motherboard issue's

[freeek]

Just wondering anyone know how to fix broken motherboards?

I have chaintech Znf3-250 which I sold to someone end of last year problem is that I had the board for abit before I sold it.

The board is literally dead! no power. Its just not starting. I took the board out tested outside the box changed cpu's,ram,graphics card. The ps or board just won't start up.

Anyone got any suggestions? I would hate to have to buy another board as this was an expensive motherboard.

[thisgeek]

Did you try power it up without any IDE cables plugged in to the board?

I've had some weird issues where the board wouldn't power up when a busted IDE cable was plugged in.

Also - check the board for any obvious looking blown components, like leaking caps and the like.

[freeek]

There is literally nothing in on the board but essentials. just power for the board, a graphics card,cpu_heat sink,ram,gcard! and a little switch to switch it out

I don't seem to see any marks or blown or burnt components

[thisgeek]

You sure the PSU is ok?

[freeek]

using a different psu! I know its the board..... It must of surged or shorted.

[playkiller no.2]

Could be your bios,if it can be removed try reflashing it.
Also on some boards,a flat cmos battery could also be the problem.
If the battery on some boards is flat,the board won`t power up.

[photonman]

also u never know, it could be ur actually power button.

also try with HDD plugged in.

if all the suggestions fails, then it seems like a fried board!

[Kalvaer]

Does your client have a UPS? If not and it is a power surge, taking it in to any retailers, they will tell you the same and you need to tell your customer the same: "Power surge damage, not covered by the Warrenty" :(

[jjtoymachine]

strange...usually if it is the motherboard it turns on but screen stays blank...try seting those jumper cables to only Power SW and then try, if it powers up and you her beeps it is a ggod thing...if not its probrally the ROM chip or even the northbridge chip which you cant really do anything about

[freeek]

normally when it surges there is power but nothing happens "screen stays blank" .... I know this he had that before.

[killadoob]

maybe just accept it has failed and buy a new one

[freeek]

I have come to that conclusion now :) oh well .... this is why I stopped buying chaintech products .... gigabyte and their 3yr warrantee ftw!

[skywalka]

For those who are still interested...

One night I heard my ZNF3-150 power down. It wouldn't restart. I tried unplugging everything, bar the essentials. No luck. I assumed it was the PSU & got a new one. The PC powered on for a fraction of a second (just enough to make noise) & would switch off. If I tried to turn it on again nothing would happen. If I unplugged the power then plugged it back in I would get the split second power again. This was about a year ago. I still haven't replaced the board since I'm not sure if that or the CPU was the problem. I tested the video card in another machine & it is OK.

[DragonLogos]

Testing a Motherboard, you would normally check you clock pulse generator (next to the main crystal, the little one is for the RTC) - Then your Voltages / Or where it is stopping on POST (Power On Self Test) For example C1 would be memory presence test - Perhaps a bit too technical

Only have your speaker connected so you can hear any error code, some Asus boards talk to you so have your soundcard connected to a set of speakers

Common faults are: Expanded caps (easy to spot, but sometimes they lift from the bottom)

BIOS flashed - Either the user or a Virus can do this

Voltage Regulator faulty

Hardware fuse or link gone

CMOS Battery

Pins shorting in expansion slot

12V 4 Pin Square plug not plugged in

[skywalka]

Testing a Motherboard, you would normally check you clock pulse generator (next to the main crystal, the little one is for the RTC) - Then your Voltages / Or where it is stopping on POST (Power On Self Test) For example C1 would be memory presence test - Perhaps a bit too technicalThanx 4 your help. Would you use one of those voltmeters(?) with 2 wires (one black, one red) attached to pins to test it?


Only have your speaker connected so you can hear any error code, some Asus boards talk to you so have your soundcard connected to a set of speakersIt doesn't power for long enough to get to an error code.


Common faults are: Expanded caps (easy to spot, but sometimes they lift from the bottom) Do you mean capacitors? What do you mean by expanded?


BIOS flashed - Either the user or a Virus can do thisI was running the latest antivirus. Possible but not probable.


Voltage Regulator faultyIs that part of the PSU?


Hardware fuse or link goneWhere are these located? On the board?


CMOS BatteryI might as well try replacing that.


Pins shorting in expansion slotWould this happen in an empty slot? I removed all PCI cards. Only the AGP slot was being used.


12V 4 Pin Square plug not plugged inThat was definately plugged in.

Thanx again.

[pip]

Thanks for the informative post DragonLogos. Skywalka - expanded caps - AFAIK the capacitors are those cylindrical things they fill with bat pee that is always trying to escape by blowing the top and leaking goo corrosively over your precious board.

[skywalka]

Thanx Pip. I'll have a good look at the board & see if there is anything amiss.