just heard a warning that a severe thunderstorm is heading into my area -- is it okay to have the computer on?
2006-06-26 10:35:43 · 23 answers · asked by confused 6 in Computers & Internet ➔ Internet
oops there goes the warning again
2006-06-26 10:37:28 · update #1
I have a surge arrest thing connected
2006-06-26 10:38:41 · update #2
Unplug EVERTHING connected to a phone line, or an electrical plug. TRUST ME, you can never be too careful. A surge protector only goes so far, and is no competition for lightning. Trust me, I have fried TWO harddrives... I learned the hard way. It is a hassle to unplug every time, but it is much more a hassle to lose all of your pictures and personal things when your harddrive crashes.
2006-06-26 12:32:23 · answer #1 · answered by Leigh 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. A power surge can fry your hard drive or any of your components, even if you have a surge protector. If you're on the internet when a surge occurs, your computer will fare even worst. It's recommended during a storm that you unplug your PC and your modem.
When I worked in Tech Support, I had many, many calls after a storm. Users couldn't get their PCs to come on. What happens many times is the outlet on the surge protector is damaged during the storm. Sometimes if the user was lucky, changing the outlet and holding in the power button for a while would get the PC to boot up. Other times, the outlet is not the only thing that is damaged.
2006-06-26 10:49:10 · answer #2 · answered by Sakja 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unless its a laptop, I'd say to shut it down and unplug it. If it is a laptop, you just have to unplug it. Lightning can create dangerous surges and outages. These surges, even with a surge protector could still damage your computer.
2006-06-26 10:40:33 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know 2 friends that had their computers on during storms. Lightening hit a telephone line and ruined one through the dial-up connection and the other got spiked through a powerline that got hit.
A battery-backup is the safest way to protect your system. It isolates the power from ALL surges.
2006-06-26 10:41:30 · answer #4 · answered by David T 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
do not ever do that. surge protectors can handle some surge but not a direct strike.
always unplug from the wall outlet and from the phone line
a friend had an expensive surge protector and the lightning still burnt out everything he had.
2006-06-26 10:40:05 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a surge protector but I turn my computer off anyway because it can be really bad for it.
2006-06-26 10:40:17 · answer #6 · answered by peachy_keen817 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you have a spike protector/UPS on the power path to your PC, you are fine.
If not, you are better of switching it off, caz a sudden surge/loss of power could damage a harddrive in the long run
2006-06-26 10:37:46 · answer #7 · answered by Tapan 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No it is not. My friend's computer actually got fried...not physically up in smokes. But the hardware was damaged due to a surge.
2006-06-26 10:38:44 · answer #8 · answered by Smirk Child 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have had both my pc and my monitor fried during thunderstorms... I live out in wide open farm country with almost no trees nearby... which means my house was the tallest thing around.
2006-06-26 10:38:11 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its safer to have your computer on a surge protector.and if the power goes it you might lose data so it might be a good idea to have your computer off.
2006-06-26 10:37:35 · answer #10 · answered by earlsquareling 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