Complete System Blowout - Need Testing Suggestions

TheMeg · April 29, 2019

Hello all,

I had a complete system blowout today, and I'm looking for the reasons on why this happened. The computer itself will not turn on, and there is no CMOS light that is apparent on the motherboard, so even trying to reset that and maybe clear out the mobo isn't helping. The computer isn't responding at all, however the monitors are indicating that they are on and are plugged in to the same power strip, so it's definitely something with the computer's PSU. This is the second time that this has happened, and the first time, the PC was connected on the same circuit as a window unit air conditioner. In that instance, the PSU completely shorted out, and fried every other component in the machine; every part had to be replaced, including the case. The only information I could find when it happened was perhaps the air conditioner sent a surge through the power strip everything was plugged into and it was too much for the computer's PSU, resulting in a short that destroyed the entire computer's system.

This time around, I had put the new machine on a completely different circuit than the air conditioner, and have it plugged in on the another side of the room even, just in case. I bought a new surge protector and had the tower, two monitors, my speakers and another older computer tower plugged into it - which is now also dead and not turning on. Since that computer was over 6 years old and was only being used as a data repository, I thought that maybe the PSU just finally went on it, but then two weeks later, my newer workstation machine also went and I'm at a loss yet again. This is the specs of the workstation machine:

OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64 Bit

PSU: EVGA 850W P2 Platinum

Mobo: ASUS ROG Maximus IX Hero

RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX 48GB
CPU: Intel Core i-7 6700K
GPU: EVGA 1070 FTW Edition
SSD: Samsung 850 EVO 250 GB boot drive
HDD: Toshiba x300 7200 RPM 6 TB storage drive

I may have to replace these parts, but what I'm really looking for is some troubleshooting suggestions on how to prevent this from happening again. My boyfriend has a new computer he built running in this room as well, but he's also on the opposite side of the room plugged into a different outlet with his machine, monitors, speakers and audio interface all plugged into a Furman power cleaner. We're going to be testing the outlet my machine's power strip was plugged into with a multi-meter to check the voltage, ohms, etc, to see if the outlet is compromised. But other than that... I have no idea what to even think!

Is there anyone with suggestions out there on what else I could look for to find the actual CAUSE of the failures? I know that the PSU is probably the reason the computer won't turn on but WHAT caused THAT to fail? None of the parts in this machine are more than 2 years old, with the RAM being less than 6 months old. All I know is that the computer went sometime between 2 am and 11 am, and it was working 100% fine the night before. I have a feeling that maybe it's the wiring in the wall that the computer was plugged into, as I was previously in another room of our house for 5+ years and never had an issue, while in our new room, I've had THREE computer failures in two to three years. Is there anything I could test with circuits/wiring/etc etc with the room itself to figure out what caused the problem? I plan on buying my own Furman power cleaner, which may help mitigate any problems with power flickers or surges in the future.

I appreciate any help that anyone can give, my boyfriend and I are at a total loss as to what could be causing these failures, and I'm afraid to plug the computer back into the circuit even when we fix it, since this is looking like it's a fault of the house itself and not just hardware.

CoopNubbit · April 29, 2019

the motherboard might be broken. idk in what sense it could be broken; like it could be the voltage regulators wore out or the power supply failed.

thedangerine · April 30, 2019

If this is the second time and it truly has killed every component, which would take quite a bit of power to do with a surge protector, I would first look into getting a better surge protector or even getting a ups with surge protection, and two try to figure out what on earth is pushing that much power through the wall, a surge protector should be plenty for an ac unit.

Also I'm curious why the case had to be replaced the first time. Did the power and reset switches get borked?