Ok killed my first motherboard today

[GT98]

I have a Aopen Dual P3 Server at work we use as a Linux server for a simulation we use here. It didn't want to fire up last week (wanted to start but never even made it into the BIOS). I ordered a new PS for it and got it in today. I installed it and pressed the power button..and nothing happens and I noticed that the monitor wasn't on...as I'm doing that I hear a pop pop...I look on the board and I have 4 Caps that are screwed up and a IC that cracked in half...I'll take some pictures tommorow of it and post them.

First Motherboard thats died under my care

I guess Aopen got some crappy Caps like Abit does

[Dilitante1]

DOH! not fun at all, but wipe the arc traces b4 you post the pics

[The PIT]

Have to start using Abit and Aopen for bonfire night. Pop Pop Pop Buzz.

[GT98]

Heres the picture

[Wombat]

It looks like you got hit by a voltage spike. Maybe the old PS's way of saying goodbye. That appears to be a power FET that blew there, and the caps went with.

[az]

Had exactly this happen to me a few days ago - the caps only bulged (and started doing so even months ago - I was waiting for the board to die) and didn't pop or leak, and nothing broke, though the PSU stank and smoked a little. I hoped my Kyro II had been fried as well, to justify getting a new card, but alas, it was the mb (now got an unstable asrock ) and quiet PSU.

AZ

[GT98]

Originally posted by Wombat
It looks like you got hit by a voltage spike. Maybe the old PS's way of saying goodbye. That appears to be a power FET that blew there, and the caps went with.

Well didnt happen till I put the new PS in far as I know

[Chrono_Wanderer]

[DentyCracker]

Unstable ASRock? What model?

[az]

A7S8X (without E) - wouldn't run my Infineon DDR266CL2 at CL2 (BSOD on every second win bootup). At CL2.5 it's better, but I still have the feeling the K7S5A was more stable (though that may well be windows and other software misbehaving).

AZ

[DentyCracker]

ok, the ASRock SiS 74X mobos can be picky about memory. Check www.ocworkbench.com forums for advice to make it stable at CL2 if it is at all possible. May need a BIOS change. Never tried to run any mem at CL2 on my mobo. Performance is good enough at 2.5. However if I had cl2 mem. I'd want to run it at cl2.

[DentyCracker]

BTW I had the non E board for a few months before selling it and getting my current mobo in Sept. '03

[az]

I think I'll spare myself the hassle and just run at 2.5, the performance difference is small and my system won't be a screamer either way. Thanks for the heads up though

AZ