What killed my motherboard?

MrAnthony

MrAnthony

MrAnthony

Associate
Joined
13 Nov 2011
Posts
352
Location
Lincoln
Hi all,

So the old thread got deleted because it turned into a bit of a competitor bashing thread, so let's try and avoid that this time. :D

8 weeks ago, my Z77 MPower went bang. Flames and everything. I was getting power to the board, but it wouldn't boot. Question is, what actually could have caused it to go bang? I've bought myself a Sabertooth Mark S, which cost almost twice as much as I what I paid for the Mpower, and whilst it comes with 5 years of warranty, I really do not want this one going bang.

I have some ideas, but would appreciate some thoughts from you guys too. :)

Could my PSU have sent too much power to the board? Or maybe mounting it fan facing up? It's a Superflower Leadex Gold 650w in Eco mode, so the fan wouldn't have been spinning.

Could the board have gotten too hot? Shouldn't have since it was very well ventilated and definitely had enough air blowing over it.

The i5 3570k was overclocked, but certainly stable as it'd been at that speed for two months with no issues, but maybe that did something?

Maybe a new extension cord, dodgy power in our house maybe?

I have absolutely no idea, but I've just spent 8 weeks without a PC and I'm only just getting round to getting myself back up and running so I don't want to have to suffer this again.

Chances are it was just some freak incident, but I guess there's no real way of telling.

Thoughts? :)

Cheers!
Anthony.
 
MrAnthony said:
I do indeed. Always have, for this very reason. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
A protector too far from earth ground and too close to appliances can simply give a surge even more paths to cause appliance damage. If a surge current is incoming to a protector, then same current is simultaneously outgoing into the appliance. It is the nature of that type of current.

Meanwhile, most failures are due to manufacturing defects. Without more detailed information, then nobody can say why a failure occurred. Best we can do is use common experience. For example, all learned how counterfeit electrolyete in electrolytic capacitors caused failures years later. Another example of why most failures happen - manufacturing defects.

We know this due to designed standards that existed long before PCs existed. Nothing on the load must damage a power supply. And no power supply must damage the load (ie motherboard). However, in a market where most computer techs have near zero electricial knowledge, some manufacturers dump inferior hardware into a technically naive market. We know what a PSU is suppose to do. We don't know if yours meets those industry standard requirements.

To have better replies means citing details. Such as which part flamed.
 
Thanks Westom. Sadly I can't really give much more information. All I know is something located underneath the heat sink around the CPU socket is what failed. MSI gave me no information, nor did the retailer I bought it from as to what actually malfunctioned.

I just ended up with a patch of the board missing on the top and burn marks on the back so I have absolutely no idea what went wrong. I'll see about where I'm placing the surge protectors, is it generally best to keep the pc as far from the extension as possible?

Sorry I can't really give much more information. I'm no expert, both in terms of hardware and electronics in general. I just know how to connect it all up and make it work. :P
 
those are voltage regulators vrm's,and it would be a motherboard component failure

so nothing you could have done about it
 
MrAnthony said:
All I know is something located underneath the heat sink around the CPU socket is what failed.
Click to expand...
If it was one of the CPU's specialized power supplies, then it was most likely a manufacturing defect.

Most all failures leave no visual indication. You had a rare failure type. Flames especially must never happen. Normal failure mode for all electronic parts means no visual burning. But again, a most likely reason is manufacturing defect. Burning may imply a design defect.
 
buy an asus or a gigabyte board,they tend to blow less from failed vrm's

just hope and prey it didn't take out your cpu/memory aswell
 
westom said:
If it was one of the CPU's specialized power supplies, then it was most likely a manufacturing defect.

Most all failures leave no visual indication. You had a rare failure type. Flames especially must never happen. Normal failure mode for all electronic parts means no visual burning. But again, a most likely reason is manufacturing defect. Burning may imply a design defect.
Click to expand...

wazza300 said:
buy an asus or a gigabyte board,they tend to blow less from failed vrm's

just hope and prey it didn't take out your cpu/memory aswell
Click to expand...

Either way that board is dead and gone. I'm well aware flames shouldn't happen.

I've got myself an Asus 1150 board, just waiting on a new CPU coming tomorrow. Yet to test any other components, but I've got some spare memory in case the sticks I was using are damaged. No idea if the 3570K I had is okay, but I don't know anyone with an 1155 board I can test it with. Hope it's alright so I can get shot of it and put the money towards an i7.
 
just rma the board for another,then test the old cpu

upto you whether you decide to keep the board or sell it for another branded one
 
My x99 asus pro went pop Down to VRM's I think . Folding on the CPU coupled with a high overclock 4.5 , and instant 100% load @ 1.388v likely killed it , may of had a ****** board as it had issues with ram from the off unlike it's exact replacement which has been punished as hard If not harder and hasn't missed a beat .
 
The board has already been RMA'd and I've had the refund through so it's no longer any concern of mine. Just didn't want it to be something else in my system/fault of my own that could cause it to happen to my new board, hence my asking. Just need to get my hands on an 1155 board and we'll see if that i5 is still any good otherwise that will need an RMA too. :rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom