Gigabyte GA-K8VM800M recap worked but now dead?

[socketa]

Hi,
Thought I'd try out a 64 bit motherboard
It's very tidy with no scratched traces

I recapped this motherboard's input and output VRM caps (previously had bloated output caps) with new HM's.
And after a few days of it running nicely, just when i had nearly finished with sorting out a dual boot, it packed a sad.
What happens now is this:
When the wall socket switch is turned on, the computer starts immediately.
Then it makes a long high pitched beep followed by (a few seconds later) a long low pitched beep then nothing more (not repeating).
Using the computer power button, the machine can be powered down (and also restarted after pushing it again).

I have removed the board from the case, disconnected all periphial devices and IDE cables - same result as above
Tried another CPU - same result as above

No video display from either the onboard video or the AGP video card (when inserted)

Tried another PSU - no difference

Tried different RAM/slots - same result
Removed all RAM - get correct repeating beep code for missing RAM

Seems that the Award BIOS is at least partly OK

Any idea what to look for next?

[Sparkey55]

Re: Gigabyte GA-K8VM800M recap worked but now dead?

Sometimes Nichicon HM is not quite low enough ESR replacements. Try resoldering/ reheating the caps just incase of a cold or incomplete joint exists somewhere. It is easy to see the solder on the bottom of the board but not on the top being covered up by the caps bung.

[ReeceyBurger123]

Re: Gigabyte GA-K8VM800M recap worked but now dead?

Hm should work fine for a motherboard, check that they are all soldered properly including polar direction and the actual solder joints.

[Sparkey55]

Re: Gigabyte GA-K8VM800M recap worked but now dead?

Hm should work fine for a motherboard, check that they are all soldered properly including polar direction and the actual solder joints.

Some of Gigabytes motherboards require much lower ESR values than HM series. Especially the VRM outputs. Also we do not know exactly what he replaced the original caps with. Real or fakes? Also some socket 754 boards a finicky about the DDR choices. A lot yet to be confirmed.

[selldoor]

Re: Gigabyte GA-K8VM800M recap worked but now dead?

I think we need pictures?

Correct type of ram DDR less the 2gb 2.5V ?

Reset the cmos?

Plugged in the 12v 4pin lead

[c_hegge]

Re: Gigabyte GA-K8VM800M recap worked but now dead?

Some of Gigabytes motherboards require much lower ESR values than HM series. Especially the VRM outputs. Also we do not know exactly what he replaced the original caps with. Real or fakes? Also some socket 754 boards a finicky about the DDR choices. A lot yet to be confirmed.

Disagreed. Almost all Gigabyte boards with lytics originally came from the factory with either Nichicon HM or an equivalent (NCC KZG, Sanyo WG, Ruby MBZ). I've never seen any gigabyte board with lower ESR caps than that.

[socketa]

Re: Gigabyte GA-K8VM800M recap worked but now dead?

Thanks,
The original caps were HM's - 3 X 1500uf input, and 3 X 3300uf output, so they are exactly the same.
Thought that i did a tidy job of the soldering - no dry joints/solder splashes

Yes,
Correct polarity
Reset cmos
Replaced battery
4-pin 12v connector plugged in
Correct RAM
It was running OK for a couple of days

Just rechecked continuity on the end of the cap leads (where they were snipped)
The ouput caps all test to be connected in parallel as they should be, and likewise for the input caps.
So, therefore the solder joints are all good

Also, both fans are spinning (cpu and sys)

Any more thoughts?

[Sparkey55]

Re: Gigabyte GA-K8VM800M recap worked but now dead?

Disagreed. Almost all Gigabyte boards with lytics originally came from the factory with either Nichicon HM or an equivalent (NCC KZG, Sanyo WG, Ruby MBZ). I've never seen any gigabyte board with lower ESR caps than that.

You can disagree with me all you want. It still does not change the fact that I have seen a few with my own eyes original factory equipped motherboards from Gigabyte with lower esr ratings than Nichicon HM series.

