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Priitaa
Frequent Member
Joined: 22 Feb 2005
Posts: 154
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 Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 10:35 pm Post subject: Thunderstorm- can't get back online |
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Yesterday we had a thunderstorm, heard very loud noise, immediately comp would not let me back online. We have those surge protectors and the rest of my comp itself seems fine. I can use the hard drive, call up documents, etc. but when I try to go online it says there all ready is a juno program running. We do not see on screen any second juno program running, have tried everything within my small knowledge and can't seem to get this to stop, don't know how to locate if there is a program running i can't see, tried the task bar, it showed no programs running. Unplugged the comp and started over, nothing changed. Tested motem via control pannel and it said it was working fine. Tested phone lines - thats working.
Next, we uninstalled and reinstalled juno today but that didn't fix the problem either. Am lost as what to do. I'm on a borrowed computer for the moment. Any suggestions?
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Priitaa
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RoboGeek
SF Mod
Joined: 13 Jun 2003
Posts: 2223
Location: LeRoy, IL
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| Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 11:34 pm Post subject: |
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If its a modem, there is a 600 ohm transformer that isolates the modem from the phone circuit. That usually fries in a storm. The modem will test fine, because it is working ok electronically. The normal error would be 'no dial tone' when trying to connect, but many people disable that error message (its in the modem section of control panel)
You could try dialing through hyperterminal (accessories>communication) and listen on the phone to see if its actually dialing.
And try start>run>msconfig>startup and disable all - reboot and see if juno is still erroring out. If so try booting into safe mode (press F8 repeatedly during bootup and select safe mode with networking). Try hyperterminal then
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Priitaa
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Joined: 22 Feb 2005
Posts: 154
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| Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 3:36 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you. Am going to try that today. Oh, also forgot to mention, when I click on juno to open the program, sometimes the comp automatically shuts down then reopens. Juno never opens, but I have no idea why the comp does this.
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Priitaa
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Priitaa
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Joined: 22 Feb 2005
Posts: 154
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| Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 5:14 pm Post subject: |
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I guess I should have posted this yesterday afternoon when I found out, but had to proccess it. It appears my comp has crashed. The light on the front says its on but it won't go on when I push the button. (sigh) Feels like I lost a family member. lol Its only 2 year old comp. Hmmm Am wondering if its the modem. Guess we'll have to take it in somewhere. Anyhow, just keeping you updated and thanks for helping.
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Priitaa
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RoboGeek
SF Mod
Joined: 13 Jun 2003
Posts: 2223
Location: LeRoy, IL
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| Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 6:16 pm Post subject: |
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check the power supply. Thunderstorms often damage them and a light on the panel without it booting is a symptom of that. It might have damaged other things like the motherboard but the power supply is the first thing to check anyway (and the easiest!)
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Priitaa
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Joined: 22 Feb 2005
Posts: 154
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| Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 10:34 pm Post subject: |
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Sounds a little hopeful.
How do I check the power suppoly?
Do I have to take the cover off or do I have to take it to a professional?
Would be great if I could learn to do some of these things myself.  Well, at this point it would have to be easy.
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Priitaa
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RoboGeek
SF Mod
Joined: 13 Jun 2003
Posts: 2223
Location: LeRoy, IL
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| Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 11:23 pm Post subject: |
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there are testers out there.. but I only use them to fire the power supply up - I test the output with a voltmeter.
Any shop should be able to test it for you.. we don't charge to do it here. You should be able to find someone thats free - or if your in illinois run it by the shop.. I'll find the prob for you!
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Tom Bair
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Joined: 10 Aug 2002
Posts: 4344
Location: Portland, Oregon USA
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| Posted: Sun May 20, 2007 10:56 am Post subject: |
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I strongly suggest you take your computer into a shop and have it checked out. From your description of the problems, it very much sounds like you damaged your power supply and also suffered a bit of damage to the motherboard.
Insure that the shop checks your power supply, CPU, memory, and modem traces.
You didn't state what brand and type of surge protector you are using on your computer, but you may want to pick one up which also allows you to route your modem line through it.
A few years ago my brother unplugged his power cord from the wall during a thunderstorm. Sadly though, he forget about his modem being plugged in. Lightning hit the telephone line at the pole and fried all his telephones in the house.
