did you disconnect all drives and remove any PCI/PCIe cards (except video)?

[shoride]

Yes I did. Only one pci card which is a modem. I disconnected everything but still no luck.
Of course finding an exact replacement motherboard is no small task as well. Gateway used a couple of different vendors for their stock.

[shoride]

Looks like it is a Foxconn motherboard

[SuperSparks]

There is no need to get an exact replacement for the motherboard, if you can post back with the exact processor model and details of the RAM, we can find a suitable equivalent.

[Midknyte]

There is no need to get an exact replacement for the motherboard

Yes, there is if he wants to still be able to use the Gateway OS recovery software.

[SuperSparks]

Good point MK, I hadn't thought of that

[shoride]

Really not concerned with using Gateway recovery. The computer has a license COA for Vista Home and I have that disk available. I made the investment over the years of purchasing one disk of each OS as they come out for cases like this. Of course it is all dependent on the other party having a COA available. It works most of the time. As for drivers I can find what I need more often than not. I have found some suitable replacements for the motherboard. I have found one Foxconn with the 790 chipset. A Pcchips with the 780 and a Jetway.
I am leaning towards the Foxconn right now

[Shinma]

Among the three listed,
Suggest that you avoid PC Chips brand.

[Train]

Whatever you do and wherever you buy - avoid:
Jetway
PC Chips
ECS
These aren't the bottom of the barrel; they'd have to improve greatly to achieve that status. Their failure rates are obscene.

[SuperSparks]

Foxconn are usually pretty good, that's the one I'd go for out of those 3, for sure.

[shoride]

I ended up buying an Asus. Have had them in the past with no issues.
PC Chips I would NOT even think of purchasing. I have heard bad things about ECS as well, but my only experience with one was very good....go figure.
My own preference has always been Gigabyte or MSI for my own use. But I am willing to spend the money on my own machine