[Sparkey55]

Re: Gigabyte GA-K8VM800M recap worked but now dead?

Thanks,
The original caps were HM's - 3 X 1500uf input, and 3 X 3300uf output, so they are exactly the same.
Thought that i did a tidy job of the soldering - no dry joints/solder splashes

Yes,
Correct polarity
Reset cmos
Replaced battery
4-pin 12v connector plugged in
Correct RAM
It was running OK for a couple of days

Just rechecked continuity on the end of the cap leads (where they were snipped)
The ouput caps all test to be connected in parallel as they should be, and likewise for the input caps.
So, therefore the solder joints are all good

Also, both fans are spinning (cpu and sys)

Any more thoughts?

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fixthe...beep-codes.htm

http://www.bioscentral.com/beepcodes/awardbeep.htm

You could have something wrong with either the CPU, the socket, the fan not reaching a high enough RPM, the fans RPM sense wire not outputting a reading or a bios setting related to overheating thus shutting down the motherboard.

[Sparkey55]

Re: Gigabyte GA-K8VM800M recap worked but now dead?

Thanks,
The original caps were HM's - 3 X 1500uf input, and 3 X 3300uf output, so they are exactly the same.
Thought that i did a tidy job of the soldering - no dry joints/solder splashes

Yes,
Correct polarity
Reset cmos
Replaced battery
4-pin 12v connector plugged in
Correct RAM
It was running OK for a couple of days

Just rechecked continuity on the end of the cap leads (where they were snipped)
The ouput caps all test to be connected in parallel as they should be, and likewise for the input caps.
So, therefore the solder joints are all good

Also, both fans are spinning (cpu and sys)

Any more thoughts?

Also I have seen and expirenced SOME Gigabyte boards that develop warpage causing the ram modules to not completely seat into the slots even though they will lock in place. This is due to the placement of the memory slots in relation to the cpu socket heatsink retention mechanics.

[socketa]

Re: Gigabyte GA-K8VM800M recap worked but now dead?

yes, had previously spent quite some time searching pages of award beep codes.
And note that the high/low tone is documented as repeating, whereas mine does not repeat (waited for 5 minites)
(note that both of those links use the word "repeating").
The CPU is not the problem because i tried another one, and still the same result
Last time the computer was running the bios was reporting the fan speed with no warnings

What i am slightly suspicious of, is that when i first got the board, after recapping it, it was not working, so i removed the heatsink and forgot to twist it off, hence pulling out the CPU without lifting the CPU lever.
Anyway, after that i stuck it back in, reapplied thermal paste and it worked with no problem.
Then a couple of days later it's playing up.

I've reinserted the CPU's several times, and still no joy.
Also neither CPU just falls nicely into the socket, a slight push on one corner is required to pop either of them in.

Seems that the bios is seeing the RAM, because when i remove both sticks i get a No-RAM beep code

[Sparkey55]

Re: Gigabyte GA-K8VM800M recap worked but now dead?

yes, had previously spent quite some time searching pages of award beep codes.
And note that the high/low tone is documented as repeating, whereas mine does not repeat (waited for 5 minites)
(note that both of those links use the word "repeating").
The CPU is not the problem because i tried another one, and still the same result
Last time the computer was running the bios was reporting the fan speed with no warnings

What i am slightly suspicious of, is that when i first got the board, after recapping it, it was not working, so i removed the heatsink and forgot to twist it off, hence pulling out the CPU without lifting the CPU lever.
Anyway, after that i stuck it back in, reapplied thermal paste and it worked with no problem.
Then a couple of days later it's playing up.

I've reinserted the CPU's several times, and still no joy.
Also neither CPU just falls nicely into the socket, a slight push on one corner is required to pop either of them in.

Seems that the bios is seeing the RAM, because when i remove both sticks i get a No-RAM beep code

You could have damaged the cpu socket when pulling the cpu out while the locking mechanism was in place. I have done that myself but I got lucky and did not damage either.

[socketa]

Re: Gigabyte GA-K8VM800M recap worked but now dead?

