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Someone spilled water over my desktop. The water did not go inside the case but it flowed at the back side where I attach thewires like for the keyboard, USB etc.

Now when I start the computer I can see POST start. the VGA BIOS is displayed followed by a press F2 for BIOS. Next I see a blank screen.

When I press F2 then the computer just hangs there.

What can be the problem?

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    By CPU you obviously mean your desktop PC's cabinet. If you had spilt water on a running CPU I'm sure it would have been toast. So, are you sure no water entered inside the case? Did you turn off the PC and carefully dry the spilt water before restarting? Did you ensure the cable contacts and ports if wet were completely dry? (Use a cloth and then allow the rest to dry naturally. Don't use a hot blow dryer.)
    – Karan
    Feb 16, 2013 at 15:23
  • The problem? Let the thing dry out for awhile before. If the situation still does not improve, its probably time either to consider repairs or to get a new computer.
    – mdpc
    Feb 16, 2013 at 15:24
  • yes i mean the cabinet. i din't dry the water before . i wiped the wires connectors later and now they are dry. at the worst what do i need to replace
    – Mirage
    Feb 16, 2013 at 15:25
  • Can't say sitting here. Turn it off, wait for a day or more and then retry. If no change, take it to a shop and let them have a look inside.
    – Karan
    Feb 16, 2013 at 15:26
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    Ack! You shouldn't have applied power until after you dealt with the water.
    – David Schwartz
    Feb 16, 2013 at 15:40

2 Answers 2

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If you spilled water over the CPU (That is one of the chips inside the case), then the water most definitively was inside. I suspect you mean you spilled water over the desktop case.

Normally when this happens the first thing you want to do is to immediately remove the power from the computer. Unplug it, not just turning it off but remove the power plug from the socket. Then clean up as much moisture as you can and check the inside of the case and the hollow parts of plugs. Those will need to dry completely.

If it was clean water then leaving it near a radiator for a few days might solve it.

If it was not clean water then you would need to clean it first using clean (distilled) water and then let it dry. Esp if in the case of acids like orange juice. Anyway, you said water, so it should not be that bad.

Next you have two options:

  1. Remove the harddisks. Make a backup of those (these contain your data)
  2. Or just try it and boot it. Do not be impatient though. Wait long enough until everything is completely dry. Even if it takes a week.


In your case it sounds as if you still have moisture somewhere, conducting electricity and/or shortening things. Which means that either you did not wait long enough, or the water was polluted and left salts or corrosive stuff.

So, wait longer for it to dry. Not hours longer. Days.

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  • it was the sprite can not water. is that ok
    – Mirage
    Feb 16, 2013 at 15:47
  • That is not good. That has sugar in it, which will form a layer once things have dried (as well attract moisture so it might not completely dry).
    – Hennes
    Feb 16, 2013 at 15:49
  • what should i do
    – Mirage
    Feb 16, 2013 at 15:52
  • If you have good backups: Take the computer to a shop or some technical skilled friend or family member. If not first remove the hard disk(s) from the case. Everything else is replaceable, even if it might cost money. Data on a harddisk (e.g. wedding pictures, diaries, etc) is not. Then let them fix the problem (which most likely comes down to replacing the motherboard). Reconnect the harddisk only after that is done and it all works again.
    – Hennes
    Feb 16, 2013 at 15:56
  • can i replace mother board myself , i can buy the newone , what else can the repair person do. i know the basic skills and i have assebled that pc myself from scracth before. that was quad core ddr2. i think now i will buy 1155 i7
    – Mirage
    Feb 16, 2013 at 16:00
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Sprite is acidic (carbonic acid) and contains sugar which won't evaporate. You'll probably need to remove the motherboard, rinse the ports with clean water, and thoroughly dry the motherboard before applying power. There's a good chance the motherboard will need to be replaced.

Do not rinse the hard drives under any circumstances. Pretty much all other components can be rinsed. Do not let water get near any connection that remains attached. For example, if you need to rinse near the CPU socket, you must remove the CPU.

You can dry the motherboard with a hair dryer. You'll need to thoroughly dry any trapped spaces where water can hide. Do not let components overheat -- take your time. It will still need at least a day to finish air drying.

This may be something you'd prefer to let a professional do. If you're not comfortable removing the motherboard, you probably shouldn't attempt it.

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    Ack. I never even considered people might try to rinse a HDD. Good warning.
    – Hennes
    Feb 16, 2013 at 16:08
  • Why exactly is it a bad idea to rinse an HDD but okay for other components? What about an SSD?
    – danielcg
    Feb 16, 2013 at 16:17
  • i had LGA 775 mother board with intel Q6600 core 2 quad processor. is 775 mother borad still available
    – Mirage
    Feb 16, 2013 at 16:24
  • LGA 755 is old and many shops might not have them in supply. But I found at least a dozen of them in webshops, so yes, they are available.
    – Hennes
    Feb 16, 2013 at 16:37
  • If you are trying to clean something sticky on the motherboard. Be sure to use alcohol (or denatured alcohol).
    – kobaltz
    Feb 16, 2013 at 17:08

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