Identifying a CPU killer (ahead of time) help

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  • SonicSteve
    Senior Member
    • Oct 2005
    • 54

    #1

    Identifying a CPU killer (ahead of time) help

    Hi guys,
    Can anyone tell me how to know if a board will be a CPU killer before I pop in a CPU. To this point I've just chalked it up to cost of business and I use the cheapest athlon socket A chip I can find. I've probably fried about 8 in the last year and I would love to stop frying them.

    Can anyone help?
  • Rainbow
    Badcaps Legend
    • Aug 2005
    • 1371

    #2
    Re: Identifying a CPU killer (ahead of time) help

    When testing a board in unknown state, I do this:
    1. Check (by using ohm meter) that there is no short between 12V, 5V, 3.3V and GND
    2. If all caps are present and none of them is bulged, power it on without anything installed and check DIMM and CPU voltages

    Comment

    • SonicSteve
      Senior Member
      • Oct 2005
      • 54

      #3
      Re: Identifying a CPU killer (ahead of time) help

      Great,
      Now I need to know exactly how this is done. My background is computer hardware and IT not electronics. I suppose I'm coming at the field of mainboard repair from a disadvantage.

      Comment

      • kc8adu
        Super Moderator
        • Nov 2003
        • 8832
        • U.S.A!

        #4
        Re: Identifying a CPU killer (ahead of time) help

        check vcore by reading across one of the group of large caps close to the cpu.
        vdimm across the lytics nearest the dimms.

        Comment

        • gonzo0815
          Badcaps Legend
          • Feb 2006
          • 1600

          #5
          Re: Identifying a CPU killer (ahead of time) help

          I usually power the board up without any proc. The i grab a voltmeter and measur either on the backside on the big caps if any Vcore like voltage is there. Or i put on probe to a ground point (e.g. a circle around a screw ) and put the other probe to the legs of those rectangular transistors or diodes. Usually on of those pins is on 5v or 12v, one is on 10v and one is on Vcore. Se atachement for an example. The layout of a Vcore circuit can differ, but they are always the same basic shematic. There are usually on every board an inputinductor, the input caps and hte o/p section. It is not hard to fifure it out.

          PS: mesuring the o/p for short with 5v or 12v line to ground can be misleading. On any of my recapped boards, i have always measured a short with my ohmmeter (may be due to the small supply current of the DVM and the high capcitance of the caps). But all of them are working fine.
          Attached Files
          Last edited by gonzo0815; 12-16-2006, 05:58 PM.

          Comment

          • SonicSteve
            Senior Member
            • Oct 2005
            • 54

            #6
            Re: Identifying a CPU killer (ahead of time) help

            Wow thats awesome,
            Thank gonzo0815 your pic is exactly what I needed.

            Comment

            • MD Willington
              Badcaps Veteran
              • Sep 2004
              • 702

              #7
              Re: Identifying a CPU killer (ahead of time) help

              Knew it was an ECS without even zooming in on the picture.. lol
              Ya'll think us folk from the country's real funny-like, dontcha?

              The opinions expressed above do not represent those of BADCAPS.NET or any of their affiliates.

              Comment

              • Shroomie
                Badcaps Veteran
                • Apr 2006
                • 356

                #8
                Re: Identifying a CPU killer (ahead of time) help

                Haha MD, me too. Heatsink's a dead giveaway.

                Nice pic, anyway, Gonzo.

                Edit: 250? Dang.
                You know there's something wrong when you open up a PSU and are glad to find Teapos.
                Why I don't buy cheap cases!

                Comment

                • linuxguru
                  Badcaps Legend
                  • Apr 2005
                  • 1564

                  #9
                  Re: Identifying a CPU killer (ahead of time) help

                  Yeah, the VRM layout looks similar to my K7SEM (M810*) which once ate up a nice Thoroughbred B due to bad caps. If you've lost 8 CPUs this year, check the PSUs first for bad caps.

                  Comment

                  • MD Willington
                    Badcaps Veteran
                    • Sep 2004
                    • 702

                    #10
                    Re: Identifying a CPU killer (ahead of time) help

                    VRM and orange "Blob" are always the indicators.. lol
                    Ya'll think us folk from the country's real funny-like, dontcha?

                    The opinions expressed above do not represent those of BADCAPS.NET or any of their affiliates.

                    Comment

                    • gonzo0815
                      Badcaps Legend
                      • Feb 2006
                      • 1600

                      #11
                      Re: Identifying a CPU killer (ahead of time) help

                      If you have seen once, you know them all

                      Comment

                      • tronxkid
                        Member
                        • Jun 2011
                        • 20

                        #12
                        Re: Identifying a CPU killer (ahead of time) help

                        This is exactly what i want.
                        Thank you guys.

                        Comment

                        • Per Hansson
                          Super Moderator
                          • Jul 2005
                          • 5895
                          • Sweden

                          #13
                          Re: Identifying a CPU killer (ahead of time) help

                          There are also special cards you put in the CPU socket with LED's on them that will show if it is working or not, like this one for example...

                          http://cgi.ebay.com/940-CPU-Socket-p...item3364f38245

                          You need a different one for every type of socket of course...
                          "The one who says it cannot be done should never interrupt the one who is doing it."

                          Comment

                          • kaboom
                            "Oh, Grouchy!"
                            • Jan 2011
                            • 2507
                            • USA

                            #14
                            Re: Identifying a CPU killer (ahead of time) help

                            Originally posted by gonzo0815
                            I usually power the board up without any proc. The i grab a voltmeter and measur either on the backside on the big caps if any Vcore like voltage is there. Or i put on probe to a ground point (e.g. a circle around a screw ) and put the other probe to the legs of those rectangular transistors or diodes. Usually on of those pins is on 5v or 12v, one is on 10v and one is on Vcore. Se atachement for an example. The layout of a Vcore circuit can differ, but they are always the same basic shematic. There are usually on every board an inputinductor, the input caps and hte o/p section. It is not hard to fifure it out.

                            PS: mesuring the o/p for short with 5v or 12v line to ground can be misleading. On any of my recapped boards, i have always measured a short with my ohmmeter (may be due to the small supply current of the DVM and the high capcitance of the caps). But all of them are working fine.
                            That board doesn't even have synchronous rectification!

                            ECS...
                            "pokemon go... to hell!"

                            EOL it...
                            Originally posted by shango066
                            All style and no substance.
                            Originally posted by smashstuff30
                            guilty,guilty,guilty,guilty!
                            guilty of being cheap-made!

                            Comment

                            • lmcancu
                              Senior Member
                              • Oct 2009
                              • 158

                              #15
                              Re: Identifying a CPU killer (ahead of time) help

                              The top 3 caps plus 2 at the bottom look like they are bulging ...

                              Comment

                              • ukvince
                                Learning
                                • Jun 2011
                                • 31

                                #16
                                Re: Identifying a CPU killer (ahead of time) help

                                That's exactly what i was thinking ....

                                Comment

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