Fried motherboard?

[Pinchy]

Hey guys,

Im posting this to hear your opinions.

Last night, my old 478 computer was running fine, yet it got a BSOD, followed by random restarts. I thought of it as nothing, because as soon as I pulled out the power cord, waited 5min and put it back in, it ran fine.

This morning, the computer started up and when it got to desktop, there was display corruption EVERYWHERE. Just like when a graphics cards memory has fried.

I decided to open the computer up, and I realised that the northbridge heatsink's retention bracket had snapped off, and the northbridge heatsink was NOT on the northbridge. There was no burnt smell, yet the northbridge is slightly brown.

Now, after re-attaching the heatsink and starting the computer up it does one of two things. Most of the time, it just doesnt POST. When it does POST, it gets to the intel logo screen (absolutely covered in artifacts) and does not proceed any further.

I'm pretty sure the northbridge (and hence motherboard) is gone. It is using ONBOARD graphics (no graphics card), which is why there is corruption everywhere.


I'm just posting for your confirmation that its the motherboard, as I can't test the parts and don't want to go buying parts as a waste of money .

Thanks,
Pinchy

[Machak90]

Originally Posted by Pinchy

Hey guys,

Im posting this to hear your opinions.

Last night, my old 478 computer was running fine, yet it got a BSOD, followed by random restarts. I thought of it as nothing, because as soon as I pulled out the power cord, waited 5min and put it back in, it ran fine.

This morning, the computer started up and when it got to desktop, there was display corruption EVERYWHERE. Just like when a graphics cards memory has fried.

I decided to open the computer up, and I realised that the northbridge heatsink's retention bracket had snapped off, and the northbridge heatsink was NOT on the northbridge. There was no burnt smell, yet the northbridge is slightly brown.

Now, after re-attaching the heatsink and starting the computer up it does one of two things. Most of the time, it just doesnt POST. When it does POST, it gets to the intel logo screen (absolutely covered in artifacts) and does not proceed any further.

I'm pretty sure the northbridge (and hence motherboard) is gone. It is using ONBOARD graphics (no graphics card), which is why there is corruption everywhere.


I'm just posting for your confirmation that its the motherboard, as I can't test the parts and don't want to go buying parts as a waste of money .

Thanks,
Pinchy

i had similar problem.. with artifacts. my vga memory was fried so i bought a new one and now is all fine. i think that your integrated vga (that it on northbridge) is fried. borrow a vga from friend and try it out. but, dont put 3.3v one! only 1.5V or 0.8V . if there is still artifacts its your mbo. and try another PSU if u can. i hope i have helped a little bit.

[panchoman]

try clearing the bios and booting again. otherwise it's probably a fried chipset if you have onboard grafix and the hsf come off.

[Pinchy]

Originally Posted by Machak90

i had similar problem.. with artifacts. my vga memory was fried so i bought a new one and now is all fine. i think that your integrated vga (that it on northbridge) is fried. borrow a vga from friend and try it out. but, dont put 3.3v one! only 1.5V or 0.8V . if there is still artifacts its your mbo. and try another PSU if u can. i hope i have helped a little bit.

I'll try and get an AGP graphics card soon. Its just strange because its not just artifacts; the computer does not boot up anymore. I'm not sure if that can be caused from a faulty VGA or not...

Originally Posted by panchoman

try clearing the bios and booting again. otherwise it's probably a fried chipset if you have onboard grafix and the hsf come off.

Yeah ive cleared the CMOS, but still, its the artifacted POST screen that freezes or not POST at all .

[panchoman]

well im not sure how much a new grafix card will fix a screwed up chipset.. you might as well get a new rig...

[Pinchy]

Yeah thats what i'm going to do once I can confirm the mobo is dead. The only problem is that its a custom computer; the motherboard was built for the case which was built for the power supply.

But still, I have been going through some prices, and a whole new comp shouldnt cost me all that much (probably around ~$100 for a c2d/800mhz ram/new case, power supply and motherboard/new graphics - after I sell the working parts )

^ Gotta love selling stuff on ebay!

