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How to Check for Electrical Shorts in a PC

Protect your computer from permanent damage

By Tim Fisher Tim Fisher Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability Emporia State University Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the VP and General Manager of Lifewire. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on December 12, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Windows The Ultimate Laptop Buying Guide

What to Know

Make sure to power off and unplug your PC before troubleshooting electrical shorts.First, check for loose or stray screws that may come into contact with the motherboard.Then, inspect the cables and wires for any exposed metal or other damage. Electrical shorts inside a computer are usually caused by stray pieces of metal that form an electrical connection that shouldn't exist. Electrical shorts can cause the PC to power off without warning and without an error message. They can also cause the PC to not power on at all, and potentially cause damage. 01 of 02

Check for Loose Screws

Sadeugra / Getty Images Electrical shorts inside the computer are often caused by stray screws in the case that have come in contact with the motherboard or other internal components. Screws secure nearly every component to the inside of the case including video cards, sound cards, hard drives, optical drives, and other components or hardware expansions. Always power off and unplug the PC before troubleshooting causes of electrical shorts. You should always unplug the computer when working inside the case. Also, before touching or handling sensitive electrical components inside your computer, touch the case or other nearby metal surfaces​ to discharge any built-up static charge. Turn off and unplug your computer. Also, disconnect all cables and peripherals from it, such as a monitor cable, printer cable, Ethernet cable, keyboard and mouse cords, and any other USB-connected devices such as external hard drives. Pick up the computer carefully and gently rock it side to side. If you hear a rattling sound, a screw may have come loose and is rolling around inside your case.
A few light shakes will usually knock it loose and into the bottom of the case where you can find it. If the screw is lodged somewhere that you can't reach with your fingers, try using a long pair of tweezers or needle-nose pliers to reach it. 02 of 02

Inspect Cables and Wires for Exposed Metal

Jeffrey Coolidge / Getty Images Electrical shorts inside a computer are sometimes caused by wires that have lost their protective plastic coating and touch internal components. While the computer is off and unplugged, open the case and inspect all of the cables inside the computer. Look for stripped, naked, or frayed wires. If any are found, replace them immediately, even if they don't appear to​ be touching any components; they may not be causing a problem now, but they will likely cause problems in the future. Also, check wire twist ties and any other wrapped metal bindings that might currently be used for cable organization. While most of these are now all plastic, some are metal and will wear over time, exposing metal. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Unscrew and Reseat Expansion Cards How to Manually Test a Power Supply With a Multimeter How to Install a Graphics Card How to Reseat Internal Data and Power Cables How to Fix a Computer That Turns on but Displays Nothing How to Fix Problems that Occur During the POST How to Fix a Computer That Turns On and Then Off How to Fix Vizio TV Black Screen of Death How to Reseat a Desktop Memory Module How to Fix It When an Xbox One Controller Headphone Jack Isn't Working How To Fix It When Your Computer is Making a Buzzing Noise How to Install a Second SSD How to Open a Desktop Computer Case How to Use a Power Supply Tester to Test a PSU Reseat Definition (What Does Reseat Mean?) Headlights Not Working? Try These Fixes Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies