I can guarantee that most long-time computer users that read PCMech have a lightning story or two (or more). If you’ve used computers long enough you will inevitably get something zapped. For example, years ago dial-up modems would commonly get zapped - thru the phone cable. Enough of a charge would travel across the wire after a strike and the modem was dead. No snap; no smoke; just dead.

In the Tampa Bay area of Florida we get a lot of lightning during the summer and its very typical to the region. This includes the often destructive (and at times deadly) cloud-to-ground type.

Yesterday my video card got zapped. Four blown capacitors on the board.

Why didn’t the rest of my box get fried? I have no idea. Yes, I’m very thankful my PC didn’t bite the dust because it easily could have.

Lightning is completely unpredictable. Not a soul knows when or where it’s going to strike. When it does it wreaks havoc with electronics. Sometimes your microwave will get zapped but your television won’t, or vice versa.

With PCs, it’s very common that when a strike occurs, a component or accessory will get zapped but the rest of the computer will work perfectly. And even if you’re behind a surge/spike protector (like I was) you can still get hit.

I have since replaced the above 256MB with a 512MB e-GeForce 8400 GS. Cost was $58 after tax at Circuit City. Yes, I could have bought it cheaper online, but it’s not like I had a choice being my monitors couldn’t function without this.