Failure Of A Component.

I've just come across a beauty on a system I've been asked to fix.

The first symptom was that the system would not post, and the cd drawer opened every time power was switched on. Everything else seemed to power up correctly. I disconnected everything possible from the mobo, but it still would not post. I tried a different processor, still no joy, and tried the memory in another machine - no fault with the memory.

The natural assumption was that the motherboard was faulty, so I got a new mobo. Plugged everything together. Machine would not post. Since I had not been 100% sure about the second processor I had tried, I had to dismantle my own machine to check out the processors, they both proved to be ok, so it looked like I had a dodgy motherboard.

I decided to give it one last try, just in case I had made a mistake. This time, nothing powered up at all. Disconnected everything from the psu except the mobo, still no power up. Just to make sure, I connected the psu from my own machine, and it powered up, but still would not post. Obviously, the power supply had gone and blown the new mobo too.

Got a new psu (from a different source) and exchanged the mobo (just told them it wouldn't post). Assembled everything again, applying power to just the mobo. Post successful. Connected the rest of the components - no power up! Disconnected them one by one, things started working when I disconnected the cdrom.

Replaced the cdrom with one I had lying about, powered up the system, went into the bios. Performed IDE detection - no hd detected. Removed the hd, and there's a very obvious blown chip. It's still under warranty so hopefully I can get it replaced.

I haven't found anything else that's gone (I think there's only the floppy drive left), but it looks like the power supply must have partially failed, and taken with it 2 motherboards, a cdrom drive and a hard drive.

Anyone else seen as bad a case as this?

A PSU blew up in my old PC, everything went. It was an obslete PC, but I could still have played with it :(

EDIT: I reckon a bad water cooling unit would do the worst damage.

No mate & hope i never do.

M'opinon why so many conflict & problems with pc's is so many different manufacturers esp' for the end user...Theres only a basic standard they have to keep to & if the bigger companys have there own technology too. :)

That's nasty. Oh the costs! :o

Sounds like a power spike took out the whole system the first time.

@ Lynx
Not much more couldve gone wrong mate..

Quote:

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Originally posted by Virtualbody1234@10 January 2004 - 15:29
That's nasty. Oh the costs! :o

Sounds like a power spike took out the whole system the first time.

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Sounds a bit like that, doesn't it.

But it's the second time they've blown a psu in 9 months, last time it "merely" took out the hd. I'm trying to figure out what they might be doing that could cause it.

recommend them a UPS

my old emachines 633mhz, i pulled off the heatsink and didnt put new thermal paste :( , woke up next morning and the computer was off :o

Quote:

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Originally posted by Virtualbody1234@10 January 2004 - 16:29
That's nasty. Oh the costs! :o

Sounds like a power spike took out the whole system the first time.

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Wow, That is really a bad case. A few years back, I lost 3 modems to
lightening strikes and a hard drive to a power surge(car hit a power pole)and
sent burst to home.
Lynx, it could have just been a bad part but I think
vb1234 is right, some areas do not have power regulated that would protect
electronics.
Sparsely's suggestion for ups may be your answer.
for me, a good surge arrestor was the answer. :rolleyes:

You sound like me ripping my computer apart to test someone eles .Boy it pisses the little woman off :lol: With me its usually the harddrive that goes kaput

Yes, I think a power surge protector is a good investment, especially if you have valuable (business or otherwise) data on your pc.

I find the thought of all my months of hard work being wiped out in a flash very scary, even though i often (not regugarly) back up my important data.

Most of us take the reliability of our PC's for granted until we get a bad experience like that guy whose PC Lynx fixed.

I'll be off to the computer fair tomorrow to buy a surge protector, there is one being held locally :D .

Quote:

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Originally posted by Robert00000@10 January 2004 - 21:38
I'll be off to the computer fair tomorrow to buy a surge protector, there is one being held locally :D .

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There's a little fair near me at Crystal Palace tomorrow that I would normally be going to but the wife quit her job in the week so that's out. :(

I really can't believe there are people not using surge protectors for their computers - I have one here for the computer & periphs, and another with two phone chargers, a lamp and my rechargeable electric razor in it!

btw, have you checked the wiring in this person's house?
you can get an outlet tester @ Radio Shack or whatever for like 5$.
It just has some LEDs to show if everything's done right.

i got a surge thru the coaxial cable on my cable internet, and it blew the cable modem, the mobo, and the DVD burner. the HDDs, and my 9800xt survived tho

Quote:

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Originally posted by Smurfette+10 January 2004 - 21:58--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Smurfette @ 10 January 2004 - 21:58)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Robert00000@10 January 2004 - 21:38
I&#39;ll be off to the computer fair tomorrow to buy a surge protector, there is one being held locally&nbsp; :D .

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There&#39;s a little fair near me at Crystal Palace tomorrow that I would normally be going to but the wife quit her job in the week so that&#39;s out. :(

I really can&#39;t believe there are people not using surge protectors for their computers - I have one here for the computer & periphs, and another with two phone chargers, a lamp and my rechargeable electric razor in it&#33; [/b][/quote]
ive got surge protection built into my extension lead, very handy and gives me a bit of security

What&#39;s your worst colateral damage? = I tried installing a new CD Burner in my old eMachines and just about fried everything in the damned box. When I turned it on, it wouldn&#39;t recognize almost anything. It said I had no videocard, no soundcard, and if you tried to plug anything into the USB ports, it wouldn&#39;t recognize it. Now I am scared out of my mind about installing hardware into my new computer..... :(

Quote:

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Originally posted by RGX@11 January 2004 - 00:49
ive got surge protection built into my extension lead, very handy and gives me a bit of security

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I&#39;ve got one of those too. Cuts out the possibility of a surge hitting your comp via an unprotected piece of equipment.

I&#39;ll recommend they get one.

The worst thing I have every seen happen... god i tremble thinking about all that monay all those lawns mkowed at &#036;5 per lawn... :( this tale takes place 1.5 years ago...

It was a awsome computer... my first test rig... Dual 3.0 gigahertz new for the time... P4 or more commenly called P&#036; for phunking expensive... Abit Mobo... the water cooling tube exploded and the whole computer was sealled closed (server comps arecomenly that way...) and it filled up, with 3 inches of water before it exploded... it exploded... steam came out... and over 10k of stolen computer equipment died that day... :( (wtf you thought i would mow all those lawns for a comp... i payed for the mouse and keyboard... :rolleyes: )

a terrible thing...i think i shoul;d really be condemned to hell for the happenings of that day... :(

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Originally posted by SciManAl@11 January 2004 - 13:10
over 10k of stolen computer equipment died that day... :(

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:nono:

LOL :lol: hehehehehehehe :P well ya know this IS Kazaalite forums... a program that helps thieves steal digital property... :D hehehehehe :P what would you expect??

lol sciman dont ur parents care??? and yet u still have a good computer.... <_< :angry: :angry:

lucky bastard&#33;

i hav a dam 1.9ghz WILLY :frusty:
but i just put it in a good mobo and sum memory...(dual channel)
i need a new video card thou...

i hate u&#33;&#33;:@ :@ lucky bastarD&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;

if tht happend to me no more computer for me ever unless i get my own money lol.... <_<