Can you kill a HD this way

[zod96]

My nephew is turning his computer off by hitting his light switch. Now it won't post past the bios screen. When I get into the BIOS it doesn't detect the HD. Can turn the computer off in this fashion kill a HD?

 

[Elixer]

That has to be one of the worst ways to shut off a machine, unless you mean, after he does 'shutdown' from within the OS.

HDs can die at any time, so it is hard to pinpoint the exact reason.
Try it in another machine, or a USB external case, and see if it sees it. If not, then it is most likely dead.

 

[alcoholbob]

I don't *think* it's a major problem, the power button does not appear to be an instantaneous process these days and seems to go through some sort of powering down mechanism. Now running an older system, it might be a problem.

 

[Nothinman]

Even if he's just cutting power like that it shouldn't kill a hard drive much faster if at all. And on any recent machine the power switch just sends a signal that the OS catches and does something with, usually a normal shutdown. If he's holding it in for ~10s or whatever to hard shut it off make him stop.

 

[taltamir]

1. there is no "light switch" on a PC
2. cutting power will not damage your hardware, it can only damage your data (that includes OS files, which could require a reinstall)
3. if he presses it, lets go, and then it does a "shut down" thing, that means windows registered it as a "shut down" command is doing a PROPER SHUTDOWN.
If it INSTANTLY cuts power, or if he holds it for 4 seconds and then the power cuts out abruptly, then he is actually "cutting power", for which see #2.

So no, he didn't break your hard drive, and it wouldn't be fair to force him to replace it.

 

[Idontcare]

Originally posted by: taltamir
1. there is no "light switch" on a PC
2. cutting power will not damage your hardware, it can only damage your data (that includes OS files, which could require a reinstall)
3. if he presses it, lets go, and then it does a "shut down" thing, that means windows registered it as a "shut down" command is doing a PROPER SHUTDOWN.
If it INSTANTLY cuts power, or if he holds it for 4 seconds and then the power cuts out abruptly, then he is actually "cutting power", for which see #2.

So no, he didn't break your hard drive, and it wouldn't be fair to force him to replace it.

I am interpretting the OP's comments to mean the computer is getting its power from an electrical outlet which is in a circuit with a wall mounted "light switch".

Turn off the light switch and power to the electrical outlet is killed...killing anything that was drawing power from that outlet.

If the computer is not plugged into some kind of line filter/noise protector or surge suppressor I can't imagine how nasty the voltage waverform is looking as the power surges into that PSU when a mechanical switch like a light switch is triggered.

Depending on the quality of the PSU, it could most definitely be sending garbage out in the 5V/12V rails and messing with the electronics downstream.

Using a mechanical kill switch like this to shut off electricity to your computer is just dreadfully awful...as mentioned above there probably isn't a worse way to treat your rig without involving liquids or blunt objects.

 

[Blain]

Originally posted by: zod96
My nephew is turning his computer off by hitting his light switch. Now it won't post past the bios screen. When I get into the BIOS it doesn't detect the HD. Can turn the computer off in this fashion kill a HD?

Your nephew should stick to his XBox and forget about PC's until he matures a bit more.

 

[Rifter]

what Blain said, thats just damn stupid.

 

[Glenn]

Originally posted by: Idontcare

Originally posted by: taltamir
1. there is no "light switch" on a PC
2. cutting power will not damage your hardware, it can only damage your data (that includes OS files, which could require a reinstall)
3. if he presses it, lets go, and then it does a "shut down" thing, that means windows registered it as a "shut down" command is doing a PROPER SHUTDOWN.
If it INSTANTLY cuts power, or if he holds it for 4 seconds and then the power cuts out abruptly, then he is actually "cutting power", for which see #2.

So no, he didn't break your hard drive, and it wouldn't be fair to force him to replace it.

I am interpretting the OP's comments to mean the computer is getting its power from an electrical outlet which is in a circuit with a wall mounted "light switch".

Turn off the light switch and power to the electrical outlet is killed...killing anything that was drawing power from that outlet.

If the computer is not plugged into some kind of line filter/noise protector or surge suppressor I can't imagine how nasty the voltage waverform is looking as the power surges into that PSU when a mechanical switch like a light switch is triggered.

Depending on the quality of the PSU, it could most definitely be sending garbage out in the 5V/12V rails and messing with the electronics downstream.

Using a mechanical kill switch like this to shut off electricity to your computer is just dreadfully awful...as mentioned above there probably isn't a worse way to treat your rig without involving liquids or blunt objects.

I interpeted it the same way, and cringed like I haven't cringed for awhile!

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: taltamir
1. there is no "light switch" on a PC
2. cutting power will not damage your hardware, it can only damage your data (that includes OS files, which could require a reinstall)
3. if he presses it, lets go, and then it does a "shut down" thing, that means windows registered it as a "shut down" command is doing a PROPER SHUTDOWN.
If it INSTANTLY cuts power, or if he holds it for 4 seconds and then the power cuts out abruptly, then he is actually "cutting power", for which see #2.

So no, he didn't break your hard drive, and it wouldn't be fair to force him to replace it.

While it may not be fair, it will serve a very important lesson. Take care of your stuff or spend your bubble gum and ice cream money to fix it.

 

[Fox5]

Hard drives have parked positions, if the power is cut the hard drive doesn't get to decelerate gently and doesn't get to park, possibly leaving the spindle head in a vulnerable position, and perhaps a more abrupt stop than a hard drive would normally undergo.

Try unplugging and replugging the hard drive power and data cable (while the computer is off) before you call it dead though.