Can't say I'm new but I don't know much about PCs and PC repair. I built a PC (well, linux rig). worked wonderfully for a few years, I bought 2 western digital 1TB HDDs, I think I paid ~$50.
I plug them in, start the computer, in linux, everything seemed fine. I could see them mounted in /dev. I didn't try writing to them or anything since the had no file system.
I tried to install windows 7 on one of the HDDs, is was to take up the entire volume, it gets to the part where it takes some time to install windows 7. I leave and come back, there is a back error screen with a hexadecimal error code.
it was long ago I don't remember what specifically it said. I turn off the computer and turn it on again hoping I can just restart the process. Computer is dead. as part of troubshooting I take everything out of the computer to see what part was bad, leaving only CPU.
Its the motherboard. I look up the error code (Its a gigabyte mobo, has built in error code display), it says failed flash update. I don't remember this being a part of the windows installation process. So I assume the BIOS chips got fried. I ordered a cheap ASRock mobo as replacement, I just want my old server back so I can get some stuff done. I suspect one the new HDDs may have a short, and a voltage spike killed the BIOS chips, and who knows what else.
My question is, how can I test this theory? I'm currently looking online for something that I can plug into the HDD that may tell me if something is amiss, kinda like a power supply tester (which I plan on getting as well). I never really messed with electronics. I have the basic ohm's law stuff down, never micro-soldered or looked for shorts anything before. Any guidance would be helpful.
original hardware for the curious:
Intel i7 3770k
GA-Z77X-UD3H mobo
16 Gi Corsair RAM.
originally: 512Gi Western Digital HHD with debian 7.6.0 installed.
I plug them in, start the computer, in linux, everything seemed fine. I could see them mounted in /dev. I didn't try writing to them or anything since the had no file system.
I tried to install windows 7 on one of the HDDs, is was to take up the entire volume, it gets to the part where it takes some time to install windows 7. I leave and come back, there is a back error screen with a hexadecimal error code.
it was long ago I don't remember what specifically it said. I turn off the computer and turn it on again hoping I can just restart the process. Computer is dead. as part of troubshooting I take everything out of the computer to see what part was bad, leaving only CPU.
Its the motherboard. I look up the error code (Its a gigabyte mobo, has built in error code display), it says failed flash update. I don't remember this being a part of the windows installation process. So I assume the BIOS chips got fried. I ordered a cheap ASRock mobo as replacement, I just want my old server back so I can get some stuff done. I suspect one the new HDDs may have a short, and a voltage spike killed the BIOS chips, and who knows what else.
My question is, how can I test this theory? I'm currently looking online for something that I can plug into the HDD that may tell me if something is amiss, kinda like a power supply tester (which I plan on getting as well). I never really messed with electronics. I have the basic ohm's law stuff down, never micro-soldered or looked for shorts anything before. Any guidance would be helpful.
original hardware for the curious:
Intel i7 3770k
GA-Z77X-UD3H mobo
16 Gi Corsair RAM.
originally: 512Gi Western Digital HHD with debian 7.6.0 installed.
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