Dropped screwdriver in my computer- any hope?

[SOONER]

I dropped a screwdriver on my motherboard while I was installing a wireless card. The computer was unplugged and I didnt see any obvious damage but now I am getting a black screen when I boot up. The hard drive starts up and the fans etc inside are working but the keyboard and mouse appear to be dead ( no lights). Anything I should try to do to fix this or am I hosed?

 

[niwi7]

ive dropped screwdrivers nothin happened


unless u like dropped it on some chip and snapped it or sompin or if it was highly magnetized i have no idea

could be coincidence...unplug EVERYTHING from MOBO except:

RAM, GRFX CARD, CPU, CPU HSF, PSU

boot it up if it goes to post screen then u know that its just 1 of ur components

 

[Kipper]

If it chipped the PCB you might be screwed. Make sure the driver didn't hit any capacitors or knock the board loose in any way...and check for chips in the PCB.

 

[HappyPuppy]

Remove the wireless card and see what happens.

 

[SOONER]

I have tried all the things listed above. Still nothing but a blank screen.

 

[boyRacer]

Might have hit one or maybe several traces on the board... if you can find it... you can try fixing it... but its next to impossible if that is what happened.

 

[DaviDaVinci]

Originally posted by: boyRacer
Might have hit one or maybe several traces on the board... if you can find it... you can try fixing it... but its next to impossible if that is what happened.

can you please explain why its next to impossible to fix a trace?
i'm just curious

 

[MDE]

Try clearing the CMOS, never know what kind of stupid things could work.

 

[rickon66]

Magnifing glass and good light to look in the area where the screwdriver dropped.

 

[boyRacer]

Originally posted by: DaviDaVinci

Originally posted by: boyRacer
Might have hit one or maybe several traces on the board... if you can find it... you can try fixing it... but its next to impossible if that is what happened.

can you please explain why its next to impossible to fix a trace?
i'm just curious

Well i don't know about you but my hands shake too much... and if i had to redo a lot of traces that are next to each other... it'll be a mess. Ive seen it done before though... on the overclockers forum... screwdriver slipped and cut a trace or two... i don't know how he did it but he had a trace pen and actually revived the motherboard.

 

[SocrPlyr]

Originally posted by: niwi7
ive dropped screwdrivers nothin happened


unless u like dropped it on some chip and snapped it or sompin or if it was highly magnetized i have no idea

could be coincidence...unplug EVERYTHING from MOBO except:

RAM, GRFX CARD, CPU, CPU HSF, PSU

boot it up if it goes to post screen then u know that its just 1 of ur components

Make sure you try to reseat everything... literally pull it out and put it back in... my comp is weird a lot of times about the agp and just moving the case will cause it to not work, but pulling it out and putting it back in works (kinda sux that my mobo is that way...)

Josh

 

[GrumpyMan]

Let us know how it turns out, I'm curious now.

 

[prvteye2003]

Originally posted by: SocrPlyr

Originally posted by: niwi7
ive dropped screwdrivers nothin happened


unless u like dropped it on some chip and snapped it or sompin or if it was highly magnetized i have no idea

could be coincidence...unplug EVERYTHING from MOBO except:

RAM, GRFX CARD, CPU, CPU HSF, PSU

boot it up if it goes to post screen then u know that its just 1 of ur components

Make sure you try to reseat everything... literally pull it out and put it back in... my comp is weird a lot of times about the agp and just moving the case will cause it to not work, but pulling it out and putting it back in works (kinda sux that my mobo is that way...)

Josh

Hey now, just what are you trying to say???? lol j/k

 

[Triumph]

I broke 2 capacitors off my video card about 3 years ago. Soldered them back on and it's still running today!

 

[JulesMaximus]

I dropped a Volcano 7 on my video card from about 2-3 inches away (I was trying to get the damned thing off-didn't realize how easy it is I guess). Chipped the corner off a transistor but it still works fine. That was almost 2 years ago.

 

[CZroe]

Yeah, even after stripping it down to the essentials try reseating them AND clearing the CMOS. Both have helped me in the past in similar "I touched it and it's no longer working" situations. Also, try pressing power while the PSU is unplugged but on, then flip it off and disconnect it while you work. I've seen some PSUs cause weird problems like this that seem to fix themselves when left alone or disconnected so I assume it was some sort of discharge it required.

Electrolyte capacitors are probably the easiest to break and they do a pretty good job of hiding it because the pins are covered by it. They're the little "fluid tank" looking things (Usually blue/black in color).

As for fixing traces, it's damn near impossible without a multi-million dollar rework facility. For one thing, there are multiple layers of traces in any modern motherboard. Another, the layout and electrical makeup of the motherboards traces are engineered with very tight tolerances for the frequencies they operate at. Using a conductive pen or defogger repair kit will cause too much resistance or bridge with something else (They don't really make 'em that small). I messed up a BIOS test point on an XBOX modification and couldn't fix it with a kit others had success with. I had access to a rework facility microscope (Though I don't know a damn thing about motherboard repair), had exposed and tinned the traces then applied the defogger repair kit substance perfectly and it didn't save the box. An LPC BIOS will get it up and running though

Just don't chip your core when reseating the CPU HSF