Fried System!

Omega_DeathOmega_Death Sith apprentice to a box of Cereal Join Date: 2003-08-06 Member: 19042Members
My computer just got destroyed and I'm trying to piece together what happened. I'm thinking it started when I was moving my computer to a friend's house and it was raining out. A little water got on my monitor, not much and I didn't think any had gotten in through the air vents.

So I set it up and fire it up. I get the bios flash screen and turn around to talk to my friend then turn back to see a blank screen. There were no sparks or noises to alert me of something blowing. So I shut it down and plug in another monitor to find that it works.
(Dead monitor?)

I go home eat, come back an hour later. Plug in another monitor that my friend had, I know this one works. Blank screen.
(Dead video card?)

Swap out an old video card that also works. Blank screen.
(Dead AGP slot?)

Luckily I payed extra for the 3 year warrenty so everything will be replaced. Any ideas what happened?

Comments

  • RobertoRoberto Join Date: 2003-03-16 Member: 14591Members, Constellation
    maybe dead video card/power supply

    unless in moving the computer, the jostling unseated your heatsink
  • Leaderz0rzLeaderz0rz Join Date: 2002-11-09 Member: 7847Members
    if you have problems after moving a computer unconnect everything and reconnect everything.
  • RPG_JssmfulhudRPG_Jssmfulhud Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 4006Members
    Just so you know. If the cause for the computer's whatever failure is rain, you will not get replacements. Warranty clearly states that the provider will replace and repair any parts that have failed <i>because of regular use for a limited time</i>. They guarantee that the product will work in normal conditions, not that they will be immune to rain, lightning bolts, driving over them with a car... <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • ComproxComprox *chortle* Canada Join Date: 2002-01-23 Member: 7Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS1 Playtester, NS2 Developer, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver, Subnautica Developer, Subnautica Playtester, Pistachionauts
    So? By now the PC will be dry. Claim there might of been a power surge, but you're not too sure. Unless they get really into it, most places will just see that it got fried and go through the steps of warranty. I mean, that's what we do at work <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • DrfuzzyDrfuzzy FEW... MORE.... INCHES... Join Date: 2003-09-21 Member: 21094Members
    Dont keep messing with it, let it dry. Sometimes when something shorts out you can just let it dry out and it wont fry anything. But, sounds like youve been running it too much and its prob fried some stuff. Look at the back of the boards where the solder is and look for some burned spots, that could tell you where the problem is. It might of fried everything, increasing voltage/amps in certian spots of say, your video card, can inturn bust your mobo because the output could be higher than rated at normal use.
  • CoolCookieCooksCoolCookieCooks Pretty Girl Join Date: 2003-05-18 Member: 16446Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor, Constellation
    well you can still work out whats happened. If you still have it, take the sidepanel off your case (omg hardcore) plug in the power to the psu and see if the power comes on the motherboard (a green LED lights up). If the light doesnt come on it means either the PSU is messed or your motherboard is.

    If you can turn it on and get past the bios as you were saying before, maybe your hard drive has failed or something. If you leave it go for ages and you hear the windows startup sound or something while still having a blank screen, that means you must have a dead gfx card.

    I hope this helps into finding the problem :o
  • DrfuzzyDrfuzzy FEW... MORE.... INCHES... Join Date: 2003-09-21 Member: 21094Members
    edited June 2005
    <!--QuoteBegin-CoolCookieCooks+Jun 1 2005, 03:23 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (CoolCookieCooks @ Jun 1 2005, 03:23 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> well you can still work out whats happened. If you still have it, take the sidepanel off your case (omg hardcore) plug in the power to the psu and see if the power comes on the motherboard (a green LED lights up). If the light doesnt come on it means either the PSU is messed or your motherboard is.

    If you can turn it on and get past the bios as you were saying before, maybe your hard drive has failed or something. If you leave it go for ages and you hear the windows startup sound or something while still having a blank screen, that means you must have a dead gfx card.

