How To Fix A Motherboard

[crenn]

My motherboard died for unknown reasons a while ago. I finally found out about a month ago that it was a couple of bulging capitors. I recommend that if you have a bulging capitors and you still have a warranty, RMA your mobo, as this repair will void your warrenty.

DISCLAIMER: I am not responsible for your actions, if you destroy your motherboard, I am not responsible. If you some how got bored and unsoldered the wrong component and replaced it with the wrong component, I'm not resposible. This is a delicate job, make sure you have steady hands and experience.

I recommend you try to find some information on your motherboard and if someone else got there's repaired or repaired it themselves. It should help. In my case, I could not find any information to help me.

I'll upload a few pictures to my photobucket account with a few blurbs.... and just to let you know, I haven't finished repairing it yet. I need to get replacement components.

[OvRiDe]

http://www.badcaps.net/

[crenn]

Although that is a good site. IT does not cover the motherboard I am repairing. More details to come once I manage to upload the last few files to Photo bucket.

[OvRiDe]

Sorry, I was in a hurry so I just posted the link.. I mainly wanted to point folks to that site to show that it is a VERY common problem and there is some history of how and why it happened. Unfortunately alot of very reputable manufacturers have been plagued with this problem. I am definately looking forward to seeing real life pictures and solutions.

[crenn]

Hey, it's no problem, you never know, someone who comes across this forum who has the same problem might see your link and read those instructions. The only thing that that link doesn't provide is a picture on how it's done.

Anyway, Here are a few pictures:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/crenn/th_SV400037.jpg (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/crenn/SV400037.jpg)
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/crenn/th_SV400036.jpg (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/crenn/SV400036.jpg)
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/crenn/th_SV400035.jpg (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/crenn/SV400035.jpg)
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/crenn/th_SV400034.jpg (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/crenn/SV400034.jpg)

As you can see from the above pictures this is the motherboard, although it's not clear, the capacitors near the AGP and PCI/HSF socket are bulging up the top of the capacitor.

There was one slight problem when taking everything off the motherboard.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/crenn/th_SV400033a.jpg (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/crenn/SV400033a.jpg)
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/crenn/th_SV400032a.jpg (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/crenn/SV400032a.jpg)
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/crenn/th_SV400031a.jpg (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/crenn/SV400031a.jpg)
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/crenn/th_SV400030a.jpg (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/crenn/SV400030a.jpg)
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/crenn/th_SV400029a.jpg (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/crenn/SV400029a.jpg)
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/crenn/th_SV400029.jpg (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/crenn/SV400029.jpg)
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/crenn/th_SV400028.jpg (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/crenn/SV400028.jpg)
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/crenn/th_SV400027.jpg (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y81/crenn/SV400027.jpg)

That's right, the CPU came off when I pulled the HSF ( CM Hyper48 ). Sorry for the blured images, I took it with my sister's camera (which I'm not used to) and I worked out after it's better to take pictures without flash.

After I repair the motherboard, I'm going to have to have fun with a hairdryer to get the damn CPU off.

[g0t m0dz]

Don't worry it happens with socket 478 cpus it's not uncommon

[crenn]

I know, I've heard of it happening before, I just need to take a hairdryer to it :D