So, a little mishap happened—my kitten knocked over a glass of water onto my PC, and I noticed it turned off immediately. I unplugged it right away and dried what I could reach. It's been drying in a well-ventilated room since last night. I also wiped it down with rubbing alcohol. Now I'm wondering if my PC is doomed or if there's hope. How long should I wait before trying to power it back on? Is there anything else I should do to ensure it's safe to turn on?
2 Answers
It depends on how much water got on things. Can you tell if it hit the motherboard or just the outer parts? If it was just a few droplets on the motherboard and your CPU cooler, you might have a shot. Just make sure you dry everything as best as you can and consider clearing the CMOS. When you’re ready to try powering it up, start with the bare minimum connected and see what happens. Most motherboards have short-circuit protection built in.
Given that it was a small spill and not a ton of water, you might be lucky. The important parts will need to be dry, though. If you think the power supply took a hit, you'd want to check that first. Just give it another day to air out, and don't rush into powering it up too soon!
Yeah, exactly! Just be patient, and if it was a small amount like you said, you should have a decent chance after it’s dried out.