Re: Pushed out PCI card while PC on

Rycon <Rycon.2u9aqc@no-mx.wirelessforums.org> hath wroth:

>So I tried pluggin in a USB device into my USB PCI expansion card and it
>slightly pushed it out, crashing my computer, and now I think all my PCI
>buses are fried..

Unplug the power. Take out the card in question. Reseat all the
other cards you left hanging. Nail down the loose power connectors
with ty-wraps. Apply power. Does it work?

If not, unplug every plug in board you think you can spare. Unplug
*BOTH* the power supply connection and ribbon cable (or SATA
connector) to every drive in the system. Note I said BOTH. Also,
unplug the keybaord, mouse, iPod, printers, and everything else you've
go hung on the machine. You're now down to basics, with just the
power supply, motherboard, and possibly a video card. Turn it on and
see what happens. If that works, one of the devices you removed or
unplugged is fried.

>Question, does anybody know exactly what happens, is it completly toast
>or possible to fix, are my PCI cards themselves fried?

Exactly? No. You would need some kind of PCI bus tester. Something
like this:
<http://www.pc-diagnostics.com/pc_diagnostics_tools/flippost_isa_pci_bus.shtml>
<http://www.uxd.com/pcinsp.shtml>
<http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140140431300>
I have a really simple one that just shows the power bus voltage, and
does a POST display on 2 LED's. Paid about $35. If you're planning
on doing this professionally, you gotta get some test equipment.

>Lesson:
>Never leave a PCI card unscrewed.

Yep. You might be screwed.

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558