Can't find the problem

[djXternal]

I just received a new box from a friend, an emachines system. Model T6216. I press the power button and the fans spin up, nothing comes on the screen with the builtin vga or using a PCI-E card that I can confirm works. The harddrive does not spin up unless it has the power plugged in but not the IDE cable. I have tried resetting the bios and trying different memory slots but nothing can seem to get it to work. What else should I try?

[Gizmo]

Generally, when the IDE drive won't spin up unless it's unplugged from the mobo, it's either because the mobo is borked or the cpu is hosed.

Disconnect and remove EVERYTHING from the mobo except the cpu, speaker, and power connectors. See if it gives you any kind of post code. If it doesn't, then you are down to CPU, mobo, or PSU (possibly case, although that's very rare).

[Samuknow]

I have had horrible trouble with emachine boards failing. I have replaced many over the years for friends. I would make a safe bet it is the board.

[djXternal]

That was my feeling too, I will try what you said a little later today Gizmo and report back. Is there a way to determine if the board is bad or the CPU once I eliminate the PSU short of having a spare of either?

[Samuknow]

CPUs do not usually just die unless you over volt them. I have only had a couple of CPUs die and both were due to a massive OC and over volt.