Water Damage, Won't Boot!

CMonte420CMonte420
edited September 2006 in Hardware
Last night, somehow a VERY small amount of water got into the casing of my computer. Now, when I try to boot it, the fans spin for a split second, then stop, and NOTHING. I have taken out the CMOS battery for awhile, I left the system open in front of a fan for about 18 hrs. The power supply is fine, there is a light on the back that indicates when the power supply is getting power, and it's on. Does anyone know what I can do about this? It is a Compaq Presario SR1103WM. Thanks for any help in advance guys.

Comments

  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited September 2006
    It may very well be that water is shorting the computer but that it doesn't yet have components (hardware) damage.

    1. Disassemble the computer, removing the parts, to include the motherboard and power supply unit.
    2. Using compressed air (static and grease free compressor or canned air) blow all excess water from the surface of the parts and from the small recesses
    3. Lay out the parts on a dry, static free surface in a room with good ventilation.
    4. Direct a ventilation fan on the parts, and turn the parts every hour or two so that all surface areas are exposed to ventilation.

    You will probably need to reset the BIOS before you reassemble and fire up the computer. Do you know how to do that?

    There's a good chance your computer will still function well. Please do not restart your computer again until the parts are COMPLETELY dry. If the drying is low humidity, one full day (24 hours should be sufficient); if humid, I would suggest a longer drying period.
  • CMonte420CMonte420
    edited September 2006
    I have already dissassembled the entire thing, and EVERYTHING is dry..the amount of water spilled was VERY SMALL. There is no way that this amount of water fried the mother board...now when reassembled, i get nothing, not even the spinning of the fan for the brief second like before, green light still on at power supply indicating that it is getting power. I'm desperate here.
  • CMonte420CMonte420
    edited September 2006
    Ok, I pulled the power supply out, motherbooard out...etc. I made sure everything was dry, and reattached the power supply to the motheboard along with the CPU fan, and put the RAM back in. Now, when I power the thing on, the fan DOES spin, and remains spinning, but the hard drive does nothing. Any suggestions?
  • CMonte420CMonte420
    edited September 2006
    Ok, now in messing with the motherboard, the JPW2 pins on the motherboard....when I plug the 4 pin connector from the power supply into the JPW2 connector on the motherboard, and try a reboot, the fans stop spinning and nothing happens at all, back to square one. What is this JPW2 pin and what is it providing power to? Somebody please give me a hand here.
  • Private_SnoballPrivate_Snoball Dover AFB, DE, USA
    edited September 2006
    I know this sounds patronizing but are you 100% sure every single thing is plugged in? Sometimes its the easiest of issues.

    Did you remove the HDDs when you disassembled the computer the first time to let it dry?

    Lastly are you positive the 4 pin powercable is connected if you have a more current mobo? I know I forgot to plug the 20 pin ATX AND the 4 pin ATX cable to my mobo, which caused me a headache til I found that simple problem.
  • airbornflghtairbornflght Houston, TX Icrontian
    edited September 2006
    CMonte420 wrote:
    There is no way that this amount of water fried the mother board...

    I beg to differ. The smallest drop can create a short that will indeed 'fry' your computer, now if it fries just one component or many is another issue. You may not have any damage to your computer, but if it is not even posting, that leads me to draw some conclusions along the lines of your motherboard may not be working so well anymore.

    Check all your power connections, and try to boot with just the bare essentials to get a post. IS the mobo posting, you never said.
  • CMonte420CMonte420
    edited September 2006
    Yeah I already broke it down to the essentials, let me explain this a little clearer. If I don't have the 4 pin ATX cable plugged into the MOBO, the fan begins to run, but the hard drive does nothing. Once the 4 Pin ATX cable is disconnected the Fan begins to spin for about a second flat, and the Power Supply shuts itself off totally. I am gonna try pulling the power supply out of this computer and check it. I'm totally stumped here...It seems to me that MAYBE the motherboard didn't even get wet..what happened to be exact is an empty beercan that i had sittin next to me fell into the casing, the amount of liquid, if ANY in this can were extremely minute. I wonder If when the aluminum can struck some of the resistors and whatnot, if it caused a short of some kind. I'm pretty good with computers, I work for the IT department at a company here in Indianapolis....but i've broke it down component to component and I have to figure that either the power supply is going bad, or the motherboard is fried...but I would think that a fried motherboard wouldn't get power and turn fans and show keyboard lights when the 4 pin ATX cable is unplugged unless it still works...there are no power indication lights on my motherboard to indicate anything, but obviously it's getting power and routing it to different points, because the caps lock lights and whatnot come on, and the fans turn as well. By the way I appreciate you guys takin your time to read this and attempt to help. Later Ya'll.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited September 2006
    A couple weeks ago I had a motherboard exhibit nearly the same symptoms yours is. I never did find the solution and wrote off the board as beyond repair. I did test ALL the other components of the affected computer. They were all good and are presently functioning in one of my systems perfectly. Shorts to a motherboard can be gremlins of the trickiest sort - not blantant enough to totally shut off the board and cause it not to accept power.

    If you have determined that your PSU is good but continually get only short spurts of activity from motherboard connected fans, you may conclude that your board is unsalvageable. Have you tested your PSU with another system or multimeter? Have your motherboard with another PSU? Those two tests are all I can think of, assuming you know the other components to be good.
  • airbornflghtairbornflght Houston, TX Icrontian
    edited September 2006
    Ok yes, I understand that certain componets are getting power, but is it POSTing, by this I mean does it do the Power On Self Test.

    Usually denoted by the mobo checking the ram IDE/SATA buses and other hardware. also accompanied by a beep more times than not. is it doing this?
  • CMonte420CMonte420
    edited September 2006
    No, not posting...not doing ANYTHING. As a matter of fact, the power light stays orange, instead of turning green
  • edcentricedcentric near Milwaukee, Wisconsin Icrontian
    edited September 2006
    Have you double checked the PSU? Your short could have killed one of the rails.
    Sounds like either PSU or mobo is gone.

    Where in Indy?
    My daughter is at Butler.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited September 2006
    You aren't going to find the problem or solution until:
    Have you tested your PSU with another system or multimeter? Have your motherboard with another PSU? Those two tests are all I can think of, assuming you know the other components to be good.
    If you don't have the spare equipment to test, you need to get the PSU and motherboard to a computer shop.
  • CMonte420CMonte420
    edited September 2006
    Well I appreciate you guys tryin to help. And to answer your question, I'm on the westside of Indianapolis...right off Interstate 70 at Holt Rd. About 7 miles from the circle. I'll stop back in and chat with ya'll, let ya know when i'm using the computer again..lmao.
  • airbornflghtairbornflght Houston, TX Icrontian
    edited September 2006
    get a multimeter and check the voltages if you know how to, or you could just cross examine it.
  • GrayFoxGrayFox /dev/urandom Member
    edited September 2006
    Let it dry out for 3 or 4 days theres probably some water under one of the ic's.If you have a dehumidifier place it on a cardboard box infront of it.
Sign In or Register to comment.