[panchoman]

well with all the new parts coming out and stuff, its not a bad time to build a new rig in the next month or 2.

[Machak90]

new rig i have looked in your sistem spec, do u realy need a new PC
look at mine

u said your pc dont boot up, mybe it does but u cant see a picture.

[panchoman]

hes got a new rig i think, looking at his system specs.

[erocker]

Motherboard dead = Confirmed. There you go! Get a new board.

[WarEagleAU]

Seems like it did fry your board. Thats kind of a bummer too. I need to check and make sure mine is secure.

[Pinchy]

Originally Posted by Machak90

u said your pc dont boot up, mybe it does but u cant see a picture.

It doesnt boot up at all, because it doesnt even POST (meaning a piece of hardware is gone). Even when it does post and I get picture, its all corrupt, and it freezes; I cant even get into BIOS .

Originally Posted by Machak90

new rig i have looked in your sistem spec, do u realy need a new PC
look at mine

I was thinking about it, and came up with this:

The computer is an abit digidice, so I can't just get a replacement motherboard (Its not around anymore, and even if I could get a used one, it would be from the USA, which would cost a LOT to ship ). So, I will need to get an entirely new motherboard, with a new case and new power supply. I'd get another barebones PC, simply due to the location that it is in, and how a normal sized case wouldnt do.

So, new case: ~$110
New "budget" M-ATX motherboard: ~$70
New PSU: ~$50

so total is roughly $230.


Now, if I sold the P4 system and upgraded to C2D:
I would get:
$170-180 for the 3.2Ghz CPU (30 cap northwood = rare )
$140 for the RAM
and I already sold the AGP graphics card for $140

Thats $450.

To buy the new computer:
e2140: $75
2GB PC6400: $66
Gigabyte GA-G33M-DS2R: $130
New case: ~$110
New PSU: ~$50
New graphics: $130

Thats $561.

So, I spend $230 to get the same old AGP comp with the P4 and DDR RAM, or upgrade it to a c2d, ddr2 and 2600XT for $111.

I'd be stupid not to .


And its not for me anyways, my comp is in the system specs. Its just for the "family/brother"...

Originally Posted by erocker

Motherboard dead = Confirmed. There you go! Get a new board.

Yeah I thought so too .

Originally Posted by WarEagleAU

Seems like it did fry your board. Thats kind of a bummer too. I need to check and make sure mine is secure.

Yeah its weird. The metal bracket just.....snapped off . Its not even there anymore




Anyways, cheers for the help guys !

[k0rn_h0li0]

theres always stuff being sold for cheaper than it is where you find it but then its more unreliable but good luck on your new build and hope to see you post in the for sale section a bit. kinda of sucks the motherboards gone SCRAP IT make it into like a keychair or something hang it on a wall LOL

[Pinchy]

Originally Posted by k0rn_h0li0

kinda of sucks the motherboards gone SCRAP IT make it into like a keychair or something hang it on a wall LOL

LMFAO!

I'll list everything in the BST forum before ebay, but I highly doubt anyone would be interested (Prices in USA are waaaaaaaaaaay cheaper than here in Australia, especially when shipping comes into play).

[Namslas90]

I got an ASUS P4C800 Deluxe, you can buy real cheap.

[k0rn_h0li0]

excuseee you. if he wants something he'll make a new thread don't post it up here! its general area not free wide i want to sell my stuff wherever i want!

[Namslas90]

Originally Posted by k0rn_h0li0

excuseee you. if he wants something he'll make a new thread don't post it up here! its general area not free wide i want to sell my stuff wherever i want!

Is that directed to me? If so keep in mind, I can offer my stuff to anyone I want. I do not have to offer it in a general sale if I don't want to. It's a nice mobo for a deserving person, at a great price (seeing as I no longer need it).

[Cold Storm]

Man... Thats ruff... I know the feeling... My father fried my first built computer by playing rollercoaster Tycoon 4... But, with all bad, it only ends up good and great... Good luck and hope you can get something going fast

[JC316]

Man, that sucks, sorry to hear. My case has a window so I can see something like that. There are some cheap mobo's out there though that would fix your problem.