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Salvaging what I can


Hitman6267

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This is what happened to my pc: once it was on for a whole day and the next day it turned off sudenly and wouldn't turn back on. I waited for about 2 hours thinking that it may be a over-heating problem but it didn't turn back on yet again. So I thought it might be a power supply issue, so I turned off the UPS thinking that would cut all the power to the pc and I thought changing the voltage type back and forth might reset something in the power supply and make it turn back on. The electricity in lebanon is 220V so when I switched the power supply to 110V something got fried. So here starts my project. I want to find anything that is salvageable. So whats are the things that are most probably fried ? and how can I know if something is working ?

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Change the power supply, it should be enough :) If this don't do the trick, then go to a specialist, or there is the option of testing each of your components in a computer that works.

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When I sent the pc to get checked. They told me that you'r better off buying a new one because fixing it will cost more than it worth. I just want to know what are the parts that are most likely still working. If I test a part that is damaged in my new pc is there a chance that something will happen to the pc ?

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A slim chance only, but it exists. If it were my PCs, I'd do it, I did it before as it was the only modality of knowing what was damaged. Never had problems. But all you do, is your responsability... I wish you best of luck. And if more than one 'specialist' told you that you'd better off with a new PC, maybe they knew something... like all was fried inside. Maybe you just turn to one of them and sell it for the pieces. Just take care you sell it for what it is worth.

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*Edit*

Thank you for help. I think I'm only going to test the hard drives because those would very useful. Any one can point me in the direction of some articles that would teach how to do that ?

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Also the memory, the motherboard and the processor would be nice to have :)

Take out the hardrive, shotdown new computer, open case, find IDE cable... (assuming it's an IDE harddrive you use), plugin both power and IDE cables in the harddrive, power up computer, enter BIOS, find the new harddrive you just plugged in, save BIOS, let windows boot, you should see your old harddrive with a new letter - a new partition.

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I thought changing the voltage type back and forth might reset something in the power supply and make it turn back on. The electricity in lebanon is 220V so when I switched the power supply to 110V something got fried. So here starts my project. I want to find anything that is salvageable. So whats are the things that are most probably fried ? and how can I know if something is working ?

the pop sound, sparks, smoke and ozone smell. its gone

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Take out the hardrive, shotdown new computer, open case, find IDE cable... (assuming it's an IDE harddrive you use), plugin both power and IDE cables in the harddrive, power up computer, enter BIOS, find the new harddrive you just plugged in, save BIOS, let windows boot, you should see your old harddrive with a new letter - a new partition.

That's all i need to do? What are the chances of me damaging my pc if i test the hard drive ? Also if it works, all the data on the drive would be accessible ? I mean it isn't going to format right ?

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From testing the harddrive, 1%. Mostly comming from you dropping something on the floor or something like that :P

Maybe the harddrive will be intact, best if you will run a disk doctor type of program to be sure that it doesn't have bad sectors.

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just my luck. the hard drive installed in the pc i'm using isnt connected via IDE it is connected via a red cable. What should i do to connect the old hard drive ?

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Post pictures of both type of connections, also if you can tell me exactly what harddrives you have. The more specific and detailed info you give me, the more I'll be able to help.

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u want the details about the old hard drive ? I have near me what should i read ? There's a lot of info written on it. Its a seagate if that helps u in telling me what i should read.

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That's what I said. Exact model, type of connection. In the new computer, there should be IDE cable nonetheless. If it is IDE. Maybe it is SCSI. Just connect it... like it was in the old machine, same shit you have to do now :rockon:

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The new one is called Seagate Barracuda Harddisk (got that from the bill) the one I want to connect has this Model number: ST340015A. There is a IDE cable connected to the DVDrom should i use that ? Here's an image of the red cable i was talking about here: http://bayimg.com/paIBjAaBE

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I connected the drive using a IDE connection and I felt the disk or watever is inside it turn when i turned the pc on but i couldn't get the pc to see it. btw i used the IDE cable connected to my dvdrom. So now the cable goes motherboard > hard disk > dvd rom, dunno if the info makes a diff...

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The old one is a Ultra ATA device. Do not forget to set jumpers to it as "slave". This is important, and sorry I forgot to mention it. The links to what you need are here:

Installation guide

Product manual

(The new one can be many models, more info is needed, but you should do with what you have.)

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The new one is called Seagate Barracuda Harddisk (got that from the bill) the one I want to connect has this Model number: ST340015A. There is a IDE cable connected to the DVDrom should i use that ? Here's an image of the red cable i was talking about here: http://bayimg.com/paIBjAaBE

isnt that a picture of a sata cable.thats what i have on my computer.it needs a motherboard that has sata or pata or sata 3 connections sata stands for serial ata and speed is about 1/3 greater that ide connection.

every time something like this happened to me it was the motherboard.good luck.

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referring to the first post, i don't think your hd has something to do with the problem nor was damaged after your psu bbq'ed.

1st - i recommend is to install new psu, if it still don't powerup then change your mobo

i have this similar prob with my old HPpavillion legacy pc... its dead n dont powerup at all so i made a mistake of letting somebody to check it for me and he mistakenly change the voltage from 220 to 110 burning the psu

he tried salvaging the psu by putting a jumper in lieu of the damaged fuselage but once plugged-in, it popped

so i bought a new psu and the prob was solved, no damage to any other parts

anyway, if you still want to checked your hd, i recommend you buy - usb hd ide/sata cable or an external usb hd enclosure and plug this to a working pc... navigate or check your hd for possible bad sector

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toyo aren't those instructions for installing the new drive if the old one (the already connected one) is conneted using an IDE connection ? Mine is connected through a sata cable (the red cable)

I tried leaving the functioning drive connected like it is and connecting thethe new drive into the IDE cable connected to the DVDrom. I couldn't get the pc to see it.

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Be sure that the jumpers on the old drive are set to slave. Never put in the same system sata and ide drives together, but i don't see the reason why it should not work. Make sure all connections are right, and that the drives are set as master and slave correspondingly.

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In the pdfs I sent you there are instructions. Near the cables, there should be some jumpers. You have to read the installation manual very well, maybe print it and then with it near you try and install the old harddisk. Believe me, it's not that hard as it seems at all. Just read well so you know what you are doing, that documentation has even pictures... should be more than enough.

Edit: the new harddrive should be left as is, I don't think it should be set to anything, only if it becomes necessary (if your computer still not sees the old drive after you set it to slave and connect it as it should)

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*3rd and final edit B) *

Connected and worked. Data intact :dance2:

Thank you all for your help, especialy toyo for your great help.

an external usb hd enclosure and plug this to a working pc...

Can i turn this Hard drive into an external hard drive if I buy the enclosure ?

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