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Need Help - My Computer Burned Up During the Night

E

Eapiel

Member
This is a weird event and I have never read anything like this happening before.

First the computer specs:

Abit BE6 rev 2, Cel 366 at 550, 128 MB Ram, 300 Watt PS, voodoo 3 2000, Aureal soundcard

I was out of town, and my computer was shutdown through the Win 98 menu. However, it was plugged in to the power strip (no surge protector) so electricity was available.

My wife was woken up at 3:00 am by the sound of the computer making a very loud "fan like" noise, then a pop, then silence. She described an overwhelming electrical burning smell and unplugged the power strip. I leave the cover off the computer in the summer, so it is pretty obvious if the computer is on or not. She confirmed it was definitely off when she had last been in the room.

Of course, when I got home the computer is completely dead, though the monitor is fine (checked with the laptop). I removed the power supply and pulled it apart. The P/S fan was difficult to turn and there was slight burning on a couple of the transistors.

So I went and got a new P/S and installed it, but the Computer is still completely dead. There is no evidence of damage on the Mobo.

I have a ohmeter designed for computers, and would like to know where I can check the MOBO with the ohmeter to ensure it's not fried.

I am still not sure what happened that night, but I am assuming a power surge fried my computer. Are the rest of the components in my computer toast as well?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
I assume you checked for burn marks around the ATX power connector? That would be a pretty sure sign your motherboard is dead. 😉

Other than that, I'd say start swapping your parts into a known good system. Test everything in your box, replace anything that got fried.

Viper GTS
 
Try replacing the power supply first. Grab one from another computer or a friend. That sounds like what happened when my PS died. Smoke smell, fan hard to move, and computer won't work. Try unplugging the PS, waiting 20 secs or so, plug it back in, then hit the power button. If the fans move for a second then stop, its definately the PS.
 
itk007,

No, I had a tyan titan III socket 7 board with those exact same symptoms, and it turned out to be a bad coast module.
 
I appreciate the responses.

To clarify, I have installed a new Power Supply yet the system remains dead.

Obviously I have a mobo problem, but there are no burn marks or obvious damage on the motherboard.

I am not technically proficient enough with the mobo to know what a coast module would be, can you clarify?

Other than that, I may soon be ordering a new motherboard.

 
Have you tried all different peripherals? Because there is a chance that it is just one of the peripherals that is dead and is preventing the system from working somehow... just in case you don't want to waste the money on a new motherboard.. .because it would be dissapointing to get a new motherboard and it still not work.
 
Hi! If might want to check the +5V, +12V, -12V power lines on your motherboard. There should be some type of filter bead array, T-Filter, of even diode on the lines to prevent any surge from making it to an IC. Look for any ICs with 14 pins, and pin 14 will be Vcc. Try checking to see if you get somewhere near 0 ohms from that pin to the +5V pin on the ATX power supply. Pin 7 will also be GND, check for a short with the corresponding pin on the ATX power supply. There could also be surface mount fuses on the power lines. The will be flat with a green body, but it depends. If you see any, check to see if they are still shorted. To check the +12V and -12V lines, you would probably need a schematic to find you the circuits for the RS-232 port. If anything, it seems that the +5V line has been blown either by a ESD component, or (hopefully not this) the trace.
 
you woudnt happen to have another system where you can test your mobo, atleast to hear it beep?



dam()
 
Yeah yank everything out...including the ram. When you boot up you should get post beep errors which would at least tell you the MOBO is alive.

Also try plugging directly into wall to test...maybe the surge protector is fried too. Of course if that is the case I would be willing to bet the mobo got fried as well 🙁

Good luck.
 
Did as suggested, new Power Supply and nothing but the mobo. Still nothing. I can safely say it's probably toast.

Unless anyone has any other ideas I will probably upgrade to that Celeron 566 to 850 a little sooner than I planned 🙂

Thanks for the help.
 
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