    I hope this helps into finding the problem :o <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    As I said, wait till it drys. It might not be fried yet, but if you keep crossing voltages to parts not designed for higher ratings, your going to fry some IC's if they havent been fried already. Try crossing some transistor leads, they dont get hot at first, but over time you better not touch them or your going to get burned. He might get lucky and thats all it is, water crossing a circut and causing it not to work right. Worst comes to worst, its fried, but I wouldent play with it for a few days just to make sure. It dosent take much water to destory a circut (hell 1 drop could do it, its just got to cross 2 wires and BAM your SOL)
  • RPG_JssmfulhudRPG_Jssmfulhud Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 4006Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Comprox+Jun 1 2005, 08:36 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Comprox @ Jun 1 2005, 08:36 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> So? By now the PC will be dry. Claim there might of been a power surge, but you're not too sure. Unless they get really into it, most places will just see that it got fried and go through the steps of warranty. I mean, that's what we do at work <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I've a good mind to report your unacceptable behaviour! <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • DaJMastaDaJMasta Join Date: 2005-01-10 Member: 34750Members, Constellation
    It's not like he's the only one with a good idea <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->

    I returned a drive when it started acting up after 3 days of use, I forgot to mention that I accidentally used a magnetized-tip screwdriver to put it back in the case. It actually worked fine after that, for about an hour....
  • CommunistWithAGunCommunistWithAGun Local Propaganda Guy Join Date: 2003-04-30 Member: 15953Members
    edited June 2005
    <!--QuoteBegin-RPG Jssmfulhud+Jun 1 2005, 02:03 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (RPG Jssmfulhud @ Jun 1 2005, 02:03 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Just so you know. If the cause for the computer's whatever failure is rain, you will not get replacements. Warranty clearly states that the provider will replace and repair any parts that have failed <i>because of regular use for a limited time</i>. They guarantee that the product will work in normal conditions, not that they will be immune to rain, lightning bolts, driving over them with a car... <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    They dont need to know that.


    I had a soundcard replaced because I accidently damaged the gold pins on the PCI part and when they asked what happend I said "Im not sure I just turned my computer on and it didnt work"
  • Omega_DeathOmega_Death Sith apprentice to a box of Cereal Join Date: 2003-08-06 Member: 19042Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-CommunistWithAGun+Jun 1 2005, 11:01 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (CommunistWithAGun @ Jun 1 2005, 11:01 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> They dont need to know that. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Bingo.

    All of my stuff is going to be replaced, and luckily my hard drives are safe! Losing all my data was my biggest fear. So I'm pretty much going to be without a gaming computer for a week or two. But in good news since my stuff was around two years old I'm getting upgrades. They might not have my old parts in stock so they give me equal or better parts! Good times I guess.
  • Lt_PatchLt_Patch Join Date: 2005-02-07 Member: 40286Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-CommunistWithAGun+Jun 1 2005, 04:01 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (CommunistWithAGun @ Jun 1 2005, 04:01 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> They dont need to know that.

    I had a soundcard replaced because I accidently damaged the gold pins on the PCI part and when they asked what happend I said "Im not sure I just turned my computer on and it didnt work" <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Sounds like you might have dropped a few systems down the stairs methinks CWAG

    <!--QuoteBegin-Insurance Phonecall+--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Insurance Phonecall)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->
    Customer: I want to claim for a laptop
    Rep: What happened to it
    Customer: Dropped it down the stairs/movers broke it/etc...
    REP: OK, we'll get a new one to you<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Customer gets new laptop, and, sometimes, even gets to keep their old one!
  • Omega_DeathOmega_Death Sith apprentice to a box of Cereal Join Date: 2003-08-06 Member: 19042Members
    Ah ha! Removing one of my RAM sticks seems to have solved the problem. In a strange side note. The only things that have been fried are things that I have purchased apart from the computer.

    The monitor was purchased at office depot and the RAM stick was given to my by a friend when he upgraded. Selective destruction? I am now more confused than I was before.

    I'm assuming the monitor was caused by the rain, but the RAM stick is troubling me. The others along with everything else apear to be working fine. Could it just be that this one decided to die on me coincidently. Damned fickle machines.
  • DiscoZombieDiscoZombie Join Date: 2003-08-05 Member: 18951Members
    try switching the ram sticks? put stick A where stick B was and vice versa?
  • MantridMantrid Lockpick Join Date: 2003-12-07 Member: 24109Members
    I came into this topic expecting a PC tower to be battered and fried in hot oil.






    I wish I was kidding.
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