Abit NF-M2SV - bad caps or?

**c_hegge** · 10-08-2011, 05:45 AM

Re: Abit NF-M2SV - bad caps or?

I'm 99.999999999% certain that the problem is the chipset. Those boards have nvidia chipsets with the RoHS solder bug.

Once your chipset fails, it's the end of the motherboard. I recently had one fail and take out several of my USB devices (including a $200 oscilloscope

)

**thewk** · 10-08-2011, 06:23 AM

Re: Abit NF-M2SV - bad caps or?

Yeah, I have heat gun which I have used to repair this laptop I am now using so probably I could try it next. However, since I got frustrated that I have wasted many good new caps I removed most of them and replace with originals. I of course did not remember which one was where (they have same ratings of course). I switched the system on and noticed that one which is near where the main power cord is connected almost immediately started to bulge and system crashed again. This same thing happened with one near PCI-E slot. Again, all of them have same ratings so I suppose it should not matter which location I put them? The ones which I have used are rated 2200uf and 10V, made by Jamicon. I have been told that you can replace caps with slightly higher ratings but with those the board seems to less stable.

I am in no ways expert altough I have succesfully repaired motherboards before and also couple iMac G5's so all tips are welcome

**c_hegge** · 10-08-2011, 07:20 PM

Re: Abit NF-M2SV - bad caps or?

If you replaced them with the originals, then that would explain it. Caps become conditioned to whatever voltage they are given, so if you take a 6.3v cap and feed it 1.5v (like on the VRM), within an hour or so, it's now a 1.5v cap. if you put it next to the ATX connector, where it might be getting 5v, then of course it will fail. Personally, as soon as I get the old caps off a board they go straight into the bin (or fire).

**thewk** · 10-08-2011, 11:15 PM

Re: Abit NF-M2SV - bad caps or?

Okay, didn't know that.

I uploaded a small video about how it hangs. The board boots into BIOS every time but hangs on different stages when Ubuntu is being loaded. Windows 7 usually is able to load drivers and enter into graphical stage, there it hangs at the part where I have selected partitions and pressed Next (if it haven't hanged before that). Couple times it did boot up to Ubuntu-desktop and function normally.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3_KEf2newE

I don't know why this video has that kind of "tail" where nothing happens, apparently Movie Maker or YouTube screwed something up..

Pictures:

http://lolled.net/kuvaus2/out.php?i=13362_caps1.jpg
http://lolled.net/kuvaus2/out.php?i=13363_caps2.jpg

So like I wrote earlier, I have used those Jamicon caps which are "bigger" in everyway, physical size, uf- and voltage rating. I cannot replace those two near the cpu socket for two reasons, caps won't fit and I don't currently have any caps left

I ordered Rubycon caps however. As you'll noticed, the plastic frame for cooler has been removed to ease cap change.

Heat gun:

I also tried the heat gun method, I heated some time with the same settings which I have used to fix my laptop and couple graphics cards. Functionality of the board did not change.

It would be great if someone with this board or the ECS -branded 6100M (or something, as far as I know they're exactly the same board) who has battled same kind of issues and fixed them would comment this thread

**retiredcaps** · 10-08-2011, 11:49 PM

Re: Abit NF-M2SV - bad caps or?

If this motherboard has a hardware monitor in BIOS, see what your CPU temp is. Just let it sit at the hardware monitor menu and see if the temp rises.

**thewk** · 10-09-2011, 12:39 AM

Re: Abit NF-M2SV - bad caps or?

Here are temperature readings when idling in BIOS which cannot be correct:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIYbhEsXEi0

There seems however be fix in form of a bios update. I'm not sure which bios is installed since the BIOS screen is not so informative about, there is date 4.4 and year 2007 but none of the BIOSes have been released on that day according to Abit website:

http://www.abit.com.tw/page/en/downl...E=Socket%20AM2

Processor is AMD Sempron 2800+ (1.6GHz).

EDIT: Successfully updated BIOS.

**c_hegge** · 10-09-2011, 05:46 AM

Re: Abit NF-M2SV - bad caps or?

The use of jamicon caps could explain it too. They only make general purpose capacitors, which are not suitable for motherboards. Use something like rubycon MBZ or MCZ series or nichicon HM or HN series.

**thewk** · 10-10-2011, 09:08 AM

Re: Abit NF-M2SV - bad caps or?

Originally posted by c_hegge

The use of jamicon caps could explain it too. They only make general purpose capacitors, which are not suitable for motherboards. Use something like rubycon MBZ or MCZ series or nichicon HM or HN series.

Okay, bit surprising since I've fixed couple iMac G5's with these and after years the caps are still fine. However I did order Rubycon MCZ caps.

I've also done something which I know is not recommened, but I took some of the caps from the another same kind of board (caps which seemed to be fine) and replaced some of this board I am currently working. The board still boots up to bios at every attempt, it goes trough the first phase of Windows XP setup and then I've noticed follwing (I am using USB stick as installation media):

1) If I let the machine to boot into that second, graphical stage with keyboard and mouse (PS/2) in place the machine will shut down after a while.

2) If I let the machine to boot without any devices connected to the back panel (well video cable of course), it will go past XP logo and get to blue screen and the machine will stay on (seemingly) as long as I let it to be on. If I plug in an USB device, it crashes.

So, based on your experience, is the problem capacitors (which I hope) or is there something else? Remember, I have booted this succesfully into Ubuntu and keyboard and mouse worked fine. I will now wait for the replacements to arrive and not solder anything before that.

**JAnderson** · 10-12-2011, 10:31 AM

Re: Abit NF-M2SV - bad caps or?

I wonder if it is a problem around the southbridge considering you're having problems with ps/2, usb, and hard drives.

**thewk** · 10-13-2011, 01:34 AM

Re: Abit NF-M2SV - bad caps or?

Originally posted by JAnderson

I wonder if it is a problem around the southbridge considering you're having problems with ps/2, usb, and hard drives.

Well no problems with hard drives, it does recognize them and is able to copy files for example, at one point it did boot succesfully into Ubuntu desktop and everything worked including USB keyboard and mouse. That was after I had changed only one cap which seemed to be faulty. This did not last since after couple succesful boots the situation reverted back to what was before, to shutdowns. I have tried the heat gun method two times but it does not change anything, I have repair couple graphic cards and laptops with same settings, I doubt if I should increase the heat.

Well, I'll wait for replacement caps and if they don't change anything I'll throw this to trash bin.

**thewk** · 10-13-2011, 10:12 AM

Re: Abit NF-M2SV - bad caps or?

Seems like I cannot edit my post? Well, I did quickly try to take some caps from the another board and now again this board boots to Ubuntu -desktop but crashes if move mouse! What's really strange is that I can use keyboard.

**thewk** · 10-25-2011, 10:38 AM

Re: Abit NF-M2SV - bad caps or?

Problem solved, atleast the first one was fixed by replacing all OST caps, even those which did not have external signs of being faulty. At first attempt Windows XP was installed without any problems and is now running fine.

I guess the second board can be cured with the same way.

Abit NF-M2SV - bad caps or?

Abit NF-M2SV - bad caps or?

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