Please quick help with computer

May 2, 2008 | Hildy

[Petronski]

That’s good stuff.

At Christmastime, my dear sainted mother-in-law showered my laptop with Mountain Dew.

A $25 keyboard later, I was back in business.

[Petronski]

Some blow-driers have a no-heat setting.

[Hildy]

Thanks for the first laugh I’ve had this morning! I just watched a spot on Fox News showing how people in Haiti are eating dirt pies. Dirt, water, butter and salt and cooked up because they can’t afford food. How on earth can I be upset about a broken computer I can afford to replace.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

I’ve saved laptops from cherry juice, coke, milk, and even orange juice doing that.

[Question_Assumptions]

While I don't recommend soaking a laptop in water, if you are going to soak any electrical component in water to clean out a sticky liquid, I suggest using distilled water.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

The problem with hair dryers is the forced air, not the heat. You don’t want any liquid getting into places that is harder to get out.

[CarrotAndStick]

Even then, the air is quite warm. The no-heat setting on most dryers usually just lower the heat coming off the coils, and don’t completely cut them off.

Warm enough to damage the screen, atleast.

LCD is sensitive to moderate/high temperatures.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

Absolutely. If it is available, distilled water would be the way to go.

[rockrr]

That was good, but unfortunately not complete.

Unlike water, which is merely....wet, milk is also acidic. If left on circuit boards, it will etch them and ruin them.

The only thing you can do (and I know it sounds cray) is to rinse it out with water. Remove anything like batteries and certainly the HHD, and then gently rinse the affected areas as best you can, then complete the rest of the drying process outlined in your post.

Unless this is done, the laptop may function, but (depending on what got milk-soaked) it will only last for a short time and then it will never boot again.

And yes, spoken like someone who has performed this emergency repair!

[bert]

Think vacuum cleaner first.

[Hegemony Cricket]

What kind of cereal was it?

[savedbygrace]

They have keyboard condoms just for this occasion.

Based on the large number of laptops that are in use today, very few people are using those. The things just keep reproducing.

Maybe it's because it doesn't make for a catchy slogan. I mean, "Practice safe laptop sex." That could mean anything.

[rabscuttle385]

Gotta love the IBM ThinkPad in that picture. It probably would survive.

[Petronski]

Thanks. I’m learning.

With tech, we’re all always learning I suppose.

[Petronski]

Good point. Thanks to you too.

[Hildy]

Honey bunches of oats with cinnamon clusters!!! I’m addicted to it.

[rabscuttle385]

So long as nothing got into the hard drive, take it out, hook it up to the proper adapter, and access it using a desktop.

I can't say whether the rest of the laptop can be repaired or salvaged. You may be better off buying a new one.

[Billthedrill]

Hooboy. I feel your pain. Great advice in 7 and 29. Unfortunately, milk has "stuff" in it (casein, notably) that forms deposits. The good news is that heat doesn't coagulate it. The bad news is that it forms a sort of clear, hard scum (ask me how I know!).

Not to be too repetitious, but remove all electricity (battery and charger) until it dries and get the HD out (and the memory too if you can reach it). It's probably too late as I write this, but canned air will at least clear where you can reach with it.

Life happens. I have a friend with a newborn. Newborn met open laptop. I shall say no more. ;-)

[EggsAckley]

That’s true. The vacuum blower may be more appropriate.

~</;o)

[Kimmers]

If you have to replace the computer I would suggest a MacBook but then it may have been a Mac that was the product of a cereal assassin .....I have been a PC user for years and this is my early moms day present....I love it !!!!!

Just the same I hope you can salvage your computer... good luck !!!