Fried some chips on my mobo w/ gfx card, will it happen again?

[Geofrancis]

I think everyone is jumping to the wrong conclusion. the chip that has burnt out is a pcie multiplexer no significant current runs through it as its tied to the data pins.

What I would try is taping the pcie slot on the graphics card so only the first pcie lane is connecting so it runs like a x1 slot. you might be able to bypass the damaged lanes but you are going to have to replace your motherboard if that doesn't work.

http://www.asmedia.com.tw/eng/e_show_products.php?item=82&cate_index=67

 

[ominub]

I think everyone is jumping to the wrong conclusion. the chip that has burnt out is a pcie multiplexer no significant current runs through it as its tied to the data pins.

What I would try is taping the pcie slot on the graphics card so only the first pcie lane is connecting so it runs like a x1 slot. you might be able to bypass the damaged lanes but you are going to have to replace your motherboard if that doesn't work.

http://www.asmedia.com.tw/eng/e_show_products.php?item=82&cate_index=67

http://physxinfo.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/pci-e_adj.png

Interesting! Okay I'll try that when I get home from work. If it wasn't the power supply, what could have caused the chip to burn?

Is there a specific number of pins I need to cover? If I am running in x1, any idea how much of a performance hit will I see?

 

[Derek12]

Interesting! Okay I'll try that when I get home from work. If it wasn't the power supply, what could have caused the chip to burn?

Is there a specific number of pins I need to cover? If I am running in x1, any idea how much of a performance hit will I see?

Maybe some temporal shorting on the slot or on the card caused by moisture, dust, a bent pin or some metal bit, check them even when the photo is fine.

Check this picture of a x1 video card

So you should cover until the 6th pin of the long part after the notch

 

[ominub]

Maybe some temporal shorting on the slot or on the card caused by moisture, dust, a bent pin or some metal bit, check them even when the photo is fine.

So you should cover until the 6th pin of the long part after the notch

Okay, I'm going to try this when I get home. I looked in there but I couldn't see any bent pins. Here are a few more pictures of my motherboard. If you look at the full size image and zoom in you can see that the pins look fine. Anyway, the thing is burnt up good so cleaning the pins out now wont do me any good.

So, if the card works in x1 mode, does that rule out an issue with the power supply?

 

[Derek12]

Okay, I'm going to try this when I get home. I looked in there but I couldn't see any bent pins. Here are a few more pictures of my motherboard. If you look at the full size image and zoom in you can see that the pins look fine. Anyway, the thing is burnt up good so cleaning the pins out now wont do me any good.

So, if the card works in x1 mode, does that rule out an issue with the power supply?

Bent pins is only one possibility there are more as I said maybe the pin was bent when inserting the card and came to shape after taking it out also take a look at the card even if it worked on another computer.

Geofrancis is right, that doesn't seem to be a PSU issue. a PSU would burn VRM chips at most and these aren't VRM chips.

 

[ominub]

Bent pins is only one possibility there are more as I said maybe the pin was bent when inserting the card and came to shape after taking it out also take a look at the card even if it worked on another computer.

Geofrancis is right, that doesn't seem to be a PSU issue. a PSU would burn VRM chips at most and these aren't VRM chips.

You know, that might be what happened. I just remembered there being a bit of resistance when trying to line up the card. It was about 1.5mm too far forward and I had to finagle it a bit. That was while it was outside of the slot though...

I'll update when I get home.

 

[Deleted member 24505]

Is it just me, or it there something missing from here? it has solder but no component

 

[Derek12]

Is it just me, or it there something missing from here? it has solder but no component

http://img.techpowerup.org/130628/aPP3KLMh.jpg

No, it's normal

 

[ominub]

Okay, so it works in x1 mode with the rest of the pins taped off! I am using the old graphics card that doesn't require additional power. I guess I'll try it with the other card now.

 

[erocker]

The burnt chip is a PCI-E channel switch chip. It (the mobo) is defective. Return for RMA if possible.

 

[ominub]

The burnt chip is a PCI-E channel switch chip. It (the mobo) is defective. Return for RMA if possible.

ASUS is going to repair/replace it. It'll be in the mail tomorrow.

The second card did not work. The power LED flashes, and the fans do about 1 full turn and then it dies. Pressing the power button again does nothing. I also tried unplugging everything from the PSU but the motherboard and the GPU, same result. It has to have something to do with the GPU/cable/PSU in addition to the PCI-E channel switch chips.

 

[Geofrancis]

good stuff. you will get about 75% of your graphics cards performance while running in a x1 slot so its not ideal but it will keep you going till your new board arrives.

ah that card might be damaged from the initial run with the board.

 

[ominub]

ah that card might be damaged from the initial run with the board.

I'd agree, but it is currently running in my old PC in SLI right now. There doesn't seem to be any issue with it.

