ARGH!!! HeLp!! My mobo fried... :( LOL!

[ToiletSeat]

Hey guys :p

I'm just building a new computer for a friend (well upgrading), and it's a disaster at the moment!!! :eek:

It's a Soltek DRV4... with 256mb PC2100 Corsair ram... amd 1600+ cpu... TT volcano 6 CU+... and the case is an iCute 8250SL Type 3 with 320W PSU!

Now the motherboard is dead!!! :mad: I left everything in the BIOS of the board on default pretty much except for setting up the CPU 133x10.5=1400. Which showed up as 1600+ when I boot up and the computer POSTS. So it looks all ok! And the CPU/SYS temp was fine. It was around 25/20 when I checked 2-3 times after restarting cause I wanted to be sure the cooler was going ok. The fan was spinning around at 6800rpm so it was going well too. And I applied the thermal paste that came with it in a thin layer too, and it seemed ok!

Anyway, so it looks fine... I had just partitioned the HDD and then went on to install Win2kPro. That went smooth as. No problems. Then went onto to install some programs. Just the usual... 4in1 drivers first of course... then mobo sound drivers... then office...msn...icq...getright... stuff like that.

Halfway through one of these it just crashed and these errors came up... I didn't really take note of them (argh stupid me!) but you know I thought it was just a bugga... and so I hit reset assuming that the computer would just reset and I'd get on with it! But nope!!! It just sat there and didn't do a thing - it was a black screen btw...

So I turned it off at the PSU. And then after a min or two, turned it back on. Fans spun and all... but the motherboard wouldn't POST!!! Noooooooo :(

So after much testing with changing PSUS even, taking out cards and triple checking cables! I pretty much gave up. I removed everything except for the CPU and HSF... and turned it on. No beep - uhhhhh... guess it's dead?

Now, my question is... how did it fry!!!

My supplier tells me it is probably because I mounted the motherboard directly onto the case! Yes! Directly onto the case!

This case is weird :o I did orignally mount the brass metal posts you normally screw in first before you mount the motherboard on top of. But this made the motherboard sit too HIGH! And it wouldn't fit in the bracket at the back where the PS2 ports and USB ports, etc come out.

So, I removed these metal posts and mounted the motherboard directly on the case. Ah yes, perfect fit! So I assumed that's how you were supposed to mount it.

Because for some reason this motherboard has little "raised areas" where these mounts normally are. Look at the photo I've attached for what I mean!!! Weird type 3 icute cases!!!

My supplier reckons the board shorted out and died cause of this.

Can anyone here offer me some ideas? (or your sympathy?) ;) Or a new board? :rolleyes:

I'm lucky that my supplier is offering to replace it free of charge. Thank god for that.

But I don't want this to happen again? What's with the case? What should I do next time when my new board arrives later this week? And will it happen again?

Thanks for any help guys :P

Much appreiciated :D

---Edited here!---

Oops, image didn't come up??? I've uploaded it here... So have a look! http://projectbb.orcon.net.nz/insidecase.jpg !!! Thanks :P

[I.R]

Hmmm.... have you set the CPU frequency?? I've got that board and if you try to change the multiplier without unlocking the CPU it black screens :( put the multiplier to auto detect... I think it's dip 5 on SW1 and that should be closest to the PSU (I think :eek: )

If you haven't set the CPU frequency then try because a red LED should come on if the mobo is working when you power on ;)

[ToiletSeat]

Heya,

Thanks for the reply :) Hmmm... Oh? I left the multiplier on default (10.5), but I changed the FSB to 133.

Isn't that still OK? 10.5 x 133 = 1400 ... and showed up as 1600+ when I restarted the computer the first time. It did work fine for 2 hours... and I did install stuff and restart a couple of times (and it restarted fine). So I don't think that is the problem? Plus after it wouldn't post, I tried to put all the dip switches back to the default position. And it still wouldn't post, and I can't get a beep at all out of the board.

My supplier says it may have been shorting out because it was directly mounted onto the case? What do you say about that?

I then mounted the motherboard into my other computer's case, it still didn't boot up/post. So I don't think it was shorting out after that anyway - so musta been dead?

And I did try to reset CMOS in case anyone thought of that :/

Any more ideas guys? Thanks...

[KingJackal]

IF it shorted, the short would have killed it - so it wouldn't have booted in another system if you were Merlin.

