Blackouts will cause a loss of current unsaved files and can cause corruption of files not completely written to the hard disc. A. A spike is a very dramatic impulse of increased voltage. Spikes are caused by high power equipment starting or stopping. The most serious type of spike is generated from a nearby lightning strike. Spikes also often occur when power returns following a blackout.
Spikes can permanently damage modems, motherboards and connected peripheral equipment.
The power inlet as well as phone lines and networking cables can all introduce a spike to the system. When high power equipment is turned off, the extra power is often dissipated to other power lines. This quick increase in voltage will usually last more than one cycle and can cause component fatigue and burnout. Frequent surges are especially damaging to systems. Typically caused by surrounding electrical equipment such as radio transmitters, generators and industrial equipment, noise can cause glitches and errors in programs.