Flaky Boot

[weirdlookinguy]

Re: Flaky Boot

Yeah, I figured that it was just for backup or something since the manual only recommended it.

It did it twice today. This time, it took a few tries to make it boot. I'm gonna take it out of the case and put it back in, maybe it's some sort of funky grounding issue?

Barring that, f*** this board. I'm not messing with it. I'll eat the $75 and consider it a lesson learned.

I just need a quick, snappy, reliable system that can push me around the internet and some light gaming with ease. I think most any C2D will fit the bill, right?

[acstech]

Re: Flaky Boot

It should. I'd go for FSB speed and fast low latency memory over a more powerful CPU.

I have yet to set up a 45nm Core 2 chip that didn't run 400FSB. That makes it simple with DDR2-800, run the memory 1:1. If you've got DDR2-667, run 333MHz bus.

Oh that's right, you're not overclocking. Never mind.

[weirdlookinguy]

Re: Flaky Boot

Goddamn, this thing runs so good for what it cost me, I'm gonna give it a go. I've got a dead 1-year-old Biostar I can pull caps off. Which caps do I need to look at? And on which part of the chipset, northbridge or southbrige? Southbridge runs pretty hot and isn't heatsinked.



Also should I try pulling the board out of the case and remounting it just for shits and giggles, or is that not really likely to solve anything?

[370forlife]

Re: Flaky Boot

Make sure your power connectors for the motherboard are seated all the way in. As in they are all the way down and the tab clicks.

I had this problem on my Biostar Tpower N750, it would sometimes just give a black screen and all fans when your started it up. Turns out the 24pin wasn't seated in all the way.

[weirdlookinguy]

Re: Flaky Boot

I'll take it out of the case and pop it back in, double checking connectors.

Last time it refused to boot, removing the molex plug made it boot. I probably bumped the 24pin connector while I was removing the molex. Are cold joints possible?

[weirdlookinguy]

Re: Flaky Boot

Would a board this vintage (late 2004 it seems) be RoHS? It has no lead/pb free markings. I'm gonna pull it out of the case, clean it really well, clean all the contacts on the 24-pin ATX and P4 connectors (the molex too while I'm at it), and resolder the 24-pin and the P4 connectors. If it does it again, I'll replace any and all caps near the north/southbridge.

I can't lose more than a few bucks on caps. The risk is worth it. I spend more on food on any given weekend anyways. I'll just brownbag it at work for a few days.

I don't know what the hell I was thinking. I'm not buying a new board without putting up a fight. I have little to lose.

[shadow]

Re: Flaky Boot

It is unlikely that a late 2004 board conforms to RoHS since RoHS apparently took effect in 2006.

If you can justify the costs and time for replacing the capacitors and playing around with it along with the risk that it may not solve the problem. It is probably worth while.

[weirdlookinguy]

Re: Flaky Boot

Time isn't an issue right now, there's time for everything during summer .

I can justify spending a few bucks on caps if it potentially means saving $250+.

[kc8adu]

Re: Flaky Boot

have a post card?
if yes where does it stop?
could give a time saving clue rather than shotgunning caps that are not the issue.

[bgavin]

Re: Flaky Boot

have a post card?
if yes where does it stop?
could give a time saving clue rather than shotgunning caps that are not the issue.

Explain a bit more, please.

[ratdude747]

Re: Flaky Boot

that looks like the full-atx version of my board. i had no issues. this seemes odd.

[kc8adu]

Re: Flaky Boot

http://www.elstonsystems.com/prod/pc...stic_card.html

[weirdlookinguy]

Re: Flaky Boot

Redid all power-related connectors (ATX, P4, Molex) on the board today. It took the surgery well and booted just fine afterwards.

Only time will tell if that fixed anything.

kc8adu, POST card is just not worth it to me. If a simple solder reflow and/or recap doesn't fix this, I'm just gonna buy a new board.

[ratdude747]

Re: Flaky Boot

hope that was it

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Flaky Boot

Had bad OST on several 2003/2004 boards here.
I don't think OST ever got any better they just fell out of use.
They still use the tiny ones but the 8mm and 10mm simply don't show up that often after about 2005. [Just like with Teapo.]
You won't find examples of bad ones when they aren't used in the first place.
.

[ratdude747]

Re: Flaky Boot

kerijane saw some good 2006-08 ish ones i thought

[weirdlookinguy]

Re: Flaky Boot

I don't think OST ever got any better they just fell out of use.....
......
......You won't find examples of bad ones when they aren't used in the first place.

I'm no expert, but none of the new motherboards I have seen lately on display at Fry's have used OST for VRM purposes. Biostar seems to really like OST, but they don't use any in critical areas. PCBONEZ may be right.

No failed boots yet on the intel board BTW.

[370forlife]

Re: Flaky Boot

Both my ECS RS482-M754's have OST's, the one that had a vrm die on it still has good caps, the VRM ost's showed .02 on almost all of them. It is a board from about 2006 or so.

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Flaky Boot

kerijane saw some good 2006-08 ish ones i thought

I've seen un-failed [I'm not saying 'good' mind you] Fuhjyyu's with good ESR too.
"Good" reports don't tell us much.
Single or rare "bad" reports don't tell us much either.
- 100% of 'bad caps' don't fail and 100% of good caps don't live.
Only multiple bad reports tell us anything and there has to be a significant number used to get such reports.
-
"Good reports" and "Single or rare bad reports" are beans for the counting but until you have lots of beans you don't know much.

[weirdlookinguy]

Re: Flaky Boot

Just thought I'd update this thread.

The "operation" was done on 7/28. It is now 8/15 and the board has yet to give me any crap upon boot again. Prior to resoldering, the longest it had gone without a failed boot was four days.

So, for anyone with an intel board with intermittent POST fails:
1) Resolder every pin on the 24-pin ATX connector.
2) Resolder the 4-pin P4 connector.
4) Resolder the Molex connector while you're in there.
5) Find a skinny paint brush/pipe cleaner?/whatever, dip it in cleaning alcohol, and clean every pin on every connector you just resoldered thoroughly. Alcohol dries quickly, so let it sit for just a few minutes and you should be fine.
6)Unplug/replug the ATX and P4 connectors twenty times each.

That seems to have done it for my board (Intel D915GEV, circa late 2004).