Creating sets of mobos and cpus (of each socket) for diagnostics

[DStech]

Hey guys, I'm a PC tech but I haven't been in the game for a while so I'm a bit out of date when it comes to all the recent Intel and AMD sockets that have been available the past few years. I'm looking at having sets of mobos and cpus for each socket (the popular ones anyway) so when diagnosing a customer's computer I can have a cpu and/or mobo that I can swap in their machine for testing. Obviously I want the cheapest options possible. Let me know what you think. Thanks!

 

[drumminandstuff93]

That seems overkill, and expensive. However, common Intel sockets being used right now are 1155, 1150, and 2011. A 2011 motherboard and CPU is going to run you at a lot of money. The lowest end 1155 and 1150 CPUs are the Celerons.

As for AMD, you've also got several options. Their AM3+ boards support FX chips, Phenom II, Athlon II, and I believe Semprons. AMD also has their APU line which works on the FM series boards.

I personally think, with so many motherboards having more advanced diagnostic options nowadays (not to mention you can do process of elimination) that having things like spare RAM and a basic video card, and a PSU would be more useful. Sure, having a spare motherboard might come in handy, but having motherboards for every possible computer someone could bring in would be very expensive. I wouldn't see a big point in buying spare CPUs, as it's rare to see a CPU failure.

 

[getochkn]

Overkill unless you are expecting to get hundreds of PC's in a week. As said above, CPU failures are dead. Most of the time, it's the MB, then PSU and RAM and/or GPU.

Have a good set of RAM, a known working PSU or a cheap $3 PSU tester, and a working GPU is all that's needed.

Most of the time if a system comes in to me and won't turn on, I test the PSU with my $3 tester, it says PSU is good, then the MB is dead. 90% of the time, that's what it is. If it turns on, but get no display or beeps, then swap out RAM. Still does, put RAM back and try GPU. Still does, it's the MB again.

Been working on PC's for 20 years and never had a spare set of everything.

 

[DStech]

I do have extra parts of the basic stuff available (PS, video card, etc) I just hate declaring a mobo dead without testing the cpu as well, or have a fried board and not knowing if the cpu needs replacing as well. The odd time a cpu is defective and you end up replacing everything else out of process of elimination sucks, I wish there was an actual way to test these properly. I have access to PC Doctor tool but find its not any better than my free Ultimate Boot CD..

 

[getochkn]

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/hot-selling-free-shipping-1155-CPU-socket-tester-for-motherboard/1858913767.html

They make these for all sockets. Lets you plug it in and provides a load to the MB to make it think a proper CPU is installed and then lights up to let you know that if there was a CPU there, it would be getting all the proper power and tx/rx signals it should and that helps determine if the MB is good or not.

EBay also sells a ton of them for all sockets and they make them for RAM slots as well.