Huge help will be greatly appreciated

[Fragsman]

So the last week there was a big flooding in my city. In my work the water reached 30-40cm. Enough to cover all the computer cases. In some houses the water went up to 1.8m.

 

Anyway I'm trying to save as many computer as possible.

 

Currently i'm working on a Dell Destktop.

Connected the 20pin PSU. HDD seems to be rotating (OK). CPU Cooler is rotating too, mother light is on. PSU seems to be working.

 

When I connect the PSU 4 pin connector to the motherboard, then nothing starts.

Any suggestions/ideas?

[d6bmg]

Flooded? Sorry to hear that.

Anything could be dead, and in this case possibly the motherboard.

[Fragsman]

I just measured the 4 pin and both yellow cables output is 12v so I assume PSU is perefect.

 

So if PSU is ok it might be the motherboard or processor. Kinda impossible for me to figure out how to test that. And well perhaps this is not the correct section to make this post then.

 

=)

[Fragsman]

More hints. I tried again and it starts when I connect the 4 pin connector. However past 2 second everything stops.

 

If I unplug all RAM sticks it works. When I connect any RAM stick into any slot PC starts and after 2 seconds it stops.

Edited April 9, 2013 by Fragsman

[Fragsman]

Sorry for double post.

 

Yeah terrible flooding. Media says 51 deaths but people talks over 150. It was in Argentina - Buenos Aires - La Plata. Thanks god my family and me are ok. The block is elevated and the house as well so we are fine. But currently i'm trying to repair computer PCs.

Edited April 9, 2013 by Fragsman

[Fragsman]

Yet I do not discard PSU problems.

 

+12v is 12.7v

some of +5v are +5v

some others are 4.5v

+3.3v is +3.39v (I assume this is ok)

[freddie]

Insurance?

[ir_cow]

I suggest you pull all the parts out and clean the connectors. Flooding means dirty water. So thats really all I can suggest. Take it all apart and act like your building a new one.

 

Im guessing your MB is shorting because of something is making contact, like residue left over.

[wevsspot]

Frag, normally the correct emergency response would have been a thorough dis-assembly, drying, cleaning (after powering down of course).  And then let the parts sit for 24 or more hours in hopes that all the moisture was gone.  The thing with flood water is that it is contaminated not only with what falls from the sky but also the muck that it picks up along the way in the course of flooding your building.

 

After that, you're best bet is to try and salvage as many working components as possible to re-assemble as many PCs as you possibly can.  It's likely that you'll find multiple electronic components from each PC that are ruined beyond recovery, but you may be able to salvage some things from every one of them.  

 

I'm speaking from experience here.  We had a big flood at a plant I ran in MO, and we had to deal with the exact same thing you are now.  Big lesson learned here; always store all servers and work station PCs at least 48" off the ground.

[Fragsman]

I hate DELL the pinout doesn't match wich anything I can see on the internet. They have different colors and possitions than anything I know.

[Fragsman]

Insurance?

Our computers were on the 2nd floor. Except this one I'm working right now. All affected PCs are customer PCs. It won't be a big problem but if I can save them much better =). There are like 8-9 PC from medium-big companies so for them 1-2 PC loss is not big deal but you know, I'll try to save them anyway.

 

I suggest you pull all the parts out and clean the connectors. Flooding means dirty water. So thats really all I can suggest. Take it all apart and act like your building a new one.

 

Im guessing your MB is shorting because of something is making contact, like residue left over.

 

Yes I opened all and dismantled completely. I've put thermal paste con CPU, GPU, Motherboard microchip. Cleaned all with isopropyl alcolhol. That's a good idea. Maybe I should clean more and more something might be doing a bad contact but seems it only fails when I connect any RAM stick. It just start and stops. I'll try to get a good PSU to test and discard and if possible any RAM stick.

 

Frag, normally the correct emergency response would have been a thorough dis-assembly, drying, cleaning (after powering down of course).  And then let the parts sit for 24 or more hours in hopes that all the moisture was gone.  The thing with flood water is that it is contaminated not only with what falls from the sky but also the muck that it picks up along the way in the course of flooding your building.

 

After that, you're best bet is to try and salvage as many working components as possible to re-assemble as many PCs as you possibly can.  It's likely that you'll find multiple electronic components from each PC that are ruined beyond recovery, but you may be able to salvage some things from every one of them.  

 

I'm speaking from experience here.  We had a big flood at a plant I ran in MO, and we had to deal with the exact same thing you are now.  Big lesson learned here; always store all servers and work station PCs at least 48" off the ground.

Yes, since flooding already 1 week passed, and the computer was cleaning and drying with help of air conditionning for 3 or 4 days. After that I cleaned everything with isopropyl alcolhol.

[ir_cow]

picture?