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View Full Version : OT: Blown mobo component or not?



ryanbatc
January 27th, 2014, 19:05
I've got a big thread running at another place but I'm looking for more opinions (everyone's got one right!)

In short my PC has started randomly rebooting.

I took some pics on my mobo near the ATX main connection and I found this one little guy angled funny. Is this a soldering thing on the board or is something broken? I could see no other issues with the capacitors.

3455

(darker but clearer pic)
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ncooper
January 27th, 2014, 22:47
You might try some of the suggestions here
http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/topic/57410/

BrittMac
January 28th, 2014, 05:49
Is this a new issue? Did you install new RAM and hit the board during installation?

I actually had to remove have of my RAM from my board this week. I thought I was having PSU issues, then thought it was USB port issues (random stuff I know), because my computer would not start. An onboard diagnostic LED showed a very odd fault code that didn't make sense.
Finally removed half my RAM and it starts up just like when I built it.

Proven over the last week, no issues. You may have a stick of RAM that is going bad.

Is the computer going to BSOD when it restarts? Doing a physical memory dump? I should show the issue somewhere in the test of that blue screen when it does, but it may be hard to read because the screen changes quickly.

ryanbatc
January 28th, 2014, 06:13
I actually had two issues

1 my PC started more frequently randomly rebooting (no blue screen more like a power bump)

2 my over clock failed that ran fine for 2 years and I had BSOD code 124 and 101. I dropped my multiplier down a little and it tested stable.

SiR_RiPPER
January 28th, 2014, 06:20
Had the exact same problem. Restoring my PC back to factory settings (no O/C) made it work. I don't know for how long, though.

ryanbatc
January 28th, 2014, 13:58
Yeah I already tried that. Unfortunately there's a lot of reasons this could happen, and I'll just have to run through them.

ryanbatc
January 28th, 2014, 17:31
FWIW I checked pictures I took when I bought the parts (what can I say I was happy my first real build), and it appears like that little component was off center from the start. It's kinda tough to tell but if you look at the light bouncing off the rest of those little components so can see the one that's misaligned. So logic would tell us it's probably not that little piece causing the reboots... GRRR.

3532

BrittMac
January 28th, 2014, 18:01
This sounds simplistic, and from your pics I don't think you have a dirty computer, but I have had dust in my PSU on an former computer of mine that caused reboots. I would have never have believed it. The rest of the internals were pretty dust free, but I blew out the PSU with canned air and watched the dust fly. No problems after that.

I hope it is something simple like this that is causing your problems.

ryanbatc
January 28th, 2014, 18:24
No kidding. I reconnected and connected most of the things on the mobo this evening... I took out the GPU and blew that out really well with canned air.

Tomorrow my friend is coming over with another PSU and we'll swap that out for mine. When mine is swapped out I'll take the canned air to it as best I can...

What a mystery problem!

BrittMac
January 28th, 2014, 18:40
Good luck! I hope that this problem is that simple and nothing more.

Usually, if something works for a while then stops working, it can be something simple. Hopefully.
But, it still could be a memory issue. That will suck a little.
Crossing my fingers for you!

ryanbatc
January 29th, 2014, 14:42
Well I found something interesting... it could just be coincidental but my little kid stood up and touched the case tonight and at that exact moment it rebooted. I also heard a shock. He's wearing fleece PJ;s so this makes sense - some sort of static electricity build up (we also have carpeting). My wife also said last time she watched it reboot he was standing next to it and touched it.

I can't say every time it has rebooted he touched it but it could be a static issue because it's really dry down here and carpeted.

I thought modern cases were supposed to handle this sort of thing? Or maybe it was just a coincidence... Thoughts?

BrittMac
January 29th, 2014, 16:18
Were you able to swap out the PSU or blow out yours?

I am still hoping that is all it is. Your son shocking it with static electricity probably wouldn't identify the problem as the PSU though, I think they are grounded through the plug.

Your observation is an interesting one, and one that I wouldn't try to repeat lol. Unless he likes shocking things!
Only quick and dirty thing I would recommend is google searching for problems/issues with your mobo. Sometimes it will lead to the correct path in troubleshooting.

ryanbatc
January 29th, 2014, 16:41
We'll be swapping out tomorrow. Still I'm going to buy an outlet tester to make sure the wires are connected properly and that there is a ground.