went for a swim
February 8, 2008 10:06 PM Subscribe
So apparently my ceiling leaks, and consequently my MacBook has been sitting in a small puddle all day.
There seems to be no functional damage, but the display looks like some water was sucked up inside or something; there are blob-shaped darker and lighter strips on the screen that don't move.
I'm assuming I'm pretty much SOL, given the reverent way in which people talk about protecting their LCD screens, but on the off chance that there's something I can do about this I figured I'd ask. Is there? Might it, by some miracle, go back to normal on its own?
There seems to be no functional damage, but the display looks like some water was sucked up inside or something; there are blob-shaped darker and lighter strips on the screen that don't move.
I'm assuming I'm pretty much SOL, given the reverent way in which people talk about protecting their LCD screens, but on the off chance that there's something I can do about this I figured I'd ask. Is there? Might it, by some miracle, go back to normal on its own?
If it was clean water then it may dry out ok. Keep it turned off and put it in a warm place for a long time. Other people will probably have better ideas, but water alone, if it isn't turned on, shouldn't harm it.
posted by anadem at 10:15 PM on February 8, 2008
posted by anadem at 10:15 PM on February 8, 2008
Insane coincidence: this exact same thing happened to my brother's MacBook about three weeks ago: roof leak above his desk + intense storm = very dead MacBook. He ended up having to send his drive to DriveSavers. I hope yours has a happier ending
posted by mosk at 12:00 AM on February 9, 2008
posted by mosk at 12:00 AM on February 9, 2008
You might, if you get desperate, try soaking the computer, minus battery, in distilled water. What kills the computer is the ions in the water which set a charge on delicate electronics and cause them to short out when you start up the computer. Then dry it out (for a long time!) and then start it up.
This worked (on the advice of my uncle the electrical engineer) with my cellphone quite well.
Good luck!
posted by zia at 2:04 AM on February 9, 2008
This worked (on the advice of my uncle the electrical engineer) with my cellphone quite well.
Good luck!
posted by zia at 2:04 AM on February 9, 2008
Wouldn't recommend that last one...
Computers and cellphones are very different things.
posted by BeaverTerror at 2:22 AM on February 9, 2008
Computers and cellphones are very different things.
posted by BeaverTerror at 2:22 AM on February 9, 2008
Zia's advice just scared the crap out of me.
What others have said: leave it turned off (remove the battery, too) put it in a warm and dry place, and wait a long time. Like a week. Once the water evaporates, you should be okay.
The rice/silica idea is great, too, if you're impatient.
posted by rokusan at 5:19 AM on February 9, 2008
What others have said: leave it turned off (remove the battery, too) put it in a warm and dry place, and wait a long time. Like a week. Once the water evaporates, you should be okay.
The rice/silica idea is great, too, if you're impatient.
posted by rokusan at 5:19 AM on February 9, 2008
While Zia's advice is, I believe, technically correct, it'd require a far higher purity of distilled water than you'd be able to make yourself, or obtain outside a lab (or radar/tv transmision facility - ultrapure deionised water in direct contact with the high voltage electronics is the best way to cool klystron tubes. qv t'wiki)
posted by Luddite at 6:10 AM on February 9, 2008
posted by Luddite at 6:10 AM on February 9, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
I have to admit, I don't think you have a very good chance of getting the display back to its former glory. But that's what I'd try, if it was me.
posted by DMan at 10:15 PM on February 8, 2008