How do I know if it was lightning that broke my PC?

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Ghost02

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Hi guys,
I have a PC in the house that hasn't been used for a while but I now need it but suddenly doesn't work. I can get into the Bios, but some of it doesn't work like trying to update it just hangs forever. I can no longer get into windows at all and even when I try install a fresh version of windows (tried legit windows 7 and 8 disks) I get a MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION BSOD as soon as it tries to load anything. I tried a new graphics card as well as trying one ram module at a time with no luck.

I researched the BSOD and found out it was related to a hardware fault which got me thinking, I lost a router to a lightning strike about 2 weeks ago and this PC was connected to it at the time. I wasn't home at the time so couldn't unplug the router as I usually do.

I was under the impression that if a PC was struck by lightning via the router either it would just effect the Ethernet port or the PC wouldn't boot at all, I was the on board network card so the cable was plugged directly into my motherboard. Is it possible that the lightning caused this or is it just a coincidence?

Thanks in advance
 
Ghost02 said:
Hi guys,
I have a PC in the house that hasn't been used for a while but I now need it but suddenly doesn't work. I can get into the Bios, but some of it doesn't work like trying to update it just hangs forever. I can no longer get into windows at all and even when I try install a fresh version of windows (tried legit windows 7 and 8 disks) I get a MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION BSOD as soon as it tries to load anything. I tried a new graphics card as well as trying one ram module at a time with no luck.

I researched the BSOD and found out it was related to a hardware fault which got me thinking, I lost a router to a lightning strike about 2 weeks ago and this PC was connected to it at the time. I wasn't home at the time so couldn't unplug the router as I usually do.

I was under the impression that if a PC was struck by lightning via the router either it would just effect the Ethernet port or the PC wouldn't boot at all, I was the on board network card so the cable was plugged directly into my motherboard. Is it possible that the lightning caused this or is it just a coincidence?

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

Try to open up the pc case and see if any components have black marks on it from burning or smoke. The last time lightning hit my pc in jhb you could see a blue light running down the wall on the phone line into my pc and there was a small explosion in the case where my 56k pci modem was plugged in.

Needless to say everything fried.

The only thing that was left working was my monitor.

It is very likely that the current from the lightning strike went through the modem/router and into your pc through the utp cable. If you are connected through wireless it will be impossible for the lightning to harm your pc.
 
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GoofySmurf said:
Try to open up the pc case and see if any components have black marks on it from burning or smoke. The last time lightning hit my pc in jhb you could see a blue light running down the wall on the phone line into my pc and there was a small explosion in the case where my 56k pci modem was plugged in.

Needless to say everything fried.

The only thing that was left working was my monitor.

It is very likely that the current from the lightning strike went through the modem/router and into your pc through the utp cable. If you are connected through wireless it will be impossible for the lightning to harm your pc.
Click to expand...

I think if it was lightning the router probably stopped most of it, that had black marks on it but I don't see or smell anything on the PC. I don't want to send it in to the insurance if it wasn't lightning so I'm trying to work out if it was lightning before I do that.
 
A Machine Check Exception (MCE) is a type of computer hardware error that occurs when a computer's central processing unit detects a hardware problem.
Microsoft Windows displays the error using the blue screen of death containing the error message.


Possible causes

Normal causes for MCE errors include overheating and/or incorrect hardware installation. Specific manually-induced causes include:

-Overclocking (which normally increases heat-output)

-Poorly-fitted heatsink/computer fans (the same problem can happen with excessive dust in the CPU fan) Try reseat the Fansink

-An overloaded internal or external power-supply (fixable by upgrading)
 
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Rickster said:
A Machine Check Exception (MCE) is a type of computer hardware error that occurs when a computer's central processing unit detects a hardware problem.
Microsoft Windows displays the error using the blue screen of death containing the error message.


Possible causes

Normal causes for MCE errors include overheating and/or incorrect hardware installation. Specific manually-induced causes include:

-Overclocking (which normally increases heat-output)

-Poorly-fitted heatsink/computer fans (the same problem can happen with excessive dust in the CPU fan) Try reseat the Fansink

-An overloaded internal or external power-supply (fixable by upgrading)
Click to expand...

My CPU is running at stock with an Hyper212 heat sink so I don't think it is heat related, it solidly seated to me. Do you think the CPU is just old and broken on its own? i7 920.

