Jump to content

Welcome to Geeks to Go - Register now for FREE

Need help with your computer or device? Want to learn new tech skills? You're in the right place!
Geeks to Go is a friendly community of tech experts who can solve any problem you have. Just create a free account and post your question. Our volunteers will reply quickly and guide you through the steps. Don't let tech troubles stop you. Join Geeks to Go now and get the support you need!

How it Works Create Account
Photo

power spike or surge damage


  • Please log in to reply

#1
bethmegkate

bethmegkate

    New Member

  • Member
  • Pip
  • 7 posts
I leave my computer on all the time. Two nights ago the power went off. It returned for good after a very brief return was aborted. The next morning the screen was dark. I shut off the computer and restarted it. There was a two second Dell logo appearance on the monitor and then the monitor became black except for a flashing, short horizontal line in the upper left corner. This situation has remained. What are the most likely possibilites for the specific damage. A Dell technician said the operating system was corrupted and had to be replaced. But what about the possibiity of hardware damage? Thanks, Richard
  • 0

Advertisements


#2
gerryf

gerryf

    Retired Staff

  • Retired Staff
  • 11,365 posts
far greater than OS corruption if your description is accurate.

The dell logo will appear when the monitor is turned on, before it gets a signal, so i would sat the monitor is probably ok.

What other symptoms appear as the PC is powered up?

Noise? Lights? Drive activity?
  • 0

#3
bethmegkate

bethmegkate

    New Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • Pip
  • 7 posts

far greater than OS corruption if your description is accurate.

The dell logo will appear when the monitor is turned on, before it gets a signal, so i would sat the monitor is probably ok.

What other symptoms appear as the PC is powered up?

Noise? Lights? Drive activity?


  • 0

#4
bethmegkate

bethmegkate

    New Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • Pip
  • 7 posts

far greater than OS corruption if your description is accurate.

The dell logo will appear when the monitor is turned on, before it gets a signal, so i would sat the monitor is probably ok.

What other symptoms appear as the PC is powered up?

Noise? Lights? Drive activity?


  • 0

#5
bethmegkate

bethmegkate

    New Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • Pip
  • 7 posts
Thank you. When the power button is pushed the Dell logo appears on the monitor for about two seconds. Then the screen becomes black except for flashing, short white horizontal line in upper left corner of screen. No noise or other appearances on the monitor.
  • 0

#6
bethmegkate

bethmegkate

    New Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • Pip
  • 7 posts
F2 and F12 work. The arrow keys and (enter) work on the F2 and F12 screens. No lights
  • 0

#7
gerryf

gerryf

    Retired Staff

  • Retired Staff
  • 11,365 posts
what of noise and lights on the PC case (where the harddrive, cpu, memory is)

juts so we'r clear, the f2 and f12 keys get you into system setup? Blusescreen with white writing?

ANd arrow keys work?
  • 0

#8
bethmegkate

bethmegkate

    New Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • Pip
  • 7 posts
Thank you. When the power button is pressed, the fan noise comes on. The green light behind the power button is steady. There is no hard disk light(next to the power button). The four green lights on the back(ABCD are all green. There is an occasonal burp or hiccup from the tower(not often).

f12 BRINGS WHITE WRITING ON GRAY BACKGROUND. tHE ARROW KEYS OF THE KEYBOARD WORK. tHE (ENTER) WORKS WITH SOME of the choices, but not most of them. Pushing the F12 button when the Dell logo comes on causes a beep from the keyboard.

F2 brings white writing on a gray background(Dell computer). The date and time are correct and the seconds tick off. The CPU(no. 11) responds to <enter> and reads "normal speed." The escape button works.
  • 0

#9
gerryf

gerryf

    Retired Staff

  • Retired Staff
  • 11,365 posts
I am inclined to harddrive failure, but let's see something.

Start the PC and when you see the DELL Logo, tap the f8 key once a second...do you get a text based menu allowing safe mode?
  • 0

#10
bethmegkate

bethmegkate

    New Member

  • Topic Starter
  • Member
  • Pip
  • 7 posts
Thanks. When the F8 key is pressed during Dell logo, the message appears: "Keyboard failure. Strike the F1 key to continue, F2 to run the setup utility." However, there is no response to the F1 key.

In F2, #3, "hard drive", pressing <enter> also gets the "keyboard failure" message.
  • 0

#11
The Skeptic

The Skeptic

    Trusted Tech

  • Technician
  • 4,075 posts
A sudden power surge can affect both hardware and software. I think that one of the first steps should be BIOS reset to make sure that no corrupted values exist in Bios memory. To do that you have to unplug the computer from the wall socket and open the box. if you have a user manual you should find there how to reset the BIOS by using a jumper located near the battery. If you don't know where this jumper is, pull out carefully the round silvery battery (make sure not to break the holder!). Keep it out of the computer for about 15 minutes, reinstall, connect the power and start the computer. You will have to reset day and time.
  • 0






Similar Topics

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users

As Featured On:

Microsoft Yahoo BBC MSN PC Magazine Washington Post HP