Question [HELP] I scratched my motherboard, damage assessment?

[Vinns]

I scratched my motherboard while prying off my case gpu expansion metal strips. Any suggestions to avoid future damage? Should I be worried?

Images

 

[Darkbreeze]

Well, the damage is already done, so............

As to whether you should be worried, the image is too far away and lacking in close up detail enough to even make a guess at whether any of the traces or components have been damaged. A closer, higher resolution image would be helpful.

 

[SkyNetRising]

That's audio portion of motherboard.
Integrated audio may not be functional anymore.

But yes - photo is not good enough to properly assess the damage.
Better lighting and higher resolution is necessary.

 

[XxDarkMario20xX]

By looking at photo seems scarch is nearly near those chips but you never know with motherboards one little thing can make problems think you should test pc out and see its fully working starting with Integrated audio

 

[Vinns]

Well, the damage is already done, so............

As to whether you should be worried, the image is too far away and lacking in close up detail enough to even make a guess at whether any of the traces or components have been damaged. A closer, higher resolution image would be helpful.

Gonna upload more as soon as possible. I have one more photo that may help.

Here

 

[Darkbreeze]

If you are using a phone camera, I would recommend setting it to it's highest resolution possible, with the best quality settings possible, and then turning on the flash, and take the picture from light maybe a foot away. If the flash corrupts the image, turn off the flash. Maybe just lay the unit on it's side under a ceiling light or lamp instead so the light isn't as damaging to the image.

 

[ArekZaleski]

I once scratched the mobo near that area, the ethernet and PCI (not express) stopped working.

 

[Vinns]

I once scratched the mobo near that area, the ethernet and PCI (not express) stopped working.

immediately or over time?

 

[bill001g]

It really doesn't matter it either functions or it doesn't. Most people do not have the skills or the tools to repair a board if you actually did something like cut a trace. Only thing you can really do is get some clear nail polish and cover it so nothing will short the now exposed copper.
If the motherboard was very expensive there are place that can fix them but expect to spend a few hundred in repair and shipping costs so it is not worth it for most motherboards.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Exactly correct.

 

[beyondlogic]

solder mask would protect it its not that deep so it might be you got lucky looks like its only a removal of solder mask and it isnt impossible to fix traces on a motherboard however it takes a decent ammount of skill​

 

[ArekZaleski]

immediately or over time?

Well i plugged the computer in, and the ethernet was not working, so yes it happened immediately after turning on, it said something along the lines of "Device is not working properly".

 

[Darkbreeze]

Learning lessons are painful sometimes. My advice would be, disable the ethernet completely, get an add in NIC network adapter and of course if there are audio problems, do the same. Buying cheap but decent add in PCIe cards is less expensive than replacing the board, although, do not be surprised if one area of damage to the board eventually becomes problems in other areas as well.

For me, if ANYTHING is wrong with the board, the whole board is suspect.