Can a numerous power cuts kill components?

itsallaboutmark · 19 Feb 2006 at 20:52

Yesterday we had a few electricity problems in my house and my computer was switched on and off by itself a few times.
However when trying to power it on myself it powers on but the screen stays blank.
I have changed graphics cards and checked the screen on another pc and they are both fine.
So to my conclusion I would say there is something wrong with the CPU or mobo?
Anyway the main question before I start buying new kit is can power cuts cause "surges" or anything that could damage my PC to this degree>
Thanks in advance
Mark

fornowagain · 19 Feb 2006 at 20:58

Oh yeah, and some. Spikes and surges, nasty, do you have a filter? Also components don't like being power cycled. Probably meant they would have gone anyway at some point.

Jokester · 19 Feb 2006 at 21:03

Yeah, I've lost equipment to power surges (despite having a cheap protector on the plug). Now use a Belkin surge protector.

Any power cut could introduce nasty surges or spikes depending on what caused the cut.

Jokester

itsallaboutmark · 19 Feb 2006 at 21:09

Well at least now I know thats prob what happened and I can learn my lesson for *** future.
Now the question is do you think it's *** mobo or cpu?
I have a MSI K8N Neo Platinum with a 754 3100 Sempron
I may upgrade both?

Jokester · 19 Feb 2006 at 21:11

Likely dead components are the PSU and MB.

Jokester

itsallaboutmark · 19 Feb 2006 at 21:13

Would it be the PSU even though I can hear the PC booting up?

Jokester · 19 Feb 2006 at 21:16

When you boot up, what exactly happens? (beeps etc, drives spinning up, etc).

Jokester

itsallaboutmark · 19 Feb 2006 at 21:23

Well everything is as usual one beep drives, fans all going.
I have connected something called a D-Bracke 2 which via LED's tells me what is going on.
According to this it starts and hangs on:
"System Power On - The D-LED will hang here if the processor is damaged or not installed properly."
Haha I know I know I've just answered my own question but its always nice to back yourself up

Bluefire1uk · 19 Feb 2006 at 21:34

The cable fire on the underground at neasden screwed the supply all of brent yesterday :mad:

,caused loads of faults didn't finish work till 8.

Jokester · 19 Feb 2006 at 21:38

Looks like it's the CPU then, strange the PSU and MB survived. Possible to test the CPU in another PC?

Jokester

itsallaboutmark · 19 Feb 2006 at 22:21

Unfortunately not that is my problem as I only have access to one 754 mobo and one socket A which is no use.
Any ideas would there be any marks?

Emlyn_Dewar · 19 Feb 2006 at 22:44

I've had a PSU go wrong through power cuts, with repeated offs and ons in short intervals.
The PSU would turn on itself as soon as I plugged it into the wall but it was majorly ruined for doing stuff. Couldn't run my graphics card at all and would only work with extreme minimal components.

RichieUK · 19 Feb 2006 at 22:50

We had some electrical problems a few weeks ago. The electric went off about 5 times in the space of 20 minutes at one point. Guess i was lucky with my computer :\

snow patrol · 19 Feb 2006 at 23:40

I had a power cut yesterday. How much are those belkin surge protectors?

badbob · 19 Feb 2006 at 23:53

I knew someone who was in the process of flashing his motherboard (didn't complete the reflashing) when the power went off. Oops, dead board.

fornowagain · 19 Feb 2006 at 23:55

UPS with inbuilt surge, very handy. They give you 15 miins power for about £20. Belkin make a nice one.