Motherboard up in flames - Advice please

[Tealc]

There are a few image hosting sites out there. Upload your image to that. When you do they'll give you an URL to link and maybe even the code to post it on the forum.

Without seeing the image or even looking at the affected zone on the motherboard I'd guess that a regulator has got a little too warm or a capacitor has blown, or both. Due to the location of the damage it is unlikely to be anything CPU related. Typically any sort of regulation for the CPU will be local to the CPU area, not up there on the corner.

 

[EsaT]

Forgot was that worst burned spot next to that screw hole in corner?
In that case one possibility might be that screw has been too tight eventually breaking PCB's layers and causing short.

Once when Jonnyguru had "mishaps" gallery there were few pics of motherboards which had burned seriously after too tight screw crushing PCB.
(as in literally hole burned to PCB)

 

[ANDARIAL]

Chris
yeah that is the same tester i have
ok for basic testing imo.will tell you if psu is dead without having tonuse the paperclip trick

 

[Chris096]

There are a few image hosting sites out there. Upload your image to that. When you do they'll give you an URL to link and maybe even the code to post it on the forum.

Without seeing the image or even looking at the affected zone on the motherboard I'd guess that a regulator has got a little too warm or a capacitor has blown, or both. Due to the location of the damage it is unlikely to be anything CPU related. Typically any sort of regulation for the CPU will be local to the CPU area, not up there on the corner.

Okay, finally removed and cleaned all of my components (hoping to sell the RAM, CPU & CPU Fan to pay towards the replacements)
Flipped the motherboard over to finally see who the culprit is that ruined my night is..

https://ibb.co/j720Vv
https://ibb.co/iiwiiF
https://ibb.co/fhb5xa

Funnily enough, the damage as shown inthe above three links, is right beneath what seems to be the RAM (i had both sticks on two ram slots furthest away from CPU because of my enormous CPU cooler.. https://ibb.co/f3Jw3F

It seems to be those two parts that say "1R2" and its nearby capacitors. As you can see no damage on the top surface of the motherboard... is this actually the VRM that blew??

 

[Chris096]

Forgot was that worst burned spot next to that screw hole in corner?
In that case one possibility might be that screw has been too tight eventually breaking PCB's layers and causing short.

Once when Jonnyguru had "mishaps" gallery there were few pics of motherboards which had burned seriously after too tight screw crushing PCB.
(as in literally hole burned to PCB)

Hi EsaT! Good thought but i had a check on both sides of the motheboard and nearest screwhole is possibly about 5cm away from the initial point of "boom", I've uploaded links to images I took, sorry about the quality of pics!

 

[Chris096]

Chris
yeah that is the same tester i have
ok for basic testing imo.will tell you if psu is dead without having tonuse the paperclip trick

Is the paperclip trick any use? How does it work just by letting the fan spin?

I emailled antec about the PSU warranty and they sent me an RMA form which I sent back yesterday, havent heard anything since, they asked if the PSU had burnt or smelt, not sure if good or bad?

 

[ANDARIAL]

You short ot 2 pins on the mobo connection on the psu and if psu is ok the fan spins.google for correct pins

 

[Chris096]

You short ot 2 pins on the mobo connection on the psu and if psu is ok the fan spins.google for correct pins

Just tried it out on my Antec PSU and some rubbish one I had for backup, pin trick seemed to work, fan started to spin on both, so good news?! Must have just been my mobo!

 

[EsaT]

Okay, finally removed and cleaned all of my components (hoping to sell the RAM, CPU & CPU Fan to pay towards the replacements)
Flipped the motherboard over to finally see who the culprit is that ruined my night is..

https://ibb.co/j720Vv
https://ibb.co/iiwiiF
https://ibb.co/fhb5xa

Funnily enough, the damage as shown inthe above three links, is right beneath what seems to be the RAM (i had both sticks on two ram slots furthest away from CPU because of my enormous CPU cooler.. https://ibb.co/f3Jw3F

It seems to be those two parts that say "1R2" and its nearby capacitors. As you can see no damage on the top surface of the motherboard... is this actually the VRM that blew??

Yeah, looks like something in memory's VRM let magic smoke escape.
And while 1R2 would be one marking style to designate 1,2 ohm resistor those square chunks contain coils/inductors for step down switchers.

Without knowing what exactly blew from there RAM is definitely at risk of having been gone along.


PSU itself tolerates shorts well.
In fact ATX specification demands PSU to survive shorting its outputs to ground/return or to other rail.

 

[Chris096]

Without knowing what exactly blew from there RAM is definitely at risk of having been gone along.

Ugh, Im going to have to find myself a pc with DDR3 support to stick the ram in and test then arent I? *fingers crossed*