Aurora R12, wet

Question

Hi, I managed to spill some water onto my computer. Most of the water went down the side of the case. But some went inside. My computer was off and I have disconnected it from the wall and all other devices. I have opened the case and am letting it air dry. There are small drips of water on the motherboard. I'm going to let it dry for 24 to 48 hours. Anything else I should do?

Thanks Matthew.

Vanadiel · Accepted Answer

Yes, never have liquids near a computer.

I would let it dry for 48 hours, than look to ensure everything is dry. If it's water is should dry clean. If it's something else than water it might leave residue behind.

What also helps is a can of compressed air. Blows the water off and get's rid of the dust.

Matthew3360 · Answer

Thanks for you answer.  I Normally use a water bottle with a lid. But did not have my water bottle so used my cup. Will not be making that mistake again.

Iain K Mackay · Answer

As advised by Vanadiel make sure it is completely dry before you switch it on again. I wrecked a 3 month old laptop with a can of coke and that was after a week and blowing air at the board. Im no expert but maybe the sugar had something to do with it.

I get the shivers everytime the Mrs sits down in front of our R13 with a full mug of tea. Enough said.

filbert · Answer

The key is to wait until everything is totally dry. Otherwise, if you try to boot too soon, moisture may cause a short. It's possible that a short has already occurred, but if it hasn't then long drying time is essential. Any remaining moisture is bad news.

Disconnect the power cord or unplug from the wall outlet.
Press and hold the power button for 30 seconds to discharge any residual electricity.
Remove the coin cell battery (CMOS battery).
Remove the memory modules (RAM).
Remove the drive.
If you see moisture on components, use a microfibre cloth to blot up the water, while you wear an anti-static wrist strap. If the components are removable (e.g. wireless card, RAM, etc.), remove them.

Let everything dry for a couple of days, to be certain it is entirely dry. If you are in a region with high relative humidity, it will take longer to dry. When you're certain everything is dry:

Reinstall everything.
Reconnect the power cord
Reboot the laptop. See if it will at least past the POST (Power On Self Test) stage to enter BIOS.

All disassembly and reassembly instructions are in the Service Manual.

Whenever touching components or working inside a computer, wear a grounded wrist strap, also called anti-static wrist strap, ESD wrist strap, or ground bracelet. It's a cheap and sensible precaution. Rest the laptop on an anti-static mat or at least a reasonable alternative such as corrugated cardboard.

Alienware Desktops

Aurora R12, wet

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