30 pound paperweight...ever seen this ?

2774 Views 47 Replies 6 Participants Last post by campfire_2, Feb 13, 2007

campfire_2

Discussion Starter · Jan 24, 2007

Hey everybody !

Been signed up for a few days now trying to resolve issue by reading posts , but no luck , guess time to ask about my problem .

Recently finished first build , was a great learning experience and seems the "learning" isnt over

... OK , computer specs should be listed near my name on post if I set this up corectly . Was having some sporatic crashes in first month , just out of the blue , kinda deals . Got a few "recovering from overcloacking" messages (swear I never messed with any of that stuff, is over my head and I can respect that) Or , the thing would just shut off , like someone yanked the plug out of the wall . Weird , undefinable stuff .

Well , put new video card in , and all hell broke loose . Added nvidia 7300 pci-e . Things were running great , playing great new video game , loving the new graphic upgrade , and no less than 8 hours later , the sysyem was not sending any video signal to the moniter . Have read alot on this topic on TSF , and followed many of the suggested tips and checks . Motherboard LED still on , fans spinning , can hear harddrive spinning , dvd has power . Everything seems fine with the computer , no "beep" at start up , no "flash" from keyboard either . Just no video , from the 7300 pci-e or , an old 6200 pci card (working) .

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i280/campfire2/IMG_2368.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i280/campfire2/IMG_2367.jpg

Heres a crazy spot on my motherboard , is Yellow in nature , is only thing I could find that seemed suspect ... Anybody seen this before ?

THX ,

Patrick

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1 - 20 of 48 Posts

cconner6156

· #2 · Jan 25, 2007

COuld that be mold?

campfire_2

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jan 25, 2007

cconner6156 said:
COuld that be mold?

Nope ... looks like a yellow laqure paint , but is result of something that looks amiss on the little circuits , I was pointing to with the pen

cconner6156

· #4 · Jan 25, 2007

Thats weird. IS this a new card?

Volt-Schwibe

· #5 · Jan 25, 2007 (Edited)

omg.

i think what you are seeing is stains from magic smoke.

look really close at what we've got here... this is my guess, keep in mind.

when these traces on the motherboard exceeded their load rating, they literally vaporized, and the smoke from the pure copper left that yellow stain in a downward pattern.

i suspect that's actually "upwards" while the machine is running...

can you rub it off with rubbing alcohol?

this could have been a shorted case mount, or something.

i'd carefully inspect the board to see if there's any "sparky" looking spots

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campfire_2

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jan 25, 2007

yes the 7300 e was new

ebackhus

· #7 · Jan 25, 2007

I have to agree with Volt's analysis. It may have been a short, and it may have been a simple manufacturing defect that finally made itself known.

cconner6156

· #8 · Jan 25, 2007

weird I enver seen that

campfire_2

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jan 25, 2007

Volt-Schwibe said:
omg.

i think what you are seeing is stains from magic smoke.

look really close at what we've got here... this is my guess, keep in mind.

when these traces on the motherboard exceeded their load rating, they literally vaporized, and the smoke from the pure copper left that yellow stain in a downward pattern.

i suspect that's actually "upwards" while the machine is running...

can you rub it off with rubbing alcohol?

this could have been a shorted case mount, or something.

i'd carefully inspect the board to see if there's any "sparky" looking spots

Thats sounds pretty cool , no , have not messed with it , it is "flakey" in nature , and the underlying circuit path looked changed , burnt almost , figured the board was shot .

campfire_2

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jan 25, 2007

ebackhus said:
I have to agree with Volt's analysis. It may have been a short, and it may have been a simple manufacturing defect that finally made itself known.

Have a good buddy that leans twoards the "shorting out on case theory" ...Now , the question there becomes , what "collateral" damage can that do normally ?

Volt-Schwibe

· #11 · Jan 25, 2007

usually just the motherboard.

sometimes ram and cards, even the power supply.

campfire_2

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jan 25, 2007 (Edited by Moderator)

Volt-Schwibe said:
usually just the motherboard.

sometimes ram and cards, even the power supply.

I am mainly concerned about the cpu ... really don't want to press my luck with newegg , with a double whammie rma , figure Iam pressing my luck a bit with sending the MB back for replacement , just hopeing this didnt kill the chip as well ...

