Live wire touched case, shorting PC

[Pleiades]

Hi, I'm not very technical so pls bear with me! Just looking inside PC case to check all fans were spinning properly (one had been previously fouled) and was closing side panel when a loose wire (an power extension for a fan with exposed prongs) touched the metal case and sparked - PC was on and it stopped dead. Is it a case of a new PSU or have I killed the mobo (& everything attached to it)?

This isn't my main PC and must admit to being a bit lazy when it comes to maintenance on it; well now I've paid the price

[moogle]

Could have killed it and possibly you (I think). The currents that fan wires can carry are quite high too.
I don't know maybe you've just killed the PSU because if the motherboard is mounted correctly it should be earthed with the case and the electricity would have travelled away from crucial parts. Try with another PSU to see if it works, or try shorting the PSU cable to see if it boots (Don't short it while it's plugged in leave a paperclip in 1 green->black pin not sure but I'll post a link about it, and then when switched on the PSU should power up if it's fine.

I'm going to put empty fan headers on my ones now I'm worried

[PeterStoba]

Exposed wires on a PSU, never seen any

[moogle]

Exposed wires on a PSU, never seen any

Molex -> 3 pin fan header (not the plug, extension cable) most usually they don't come in a enclosed box header and are the open type (am I right?). Easily can be shorted.

[PeterStoba]

So the insides of this;

Touched this;

?

If so, I understand now, could be dead

[moogle]

So the insides of this; <img>

Touched this; <img>

?

If so, I understand now, could be dead

Nawww, it could have been that molex which is connected so that it can power a fan using that header socket (2nd pic) and that socket with the bare connectors is what may have touched the case. I got the exact same sort of thing but mines a 3pin fan cable extension cable, which he might have also. I do prefer those ones to the protected ones though.

[Pleiades]

Yes, that's right, the open fan header type on the end of a Molex extension, didn't even notice it was there! Wow, my builds are getting messier what with all the cables (it's an old case, not very good for wiring around the back of mobo, that's my excuse). I reckon I unplugged a fan when installing a fan controller to front panel & left the old extension with its exposed prongs dangling amongst the tangle of wiring; opening the case again caused it to suddenly pop out and touch side panel eek!

I left PC for a bit and have just turned it on again, more in hope than expectation, and it has booted up normally!

Lucky escape for being so careless I reckon

[moogle]

Ooh so I wonder why it turned off. Is the PSU a good quality one? Could have shutdown due to an overflow maybe.

[Pleiades]

Well it's a CoolerMaster. Maybe it's supposed to do that to stop further damage and/or death!?

[moogle]

Well it's a CoolerMaster. Maybe it's supposed to do that to stop further damage and/or death!?

Possibly, CM PSU's aren't the best but they aren't crap either. At least it works
Remember not to leave them in the open next time

[Pleiades]

Will do!

OT: Hey u got same monitor as me - no probs with HD-DVD/Blu Ray playback (see my other recent thread)? I mean it's got HDMI right? Or is that not same as HDCP? Let me know on other thread if u r able (I've gone & hijacked me own thread right here oh dear)...

[PeterStoba]

HDCP means it is able to display hd content, wether that is 1080p or not depends, but it can display hd content via HDMI if it has it or DVI-HDMI

[moogle]

Will do!

OT: Hey u got same monitor as me - no probs with HD-DVD/Blu Ray playback (see my other recent thread)? I mean it's got HDMI right? Or is that not same as HDCP? Let me know on other thread if u r able (I've gone & hijacked me own thread right here oh dear)...

Your thread you're entitled to hijack it I'd say ;D
I've not used it for HD-DVD or Blu Ray playback but yes I've had no problems as I've only used it as a monitor using the DVI->HDMI cable. It has HDCP too which is different from HDMI
What exactly happens when you try and play it? Does the monitor turn off or just the software doesn't display anything?

[GoNz0]

looks like it threw the thermal trip if it has turned on a few mins later.

[Pleiades]

Yeah seems fine now, left it defragging, downloading Steam & Windows updates. Phew!

[Pleiades]

As regards this issue, PowerDVD just refuses to play content and the help page points to getting the latest drivers (it states 7.12 LOL when we're already on 8.10). As poster in other thread says, maybe x1950XT doesn't support HDCP, will try to find out...