So I Am Putting My Pc Back Together...

((Before you ask the reason this took so long is because after it happened I fell into a massive depression spiral the incident coincided with some other stuff in real life for me and it just compounded it.))

So last year around August we had a tropical storm rip through Long Island afterwards the utility company must have been playing with the grid and the PC got hit with a series of electric disturbances lights would go off and come back on several times I counted 3-4 "contraction sets" and then I said forget it and went to bed. PC was on for the first few and I didn't think anything about it because the tower stayed powered the entire time only the monitors lost power.

Yet a few weeks later in late august I started having hardware problems. Long story short I eventually RMA'd everything after GPU shorted out several months later now everything has been RMA'd except the NVMEs and monitors. The NVMEs are good because they passed all SMART indicators and I was able to do full drive backups with no problems and the monitors are still working cause I tested them and they still receive power though I had no output to plug them into so they didn't stay on but that's normal.

1.) So I have two questions thus far. How likely that the power disturbance messed with the data on my NVMEs (corrupted drivers or OS files) like can it mess drivers up to the point it damages the hardware again?

2.) I have no way to test the ports on the monitors since I don't have another computer to plug the HDMI and DisplayPort cables into... I know HDMI doesn't transmit power but display port has a power pin as it's 20th pin. My amazon basic DP to DP cable is VESA certified though but I don't know what that implies since I don't know what provisions is in that standard is reference to the power pin.

I just don't want a hidden fault to blow the system again. I can test the HDMI by plugging it into my Verizon FIOS cable box but is there any cheap way to check the Display Port port on the monitor?

All hardware has been replaced or RMA'd, except the aforementioned NVMEs and Monitors, including the case (because of the power and led headers) I went full paranoid after the GPU shorted out long after the fact.

 

If the RAM had been damaged, it may have written bad bits erroneously to the drives. Defective modules can create havoc.

 

You said you started having problems "a few weeks later" so I doubt this has anything to do with data or corrupt drivers caused by the storm.

It also seems very unlikely that multiple monitors would be damaged in the exact same manner at the same time, and more significantly, demonstrate the exact same symptoms at the same time. If multiple monitors show the same problems at the same time, that points to the computer, not the monitor.

I know of no way to test the DisplayPort ports except to try the monitors on a different computer. Or different monitors on this computer. Note that most TVs in recent years support computer input via HDMI or in some cases, DisplayPort.

You say everything has been replaced except the drives and monitors. Does that really mean everything? What about the motherboard and PSU?

Trying a different PSU is critical since EVERYTHING inside the computer case depends on good, clean, stable power.

If this is a different motherboard and in particular a different PSU too and the problems remained through all those swaps, then you need to look at your facility power.

Every home and every computer user should have access to a AC Outlet Tester to ensure the wall outlet is properly wired and grounded to Earth ground. I recommend one with a GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupt) indicator as it can be used to test bathroom and kitchen outlets (outlets near water) too. These testers can be found for your type and voltage outlet, foreign or domestic, (like this one for the UK) at most home improvement stores, or even the electrical department at Wal-Mart. Use it to test all the outlets in the home and if a fault is shown, have it fixed by a qualified electrician.

Last, IMO, all computers need to be on a "good" UPS with AVR (automatic voltage regulation). Surge and spike protectors are little more than fancy and expensive extension cords as they do nothing for low voltage events like dips (opposite of spikes), sags (opposite of surges) or brownouts (long duration sags). And for excessive surges and spikes, they simply shut off power (“IF” working properly), crashing your computer - never good. If the surge and spike protector is worn out (it is recommended they be replaced every 2 years) or damaged, they typically provide little to no protection at all.

 

I bought a UPS after I started RMAing and replacing everything. I got this one https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0083TXNMM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I got super paranoid I'm pretty sure I don't need 1500W also I made sure it had active voltage regulation and I struggled to find one that was pure sine wave on battery. That UPS should be good to go hasn't been used yet except to make sure the battery was charged. Can the UPS be placed next to the computer tower itself if not I'm gonna need to find somewhere for it.

All components were replaced or RMA'd I even chucked the old keyboard and mouse and USB hub and fan controller no stone was left unturned. PSU, mobo, everything except the NVME and monitors and the only reason I didn't replace them is I started to get fierce push back from Crucial and without a reason I doubted Dell would take the monitors either. I even replaced the computer case itself.

As for the system itself I assume she should work all the hardware was replaced except two. The NVMEs and Monitors still power up and the NVMEs were able to have full drive backups done with no reported problems.

Is this a good AC Outlet Tester? And should I get the one with both AFCI and GFCI or do I only need the GFCI version? https://www.amazon.com/Receptacle-Tester-Klein-Tools-RT210/dp/B01AKX8L0M

There really is no port tester for Display Port? I know the Amazon Basics cord https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01J8S6X2I/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I have is supposedly 1.2 standard compliant. If I was to send the monitors back to Dell and tell them I have no way to test the ports how much trouble do you think I'll get?

 

((Why can't I edit my posts...))

So apparently this monitor has a self test mode. Would that test the circuitry leading to the DP and HDMI ports to make sure they are functioning fine?

 

The need for "pure sinewave" is nothing but "pure" marketing hogwash. Mission critical systems have been running with simulated or stepped approximated sinewave for decades. And modern power supplies are much more capable than those of yesteryear. So the only reason to need pure sinewave is to increase profits for those selling those type UPS.

1500W is fine. More than what you need provides longer run time. Nothing wrong with that. Yes it can be next to the tower - that's where mine sits on 3 different computers here.

Outlet testers are not that high tech, nor do they need to be. That one is fine.

I don't think Dell would readily accommodate you.