Why do i keep frying motherboards

The only thing it would do is make a clicking sound through my speakers. So I figured it was the cables. So I RMA the board and get another one. Hook everything up with the factory cables this time and again the same exact thing. Onto my 3rd Mobo. This time I hook everything up outside of the case.

Factory cables, everything is hooked up correctly I checked and double checked. Hey the power switch and this time absolutely nothing. Not even any clicking sounds or anything???? WTF is going on here? Can the power supply be bad from the factory and be giving too much power to the Mobo right off the bat or something?? Please help!! Jul 7, 17, 1, 80, 2, Reread your op again, i missed the part where you used aftermarket cables.

Exactly what cables did you change? If you search, are modular cables interchangeable you'll find its a no and a risk. The cables need to be from the exact model psu or made to spec as the wiring is often different and many damaged components due to this non standard. DRagor Splendid. Jan 23, 7, 73 28, 1, That would be rather rare thing, but I guess it is possible that PSU could be bad and fry your mobos.

Did you made a paperclip test on PSU? Or it could be something about your connections, that you repeat each time not knowing it is wrong. In any case, since 3rd mobo did not even try to start, I would test it with another PSU. Although you can't forget that it could be just DoA motherboard that last one. I did do the paper clip test and the power supply comes right on and runs fine.

It also powers my other pc that I use when this one is down and out with no problems. In this case it could be one of the other components is causing short that kills motherboard. I havnt tried just the psu and Mobo. When they switch off, the current takes a few seconds to adjust.

And in those few seconds, it gets redirected to other electronics, like your lights or your computer. This is the most basic explanation of a power surge. It happens more often than you think, depending on your power setup, your locality's power grid, and even weather conditions like lightning. Related: Are Surge Protectors Necessary? Here's What They Really Do. Most power supply units and motherboards adjust their voltages to accommodate small power surges.

But if it's a big one, it can fry your motherboard and all the components connected to it. It's a big issue and one of those that we never tend to account for adequately. The only solution is to buy a surge protector for your computer. Heat is the enemy of electronics.

Computer components need to stay cool to run properly. But they generate a lot of heat themselves. That's why heat dissipation is crucial to computers, whether it's in the form of fans or heat sinks. If your laptop regularly runs hot, you need to clean its ventilation outlets. Heat can cause the motherboard to warp. Now, we aren't talking about it getting fully bent out of shape. But even small bends can affect stress points like screws or connectors. It could well be a PSU issue simply exacerbated by the introduction of a new fan plugged in correctly.

Add a comment. Active Oldest Votes. Are they? The big question is if you are willing to take the risk. Ditto for the memory and the CPU. I can't boot from the harddrive that was in the fried motherboard but I can still see all the files on it if I boot from something else Booting usually only works if: The OS is windows and the computers are very alike.

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Post as a guest Name. Email Required, but never shown. The Overflow Blog. Does ES6 make JavaScript frameworks obsolete? Podcast Do polyglots have an edge when it comes to mastering programming Unplug your computer, remove the side panel and take a look at your motherboard.

If you have a laptop, remove the plastic bezel and keyboard to access the motherboard. Smelling smoke or seeing charred circuitry are obvious signs, but also examine the capacitors, which are cylindrical in shape and placed in various locations on the board.

Their job is to filter the electricity going to various components on the board, and power surges or overheating can damage them. Also, check the board around them for any signs of electrolyte leakage or breaks. Look at the back of your desktop computer where the power connector is, to see a voltage switch if the power supply supports dual voltage.