pctuk Posted March 2, 2002 Share Posted March 2, 2002 The other night I was surfing my way through Neowin when there was lightening - my speakers crackled and my screen went blank. Now everytime I start my PC my monitor won't come out of standby. Also, I get no beep so I presume my motherboard is blown. My hard disk works fine, and I've copied all my files onto my other PC thankfully. Anyone know whether it's likely all my components (RAM, G-force 2 graphics, sound, processor, etc) are likely to be damaged or whether it will just be a new motherboard that I will need. I ask because I have to pay to send my PC back to the supplier, so if it is just the motherboard damaged it will be cheaper to simply replace the motherboard myself. Thanks for any help pct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pctuk Posted March 2, 2002 Author Share Posted March 2, 2002 Also, will the PC manufacturer be able to tell it was lightening because I am not sure they will pay up if they know it was lightening? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..... Posted March 2, 2002 Share Posted March 2, 2002 the only way to know if the other components are fried is to try them on another board, but usually the motherboard blows, protecting the other components from being damaged. Do your fans spin up when you press the power button? Do any LEDs come on? if either of this happens, it *might* not be your motherboard, but a faulty component on it. As i said before, try all your other components on another board, try another PSU as well. If its still under warranty, you'll probably be able to RMA it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joswin Posted March 2, 2002 Share Posted March 2, 2002 Originally posted by pctuk The other night I was surfing my way through Neowin when there was lightening - my speakers crackled and my screen went blank. Now everytime I start my PC my monitor won't come out of standby. Also, I get no beep so I presume my motherboard is blown. My hard disk works fine, and I've copied all my files onto my other PC thankfully. Anyone know whether it's likely all my components (RAM, G-force 2 graphics, sound, processor, etc) are likely to be damaged or whether it will just be a new motherboard that I will need. I ask because I have to pay to send my PC back to the supplier, so if it is just the motherboard damaged it will be cheaper to simply replace the motherboard myself. Thanks for any help pct Unlucky :( but if there are any lightening storms or anything i usually turn off my equipment and unplug it. Better to be off the PC for an hour rather than a few months if anything happens :s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mariusu Posted March 2, 2002 Share Posted March 2, 2002 that's nasty....i think the motherboard is fried, you should try, as the others have said the other components too. i hate to say that, but it might be that some other components are blown...so you'll have to check everything. i don't know if the supplier can see if the board or whatsoever was damaged by lightning or not...but if you're lucky they will give you warranty...if you're lucky... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtgriffith Posted March 2, 2002 Share Posted March 2, 2002 In the US we have home owner's insurance that would cover anything like this. Do you have anything like that in the UK? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prash Posted March 2, 2002 Share Posted March 2, 2002 the mother board has difinetly blown as well as power box, you RAM could`possibly have got damaged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pctuk Posted March 2, 2002 Author Share Posted March 2, 2002 Thanks for all the replies so far. I re-assembled my PC this afternoon, but left the side off, and wrote down everything that happened: 1) Switch on. 2) Processor fan spun up, power LED came on the front, as did the hard drive light. Think I can hear my hard drive (although it is rather quiet anyway). No beep (usually does). 3) After approx 30 seconds hard disk light goes. 4) No monitor :disappoin 5) Tried the CD/DVD drive trays and when the button is pressed, both came out. (Does this rule out that the PSU is damaged?) Have tried my RAM, graphics card and hard disk on my other PC, and all seem fine. Have not bothered with DVD and CDRW drives because I presume they will be fine, being some distance from the motherboard, plus with the hard drive being fine. The only other thing to check is the sound card and modem (surely this would have blown?). My motherboard is an ASUS A7V 200Mhz FSB Pro/4X Socket A. Any idea how much these now are? Any recommended retailers - online or not in the UK? Our home insurance has a ?60 excess so might not be worth claiming when I can just buy a new motherboard. Thanks again for all your help pct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mortensen Posted March 2, 2002 Share Posted March 2, 2002 I had lightning strike my house frying our computer. Insurance sent out a man to check it out and then paid for a totally new computer which had great specs [486 SX25 - lol, good at the time]. If I were you I'd put in a claim for a whole new computer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtgriffith Posted March 2, 2002 Share Posted March 2, 2002 Go for the A7A266 because you can continue to run your PC133 ram until you are ready to upgrade to DDR RAM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pctuk Posted March 2, 2002 Author Share Posted March 2, 2002 Anyone got any suggestions for good UK motherboard suppliers? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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