It's got to be the motherboard having an issue with the extra power coming from the GPU. It works with the old, cheap card in 1x and both cards work flawlessly in different PCs. If I had a motherboard I was willing to roll the dice on, I'd move the power supply to test that... maybe I'll swap the PSU from my old PC. Yeah, I'll try that after my workout.

I've got to say, this is the best experience I've ever had in a forum. Usually questions are greeted with hostility by elitists not willing to offer assistance, just looking to belittle new-comers. Thanks again for the help everyone.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

I've got to say, this is the best experience I've ever had in a forum. Usually questions are greeted with hostility by elitists not willing to offer assistance, just looking to belittle new-comers. Thanks again for the help everyone.

We had a few of them kind of people around here, It took a while but they have just recently been banned.

 

[Geofrancis]

I'd agree, but it is currently running in my old PC in SLI right now. There doesn't seem to be any issue with it.

It's got to be the motherboard having an issue with the extra power coming from the GPU. It works with the old, cheap card in 1x and both cards work flawlessly in different PCs. If I had a motherboard I was willing to roll the dice on, I'd move the power supply to test that... maybe I'll swap the PSU from my old PC. Yeah, I'll try that after my workout.

I've got to say, this is the best experience I've ever had in a forum. Usually questions are greeted with hostility by elitists not willing to offer assistance, just looking to belittle new-comers. Thanks again for the help everyone.

It must just have been a pin getting bent when you inserted the card or something just make sure its flat and level when you insert it into the slot next time.

And be glad the card is working.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

IMO, If Asus have offered to RMA it. I would take the opportunity.

Sure you wont have a PC for a month but better safe then sorry i say

 

[ominub]

It must just have been a pin getting bent when you inserted the card or something just make sure its flat and level when you insert it into the slot next time.

And be glad the card is working.

Yeah I'm definitely glad the card is still working.

We had a few of them kind of people around here, It took a while but they have just recently been banned.

Well that's good.

IMO, If Asus have offered to RMA it. I would take the opportunity.

Sure you wont have a PC for a month but better safe then sorry i say

I'm sending that thing back first thing in the morning! I wouldn't pass up that opportunity.

 

[ominub]

Wait a minute! I think i just figured out what was wrong. My power supply has two red 8-pin PCI-E modular outputs. See below:


** note: my PSU only has the two red 8-pin connectors and the four black 6-pin connectors ** This was the only large image I could find.

My PSU (Newegg)

I was using a 6-pin PCI-E cable and connecting it into the black outputs that I use to power the sata devices. I just found the cables that came with my PSU and they are 8-pin red connectors on one side and 6-pin on the other with "PCI-E" stickers on them.

Could that be it? The cable I was using is from an differnt power supply; a Corsair HX620W

Friends PSU (Newegg)

Also I googled and found an image of the actual cable I was using... not sure if it helps.

here is the cable that came with my PSU.

[/IMG]

[/IMG]

 

[cheesy999]

The black ones have different voltages to the red ones, and different grounds.

You need to get the correct cable, if not for the card for safety reasons

You just put 2 different voltage outputs of the psu onto the same circuit, you're overloading the PSU and tripping the safety

 

[ominub]

The black ones have different voltages to the red ones, and different grounds.

You need to get the correct cable, if not for the card for safety reasons

You just put 2 different voltage outputs of the psu onto the same circuit, you're overloading the PSU and tripping the safety

Well I feel like a damned fool. All because I was too lazy to look for the cables that came with my PSU-- lesson learned the hard way. I guess we can mark this one [SOLVED]. Thanks again for the help.

 

[Geofrancis]

I think if you put the graphics card in at 1x I think it would work now you have the correct cable. Because you put the pcie into the sata output It should have just gave the card insufficient power for it to boot. (3.3v/5v/12v instead of 12v/12v/12v)Luckily the way they have wired your power supply means that your graphics card just got too low a voltage rather than catching fire or something but its possible 12v fed back into the 3.3v frying the chips on the board. When you said you were using someone else's power supply adapter I thought you were meaning a molex to pcie adapter.

 

[Derek12]

But did the card survive, right? because killing the motherboard PCIE chips and card surviving due to wrong output, strange!

 

[ominub]

I think if you put the graphics card in at 1x I think it would work now you have the correct cable. Because you put the pcie into the sata output It should have just gave the card insufficient power for it to boot. (3.3v/5v/12v instead of 12v/12v/12v)Luckily the way they have wired your power supply means that your graphics card just got too low a voltage rather than catching fire or something but its possible 12v fed back into the 3.3v frying the chips on the board. When you said you were using someone else's power supply adapter I thought you were meaning a molex to pcie adapter.

I was using someone elses 6-pin PCI-E cable when my PSU uses an 8-pin cable for PCI-E, but it wasn't a molex adapter. Yeah, I'm glad nothing burst into flames!

But did the card survive, right? because killing the motherboard PCIE chips and card surviving due to wrong output, strange!

Yeah the card is kicking in SLI right now on my old pc.