The surge went in through his modem trace and damaged his power supply, and slagged his system memory. Took me hours of troubleshooting to realize his DIMMs were damaged.
It's a rare occurrence, but I have heard of electronic equipment being damaged from a second source other than the power line. TV antennas, cable and satellite dish lines. However, power lines remain the number one culprit followed by telephone lines.
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RoboGeek
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Joined: 13 Jun 2003
Posts: 2223
Location: LeRoy, IL
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| Posted: Sun May 20, 2007 1:40 pm Post subject: |
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I had a laptop from a construction site come in once - they had temporary poles up for power and phone, and somehow knocked their tele pole into a 15kv power line. They sent me the laptop and Jaz drive together - well.. because they were melted together. That was a fun data recovery..
The whole north end of town got knocked out last winter in an ice storm - a high voltage line fell on a low voltage one and blew pretty much anything plugged in - even if it was turned off. Started a couple of small fires too.
Look around - you should be able to find a shop that will do a free evaluation for you. I know we can't be the only one!
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Priitaa
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Joined: 22 Feb 2005
Posts: 154
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| Posted: Sun May 20, 2007 7:26 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the replies! I will posting the details later (am fried about my comp getting fried... think I am going thru a joans lol) but for the moment, wanted to add...
The storm seemed to be over, that was the trick. All was quiet, things seemed to return to almost normal, for about 10 maybe 15 minutes. Then BANG! So loud my adreneline started to run.
First I noticed it woke up the baby I was sitting for (mean thunder ha); then I check the comp. The comp itself was still working at that time, but got botted and could not get back online for the life of me. So this was unexpected.
Anyway, thanks for the info, we don't live near your area but there is someone my husband is going to talk to about the test today. The test probably won't happen today, but he is going to try to locate and contact him today. Well see how that goes. Anyhow, its in the process.
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Priitaa
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Priitaa
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Joined: 22 Feb 2005
Posts: 154
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| Posted: Sun May 20, 2007 7:43 pm Post subject: P.s. |
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Just found out the electric comapny, the next day after the storm, had to repace a transformer or something like that. I did notice our entire electricity went down, but where I live that is common; the electricity goes down quite a few times a year. Sometimes several times a month, then nothing for a few months, then again several times the next month, so on & so forth. And often for a few minutse then goes back on, but other times for a few days. (sigh) Its even been on the local tv news, people complaining its been happening too often. Anyhow this time it appears was due to reparing a damaged transformer (etc).
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RoboGeek
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Joined: 13 Jun 2003
Posts: 2223
Location: LeRoy, IL
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| Posted: Sun May 20, 2007 9:55 pm Post subject: |
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worst case if you need data off the drive - PM me. We have all the electronics and can even repair internal parts on it to recover data. Shipping a drive is surprisingly cheap all over the world!
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Priitaa
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Joined: 22 Feb 2005
Posts: 154
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| Posted: Sun May 20, 2007 11:03 pm Post subject: |
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I sure hope I don't loose anything off my hard drive; thank you for the offer tho. Will keep it in mind. Have lots of medical etc info on there.
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Priitaa
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Priitaa
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Joined: 22 Feb 2005
Posts: 154
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| Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 5:18 pm Post subject: |
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Just wanted to drop in and let everyone know my computer has been fixed, and to thank all of you for your contributions.
Turns out it was the modem. Finally the guy came over and when he did, apparently it wasn't hard to fix, just hard for me to wait. lol
Guess from now on I will keep my surger totally unplugged until more than a few minutes after a thunderstorm. And might need new surgers!
Thanks everyone, for your help. It got me thru it, and educated me a bit more about computers.
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Priitaa
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dannyboy 950
Forum Addict
Joined: 27 Dec 2004
Posts: 393
Location: Port Arthur Texas
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| Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 5:41 pm Post subject: |
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I highly recomend you change out you power strips, once they pick up a big surge the trip useually becommes fuzed toogether and no longer will work, it just becomes an outlet box. No protection at all.
The thing that fools most people is it still works, provides power the little lights are on etc. The problem is it is nolonger a interupt,it is just a straight thru circuit. The next time it gets a load it passes it thru just as if it was a straight wire.
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