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Selected wrong voltage setting
I just moved my Dell Dimension from the US to France and plugged it in without switching the voltage setting. I heard a loud pop and smelled something burning. I switched it to the right setting, but now can not power up. Have I destroyed my computer? Any ideas of how to fix this?
ceri sheeran
1.7K Posts
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August 23rd, 2003 09:00
Hi,
What model computer.
You are likely to have put twice the correct voltage on all components connected to the power supply. CPU, motherboard, drives cards etc. THis may have caused serious if not "fatal" damage.
What may have gone "pop" is power protection or overvoltage protection on either the power supply or possibly the motherboard.
Your hard disk may have survived. This can be checked in another computer.
A burning smell is however indicative of serious problems. Its time for the repair shop.
It is however likley that the repair costs would exceed replacement costs. What you may not be able to replace is your data if you have damaged your hard disk.
Do any drives spin.
You could try a very basic power supply from here
http://www.pcpowercooling.com/home.htm
Dell power supplies are not standard, so one from Radio Shack or any computer store WILL NOT fit unless it has an adapter to change over to the correct connector(s) for Dell machines.
Ceri
dgpatton
4 Posts
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August 23rd, 2003 18:00
Hope I'm wrong.
Dave Lyle
2K Posts
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August 24th, 2003 03:00
Many times (in electronic components in general) an overload that massive will cause immediate failure of the first thing that can fail. Blown rectifier diodes, blown filter caps, shorted switching transistor(s) - and the overvoltage will not propagate to the output rails of the supply.