Were there brown singe marks on the bottom of the old motherboard? If not, you can tell the retailer he's likely a moron. Also, when looking for shorts - smell first. ALWAYS smell first ( don't touch ). That'll tell you if something's fried, cos fried electronics stinks. ;)

Then ( if you're a lucky g33k like me with access to more than one machine ) you try said parts ( CPU, RAM, etc ) on another system to verify their integrity. THEN you put it all together again and test, just in case ( I have had this fix things before - there are explanations, but suffice to say that electronics sometimes do 'weird stuff'. )

If it's still dead, it's f**ked. Take it back, get a new one - and be ULTRA suspicious if it happens again!

( sorry no after-the-fact advice, but there really isn't much to give )

[ToiletSeat]

Mmmm... my nose was blocked :P LoL! Damn... well I didn't take a sniff or anything so no idea...!

Yer, I think I pretty much conclude that the mobo is dead. It's gone now anyway. Sent back to supplier. Yer I'll be sus if it dies again!!! But I think it was just a wacked up board...

I can check some things now, like the HDD is still working thank god. But haven't checked others like the CPU or ram or CDROM or vid card. Hopefully they still go or else I'll be really p***** off!!!

So what do you think the most likely reason was for the short? Was it cause the motherboard was directly in contact with the case since it's a weird case?

I've spoken to some OTHER suppliers who have had experience with this particular exact case... and they said they just mounted the board directly onto the case as well and those systems are still wokring solid and strong with no problems.

So I'm just completely puzzled and don't understand.

??? Ideas ??? Thanks guys... let me know your thoughts

PS: Errrr... so what should I do when I get the new motherboard?

[Grrr!!]

What you should do with your new mobo? Mount it the same as you did this one, and reinstall your system, and check if everything works.

[ToiletSeat]

Lol... thanks for the tip :cool:

I meant more like, anything specific in case i screw it up again!!! :P

I think it was just a dud board, my supplier now agrees... mmm... pray with me when I get my new board :P

cheers guy

[SecretSquirrel]

I doubt it, motherboards are designed to sit directly on the backing plate, attached to the raised knobly bits. There are specially designed ringpieces (much like humans!!) for the screws to go through so they dont short.

Unless you wedged a screw or screwdriver or ANYTHING metal under the board....anyway, if you HAD fried it, even with a blocked nose, you'd know. Its like smelling burning hair, very similar smell anyway.

I WAS going to say 'did you reset cmos' but...hehehe

Just for curious sake, take a look at the CPU, both sides, and look right up close for any blemishes, especially burnt parts, incase for some odd reason the hellcooler didnt do its job right, doubtful, mine keeps my machine at about 21 load when running at its maximum of 8000rpm...

[I.R]

If the CPU was ****ed and the mobo wasn't it would beep like a stuck pig :p

[Deviant]

I have built 100's of computers, and have never had to mount directly onto the case without the spaces (including icute cases). Sometime the ps2 ports etc are a tight squeze. If the only thing you could do was mount directly onto the case, and others then I think there is something wrong with the design of the case.

Did the case come with the little mounts/spaces?

If it did then you should definately use them!

Others may be lucky enough to have gotten away with mounting directly to the case, but you could get caught out again. You are lucky the shop is going to replace the mobo.

I would personally replace the case. (and the broken mobo of course)

Perhapse get the shop to mount the mobo, then it will be their fault if anything happens.

You are entitled to your money back if the case cannot fit a motherboard properly, because it will not perform the function it was intended for (under the consumer guarentes act).

Hope this helps.

What about other icute case owners out there? What are your experiences?

[ToiletSeat]

Ooooo... i see! LoL!

Well, I didn't see any smoke!!! And I didn't smell any smoke when it died... but the case was on it's side and the panel beneath it was off!!! [thus revealing part of the motherboard i think!!!] And god knows if there was anything metal underneath that mighty got titchy and touched it!!!

mmm... well I sent the mobo away... so that's gone... just out of curiosity... do motherboards POST with no CPU!??!?! :/ may sound like a newbie question but I just wanna know lol...

as for my CPU... i'm looking at it right now (cause I kept it)...

the die looks fine... not melted or cracked or anything... but there is SLIGHTLY a bit of darkness (darker brown than the "amd brown" of the cpu) around the die on TOP and RIGHT of it...

