so I'm up in the attic running the cat-5 yesterday and I hear thunder. we've
lost three cable modems already and a slew of vcrs, etc. so I get down as quick
as I can and race towards the computer. as I'm running through the living room
a shotgun goes off out the back door and *sparks* (I kid you not) shoot from
the vcr in the living room. I make it to the computer room to find the
computer dead and the lights in that room off.
long story short, the vcr is toast, the cable modem probably is too, and the
computer won't power on. the shotgun sound was the telephone network interface
box on the back of the house exploding and shooting off the siding into the
back yard. for some reason the coax cable goes in there, too. the phones are
all dead, and the two things hooked to the cable are too (vcr, modem/computer).
the modem *may* not be dead, since the cable service seems to be out as well
(the cable t.v. box will not receive a signal) and I can't get turn on the
computer to verify it anyway. but I'll assume it's gone. I figure the surge
went through the coax into the modem, and then into the computer and/or the
surge protector it's attached to. then it popped the breaker on that room
(that's why the lights were out). that's the only breaker that popped.
so I'm pretty convinced now that the coax was the problem all along, and maybe
not the utility line.
but the computer was my question. I guess if I'm lucky, it was just the power
supply that was fried and I can swap it. but to tell the truth, I was looking
to upgrade anyway, so I wouldn't be crushed it I could put in a faster
processor. but...that was talking over my head as I have no idea how to
accomplish that. I looked at the component parts at comp usa yesterday, and I
figure if I can assemble an engine, I can put together a computer, but is it
crazy to even think about it? should I just toss it and buy new? I'd like to
end up with two anyhow, so fixing the old one is preferrable even if I have to
buy a new one in the interim.
my biggest question is how can/do I test the components? I have a voltmeter,
but it's the standard home/auto kind. is there a way to tell what's toast
without just swapping in new parts? I'd like to at least have a go at it
before I pay comp usa $99 just to diagnose the problem. or am I a moron to
even consider it, and these are very delicate parts not to be fooled with by
mere mortals?
thanks in advance...I'm kinda weirded out with no 'net access at home...
scott
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