Motherboard shorted - Are my other components likely to be dead?

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TimSheridan

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I've been an idiot and installed my motherboard without using any standoffs, its shorted the mobo (there was a puff of smoke) and I had other components plugged in at the time. What is the likelihood that my CPU etc are now screwed? There is no visible damage to them. Also, I tried turning it on a few more times after the smoke with some stuff plugged in.

Really worried about my other stuff, have managed to RMA the board so if the other components are fine them I'm ok. I don't have another motherboard with which I can test the CPU so it's just a case of waiting for the replacement motherboard at this point :(
 
There's a risk the replacement motherboard will be ruined by any hardware destroyed by the old motherboard.
 
There's a risk the replacement motherboard will be ruined by any hardware destroyed by the old motherboard.

Would he not be able to tell from the appearance of the components whether they are broken or not? Also what chance would there be of that happening? People tend to test broken components in other PCs and they don't tend to break.
 
Would he not be able to tell from the appearance of the components whether they are broken or not? Also what chance would there be of that happening? People tend to test broken components in other PCs and they don't tend to break.


Damage is not always visible. Why take the chance?
 
it depends were the short happened and if it went through the circuit breakers in the board. if it was a mild one you really shouldn't have that much of a problem. though if it was a really bad one chances are some if not all are dead also
 
Damage is not always visible. Why take the chance?

Well I can't afford not to take the chance, I can't afford to give up on all my components as they were brand new. I can test the GPU on another PC but nothing else because none of it is compatible bar the PSU. I guess I can test the PSU using that paper clip method, but my processor and RAM are incompatible.

On a CPU surely if it had shorted it would be visible scorched or something

it depends were the short happened and if it went through the circuit breakers in the board. if it was a mild one you really shouldn't have that much of a problem. though if it was a really bad one chances are some if not all are dead also

There was a small puff of smoke but it didn't come from any of the components.

What would you guys recommend I do? I could go to the local PC place n see if they'll test the components for me? Obviously I don't wanna run any risks this time but I don't wanna chuck any stuff I don't have to.
 
RMA the mobo dude. you can RMA anything, depending on where you bought it..."i just turned it on and nothing happened"...if you can RMA.
get a new mobo and if there is no obvious damage on the cpu it is VERY unlikely that it will harm a new mobo. if it is damaged, it may not work, but it aint gonna blow up your new mobo.
ram wont either.
i'd test the gpu in another comp and see if it works. if it doesnt, RMA it too.
it is possible for other components to have been damaged, but unlikely they will harm a new mobo. it just wont work.
 
send it all back

I seen mobo only take themselves when they die. I also seen mobo take everything else with it when they die
 
RMA the mobo dude. you can RMA anything, depending on where you bought it..."i just turned it on and nothing happened"...if you can RMA.
get a new mobo and if there is no obvious damage on the cpu it is VERY unlikely that it will harm a new mobo. if it is damaged, it may not work, but it aint gonna blow up your new mobo.
ram wont either.
i'd test the gpu in another comp and see if it works. if it doesnt, RMA it too.
it is possible for other components to have been damaged, but unlikely they will harm a new mobo. it just wont work.

Cool man, your words are very reassuring. I'll try the gpu in my other PC, any chance that could screw up my other PC? People have worried me by saying that my new mobo will fry with damaged components, I just wanna know what the chances are. None of the components look damaged at all.
 
the odds of the compnents damaging a new motherboard are very slim. like, probably nil.
the gpu will work fine in the other comp, or it wont. it would take a massive voltage spike to solidify the circuits and cause the components to become permanently shorted where they would harm your motherboard. not very likely.
 
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