Long time no see ...

[LT-25]

It's been so long now, that I can't remember the exact spelling of my old user name. So anyway, I'm back because I'm looking for some insight. I recently brought my sister's machine I built her a couple years ago home with me to do an xp re-install. While I had it here, I decided to test a couple processors I've had sitting around to see if they're still good or not. Far as I can remember, they were working when they came out of the machines they were in, but wanted to clear out some clutter here and be sure, ya know? Could have done it any time, but haven't been in the mood to tear my machine apart to do it, so this was a good opportunity, or so I thought. lol Popped this formerly working machine open, removed the hs and existing proc. Put the first test one in replaced the hs and that's it. Made no other changes. All I was interested in was if it would post and recognize the processor. Plugged it in, hit the power and POW! Popped a cap in the power supply. Could a bad processor cause this sort of damage?? Or is it more likely the ps was already on it's last leg and just chose to give me a heart attack at such an opportune time and make me think I've done something stupid? I've built many machines over the years and this is definitely the first time ive had anything like this happen. I have an old power supply here i can replace this one with, but I'm wary of going forward at the moment for fear of doing the same to it. LOL Sooooooo. Whatcha think folks?

[LT-25]

For the heck of it ... cause I'm bored. Here's a pic of what's left. I found the casing in the opposite corner of the psu from where it originally sat. Looking at the 3 larger ones above, im guessing this guy may have just been ready to go unless the damage to them occurred at the same time. You can see "fuzz" all aroung the one post sticking up there where it used to be attatched. This all came from the explosion (sounded like a .22 going off on my kitchen table) LOL. I went ahead and found an old psu i had laying around. put the original processor back in it and swapped out the ps and get no post now. It's an older enermax 431w so I'm hoping it's just beyond it's useful life and I didn't take out the mobo and or other parts when the other one died. Guess I'll start with a new psu tomorrow and then go from there part by part. I know at least i can take the original processor out of the guess work. it worked fine before, so I guess if the psu doesn't get it running then it's mobo next and on from there.

[Gizmokid2005]

Judging by the looks of the PSU, it may have already been on its last leg when it blew...

[cauzomb]

Before turning on the new PSU, check all your wires over for shorts, exposed/bare wires touching something, a stuck fan, or a drive/fan plug in backwards.

[LT-25]

Well, turns out that 431w psu was useless too. Put the one in there last night from my machine just to make sure I hadn't killed my sister's or at least so I could assess the extent of the damage. It booted right up with her original setup. So I swapped out processors and the duron posted fine too. Good call though Cauzomb. The more I've been thinking about it, since getting it up and running last night, I'm almost positive the psu was just ready to go, however when I went back in and started looking around, I did notice that one of the wires had come loose from the power led plug and was just a hair from the side of the case. In the end, I don't think it was the cause since there's no evidence of it actually touching, no burn marks or anything like that, but with a little bump of the case, it could have been the cause I'm sure. So, once I pick up a couple psu's, I'll get my sis's machine back in order and be able to hook the girlfriend up with a cobbled together duron 1600 with decent graphics and 512 2100 ddr instead of the hand me down celly 600 / 128 pc100 I was gonna "fix up" for her. I'm a happy camper again.