does that suggest anything!!! :eek:

--------------------------------

as for the response from Deviant...

hey man... umm.. oh i c... yes that's exactly what i thought!!! never in my life have i seen these wacked up crazy "bumps" in the case :/ did u check out the link to the pic i posted? lol it's some weird crap... and when i picked the case i was not expecting those as i was not expecting this "type 3" version of the case - grrrrrrrrr....

maybe i should change it - i will ask my supplier and see what he says...

now when you guys say "washers" or "spacers"... what do you mean? people have asked me about them but i dunno... ne1 got a pic? :rolleyes:

they're not the brass metal posts or "stand-offs" you're talking about are you?

it's just that it seems that if i use these posts the motherboard sits too high... and it's kidna obvious i think that icute intends us to not use the posts... but perhaps something else? i have those brown circle things that always come with mobos but i normally use them on top of the motherboard between the normal screws???

let me know what you guys think...

[SecretSquirrel]

Well my cases have all got just the 'bumps' for the screws, so I dot know if we are all on different wavelengths or what...

As for the die, mine is the same, I dont THINK thats a problem! But as I.R. said, the mobo would beep like a mofo if it was the CPU.

Yeah, I'd agree with Deviant, get the shop to install the motherboard onto the case backing plate, but I'm pretty sure there's only one way to slap those on, straight onto the 'bumps'.

[ToiletSeat]

yo...

lol... well here's the pic of what it looks like inside ... u can see the "bumps" ... http://projectbb.orcon.net.nz/insidecase.jpg ... yah see how they "raise up" so that it implies that you don't use the posts... cause without the posts the mobo sits perfect and fits through the holes...

ok i'll have to send the case back to the supplier and see what he thinks and get him to do it!

yer thought the mobo should beep but it's dead as a mudda fugga...

cheers guys for help

[Ragnor]

Yeah those raised area's with the hole in the middle.. that's where ya supposed to screw the brass post things in and mount the mobo on top of those.

Icute cases have a tendancy to be a tight squeeze, they're cheap and you get what you pay for.. something not perfect.

I think almost definately you have shorted the mobo by mounting it straight onto the case. Bummer..

I would not try mounting the mobo straight onto the case again. If you can't get the mobo to fit in the case with the brass post things installed; take the case back / get a new case...

My Icute case doesn't fit the mobo perfectly either... that's one of the reasons why I'm moving to a new case soon.

/me strokes the neonlight case he bought of JB when he had that phat special...

[ToiletSeat]

Heeeey...

hell yes it's one hell of a squeeze in this case :confused:

i am trying to exchange this case now for another one and hopefully my supplier will give me the OK... as I too am not too keen on it...

dun wanna see more fried mobos!!! ok people don't buy the TYPE III version of the icute cases!!! they smell!!! (like fried mobos)!!!!! :D

[Wibber]

you think Icute cases are cheap? then you havent seen a really cheap case

[Unicorn]

I have put together a couple of machines in the last 3 months, using Icute cases with no problems. I used the brass standoffs, with the little red washers on top (it is not easy to drop the motherboard on without dislodging the red washers).

But the holes for the standoffs were just drilled into the mounting plate ... the area around the holes was not pressed up, as appears to be the situation in your photo. All the ports on the back lined up fine, using the standoffs.

I cannot see how pressing the area around the holes could substitute for a standoff, as the standoffs are 7mm high and fit in a diameter under 5mm (that is asking a hell of a lot out of pressed metal).

I would never mount a motherboard that touched anything other than the 5mm area around each mounting hole (there should be a circular bit on the underside of the motherboard that indicates the safe landing area).

I think I have Icute type II cases .. they are 627SL and the mounting plate etc looks like the type II model here ... http://www.casepower.com.tw/eng/index_eng.htm (go to Dong Guan 3 factory) ... perhaps yours came from the Ningbo factory:p

btw, even though one case came with one fan and the other with 2, they had just bolted the fans behind that bit with all the small holes - terrible for airflow, and its horrible thin metal to cut through.

