[SOLVED] Brown Discoloration on ATXPWR1 port

[Schwobian]

Hey everyone,
So I'm REALLY new at this. as in this is my first time ever cracking open a PC to upgrade stuff. Anyway, a friend gave me an old desktop build of his since some of the software for my work is not Mac compatible, and I am no longer at the school to use their computers thanks to Covoid.

After a few weeks, I started to have an issue where if I even opened a web browser, the CPU fan would kick into high gear and the monitor would turn off. I read this could be a thermal paste problem, or a power supply problem. Replaced the Thermal paste...Nada. So I ordered a new power supply with a higher wattage, and as I unplugged the ATXPWR1 plug, I noticed this brown color on two of the plugs. Im hoping they arent burn marks, but if so, is it anything to be worried about? or is the motherboard ruined now?

(Motherboard is ASrock 870 Extreme 3)

https://imgur.com/8emAksC

View: https://imgur.com/8emAksC


That is the plug

 

[kerberos_20]

hi, that is indeed burn marks
those pins are used for 3.3Volts
not many devices are using those, but if its old board, with PCI or AGP, it could pull lots of ampers through 3.3V

 

[Schwobian]

Uh oh that doesn't sound good, is the motherboard shot then? It was powered by an Eagle Voltas 500w.
Its got a Sempron and a Firepro V7900 in it, and he just gave me a phenom 1100T to replace the sempron. I've heard isn't great in 2020, but alas, its what I got.

Anyway, 2 questions

1. will a better power supply, like the EVGA 700W I ordered prevent further damage?
2. The opening screen from the motherboard said Turbo mode was on. could that have caused it? Im not sure what it does but it was already on when I got it so I didnt want to turn it off or do any deep settings.

 

[drea.drechsler]

...
is it anything to be worried about? or is the motherboard ruined now?
....

Yes it's something to be worried about... but it's probably not ruined if it still works.

Are you running something in the PCI slots? If so, you might should find out why it's pulling so much power. If not, look at those slots carefully for something that might be shorting pins in the PCI connectors.

Or maybe there's a device, or devices (sound chips? LAN?) on the board that uses 3.3V power and is overloading it. Not much you can do but live with it if everything's working beyond disabling everything you can in BIOS. Often, you can disable COM and LPT ports, for instance, that might use 3.3V.

I'd try disabling on-board features one at a time to see which one is heating up that area of the connector.

I don't see how a better PSU could help with this since the heating comes from electrical load which the motherboard and devices place on the PSU. Unless you lower that, it will just get hot and the heat is what's turning it brown.

 

[Schwobian]

Yes it's something to be worried about... but it's probably not ruined if it still works.

Are you running something in the PCI slots? If so, you might should find out why it's pulling so much power. If not, look at those slots carefully for something that might be shorting pins in the PCI connectors.

Or maybe there's a device, or devices (sound chips? LAN?) on the board that uses 3.3V power and is overloading it. Not much you can do but live with it if everything's working beyond disabling everything you can in BIOS. Often, you can disable COM and LPT ports, for instance, that might use 3.3V.

I'd try disabling on-board features one at a time to see which one is heating up that area of the connector.

The only thing in the slots is a firepro V7900. I hope nothings wrong with it..Not sure how to check that. But as I said, I cant use the computer, because after 3 weeks of flawless use, it suddenly black screens and CPU fan goes crazy every time I turn it on.

How would I check what does and doesnt use 3.3v? what are COM and LPT ports?
and what and how do I disable onboard features to see whats heating it up?

Sorry Ive never opened a computer before today haha

 

[drea.drechsler]

....
But as I said, I cant use the computer, because after 3 weeks of flawless use, it suddenly black screens and CPU fan goes crazy every time I turn it on.
.....

OHhhhhh.... that's not good. This could be related with something shorted on the motherboard.
If you can't even get a boot into the BIOS you can't change anything, so trying to disable COM and LPT ports is kind of irrelevant.

Do you have a PC speaker to attach to the speaker terminals? It would be useful to know any beep codes. Resetting CMOS (refer to your manual ) might help.

But seriously, an 870 chipset mobo is is rather old hardware, you might should consider options since repair may very well require visiting a qualified computer shop. While a replacement mobo would doubtless be cheaper, taking this as a sign to upgrade would be wise though.

Other than the V7900, what else do you run in it: CPU, memory? full system specs including PSU you are running?

 

[kerberos_20]

ddr3 could be still atached to 3.3volt rail
try running pc with just single ram stick, if that instability goes away

 

[Schwobian]

OHhhhhh.... that's not good. This could be related with something shorted on the motherboard.
If you can't even get a boot into the BIOS you can't change anything, so trying to disable COM and LPT ports is kind of irrelevant.

Do you have a PC speaker to attach to the speaker terminals? It would be useful to know any beep codes. Resetting CMOS (refer to your manual ) might help.

But seriously, an 870 chipset mobo is is rather old hardware, you might should consider options since repair may very well require visiting a qualified computer shop. While a replacement mobo would doubtless be cheaper, taking this as a sign to upgrade would be wise though.

Other than the V7900, what else do you run in it: CPU, memory? full system specs including PSU you are running?

So It boots, all the way until the home screen, but If I open a web browser or anything then it goes black. Its not instant.

So these are the only specs I know, because Im not sure what else I need to put.
But mother board: Asrock 870 Extreme 3
CPU: Was sempron something before it broke, but he gave me a phenom to put in it after I fix this problem.
GPU: Firepro V7900
Ram: 4gig of crucial DDR3 (I dont know what else from the label I need to put)
PSU: Eagle Voltas 500W

acquiring this was in response to Covoid, as my only other computer is a 2010 macbook, and it just cant keep up with the streaming software and all. Even though this isnt much newer, the software they use seems more optimized for Windows . I lost my private school teaching job because of the virus, so Ive since started teaching online for another company. That being said, I wont have financial assets to use on upgrading this, besides the EVGA 750W power supply I just bought because another post on the forum made it seem like the black screen was a power supply issue.

 

[kerberos_20]

black screen is power related
since u have new psu, it should have proper rail over amp protection
if board isnt already damaged, it shouldnt get worse

 

[drea.drechsler]

...
besides the EVGA 750W power supply I just bought
...

I agree the PSU is a possible starting point for what's causing it to black screen. Do you have it in yet?

The problem could also be that V9700 though and it sounds to be a piece of used hardware you got. I hate to say it now, but even with the Phenom you probably purchased WAY more PSU than needed. Could have saved some money which would have been better put towards a good cheap modern GPU. Something like an RX 550 or GTX1030 as it doesn't sound like you need a lot and you're certainly not going to game much with the one you got.

And if the motherboard was obtained used... did you notice that connector when you first got it? It's possible the previous owner is the one who stressed 3.3V heavily with some power hungry expansion card(s) in the PCI slot(s) which turned the connector brown.

 

[Calvin7]

Very old system, it is trying to tell you something. It needs replaced.

ASrock 870 Extreme 3 is a 2010 system, I suggest moving up to a current model.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=6327563
Use of cheap power supplies is inviting problems.