[pman68]

Bummer.

We were out to dinner and missed the huge storms that passed through our area last night. When we got home I found out from the neighbor that lightening had struck a tree near our house. When I went to log on with my powerbook, I couldn't connect. I turned on the PC and it didn't power up. Oh no! I tried to reboot the cable modem and it was fried too. So was my router! No power signals. I had just gotten the PC running smoothly too. It was a nice 1.5 year old alienware box. Luckily my new 20" DELL LCD is ok. I had some techs over and they are going to be able to salvage my files off the HD. Just a freakin bummer. They said the motherboard is toast.

I did have a generic surge protector, but I am now going to invest in something a little tougher. Maybe something from APC. Any recomendations?

[nredman]

don't all surge protectors cover that sort of thing? maybe god is trying to tell you to not have a PC

[pman68]

I like having a multi-platform family.

[chris v]

I got busted for this one recently:

lightening |ˈlītn-i ng; ˈlītni ng | noun a drop in the level of the uterus during the last weeks of pregnancy as the head of the fetus engages in the pelvis.



lightning |ˈlītni ng | noun the occurrence of a natural electrical discharge of very short duration and high voltage between a cloud and the ground or within a cloud, accompanied by a bright flash and typically also thunder :

sorry-- sh*t rolls downhill.

bummer about your computer, though.

[pman68]

Originally Posted by chris v

I got busted for this one recently:

lightening |ˈlītn-i ng; ˈlītni ng | noun a drop in the level of the uterus during the last weeks of pregnancy as the head of the fetus engages in the pelvis.



lightning |ˈlītni ng | noun the occurrence of a natural electrical discharge of very short duration and high voltage between a cloud and the ground or within a cloud, accompanied by a bright flash and typically also thunder :

sorry-- sh*t rolls downhill.

bummer about your computer, though.

I'm too sad to check my spelling. oops.

[SVass]

Talk to your home fire insurance company. Once upon a time, mine paid for repairs after a lightning strike to my air conditioner. sam PS-surge protectors will not help if there is a direct hit!

[stevesnj]

Originally Posted by pman68

Bummer.

We were out to dinner and missed the huge storms that passed through our area last night. When we got home I found out from the neighbor that lightening had struck a tree near our house. When I went to log on with my powerbook, I couldn't connect. I turned on the PC and it didn't power up. Oh no! I tried to reboot the cable modem and it was fried too. So was my router! No power signals. I had just gotten the PC running smoothly too. It was a nice 1.5 year old alienware box. Luckily my new 20" DELL LCD is ok. I had some techs over and they are going to be able to salvage my files off the HD. Just a freakin bummer. They said the motherboard is toast.

I did have a generic surge protector, but I am now going to invest in something a little tougher. Maybe something from APC. Any recomendations?

I had a family member have the same issue...the PC was dead and the monitor was okay. How was this? well we found out the surge was not from the power supply but through the cable modem. It traveled thru the modem and router Patch cables and boom no more motherboard, cable,modem and router. So just dont get the regular surge or APC get something that will surge protect your cable line.

[Doofy]

Running loads of Belkin jobbies here (the sort of square ones). Protect mains and modem/network just fine. A bit cheaper than APC (IIRC) and easier to get replacement batteries for (here at least).

[RAILhead]

Lightening? A drop in the level of the uterus during the last weeks of pregnancy as the head of the fetus engages in the pelvis?

Oh! You meant lightning!

/nm

[rickey939]

I prefer Chicken Fries® over the lightening fries...

[ghporter]

The unpleasant truth about most "lifetime guarantee computer protection" policies that come with your surge suppressor is that they only pay off if the suppressor is obviously damaged in the incident. I had a strike on a light pole past my next door neighbor's house, and it killed a bunch of stuff: my stero receiver/amp, my satellite receiver, my computer's modem, and it actually physically blew up parts in my answering machine! The stuff that didn't get hurt was all on UPSs. Guess what I have ALL of my electronics on now! Even the TV!