[ToiletSeat]

Heya,

indeed i agree that this new version "type 3" of the cases are shockers. well it's my first time using an icute case and i'd never buy one again - well this ain't my system anyway i'm building it for a friend who insisted on the cheap case!!!

that's what you get i guess if u pay crap all :o

so you reckon i should put these red circle washers on top of the case, and then mount the motherboard on top of that? ok then i will try that when i get my new board...

i've noticed that the case does not line up perfectly 100% with the motherboard - and a couple of other users/suppliers have agreed with me from what they've installed....

what do you think i should do about that? cause i forced a screw in and it did eventually go in but on an angle :/ lol prolly wasn't the best idea but yer... should i just leave it next time and just not screw it in? or demand a new case altogether :P

thanks guys

[ToiletSeat]

Oh yea whoops forgot to answer about the fan holes....

haha, nah this type 3 version is better in that respect... it has a giant 120mm cut out completely and a 120mm fan!!! (errr haven't checked what brand or how much cfm air it moves but still!!!)

as for my own case, i got 4 x 120mm sunon fans!!! keeps mah full tow case nice n cool :D

never buy icute cases!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Deviant]

You don't need any red washers. All the brass posts should touch the mobo with good contact for good earthing. I've seen cases with little raised bumps before, but the mobo still fitted in with the posts as well.

Perhapse bad quality management by icute. Send it back and they might get the picture when lots of people do that.

[Volodkovich]

hmm, what happens if you can turn the mobo tray the other way round so the bumps face backwards? Im not sure if you can do that with Icute cases, but then you could maybe use the brass standoff thingees.

[Sphyre]

Hey, sorry for the MASSIVE thread necromancy, but i've got this same problem - raised bumps on my icute 627SL case. As it is atm, I have the 5 brass standoffs supplied in the bumps, but the mobo sits way too high - the pci cards can't screw in to the slots, the back of the mobo doesn't line up with the backplate provided, and it generally feels unstable as all **** (eg the mobo might topple over any second).

Help? :(

[evilangel]

i had the vg100-sl (now sitting in the corner of the room in a very sorry state)

it also jhas the bumps or whatever you wish to call them. stupid thing was i could use the brass standoffs when i had the epox rda+ in there but when i got an msi they held the board too high (certain ocnz members have seen this and me struggling to get cards to srew down on the pci slots. i took out the standoff's and mounted straight onto the backplate and had no problems even when i had the soltek in there up to two weeks ago

[Deviant]

You are meant to screw the motherboard directly on to the bumps in the iCute cases. The brass standoffs DO NOT go into the bumps, instead they go into other screw holes where there are no bumps when the motherboards need support in those areas.

Yes I can imagine a mobo sitting a inch above the chassis having trouble with PCI cards.

[Tiggerz]

You must use the little brass posts and they must be one per hole in the mobo. Those holes are insulated from the mobo.

You cannot mount the mobo directly on the case, nor can you rest it on one of the little brass posts.

Often the board will short, some times it wont and will just earth - it wont go but nothing is wrong with it. Other times you may just get a dead spot on the board (until you test it elsewhere).


When you get a mobo you should get a back panel that goes with it. Your supposed to swap this with the one in the case to ensure a correct fit.

[PANiC_nz]

You are meant to screw the motherboard directly on to the bumps in the iCute cases.
That is true, it is impossiable to mount a motherboard with brass standoff in an iCute case with the lil bumps. I have one sitting here with a Abit BE6-II it been going for a solid 2 months without any problems. Seeing as iCute dont supply brass standoff with their cases it would make sense to mount on the bumps that are the perfect height ;)

[Deviant]

I don't think Tiggerz has actually seen an iCute case or else he would disagree with himself. DO NOT use brass posts on the raised portions. The iCutes are designed differently and the motherboard mounts directly onto the chassis.

And a second thing Tiggers, the little brass posts actually earth the motherboard to the chassis. If you check the motherboards continuity between the mobo's earth pin in the ATX connector, and where the brass posts fit you will find it to be a short circuit.

[Tiggerz]

I havnt seen the icute cases. But the three mobos I have are all insulated boards. In fact one of them even comes with little plastic washers to ensure it can be properly mounted.

I'd really hate to have an expensive mobo connected to a steel chassis that is then sitting on nylon carpet as all my machines currently are. :)

Some boards have one of the mounting holes earthed to the chasis (its a slightly different shape to the rest of the holes) - but this is for balancing the static buildup.

[Sphyre]

Cheers guys. Reconstructed the comp, which had been running for 6 months with lose PCI cards and no backplate, and it's going like a champ (knock on wood)

But holy crap, I hate computers. So much. Die. Die. Die. Die.