Have I killed my computer??

  • Thread starter Thread starter Davidcollins001
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Davidcollins001

Hi,

I am new to this forum so please be kind when I ask a silly question.

I have just gotten a new (old) computer that my work was throwing out.
I was working fine until I started to play with it. I also have my
brothers old hard drive from a computer that died, so last night I
thought I would plug the hard drive from my brothers computer into my
new computer. I thought it was straight forward so I just plugged it
into one of the IDE cables that was in the middle of the cable running
to the new computers hard drive, and I plugged power in (I didn't
realise to set master and slave). I booted up and noticed that I had a
boot error. Because I was doing other things and the computer didn't
sound like the jet like it usually does because it hadn't booted at all
I didn't think and pulled the IDE cable out of my brothers hard drive,
I heard a small kind of pop sound when I pulled the cable out, then I
realised that I hadn't switched the power to the system off. I know
this is a stupid thing to do, but I didn't think at all. Now when I
switch the computer on, with the same setup as when I first got it, I
hear a click but don't get anything else happening.

Have I completely killed this computer, did I kill the motherboard
because I pulled the IDE cable out with the system on, or is the power
supply broken? Is there anything that I can do to salvage any of it if
I have blown the motherboard? It has dual processors and a lot of ram
and I don't want to just throw it away. I am really annoyed with myself
because it was a decent computer that I was going to use for learning!

Thanks
 
<snip.
Have I completely killed this computer, did I kill the motherboard
because I pulled the IDE cable out with the system on, or is the power
supply broken? Is there anything that I can do to salvage any of it if
I have blown the motherboard? It has dual processors and a lot of ram
and I don't want to just throw it away. I am really annoyed with myself
because it was a decent computer that I was going to use for learning!
Click to expand...


Then the computer sure did the job...
you have learned a lot already!
 
or
(e-mail address removed)12.pa.us
philo said:
<snip.


Then the computer sure did the job...
you have learned a lot already!
Click to expand...

You've conjectured a lot, which may be in part or fully accurate.
Start by substituting a different power supply.
 
When you turn it on, do you get any white text appearing on a black
screen.
If so, this should display how much memory the motherboard bios
detects and what hard drive/s it detects.
If you are getting this info, then the motherboard is probably OK.
 
I don't get any screen, the computer does'nt even get to boot stage.

I took the power supply out (there are actually two of them!) but it
doesn't have a load of wires coming out of them like others that I have
looked at. They actually have plugs that plug into another board, so it
will not be so easy to substitute power supplies.

When I removed the power supplies and try the power again I get the
click of what sounds like a switch.

I just hope I haven't done too much damage - probably wishful thinking
though!
 
Thanks, I guess I can at least move on and try to get a replacement
board and get the thing working again.

David
 
Hi,

I am new to this forum so please be kind when I ask a silly question.

I have just gotten a new (old) computer that my work was throwing out.
I was working fine until I started to play with it. I also have my
brothers old hard drive from a computer that died, so last night I
thought I would plug the hard drive from my brothers computer into my
new computer. I thought it was straight forward so I just plugged it
into one of the IDE cables that was in the middle of the cable running
to the new computers hard drive, and I plugged power in (I didn't
realise to set master and slave). I booted up and noticed that I had a
boot error. Because I was doing other things and the computer didn't
sound like the jet like it usually does because it hadn't booted at all
I didn't think and pulled the IDE cable out of my brothers hard drive,
I heard a small kind of pop sound when I pulled the cable out, then I
realised that I hadn't switched the power to the system off. I know
this is a stupid thing to do, but I didn't think at all. Now when I
switch the computer on, with the same setup as when I first got it, I
hear a click but don't get anything else happening.

Have I completely killed this computer, did I kill the motherboard
because I pulled the IDE cable out with the system on, or is the power
supply broken? Is there anything that I can do to salvage any of it if
I have blown the motherboard? It has dual processors and a lot of ram
and I don't want to just throw it away. I am really annoyed with myself
because it was a decent computer that I was going to use for learning!

Thanks
Click to expand...

Theres no way you can know where the fault lies until you've found out.
Hot plugging drives could at worst kill one of the 2 ide channels,
leaving the system still perfectly functional if you move hdd & dvd
over to the other channel. So no you've not killed it.

I suspect why they threw it out was it did this from time to time.
Check CMOS battery voltage is ok, check cables are firmly seated on
mobo, ditto ram, multimeter on psu lines will give that a basic check.
Next try removing all unnecessary items (cards, dvd, hdd) and try
booting again.

So far you've been careless, as you're aware, and I cant help but
wonder if you're going to do more of the same by pulling out psu and so
on. Enough care is needed if its to survive. The rule with wood is
measure twice cut once, and you need to apply the same here. Do nothing
until you're clear what youre doing, why, and how, and how to put it
all back.


NT
 
Thanks for you reply. I know I have been careless, usually I am quite
careful, but I was excited about trying another hard drive. This
computer was a university research computer that my supervisor gave me,
so probably for it's time was way ahead of the market. I did have it
working quite a few times and was just about to do a clean linux
install, so I know that it was fine at one point. Since I unplugged the
hdd with power on it hasn't worked.

I will try removing cards etc and switch ide channel and see if I can
get any life from it.

Thanks
 
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