Can A UPS Damage My Computer?

Hello, Last month I was using some very graphical labour intensive programmes and the whole computer froze and would not boot up again. I just got power but no beeps. My local computer repair specialist told me that my power supply, motherboard and one stick of ram had blown, so I had them all replaced. When I got it back, it started up once and then would not boot up again afterwards, displaying the same symptoms as before so I returned it to the computer specialist who told me it was a faulty motherboard so they rereplaced it and gave it back. The same situation happened again twice, but on the third time I decided to try and check the connections myself. Up until this point I had my computer running through a UPS, but I had my suspicions if this was causing the problem so I removed the UPS. I connected just the power cable straight from the wall and the computer booted up! I then found that the computer didn't boot up if I connected the video card to the monitor through the DVI port, but it did boot if connected through the VGA port so I have assumed that my DVI port on my video card is broken and my computer has been fine ever since. Now I haven't reconnected my UPS in fear that it is faulty and could blow everything once again. Is this possible? or is it more likely that the DVI port blew from the strain of the graphical programs I was using and this was preventing my computer from booting? Thanks, Sam

Well, the short answer is No, BUT, the long answer could be yes. Now I don't know all the details about such units, only the concept of what they are supposed to do, and put simply these units are designed to take the hit and save the PC, so to have one actually harm a system is a total reversal of what they are supposed to do, and given this it does not make any sense that it should be the cause of this, but it doesn't mean it can't be some freak fault with it, but have never heard of such a thing happening personally. There are a couple of questions I have, first is what make\model is the UPS device ? it may help those who know about these things to warn if there are known issues with it, or be able to say how reliable it should be. Next is what are you plugged into ? Obviously the tower will be plugged into the UPS, but what about the monitor ? and how are you connecting to the net ? Do you have a modem plugged into the system or ANY other such connection that does NOT pass though the UPS ? There are many incidents of phone lines hit by lightning and the charge going down the line miles away taking out the PC, because unless that connection goes through the UPS as well as the mains leads you may as well not bother using a UPS device, could this be a possible weak spot for you ?

Thank you for replying. The model of the UPS is Plexus, which was a brand made buy ebuyer but they don't seem to have it anymore. It was more of a budget EPS than a very expensive one but it did the job okay. When I had the UPS connected, it had the tower and the monitor plugged into it. Currently nothing is plugged into it. The modem hasn't ever passed through the UPS. I've only just this minute noticed that this is possible! lol. If I do reconnect the UPS I could definately run the modem through it. I use a UPS because we are at the end of a power line and get many many power cuts. One other note. Although I have assumed that the DVI port on the graphics card is broken, it could also be the DVI port on the monitor or the DVI cable that is broken, but I don't have any more of these handy to test it out. Is there anyway to test a UPS without costly consequences?

Ah yes, I was tempted to get one of those (£25 IIRC), but by the time I was ready they had gone lol, I believe APC is a top brand, but you certainly pay for it compared to the Plexus, but that said Plexus don't appear to be that bad as a brand, but it is definitely a budget one, so by definition isn't as good as more expensive ones, but it should of been sufficient I'd of thought. As to testing such a device, I really don't think it is anything that the average person could do, my best advice is either raise an enote, or phone them (assuming your still in the warranty period) and explain the situation, as long as you don't get a jobs worth you will find them pretty helpful usually, then hopefully they will be able to advise and maybe offer to test it for you. Now just had a thought, what PSU did you have ? and what PSU do you have now ? I ask because people underestimate just how important these are, when a PSU goes bad it can take the entire system with it, so you should NEVER skimp on this, because it's a false economy, always buy the best most powerful one you can afford, then it will (or should) serve you for many years without issue, but what I am wondering is if it was a bad PSU behind this, it is on the wrong side of the UPS to protect against that, and the more I think of it is the more likely cause of this IMHO. As to your card, as you have said it could be any of those problems causing this, it could also be a case of the card took a hit that has damaged it, it wouldn't surprise me if this is whats happened here given all the other issues, easiest way to check is if you have a mate with a similar system, see if they would be willing to test your card in they're system, if it works then the card is clear, and you can look at the other possibles, and again you could test the cable the same way. But given your in an unstable area for power a UPS is a wise move, but as I said above unless you run the phone\modem through it as well you may as well not bother, it only takes a lightning strike, even if it's several miles away, it can travel down the line and fry your system, so if you want to be 100% covered, you must run this through the UPS as well, heres hoping you haven't incurred too much damage and you find whats going on

I have rang ebuyer and unfortunately the warrenty is just out of date but they are going to get their returns department to contact me to see what options are avilable. I have a standard PSU fitted, my original blew (apparently) along with my Motherboard and 1 stick of RAM. I had a new one fitted, but it was doing the same thing as before, not booting properly. But I'm unsure as to whether this was just because of the corrupt DVI port. But I shall definately seek a more powerful PSU now. It's a difficult one, as it could be two different things. 1. Something triggered the initial hit that blew everything and now I've replaced all the broken parts apart from the graphics card. or 2. It was the graphics card DVI port all along that blew (I was using a highly graphical rendering package at the time it first went), which would mean that there was nothing wrong with my PSU, motherboard, stick of RAM or UPS. But the computer specialists tested it for a week and picked up nothing on the graphics card. I'll wait to here from ebuyer and see what they say.

Well I still think the PSU is the weak spot, more so if it was a no name one, some people get lucky and can't understand why people go on about this so much, but if you have ever been bitten by one going bad, you will quickly start to see the benefit for spending more. It's a bit like putting a fiat engine into a formula 1 car, yes it will work, but it will not do it as well as the correct one would, the PSU is the heart of the system, without that nothing will work, if you want the best, get a PCP&C unit, they are the Rolls Royce of PSU's, but there are other good ones as well, but by getting the most powerful one you can afford means it will be able to do the job with the minimum of effort, it also means it should see you through numerous upgrades as well, so it's a wise investment, hope you figure out whats caused this anyway.