Unplug the Power Cable

Hold down the power button until the power is off but don’t wait for it to shut down completely. It could cause a short circuit and damage the computer for good. The faster you unplug and turn off the machine, the faster you can save your computer.

Remove the Battery

Immediately remove the battery. Open up the backplate if you know how to, remove any USB drive, dongles, SD cards or headphones plugged into it to protect yourself from shock, especially if you are in contact with water or if your clothes are in contact with water at that time. Make sure no power is running through the system at all. Switch it off from the main source in the wall, whether you see any smoke, steam, bulge or bubbling sound, or not. Once the device is off and you know you are safe, start cleaning up thoroughly.

Drain it Out

Wipe off any spills on the surface of the laptop and the table it is on with a dry cloth. Make sure you don’t miss the spaces between the keys on the motherboard, vents or ports. Turn the laptop upside down, use an absorbent microfibre cloth and sponge or towel to soak up the liquid. Leave it to dry for 24 hours to be on the safe side. Parts within the computer that are not visible to the eye can take longer to dry completely. The more you take time to dry it out thoroughly, the more chances you have to save your computer. Open-air drying is the best option.

Take it to a Repair Professional

Once your computer is completely dry, plug it back in, reboot and see if it springs back to life. But to be on the safer side, we advise you to take it to a repair professional. The fluid that seeps inside can leave behind minerals that can corrode the components. If you’ve spilled coffee, tea or soda, the residue will undoubtedly be sitting inside. Repair professionals use powerful tools and solvents to clean the machines and make it safe for you again.

Surrey Geeks – The Pros Got You Covered

We are a team of experienced IT professionals serving local communities in Surrey, South Surrey, Delta, North Delta, White Rock, New Westminster and Langley. We provide a complete suite of IT solutions and repair services to home and office computers, laptops and tablets. Whether you accidentally spilled a drink, dropped it in water or damaged the LCD screen, our qualified technicians got your operating system covered.

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Unless you were planning on upgrading your computer anyway, changing the motherboard should be your last resort to resolve an issue. Almost all of the components that make your computer work are attached to your motherboard. What’s more, technology is continually changing, so you may not be able to replace it with the same model. If anything about a new motherboard is different, you could find yourself restoring more than just one part. That is why it is vital to eliminate all other possible reasons for error before replacing your motherboard.

Symptoms

If you have just replaced your motherboard and experience crashes or, if you have had your computer for a while and it suddenly starts to fail, you might be inclined to assume that there is something wrong with the board. A symptom to look for when diagnosing your motherboard is a failure to boot. Your computer may start to boot and then shut down. Increased frequency in operating errors like the “blue screen of death” are symptoms of a failing motherboard. Your computer may freeze for seemingly no reason or connected devices that worked before might suddenly stop working.

Troubleshooting Crashes and Errors

Before you open up your computer and mess with the hardware, try to solve the problem softly by examining the system and application settings. Malware and viruses can make it seem like your motherboard is failing. Perform a thorough virus scan on all of your drives and system files. If you have recently downloaded any media files or shareware, do a system restore to before you downloaded them and see if that works.

Check Peripherals and Connections

Check if your power cord is loose, which would result in frequent shutdowns. Loose or ill-fitting peripheral connectors might also cause an issue, so be sure to tighten them up. An external hard drive, flash drive or CD can stop your computer from booting correctly.

Listen for Beeps

If you find that you can’t boot at all, listen to your computer when you turn it on. A pattern of beeps can tell you what the problem likely is. Motherboard failure is usually accompanied by one beep and followed by three, four or five beeps. Four beeps, followed by two, three or four beeps indicates a serial or parallel port issue, which is also indicative of a damaged motherboard.

Check the Hardware

It is probably easier taking your computer to a technician when it comes time to check your hardware. If you are familiar with the inside of a computer, check that all components are in the right place. Look for visible damage to the motherboard and its components. Inspect resistors and circuits for burns and bubbles. If you have any additional cards such as memory cards, video cards or hard drives, change them out one at a time to see if that makes a difference.

Warnings

If you are unfamiliar with the internal hardware of a computer, don’t attempt to fix it yourself as you could end up with more damage than you started with. Before changing any system settings, make a note of the current settings so that you can return them if the changes do not make a difference. Be sure to check your computer’s warranty as many warranties become void once you open the computer.

To get to the bottom of your computer issues, bring it into Surrey Geeks. Our experienced technicians can use their expert knowledge to quickly assess and fix your devices.

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