PC tower went bang - any hope?

Burlesque_Babe

Turned on PC tower. Heard zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz then a loud bang with a blue flash which came out of the side grill and then nothing. Taken the side off and hoovered out the dust which wasn't horrific but there was some. Inspected it all as much as I could and can't see any singe/burn marks or any loose wires etc. Popped the side back on and plugged in - nothing, completely dead

Any hope? It was on its last legs as it was when it was working - lots of blue screen/re-booting itself issues and I'd updated everthing I could and run all sorts of virus/malware etc scans and my registry was fine.

I have a back up of most stuff but there are a few photos I could do with retrieving

Garetha

Sounds like the power supply
Replacement about £40 - can be a DIY job

Lost pics - can transfer them via another computer - needs a little knowledge.

Is the computer worth spending £40 on?
More info when you've answered this!

basmic

The worst case scenario for you right now, is when the PSU went *boom* it could have taken out some components, such as your motherboard, processor, RAM, or even your harddrive.

To start with, I would test the harddrive in another machine, just so I knew if my photos could still be accessed or not - cross your fingers that it spins up, and you can access the files on it.

If the drive doesn't work, then I wouldn't hold out much hope for the rest of your machine. But still, if you want, try another PSU on the machine.

Sounds to me as though the PSU was faulty all along, with erratic voltages making your machine brick itself, hence the blue screens. Forgive me for sounding harsh, but it does sound like you've left it far too long.

damoandclaire

Garetha wrote: »

Sounds like the power supply
Replacement about £40 - can be a DIY job

Lost pics - can transfer them via another computer - needs a little knowledge.

Is the computer worth spending £40 on?
More info when you've answered this!

where are you getting your power supplies from? :rotfl:

if its just your average PSU - (usually 300W for most PCs) then - ebuyer at about £8 for an ATX 20+4 pin - around £15 if you want one with SATA connections on it.:rolleyes:

I had this happen to a dell just the other day. Replaced the PSU and it works fine. But do beware, pops like this do tend to fry stuff, but you could be lucky.

basmic

damoandclaire wrote: »

where are you getting your power supplies from? :rotfl:

if its just your average PSU - (usually 300W for most PCs) then - ebuyer at about £8 for an ATX 20+4 pin - around £15 if you want one with SATA connections on it.:rolleyes:

I had this happen to a dell just the other day. Replaced the PSU and it works fine. But do beware, pops like this do tend to fry stuff, but you could be lucky.

I realise this is a money saving forum - but where's the savings, when a cheap and nasty PSU probably has no overload protection when it goes *boom*?

Imagine putting a Skoda engine into a Porsche.... .

damoandclaire

basmic wrote: »

I realise this is a money saving forum - but where's the savings, when a cheap and nasty PSU probably has no overload protection when it goes *boom*?

Imagine putting a Skoda engine into a Porsche.... .

skodas aren't actually that bad now to be honest but wouldn't want to be putting the engine of one in a porche lol

however, I've been building PC's for 15 years and I've never EVER spent more than 10 to 15 quid on a PSU. And overload protection or not, if it sounds like is fizzing and then you get a blue flash and loud bang from it, no amount of overload protection is going to be any good. Specially if its anything like the pop I had the other day where it actually knocked out my main house RCD despite hitting 3 circuit breakers beforehand and a surge protection extension.

cheapest not always be best, but spending a lot of money on one may not be either. everyones own choice i guess.

Strider590

Another person who pulls the mains connection when they're not using the PC?

Inrush current eventually kills power supplies, they're designed to be left connected permanently.

Garetha

damoandclaire wrote: »

where are you getting your power supplies from?

It was rough guide - 400 watt from PC World - many people would prefer to pick up today rather than mail order - PCW are everywhere - and OK for parts - not my fave store for systems - in fact never bought one from them.

JasX

Sounds like a new power supply is in order these are relatively cheap...

If however you have used a hoover to clean the inside of your PC as you mention in the first post the huge static those things generate could well have caused much more serious damage. -I hope you were joking....

andy2004

personally prefer novatech for my pc components, but saying that i would stay clear of their own brand PSU's, I bought a pc case with a 400watt psu, and i'm currently on my 4th replacement in 11months. the 450watts they've been replacing have only lasted an average 3months. worst was 2months, on the last replacement they upgraded it to a 550watt. Touchwood that this one will last, so make does matter. so stay well clear of win-power. could have been a bad batch mind you.

Burlesque_Babe

cheers for the suggestions, I'll look at a new power supply but other than that it isn't worth spending the money, it's been 'well used' in its life, so I guess it had almost had its day and was a bottom of the range machine to start with.

Strider - no, it's always plugged in, I don't pull the plug on it when it's off.

Basmis - by coincidence just 2 days earlier I'd started to clean up the files and get rid of the dross and was going to transfer all the photos and other stuff I wanted to keep onto a stick - there wasn't enough space on it so I left it - the irony :rolleyes: