Can a virus overload and fry a PSU?

Post » Fri Oct 24, 2014 8:29 am

So i heard this from a friend who had a virus get onto his pc and apparently he thinks that it somehow fried his PSU, anyone know if this is possible? Sounds really outlandish to me, but then again i do not know a whole lot about computers so maybe one of you guys can help me out with this.

User avatar
Sammykins
 
Posts: 3330
Joined: Fri Jun 23, 2006 10:48 am

Post » Fri Oct 24, 2014 4:04 pm

I suppose if the virus overclocked your CPU it would fry the CPU. The PSU would fry because of too much power strain. But even then, that is a stretch.

User avatar
Rodney C
 
Posts: 3520
Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2007 12:54 am

Post » Fri Oct 24, 2014 12:38 pm

No, not possible.
User avatar
Chloe Botham
 
Posts: 3537
Joined: Wed Aug 30, 2006 12:11 am

Post » Fri Oct 24, 2014 8:23 pm

the power supply?

No, not possible..


if his Power Supply is suddenly fried, there is a long list of more likely causes.. Power surge, not powering off the machine properly, simply stopped working (I had to replace several Power Supplies over the years simply because they don't last forever)

yeah man, I don't think so :P

User avatar
Antony Holdsworth
 
Posts: 3387
Joined: Tue May 29, 2007 4:50 am

Post » Fri Oct 24, 2014 6:43 pm

See, now it gets even wierder, according to him its now all the youtube videos i sent (?) and now that really screwed with my brain, which means either a he had some kind of virus that added in all kinds of suspicious links or b clicked on some suspicious links in the description

User avatar
W E I R D
 
Posts: 3496
Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2007 10:08 am

Post » Fri Oct 24, 2014 8:16 pm

I didn't think so either, but I tried to use my imagination.

User avatar
Jodie Bardgett
 
Posts: 3491
Joined: Sat Jul 29, 2006 9:38 pm

Post » Fri Oct 24, 2014 10:37 pm

whats he using for security software?


I wish I had an Imagination :P

User avatar
Angel Torres
 
Posts: 3553
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 7:08 am

Post » Fri Oct 24, 2014 6:52 am

You could always try swapping out your friend unit for a better one.

User avatar
JeSsy ArEllano
 
Posts: 3369
Joined: Fri Oct 20, 2006 10:51 am

Post » Fri Oct 24, 2014 6:47 pm

Gonna find this out, it might be AVG but ill edit in what he is using once i am told

User avatar
Symone Velez
 
Posts: 3434
Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 12:39 am

Post » Fri Oct 24, 2014 9:52 pm

Much more cost effitient and better for the environment :D

User avatar
Liv Staff
 
Posts: 3473
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 10:51 pm

Post » Fri Oct 24, 2014 12:27 pm

The Answer is very easy, my friend - NO. !!!

----------------

You couldn't even destroy a hard drive. !!!

What you can do, is this: A HDD has embedded chips that contains microcode. This microcode can be replaced, with an update. (as we all know. !!!)

It may possible that a virus can make a systems BIOS impossible to communicate with a drive, but it CAN NOT damage the drive itself. (As a hardware device)

Viruses can affect the DATA on the device, but there is no physical damage. But at the end data can be replaced.

----------------

So, more likely your friend's PSU had a problem for some time, and now it broke.

What could cause that, well...

  • Overload
  • Excessive current draw on rails
  • Overheating of coils, rails etc.
  • Un-protected power surges
  • Fan failure !!!
  • Insufficient ventilation
  • Dirt/Dust build up causing complications in cooling

-----------------

So, if a computer repair tech genius, tells you a virus caused it, take your computer somewhere else. !!! :tongue:

User avatar
Rachel Briere
 
Posts: 3438
Joined: Thu Dec 28, 2006 9:09 am

Post » Fri Oct 24, 2014 9:11 am

He's using the 'this can't be my fault!' defense, gonna be hard to beat that. Some people are blissfully unaware of their unsafe internet practices and will just blame the nearest computer-oriented guy for their problems. Abort.

User avatar
Kelsey Anna Farley
 
Posts: 3433
Joined: Fri Jun 30, 2006 10:33 pm


Return to Othor Games