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Lightning strike..no 'windows' in Windows

A

Auryg

Platinum Member
I'm working on someone's computer right now, and it's pretty odd. They think their house got hit by lightning as the DSL modem, stereo, and computer don't really work/are having problems after they had a strike close to their house.

Windows boots, but all you can see is the cursor and the background, and the cursor doesn't move well. I figured that the onboard video on the Mobo probably got fried somehow - I tested the PSU and it was fine.

So I slapped in an old video card I have here, and the problem is still there. Still could be the motherboard, but that's weird. I've also formatted and reinstalled Windows.

I used an Ubuntu live CD and everything seemed to be working fine in there.

I'm pretty confused - anyone have any ideas?

Thanks.
 
Originally posted by: Auryg
I'm working on someone's computer right now, and it's pretty odd. They think their house got hit by lightning as the DSL modem, stereo, and computer don't really work/are having problems after they had a strike close to their house.

Windows boots, but all you can see is the cursor and the background, and the cursor doesn't move well. I figured that the onboard video on the Mobo probably got fried somehow - I tested the PSU and it was fine.

So I slapped in an old video card I have here, and the problem is still there. Still could be the motherboard, but that's weird. I've also formatted and reinstalled Windows.

I used an Ubuntu live CD and everything seemed to be working fine in there.

I'm pretty confused - anyone have any ideas?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

lol, wow. Up until you said you reformatted and reinstalled I would've exporer got corrupted. Is it possible the monitor itself is damaged? I say that because there be an outside chance it's not presented the proper viewable area, screwed up resolution. Perhaps you can try loading the standard VGA driver?

I mean you can obviously load the OS right? So at one point you had a proper display after the lightning strike...
 
Originally posted by: jjzelinski
Originally posted by: Auryg
I'm working on someone's computer right now, and it's pretty odd. They think their house got hit by lightning as the DSL modem, stereo, and computer don't really work/are having problems after they had a strike close to their house.

Windows boots, but all you can see is the cursor and the background, and the cursor doesn't move well. I figured that the onboard video on the Mobo probably got fried somehow - I tested the PSU and it was fine.

So I slapped in an old video card I have here, and the problem is still there. Still could be the motherboard, but that's weird. I've also formatted and reinstalled Windows.

I used an Ubuntu live CD and everything seemed to be working fine in there.

I'm pretty confused - anyone have any ideas?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

lol, wow. Up until you said you reformatted and reinstalled I would've exporer got corrupted. Is it possible the monitor itself is damaged? I say that because there be an outside chance it's not presented the proper viewable area, screwed up resolution. Perhaps you can try loading the standard VGA driver?

I mean you can obviously load the OS right? So at one point you had a proper display after the lightning strike...
Click to expand...

Nope - it's on a different monitor now.

And I can't fully load Windows either. Once it gets past the part where it copies all of the files and then restarts, and goes to the screen where you should actually have a mouse pointer again (the whole thing is like a stripped down version of windows), all you have is the mouse pointer and a blue background.

I tried safe mode as well, before I formatted. Didn't work.
 
I would remove all non-required hardware, all but one stick or RAM, and try to install windows. Then add each piece one by one till you figure out which hardware is having the problem.

Can you try another mouse too?
 
The only thing I can guess is that maybe you lost some channels on your AGP or PCI-e bus. The motherboard is the only thing that would make sense at this point. Past that, ouch; no idea 🙁
 
The part that loses me on this one is that the ubuntu cd is working fine.
Might try removing the motherboard battery and clearing the cmos using the jumper on the motherboard.

Maybe some bios settings got screwed up.
 
Originally posted by: KB
I would remove all non-required hardware, all but one stick or RAM, and try to install windows. Then add each piece one by one till you figure out which hardware is having the problem.

Can you try another mouse too?
Click to expand...

Using any mouse stays the same, and I've tried taking out individual pieces of RAM.

I'll try clearing the CMOS.

The only thing that makes sense to me is if Windows uses a specific part of a video card (such as DirectX..I know it doesn't, but as an example) that ubuntu doesn't.
 
Clearing the CMOS didn't work. I think I'm just going to order a new mobo and hope for the best.
 
Before you start ordering new parts, why don't you find a hard disk diagnostic tool that can be run from a floppy disk? I know Samsung makes them for their own disks. I'm pretty sure the other big name manufacturers make the same. You could probably find a generic diagnostic, too, if not from the manufacturer. If that doesn't work, then I'd go for a new board--but I'd do the hard disk test, first.

EDIT: Also, you could try a low-level format. It could be that the 00 bits have been either damaged or altered. The Ubuntu live CD makes me think the hard disk is the culprit.
 
Originally posted by: bwatson283
run the 12 hour memtest, it will tell ya if you have issues!
Click to expand...

What would that accomplish if I've put in a totally different stick? (Not trying to be mean, i'm really wondering!)
 
Originally posted by: Auryg
Originally posted by: bwatson283
run the 12 hour memtest, it will tell ya if you have issues!
Click to expand...

What would that accomplish if I've put in a totally different stick? (Not trying to be mean, i'm really wondering!)
Click to expand...

There's always the remote possibility that they're both bad. Makes it hard to troubleshoot when you don't have any good parts 🙁
 
That you got video, clearly shows the onboard video was not fried. And directX would not ba involved during the boot process. But there may be some other componant that is damaged. Most likely, it's the motherboard that got damaged, but could also be the powersupply. Any visible damage? Any bulging capacitors?
 
Originally posted by: Baloo
That you got video, clearly shows the onboard video was not fried. And directX would not ba involved during the boot process. But there may be some other componant that is damaged. Most likely, it's the motherboard that got damaged, but could also be the powersupply. Any visible damage? Any bulging capacitors?
Click to expand...

I tested the power supply with a power supply tester. And nope, nothing out of the usual as far as I can tell.

And the RAM i put in there was a stick of my own 🙂 Always a risky manuever.
 
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