My recent experience with a non bootable mobo

[darkguset]

I just thought to share my new experience with a fine working mobo that started diying on me slowly to the point that last night it wouldn't boot any longer. I am a PC technician, so i started with all the usual measurings and isolation tests. CMOS clear, PSU was fine, memory was sitting perfectly, everything looked fine. When i reached the VGA isolation test i found out that as soon as i removed the VGA the system would boot. (You can hear the POST beep and see the lights go on at the right sequence, while the fans go down after the full on POST). So i checked the VGA for anything that could seem damaged (see leaked caps or anything). But nothing at first sight. My graphics card is a GeCube Radeon X850 Pro with the stock cooler on. On closer inspection i found something that was quite disturbing. Right under the fan on the GPU, a part of the GPU is exposed (not the core obviously!) but it's those small resistors that sit on the GPU. And they were all covered in a thick layer of dust! I have seen lots of shorts due to dust in PC's before, so i knew that was bad! Trusty screwdriver in hand, and off the heatsink of the GPU went. I cleaned the chip thoroughly (even got the chance to remove ATI's crude thermal paste -a ton of it on the chip!- and put some artic silver on.) Well, not only as soon as i replaced the VGA on the mobo, it booted instantly, the temps have dropped a futher 3oC at idle and 4-5oC at full load! Woohoo! And lucky my card didn't short to the point of death!

Therefore users of a GeCube Radeon card with the stock cooler on, have in mind the dust accumulation in case your PC starts behaving erraticaly and you can't find the reason. One more thing on the checklist!

 

[Slobogob]

Thanks for sharing. I had something similar recently. The PSU burnt out, yet i got the PC running again. The only thing it just doesn´t want to run with is the Graphics Card. As soon as i put it in, the PSU doesn´t even switch on anymore. Once i take it out, it runs like a charm. The weird thing is, after the PSU died, the PC wouldn´t run at all - with a new PSU of course. Well, i´ll have a closer look at the Card now... 8)

 

[goldragon_70]

Is this suppose to be a I saved my computer Topic, or can I post my the death of my mobo?

 

[darkguset]

Is this suppose to be a I saved my computer Topic, or can I post my the death of my mobo?

Depends on your experience. If you think it can help other users...

 

[Mobius]

Nice story.

You almost ruined it though: if you are a PC technician, then there is NO WAY you are stupid enough to not know the product is called: ARCTIC SILVER.

I'm hauling stupid people up for the insane American custom of failing to spell or pronounce the important letter "c" in the "Arctic wastelands" and "Antarctica" and "Arctic Silver."

"Artic" is an abbreviation of "articulated truck".

 

[goldragon_70]

nope, it would probably hurt more then help.(unless the t/s steps might help someone) What started it was something that helps researchers, and what killed it, was something that has to be done occationaly to update the mobo.

ps. I will say this it was an sk8n and both of those mother boards (had it replaced under waranty about a year and a half ago), were crap!!

 

[Zorg]

Thanks for the insight, it's something to file for the future. Is you username supposed to be Darkguset or Darkguest :?:

 

[Zorg]

Nice story.

You almost ruined it though: if you are a PC technician, then there is NO WAY you are stupid enough to not know the product is called: ARCTIC SILVER.

I'm hauling stupid people up for the insane American custom of failing to spell or pronounce the important letter "c" in the "Arctic wastelands" and "Antarctica" and "Arctic Silver."

"Artic" is an abbreviation of "articulated truck".

Hey Mobius, why don't you get a ladder and climb down out of his a$$. One typo wow, like there aren't hundreds in every post. Get a grip on reality and try commenting only on the substance of his post and not nitpicking his spelling.

 

[Gh0stDrag0n]

Nice story.

You almost ruined it though: if you are a PC technician, then there is NO WAY you are stupid enough to not know the product is called: ARCTIC SILVER.

I'm hauling stupid people up for the insane American custom of failing to spell or pronounce the important letter "c" in the "Arctic wastelands" and "Antarctica" and "Arctic Silver."

"Artic" is an abbreviation of "articulated truck".

Hey Mobius, why don't you get a ladder and climb down out of his a$$. One typo wow, like there aren't hundreds in every post. Get a grip on reality and try commenting only on the substance of his post and not nitpicking his spelling.

Maybe Mobius likes being in A$$e$ 8O

 

[Zorg]

I never considered that possibility. 8O

 

[darkguset]

Nice story.

You almost ruined it though: if you are a PC technician, then there is NO WAY you are stupid enough to not know the product is called: ARCTIC SILVER.

I'm hauling stupid people up for the insane American custom of failing to spell or pronounce the important letter "c" in the "Arctic wastelands" and "Antarctica" and "Arctic Silver."

"Artic" is an abbreviation of "articulated truck".

Thanks for your opinion mr Mobious, but calling me stupid because i FORGOT to put that C, and not that because i don't know how to spell, i should call you a complete IDIOT for your spelling mistakes here:

http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/average-user-NCQ-advantages-ftopict237887.html


"but because it reduces (slightly) the big bottlenexk at the SATA port."

As it is "bottlenecks" and not "bottlenexk" which is derived from the shape of a bottle at the top bottle+neck! LOL!

So stop judging other people and go look at your self first. Then you can come around and teach us a lesson on English, which by the way is not my first language! Amazing isn't it?

And by the way, your opinion on NCQ is completely wrong! Go read first what other people have done research on and then you can come back and give your advise.

I hope that answers your question regarding my stupidity. How old are you by the way, 12? Go get a life!

 

[darkguset]

nope, it would probably hurt more then help.(unless the t/s steps might help someone) What started it was something that helps researchers, and what killed it, was something that has to be done occationaly to update the mobo.

ps. I will say this it was an sk8n and both of those mother boards (had it replaced under waranty about a year and a half ago), were crap!!

Just out of curiosity, what did you do to them?
lol

 

[darkguset]

Thanks for the insight, it's something to file for the future. Is you username supposed to be Darkguset or Darkguest :?:

I thought it was weird and probably rare, that is why i thought it would be something to check in the future and all should have a hint about it.
And it is darkguset, but most people read it guest (due to brains auto-correct function).

 

[Zorg]

I thought I saw it earlier and it read Darkguest. My brain must have corrected it without thinking or there is a Darkguest around here somewhere. What does Darkguset mean?

 

[darkguset]

I thought I saw it earlier and it read Darkguest. My brain must have corrected it without thinking or there is a Darkguest around here somewhere. What does Darkguset mean?

LOL! There could be a darkguest, who knows? You can do a user search at the forums and see. My nickname though is derived from an admin back 10 years ago, when i was trying to log in as GUEST on a Novell server, but kept typing GUSET, so he created a GUSET account for me so i can login quickly and not having to correct my mistake! LOL! What a guy! He was laughing his ass off as i was trying to login 4-5 times in succession and kept typing GUSET!

 

[Zorg]

Got it