MSI 694D Pro v1 (Bad Caps?)

[kaitain]

Hi All,

I've had an ongoing problem with my old dual processor system (based on an MSI 694D Pro v1), causing random lockups, BSODs and mouse freezes in windows XP SP2, which prompted me to build a new dual core system (based on an MSI 945P Platinum). Now that my old machine is a spare I've been playing with Linux and Windows Vista beta 2, and have noticed something quite odd. When installing Vista it couldn't see the boot disk attached to the ATA100 controller, but linux could and suffered the standard lock ups, and disk access problems (note this isn't a harddisk issue as I've already tried a brand new XP boot disk with the same results).

However when I moved the boot disk to the standard IDE primary connector, Windows Vista detected the drive, installed and has been working quite happily (albeit slowly) ever since, without lockups or BSODs (do they exist in Vista?).

Question: Could badcaps cause the ATA100 promise controller (PDC20265 chipset) to go on the blink, or could the chipset have died independently, and leave the rest of the board fine? I've done a visual examination of the board and all the capacitors look fine but from what I've read that's no guarantee that they are working. Finally is it worth getting the motherboard repaired, as I was planning on putting Vista on the new system when its released and putting XP or Linux back on the old system.

Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.

Ps. If its worth repairing please could someone recommend a good repairer in the UK.

Thanks

Kaitain

[Topcat]

Bad caps will cause your scenario, quite common. The 694D is no stranger to the bad caps plague as it is, I see them all the time for repair, and erratic ATA behavior is a classic symptom, regardless of the operating system.

If you wish to have it repaired, PM me or KC8ADU, either of us can do it.

[kaitain]

Hi,

Thanks for the quick reply. I thought that you didn't take overseas work? What would be the cost of shipping and repair to/from the UK. Would you need the processors and memory as well, or just the board.

Regards

Kaitain

[Topcat]

Originally Posted by kaitain

Hi,

Thanks for the quick reply. I thought that you didn't take overseas work? What would be the cost of shipping and repair to/from the UK. Would you need the processors and memory as well, or just the board.

Regards

Kaitain

I don't normally take overseas repair, but today is your lucky day. Shoot me a PM.