How would I know my motherboard is damaged

R

Rizzler

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Had a lightning strike Friday night. PC was still powered on but screen was blank. I tried reset and power off but the buttons had no effect so I switched it off at the back. Since then dead. I took the power supply out and had it tested twice and it's fine but the PC is still dead.

How would I know if it's the motherboard thats damaged vs say the power switch ?
What is the most likely thing on the board to be damaged by lightning ?
What are the chances of having a board repaired ?
Thanks if anyone has some advice.
 
Esquire said:
Take out the motherboard from the case remove the memory and processor and wrap it in tin foil for about an hour and try again
works about 80% of the time
Click to expand...
Really ? Shiny side inside or out ? What about static ?
 
Esquire said:
Take out the motherboard from the case remove the memory and processor and wrap it in tin foil for about an hour and try again
works about 80% of the time
Click to expand...

I was in the other 20% but thanks anyway
 
Have you checked the PSU? If your phone line/router are still working the surge could've just popped something in your PSU.

If you are planning on claiming from insurance do not accept a replacement, rather ask for the value in cash so you can pick your own parts. I paid my school fees going the wrong way.

Esquire said:
Take out the motherboard from the case remove the memory and processor and wrap it in tin foil for about an hour and try again
works about 80% of the time
Click to expand...

Very interesting repair method :D
 
Fudzy said:
Have you checked the PSU? If your phone line/router are still working the surge could've just popped something in your PSU.

If you are planning on claiming from insurance do not accept a replacement, rather ask for the value in cash so you can pick your own parts. I paid my school fees going the wrong way.
Click to expand...

Did you even read the OP ??? :rolleyes:
 
Fudzy said:
Ah skim reading FTL. Ignore my first paragraph then :D
Click to expand...

I did :) but thx anyway. Really strange that nothing else was damaged ... not the modem or the phoneline etc . But I heard the pop in the study ... no visible damage on board but having replaced it all is now fine .... how hard can it be to put a damn fuse on a motherboard (or am I being dof ?)
 
Get yourself a surge protector, or at least unplug your tel line when there's a storm ;-)
After my last blown board due to lightning a few years back, I always unplug the tel line when lightning's around, and to date never had any issues.
 
Esquire said:
Take out the motherboard from the case remove the memory and processor and wrap it in tin foil for about an hour and try again
works about 80% of the time
Click to expand...

This is a new trick I was not aware of. Will try this with next Lightning damaged board I get!
Edit: tried to give you rep points, but I am currently out.
 
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