Milk spilled on the open top case—cleaning and drying failed, system remains inactive.
Milk spilled on the open top case—cleaning and drying failed, system remains inactive.
I recently dropped milk on my PC while testing the BF6 beta, which shut down immediately. The PSU was upside down, so I’m not worried there. The 8-pin CPU connector got wet, and the GPU core got some dust. After flipping the power switch 180 degrees, the motherboard face-down shortly after. I cleaned it thoroughly—towel first, then toilet paper, tissue, 99% alcohol, 80% alcohol spray, and an air blower. The GPU had exposed back area plus a metal plate on top. I couldn’t remove the backplate, but I’m hopeful it’s okay.
After drying with air at over 30°C and wiping, I reinserted the PSU, but it tripped instantly before any use. The GPU’s 8-pin LED lights up when unplugged, but only one LED does so. I’m pretty sure the main issue hasn’t fully set in yet.
I need a motherboard with four RAM slots and five SATA ports (no M.2 required—though it’s fine if you want extra). Unfortunately, prices haven’t dropped much. I upgraded to a 5800X and have a Ryzen 2600 for troubleshooting. I’m worried the 5800X might have been damaged during setup.
I’m hoping for a motherboard that supports 6 SATA + one M.2 slot instead of just 4 or 6 SATA. The new ones seem expensive. I’m not sure if testing other parts is safe, but I’m unsure about swapping PSUs or importing/exporting them. What are the chances of damaging another PSU if I connect it to something else? Could plugging in a different PSU cause real harm?
In short, I’m looking for advice on safe part testing and compatibility.
kittypower247
09-17-2020, 08:46 PM #1Hey, I understand you might end up with multiple threads about replacing components if that’s acceptable. Salvage didn’t work, so I’m seeking guidance on finding a replacement motherboard, estimating damage chances for various parts, and figuring out safe testing methods without causing further harm. I’m assuming the motherboard is damaged and just want to check other components one by one.
I recently dropped milk on my PC while testing the BF6 beta, which shut down immediately. The PSU was upside down, so I’m not worried there. The 8-pin CPU connector got wet, and the GPU core got some dust. After flipping the power switch 180 degrees, the motherboard face-down shortly after. I cleaned it thoroughly—towel first, then toilet paper, tissue, 99% alcohol, 80% alcohol spray, and an air blower. The GPU had exposed back area plus a metal plate on top. I couldn’t remove the backplate, but I’m hopeful it’s okay.
After drying with air at over 30°C and wiping, I reinserted the PSU, but it tripped instantly before any use. The GPU’s 8-pin LED lights up when unplugged, but only one LED does so. I’m pretty sure the main issue hasn’t fully set in yet.
I need a motherboard with four RAM slots and five SATA ports (no M.2 required—though it’s fine if you want extra). Unfortunately, prices haven’t dropped much. I upgraded to a 5800X and have a Ryzen 2600 for troubleshooting. I’m worried the 5800X might have been damaged during setup.
I’m hoping for a motherboard that supports 6 SATA + one M.2 slot instead of just 4 or 6 SATA. The new ones seem expensive. I’m not sure if testing other parts is safe, but I’m unsure about swapping PSUs or importing/exporting them. What are the chances of damaging another PSU if I connect it to something else? Could plugging in a different PSU cause real harm?
In short, I’m looking for advice on safe part testing and compatibility.
MortalPlays
09-19-2020, 02:14 AM #2Before making any changes, take out the CMOS battery, wipe the component and the connector, let it rest for roughly half an hour. Meal time is fine since you'll have something engaging to do while waiting (the extra time won't be an issue) and then try again.
kieranwebster
09-19-2020, 03:43 AM #3You mean swapping out something I choose versus using a fresh CMOS battery or replacing the battery altogether? Also, should the system start without the CMOS battery? Thanks for your understanding—I’m sorry about missing the beta due to my carelessness.