Thought that i got lucky also

So what now?

It looks like the Bios is seeing the CPU, because when i remove the CPU and switch on the PSU, and the mobo automatically turns itself on (i can't remember it doing that before when it was working - shouldn't the computer power switch determine if the compuer turns on or not?), i get no beep codes.

[Sparkey55]

Re: Gigabyte GA-K8VM800M recap worked but now dead?

So what now?

It looks like the Bios is seeing the CPU, because when i remove the CPU and switch on the PSU, and the mobo automatically turns itself on (i can't remember it doing that before when it was working - shouldn't the computer power switch determine if the compuer turns on or not?), i get no beep codes.

That is normal reaction. With no cpu detected the post sequence is early in count and will not advance to the alert loop.

[Sparkey55]

Re: Gigabyte GA-K8VM800M recap worked but now dead?

yes, had previously spent quite some time searching pages of award beep codes.
And note that the high/low tone is documented as repeating, whereas mine does not repeat (waited for 5 minites)
(note that both of those links use the word "repeating").
The CPU is not the problem because i tried another one, and still the same result
Last time the computer was running the bios was reporting the fan speed with no warnings

What i am slightly suspicious of, is that when i first got the board, after recapping it, it was not working, so i removed the heatsink and forgot to twist it off, hence pulling out the CPU without lifting the CPU lever.
Anyway, after that i stuck it back in, reapplied thermal paste and it worked with no problem.
Then a couple of days later it's playing up.

I've reinserted the CPU's several times, and still no joy.
Also neither CPU just falls nicely into the socket, a slight push on one corner is required to pop either of them in.

Seems that the bios is seeing the RAM, because when i remove both sticks i get a No-RAM beep code

The cpu should not need any force to align with the socket, it should drop in. Check for bent or misaligned pins on cpu.

[Sparkey55]

Re: Gigabyte GA-K8VM800M recap worked but now dead?

Some advice on using TIM. Apply a small amount of thermal grease in the center of the cpu's IHS. Then insert the heatsink straight down on top of the grease to evenly spread it outwards. DO NOT TWIST the heatsink when doing this.

[Sparkey55]

Re: Gigabyte GA-K8VM800M recap worked but now dead?

What i am slightly suspicious of, is that when i first got the board, after recapping it, it was not working, so i removed the heatsink and forgot to twist it off, hence pulling out the CPU without lifting the CPU lever.
Anyway, after that i stuck it back in, reapplied thermal paste and it worked with no problem.

If the heatsink does not want to lift off easily do not twist it. Carefully put a screwdriver edge between the bottom of the heatsink and the outer hard plastic retention base that surrounds the socket and then gently pry the heatsink up. You may need to do this at two opposite corners.

[socketa]

Re: Gigabyte GA-K8VM800M recap worked but now dead?

Thanks again,

Will remember that trick for next time.

Yes, there was some slightly bent pins in the original CPU (i bent them when lifting the CPU up from one side because it was stuck a bit in one corner of the socket) and i straightened them up.
On the replacement CPU there is no bent pins.

I've tried both, with same result.
I don't think that the CPU is the problem
Both CPU's go down all the way, after a gentle nudge in the corner.

[Sparkey55]

Re: Gigabyte GA-K8VM800M recap worked but now dead?

Thanks again,

Will remember that trick for next time.

Yes, there was some slightly bent pins in the original CPU (i bent them when lifting the CPU up from one side because it was stuck a bit in one corner of the socket) and i straightened them up.
On the replacement CPU there is no bent pins.

I've tried both, with same result.
I don't think that the CPU is the problem
Both CPU's go down all the way, after a gentle nudge in the corner.

Okay, a slite detour. Where did you get the caps to replace the bad ones from?

[socketa]

Re: Gigabyte GA-K8VM800M recap worked but now dead?

One of the major reputable suppliers like digikey, forgotten which one exactly - not ebay
They are not fakes
Date code H1316
Had them in storage for a few months

The mobo was working without a problem for a couple of days after they were used to replace the bad caps