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Plugged wrong power cable into computer!

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  • 24-06-2018 3:14pm
    #1
    cpg093
    Registered Users Posts: 51 ✭✭


    As the title says i plugged an irish wired plug cable into an american computer i have just bought. There was a small spark. The computer is not particularly valuable but it had a software programme on it that i need. Is there any chance of recovering the programme? All help appreciated


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    #2
    wexie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,480 ✭✭✭wexie


    cpg093 wrote: »
    As the title says i plugged an irish wired plug cable into an american computer i have just bought. There was a small spark. The computer is not particularly valuable but it had a software programme on it that i need. Is there any chance of recovering the programme? All help appreciated

    what kind of computer? Laptop? desktop?

    In both cases there's a very good chance the actual harddrive may have survived and the data is intact, you'd have to take it out and either put it in a different computer or external enclosure to find out.


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    #3
    verycool
    Closed Accounts Posts: 965 ✭✭✭verycool


    The pessimist in me says no.

    You could take the hard drive out and stick it in to another machine to see if that works (of course drivers would be an issue, but it's worth a shot).


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    #4
    wexie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,480 ✭✭✭wexie


    verycool wrote: »
    The pessimist in me says no.

    I'm actually trying to decide what I think. On the one hand 230V into 110 is somewhat less than ideal :pac:

    On the other I think perhaps the PSU may have given up the ghost quick enough to save the HDD.

    Curious now :o


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    #5
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Check if there is a voltage switch (change it from 110v to 220v) beside where the plug connects to the pc.


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    #6
    verycool
    Closed Accounts Posts: 965 ✭✭✭verycool


    wexie wrote: »
    I'm actually trying to decide what I think. On the one hand 230V into 110 is somewhat less than ideal :pac:

    On the other I think perhaps the PSU may have given up the ghost quick enough to save the HDD.

    Curious now :o


    What I'm hoping too!


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    #7
    wexie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,480 ✭✭✭wexie


    Deleted User wrote: »
    Check if there is a voltage switch (change it from 110v to 220v) beside where the plug connects to the pc.

    While of course it's worth a shot (if it's there) these things are usually a one shot deal and you need to take your one shot before you plug it in.


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    #8
    cpg093
    Registered Users Posts: 51 ✭✭cpg093


    Its a dell desktop. Would it be obvious to the eye if the hard drive is beyond recovery?


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    #9
    verycool
    Closed Accounts Posts: 965 ✭✭✭verycool


    cpg093 wrote: »
    Its a dell desktop. Would it be obvious to the eye if the hard drive is beyond recovery?


    Not 100% because the moving parts are encased. But you could check for scorch marks around the data / power cable.



    Just have ALL other cables removed from the PC first before opening it up.


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    #10
    cpg093
    Registered Users Posts: 51 ✭✭cpg093


    Thanks for all the replies. Going to get it looked at in the morning. Fingers crossed


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    #11
    Sam Quentin
    Registered Users Posts: 2,226 ✭✭✭Sam Quentin


    Surely a fuse has blown before it got to 'fry' precious data!?


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    #12
    deandean
    Registered Users Posts: 2,233 ✭✭✭deandean


    Just replace the power supply and you should be grand. They are a cheap enough unit.


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    #13
    cunavalos
    Registered Users Posts: 1,387 ✭✭✭cunavalos


    If it is just a single program on the PC that you need to use and are not able to install this program on another pc (No installation files/licenses) i would recommend converting the old physical disk to a virtual machine and running the program on your own pc using VirtualBox or VMWare.

    I work in a lab where we had loads of old programs that ran on old machines Windows 95, NT and XP and we have converted most to Virtual Machines to ensure future proofing and avoid loss of data.


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    #14
    gctest50
    Registered Users Posts: 9,605 ✭✭✭gctest50


    cpg093 wrote: »

    Its a dell desktop.

    deandean wrote: »
    Just replace the power supply and you should be grand. They are a cheap enough unit.


    Some dells used to have a non-standard power supply


    eg: this sort of nonsense

    7E3fUL7.png


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    #15
    coylemj
    Registered Users Posts: 25,447 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    sugarman wrote: »
    I'd be surprised if anything was damaged at all.

    Try another kettle lead or else change the fuse in the plug and try it again with the PSU set to 230v. Theres almost always a switch at the back on a Dell.

    +1 the fuse in the Irish plug might have taken the hit, especially if it was a 5A fuse. If it was a 13A fuse then the power unit in the PC could have managed to draw enough current to cause damage before the fuse blew.

    Set the switch to 230V and try a different power lead. If the PC boots up, the fuse in the first power lead has blown.


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