. You know you don't have to test everything at once? just run through them all 1 by 1, this way you can go with some shitty bin board that just supports ddr4 [i assume], your cpu and has a sata port + you don't fry the whole lot if one part is bad . Or do you mean as a replacement board? If so, worst case just get a cheap HBA, such as this one: https://www.ebay.com/itm/155827185173 Before doing anything, do what @Thomas53 said and; Remove the CMOS Clean the socket Wait for ~30 minutes, I tend to short the power pins in the process a few times for good measure, or if you have one, press the cmos reset button Check for any visible damage on the board, any form of corrosion or burning is basically a death sentence Clean out every bit of milk you see Check if it boots Celebrate if it works 
. 5800X T ? Do you mean a Ryzen 7 5800X/3D or a GPU? I know my B550-E [excellent board btw, has served me very very well for 3+ years until I gave it away for my X670E-T] had a lot of SATA + 2 NvME ports, so maybe look into that / an B550-F? They where kinda expensive tho last time I checked, around ~180€-ish They will likely be fine, they are completely air tight except for the PCB, but if it has no visible milk on it they will be just fine . The GPU and CPU will likely not hurt anything dw, the PSU might be damaged if the board is being shorted the wrong way in the wrong place, but it's pretty unlikely. Testing them somewhere else should be no issue, don't worry.
Definitely will do something , and likely boot . You know you don't have to test everything at once? just run through them all 1 by 1, this way you can go with some shitty bin board that just supports ddr4 [i assume], your cpu and has a sata port + you don't fry the whole lot if one part is bad . Or do you mean as a replacement board? If so, worst case just get a cheap HBA, such as this one: https://www.ebay.com/itm/155827185173 Before doing anything, do what @Thomas53 said and; Remove the CMOS Clean the socket Wait for ~30 minutes, I tend to short the power pins in the process a few times for good measure, or if you have one, press the cmos reset button Check for any visible damage on the board, any form of corrosion or burning is basically a death sentence Clean out every bit of milk you see Check if it boots Celebrate if it works . 5800X T ? Do you mean a Ryzen 7 5800X/3D or a GPU? I know my B550-E [excellent board btw, has served me very very well for 3+ years until I gave it away for my X670E-T] had a lot of SATA + 2 NvME ports, so maybe look into that / an B550-F? They where kinda expensive tho last time I checked, around ~180€-ish They will likely be fine, they are completely air tight except for the PCB, but if it has no visible milk on it they will be just fine . The GPU and CPU will likely not hurt anything dw, the PSU might be damaged if the board is being shorted the wrong way in the wrong place, but it's pretty unlikely. Testing them somewhere else should be no issue, don't worry.
psu started a 5 watt machine with a ryzen 7 5800xt. these sata ports operate at full speed easily, just a bit less than ideal but still decent around 50% bandwidth. should i reinstall the CMOS? i didn’t see any board damage. are you referring to the cpu socket? why would i take it out, isn’t it tightly secured? i don’t think anything could block the pins. no milk should be between the cpu and the holes. i didn’t take off the heatsinks or the cpu. i removed the heat sink standoff and ran pressure air under the socket. i’m planning to replace the mobo and order a new one. keep reading your comment. concerning the gpu, the backplate exposed part of the core—some milk got in? is that normal? besides replacing the mobo, i was thinking of visiting a repair shop to test if it boots and shows an image on the case.
Updated: Removed the CPU, but found four pins with dried milk. The CPU broke when I moved the motherboard while it was stuck on the cooler, causing plastic to break. It was a big mistake. Later I tried fixing it and damaged another pin. Had to take it to a computer store. RAM and GPU worked fine after replacement. Considered saving the motherboard too (though I already gave up) and thought about buying a new one. Maybe the CPU could be salvaged for a small cost. At least I have a decent old AM4 CPU as backup right now! I’m curious if my MSI B450 A Pro can push the Ryzen 5800X8 to at least 95% of its original performance.
DoubleDouble63
10-03-2020, 12:33 AM #7I can't provide an image directly, but I can describe what you're looking for so you can find it easily.
Breezer112
10-03-2020, 08:05 AM #8The main concern was a short circuit. Oh, I forgot these are available too. On the B550 they should run at full speed together—it's just for system time and BIOS settings, so not necessary. I’d reinstall it once confirmed it works. I never mentioned removing the CPU? Well, if it’s corroded it probably is, otherwise you’re probably okay.