Question Can a half-plugged audio jack fry a motherboard?

[astronautis28]

Hello there.
Just moved to new house and as I connected my PC to power for the first time I heard a really loud noise coming from the speakers. Immediately turned them off, checked and found out that the audio jack was only half-way in the motherboard. When I tried to turn it on, nothing... Checked the PSU by connecting the pins and getting the fan to blow. I even know there's current running in the motherboard because my keyboard automatically lit up when connected, but the PC itself is unresponsive... no beeps, no fans, nothing.

Is my motherboard fried 100%? Any chance I can repair it? It's an Asrock B450M Pro4.
Any help welcome, thanks!

 

[kerberos_20]

thats weird
voltage goes from mainboard soundcard to your speakers, voltage is super low, even if you short it, othing should happen to it
this sounds like your speaker amp sent voltage to soundcard, never heard of it
soundcard should die, not mainboard, id check your electricity wiring if your outlets are properly grounded (call technician for that)
as for dead mainboard, u can try rma/repair shops if they can help

 

[astronautis28]

Any idea how to check that without a technician? Do I need the device that detects current?

 

[Grobe]

Does the stereo jack plugs on the sound card look damaged (i.e. is there some twisted metal in the output plug that shouln't be there - compare to the mic-in port) ?

Could it be that when you inserted the audio plug - you walked on a carpet and got static charged - you got an electrostatic discharge (ESD) that went through the connector ?

 

[astronautis28]

Does the stereo jack plugs on the sound card look damaged (i.e. is there some twisted metal in the output plug that shouln't be there - compare to the mic-in port) ?

Could it be that when you inserted the audio plug - you walked on a carpet and got static charged - you got an electrostatic discharge (ESD) that went through the connector ?

I had already plugged everything in (or in the audio jack's case, half-way in) when I switched on the power strip and connected the whole system to power. That's when I heard the sound and immediately turned off the speakers. Only thing I was touching at the moment was the power strip switch.

 

[Grobe]

Well - the only reasonable explanation for what happens is that there is a piece of metal inside the stereo jack connector that have broken off and made a short circuit. Unless there is another side of the story not told yet.

 

[astronautis28]

Well - the only reasonable explanation for what happens is that there is a piece of metal inside the stereo jack connector that have broken off and made a short circuit. Unless there is another side of the story not told yet.

Well, my PSU made some weird electrical noise when I later unplugged and replugged it, but I did the green wire test and the fan worked fine, so not sure what to make of it.
Any way to check/fix what you mentioned?

 

[Grobe]

Any way to check/fix what you mentioned?

No, only visual.

However - after a second taught : there should not exist wires inside that plug that provide power, strictly ground and in/out from sound chip. Unless the plug on your mainboard are the type that serves other purposes as well - i.e. one bulky metal cover that houses more than just audio ?

 

[astronautis28]

No, only visual.

However - after a second taught : there should not exist wires inside that plug that provide power, strictly ground and in/out from sound chip. Unless the plug on your mainboard are the type that serves other purposes as well - i.e. one bulky metal cover that houses more than just audio ?

Well yes, it's a box thingy with 3 audio jack holes, one for speakers, one for mic, and one I don't know what for. But the woofer and speakers got power from the same power strip, at the same time the PC and motherboard got power when I flipped the switch.