The daughter's ~5 year old E Machines desktop has gotten very little use recently. I have left it on and every so often just logged on to make sure all is well. Last night, the monitor was all light blue (not 'screen of death' blue) and wouldn't log on so I unplugged it, then put power back to it and tried logging on. It came up, showed her logon screen and had a Window box pop up saying the system recovered from a serious error, then click it shut off. I tried to log back on several times, no luck, it would get to the logon screen then click shut off. So I unplugged it and left it till tonight. Now the blue power button won't light up when you try to turn it on, although the yellow hard drive light comes on. I'm thinking bad power supply. Are those pretty universal?
Most of them are, several manufacturers like Dell occasionally use non-standard ones but the box shifters usually use standard parts.
yeah, you'll have to crack it open to see, they make a passive PS tester for like $12 you can test.
you can also see if its a non-standard sized PS box.
You're not supposed to keep a computer that long! You need to run out and buy a new one as soon as A) Intel comes out with a faster chip or B) Microsoft issues a new version of Windoze.
I think I've replaced the power supply in every computer I've ever owned. The oldest machine I currently have in service is 10 years old. Our LAN currently consists of 3 machines and the kids really enjoy destroying each other in network games.
Power supplies are USUALLY fairly standardized... I'd bring it to a mom and pop computer shop and have them look at it if you want to save it.
I got a free E Machine with a dead PS from a co-worker. I put one from my box of junk in it and have been using it as the entertainment center PC to play AVI's, etc. It's a standard PS. Take the old one out, go down to a computer store and say "Gimme one of these."
E-machines were notorious for bad power supply's.
Verify that you don't have one of their non-standard pieces by looking up the model on da goooogles and then order one based on that information.
If it is a non-standard, then usually its only the connections that are a bit off or the mounting solution. Both of which can be resolved with some efforts....
"Where's my hammer?"
Few people fully understand just how useful a BFH can be for fixing computers.
I figgered it was probably the PS. I have another old computer I can raid for bits and pieces, I'll get Toyman's wife to come swap it for me. I'll just drink beer and watch. 
Should it come down to it: A CD drive can and will stop a .357 magnum bullet.