Edit: my power supply is a coolermaster 700w running a single GTX560 so I don't think it is overloaded, it's relatively new.
 
Ghost02 said:
My CPU is running at stock with an Hyper212 heat sink so I don't think it is heat related, it solidly seated to me. Do you think the CPU is just old and broken on its own? i7 920.

Edit: my power supply is a coolermaster 700w running a single GTX560 so I don't think it is overloaded, it's relatively new.
Click to expand...

Ask a friend to lend you their PSU,CPU for testing.
 
ponder said:
Boot up a linux livecd and see how it goes.
Click to expand...
+1.
The first things I would unplug network cable (it could be a short loading your PSU). Then perform CMOS reset using jumper. After that go to the setup and disable network controller, then use live CD for testing hardware.
As you attempted to flash BIOS, you might need at this stage to repeat it to restore BIOS in shape. If everything is OK you can try to enable Ethernet controller, but I think it is gone.

Other effects of lightning strike can show later, usually couple weeks after the event.
 
sajunky said:
+1.
The first things I would try to unplug network cable (it could be a short loading your PSU). Then perform CMOS reset using jumper. Go to the setup and disable network controller, then use live CD as above for testing hardware. As you attempted to flash BIOS, you might need to repeat it to restore BIOS in shape. If everything is OK you can try to enable Ethernet controller, but I think it is gone.

Other effects of lightning strike can show later, usually couple weeks after the event.
Click to expand...

I didn't end up flashing anything, it stopped before I could get to browse the flash for the file. No flashing started but I'll try the network controller thing.
 
Going back to the OP's original question, the answer is you will never know. The only possible exception being if you were there at the time and witnessed it - which he wasn't.

I'm an EE, and part of what I do entails doing insurance assessments on equipment that's been "struck". I've also been in a house during a strike (my house) and got to look at and repair some of the equipment that was damaged.

Just because something wasn't burnt to a crisp doesn't mean it wasn't struck, and just because it was burnt to a crisp doesn't mean it was struck either.
 
chrisdc said:
Going back to the OP's original question, the answer is you will never know. The only possible exception being if you were there at the time and witnessed it - which he wasn't.
Click to expand...
I wonder how helpful would be witnessing it? Please be more specific.
 
sajunky said:
I wonder how helpful would be witnessing it? Please be more specific.
Click to expand...

Well, if you're putting in a claim and you were at home when the lightning struck, you'd have a stronger case. As I said, there is often no physical evidence that a piece of equipment has been struck. I had a long discussion with a broker recently along these exact lines. According to this broker, the clients word carries a fair bit of weight. They will have the equipment assessed and they will look at your claims history. If the technical assessor (me in this case) can't see anything obvious, he will phone the client and ask him why he thinks it was struck. If you were there when it happened, it could swing the balance in you favor. Sometimes other equipment has stopped working at the same time, this strengthens your case. There is of course always the possibility that the client is lying, I know this and so do the brokers. Nevertheless they will often give you the benefit of the doubt. This is where your claims history comes into play.
 
chrisdc said:
If the technical assessor (me in this case) can't see anything obvious, he will phone the client and ask him why he thinks it was struck.
Click to expand...
What is obvious evidence in your opinion?

Read OP, it is stated clearly that router had been struck by lightning and PC was connected to the router using Ethernet cable.
 
sajunky said:
What is obvious evidence in your opinion?

Read OP, it is stated clearly that router had been struck by lightning and PC was connected to the router using Ethernet cable.
Click to expand...

He wasn't at home. How do you know the router was struck by lightning? Do you think every time a piece of electronic kit stops working, it's lightning? But yes, it strengthens his case. By obvious I mean some sort of physical evidence. Burn marks, melted copper tracks etc.
 
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It might be lightning transmitted via the mains or the telephone line. I have seen several instances of lightning induced damage where there was no black marks or burnt toast smell evidence. Any sufficiently large spike lasting a second or two will do the damage

Then it can be a mains surge, some neighbour between you and the sub-station with a dodgy welder or electric motor
 
chrisc4290 said:
It might be lightning transmitted via the mains or the telephone line. I have seen several instances of lightning induced damage where there was no black marks or burnt toast smell evidence. Any sufficiently large spike lasting a second or two will do the damage

Then it can be a mains surge, some neighbour between you and the sub-station with a dodgy welder or electric motor
Click to expand...

Agreed. It might be.
 
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