Have purchaced a new power supply antec 550 w truepower trio , as my old power supply was roundly criticized by someone who will remain nameless , lol . :4-thatsba

But my fear is getting a new MB back in this box and not having the underlying , crash causing issue resloved , worries the heck out of me ... Is why Ive been studying the "trouble shooting" posts on TSF ... I do understand the given feedback thus far , and will take care in insulating the "stand-offs" in case this was a grounding of the M-board to case . But have a nice chunk of change invested into this turd , and nervous about any repeat problem

Volt-Schwibe

· #13 · Jan 26, 2007

campfire_2 said:
I am mainly concerned about the cpu

i have never seen a processor fail, other than from overheating. and only then once.

they are very very ruggedly built, as long as you don't let them cook, they last forever it seems.

and about power supplies, yes, it's true that it's extremely important to make sure and have enough power, but enough power doesn't always mean "one trillion watts" ya know.

more important to buy quality than size... or, at least make sure you aren't actually buying too small of a unit.

mine's not large, but it's solid, and my voltages are solid too, so when someone laughs about what i'm powering my pc with, i ask them, "what are you using, and how's that working out?" and then i let it die, because each person makes their own choice.

ebackhus

· #14 · Jan 26, 2007

1.21 giggawatts may be too much.

To backup what Volt said, the PSU is often the most overlooked and underappreciated component of a PC. A quality PSU won't be cheap, but it'll be the most important investment in your system. You may have the greatest CPU, vide card, terabytes of storage and enough RAM to give Google's servers a scare, but unless all of that is being powered properly you might as well just trash the whole unit.

campfire_2

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jan 26, 2007

ebackhus said:
1.21 giggawatts may be too much.

To backup what Volt said, the PSU is often the most overlooked and underappreciated component of a PC. A quality PSU won't be cheap, but it'll be the most important investment in your system. You may have the greatest CPU, vide card, terabytes of storage and enough RAM to give Google's servers a scare, but unless all of that is being powered properly you might as well just trash the whole unit.

Well , to be 100% honest , that part of both you guys feedback does echo advice given , as parts for this build were being gathered . And , as many , I got a deal I couldn't refuse , and got a lessor brand PSU . My goal for this build was to see how cheep could I build a nice box . Have seen error of my ways , in hindsight as usual ... and will give proper credit (or admit fault to buddy) when this build shows itself to be a stable surfer/gamer .

New board is to be delivered today , and plan on taking steps to insulate "stand-off " area of case . But , as stated earlier , still nervous about other undiagnosed issues I was having prior to the video card upgrade . The mysterious crashes / power loss' that would pop up intermittently , then the kookie error messages recieved after its restart (would get overclocking failure & even a RAM warning from a microsoft "error report" never messed with overclocking , and RAM diag came back fine ) as explained in earlier post , weird / undefineable crashes & power loss' . I am confident the new PSU is a better choice , but from the novice builders perspective , still have a few lingering worries to iron out .

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linderman

· #16 · Jan 26, 2007

many times power supplies that emit erratic voltage are mis interpreted by the motherboard as signs of overclocking failure.

what is your complete system specs ???? you may not be buyign enough PSU now, although you are in the correct isle; NOW!

campfire_2

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jan 26, 2007

linderman said:
many times power supplies that emit erratic voltage are mis interpreted by the motherboard as signs of overclocking failure.

what is your complete system specs ???? you may not be buyign enough PSU now, although you are in the correct isle; NOW!

Thanks for the advice about erratic voltage = overclocking error , was confused as can be over that one ... that helps .

What other system info would you like ?

linderman

· #18 · Jan 26, 2007

sorry; my bad :4-thatsba

just realized your specs for the new build are post in your "my system"

I was

the 550 trio will suit you purrrrrrrrrrfectly

campfire_2

Discussion Starter · #19 · Jan 26, 2007

linderman said:
sorry; my bad :4-thatsba

just realized your specs for the new build are post in your "my system"

I was

the 550 trio will suit you purrrrrrrrrrfectly

N/P ... Ive enjoyed reading your feedback on other peoples posts , happy you gave some input on my problem(s) ...

P/L

Done_Fishin

· #20 · Jan 26, 2007

Sorry for my late entry into the debate , I am a dog eared electronics tech but regret there's not enough focus on your pics for me to really note what happened. It could well be explained by the above explanations. The question is , to me, where does the tracking go that has vapourised? I cannot see anything else apart from a screw hole that could be anywhere on the board.
Is it close to your AGP/VGA slot?
Have you cecked your chassis for any signs of burning or flash over in the vicinity of the "burn up"?
Normally the sort of damage that I see here ( if it's what I think it is ) is caused by either a short to chassis or an overload by something that the track leads to. That sort of track is normally signalling not power . If somewhere near your AGP/VGA card , have it (the card) checked by a pro or maybe RMA it because you could well end up with a 2nd burnt board if the cause is the high power Card you were using. Some cards require external power connevtion, make sure that if your card is one of these that you supply that power, otherwise it will try to take it through tracking not designed to handle the load.

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