What are these markings?

[PhireSide]

I found a dead motherboard with these markings on the back. Mobo was dead on arrival. CPU and RAM was still fine

 

[GreyBush]

Do they scrape off? Looks like water damage to me.

 

[Venomous]

Was just about to say probably water or other liquid damage...

 

[GreyBush]

Was just about to say probably water or other liquid damage...

Like it's been left in the rain for a while.

 

[PhireSide]

The other parts of the case are 100%. Only the motherboard that has those marking on them. It's really odd

 

[mass09]

Is it possible that the mobo has been transferred to a new case since the incident? Does look like some form of water damage.

 

[PhireSide]

It doesn't reside in an exessively damp area, but it was an ex-municipality machine so I guess anything is possible.

The markings kind of remind me of a pic I once saw of an electronic unit that received an absurd amount of power through a surge, but if I type in 'motherboard white powder/substance' I get naughty images of recreational narcotics. Lol.

Anyways the long and short of it is that it's dead, I just thought it might be something else than liquid

@Mass, I don't think so, the municipality okes aren't too clued up with PC's They can sometimes not even reset a router by power cycling it

 

[GreyBush]

Watercooling... your doing it wrong.

 

[evado]

It is a white residue common to pcb's due to the flux and cleaning agent. Air moisture contributes to it's development.

 

[PhireSide]

Watercooling... your doing it wrong.

Lol. Come to think of it, it seemas as if these white 'lines' only appear between the solder blobs on the board. The edges where there are no components is fine.

 

[LiengLiengZA]

Foxconn....go figure..

 

[ponder]

Condensation of sorts (salt etc) maybe?

 

[PhireSide]

Foxconn....go figure..

Haha !

I am also leaning towards condensation but it's a very 'caked on' substance. It refuses to brush off, and it takes ages to rub off. It's almost as if its burnt into the board

 

[LazyLion]

Does it come from the coast? Probably humidity condensation -> resulting water damage.

 

[PhireSide]

It was about 60 kays from the nearest ocean, but Grahamstown has been having a few rainy and misty days lately, and I really don't know how well Town Hall is sealed

 

[kayvee]

Looks like wave solder flux residue from the soldering process that's come into contact with high humidity/water. The residue should be harmless unless the moisture has caused any damage whilst it was present.