Burning Motherboard

[LiquidInfinity]

Hi, I've just now burned my second M2N-SLI deluxe MoBo and obviously am in need of some help.
When I power on, everything goes as it should - save for a small black chip located near my PCI 1 slot. I believe it was labeled APM900P-TN98 or something . . . it is melted on top now and hard to read. Fans, lights, BIOS all seem to run properly until I kill the power.
The first time ASUS told me it was their bad and to send it back, but to have the same problem twice now, maybe it's me.
Here's a pic link showing the piece that caught on fire: http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/6123/mobolo9.jpg

I have this running with:
Enermax Liberty 500W PSU
AMD X2 64 4800+ CPU
2GB DDR2 PC6400 Patriot RAM
EVGA 7900GS KO GPU

 

[pmr]

Did you burn the exact same mosfet?

 

[goldragon_70]

It's either a bad line of motherboards, or another part is causing the problem. Probably the PSU.

 

[mike99]

You have used standoffs/spacers to support the motherboard? When you get next motherboard, support it on magazine or piece of cardboard, fit CPU and heatsink only, connect PSU and power on by using screwdriver blade to briefly short power switch pins on motherboard header. Connect case speaker to motherboard. Fan should run and series of beeps for memory error. If ok, add one stick of RAM, should then give video card error. Fit video card and should POST. At this stage, remount in case and test again.

Mike.

 

[Onus]

Make sure you power off between each of those additions!

 

[wallis]

perhaps one of the standoffs is in the wrong place and touching the back of the motherboard and shorting something, thus causing both mobos to blow...make sure they are in the correct places that line up with the holes on the mobo

 

[gent]

Sounds like you need to contact ASUS and ask them. If they accepted it as their problem first time, it could be a bad batch/design.

 

[mcain591]

I think that one of the resistors are messed up. Keep sending it back to asus.

 

[NamronSllim]

I don't want to make you think that I think you nothing about installing computer components But I have seen the question asked about standoffs you do know what they are because you never said anything about them and never answered the question. Believe me it has been done before and you would certainly not be the first

 

[LiquidInfinity]

Thanks for the help guys, it seems I'm at fault. My MoBo installation guide never mentioned standoffs, and this is my first build so I didn't already know that (although I was trying to figure out why the motherboard wouldn't short out when I installed it, guess it does). Bummer, but at least no more cooked motherboards.
Maybe ASUS will be nice and hook me up with one more. . . .