Re: Opinions on BioStar MBs
 

In article <vvagjph8205e1@corp.supernews.com>, "SBFan2000"
<webmaster@glenngriffith.com> wrote:

> Looking at a cheap Biostar U8668-D 533FSB DDR V/S/L for a relative that
> wants a computer as cheap as possible

Cheap is the operative word.

Biostar is crap. The fail on a regular basis. Even to this day they have
the cheapest caps on them that regularly swell and fail within a year or
so.

So, on one hand they can buy a cheap ass mobo and replace it every couple
of years. Or, they can buy a decent mobo once and have it last.

Re: Opinions on BioStar MBs
 

In article <fl9bvvgi4ubqhp8pe3b54s8gvmik8a6l5d@4ax.com>, Navin R. Johnson
<TheJerk@optigrab.net> wrote:

> On Fri, 02 Jan 2004 13:18:26 GMT, user@user.com (Ghost) wrote:
>
> >In article <vvagjph8205e1@corp.supernews.com>, "SBFan2000"
> ><webmaster@glenngriffith.com> wrote:
> >
> >> Looking at a cheap Biostar U8668-D 533FSB DDR V/S/L for a relative that
> >> wants a computer as cheap as possible
> >
> >Cheap is the operative word.
> >
> >Biostar is crap. The fail on a regular basis. Even to this day they have
> >the cheapest caps on them that regularly swell and fail within a year or
> >so.
> >
> >So, on one hand they can buy a cheap ass mobo and replace it every couple
> >of years. Or, they can buy a decent mobo once and have it last.
>
> I've used BioStar mobo's in most of my 'cheap' customer's systems for
> years and contrary to your experience Ghost, I have yet to ever see one
> come back, for any reason. Although, I've never used a BioStar board
> with any Intel processors, just AMD - they're cheaper.
>
> Another thing, I keep hearing about these mystical swelling capacitors
> that seem to be the root of all motherboard failures. I've built 70-80
> systems per year for the past 10 years and serviced at least three times
> that many and still have never come across one of those elusive swelling
> capacitors that everyone keeps talking about. What's up with that? I do
> use AMD CPUs 99% of the time. Could swelled caps only be a problem on
> boards with Intel processors? Or possibly only when boards are played
> with or overclocked? Whatever the cause, I for one, am not going to
> worry about them. Just my 2 cents.
>
> NRJ



Navin,

I have a box of dead mobos waiting to go to the recycler guy. The caps on
almost every dead board are swollen and leaking.

I recently had a customer who's machine I rebuilt because it was not put
together properly (lots of problems). I noticed about half a dozen caps
that were swollen. I advised him the board was going to fail soon, but
since he did not have the money to take care if it them (yes, it was AMD
if I recall prpoerly), I advised him to keep going until it died. I did
not feel it would damaged anything else, nor did I feel it would damage
the information on the HDD.

Well, about a month after he picked up his machine, he said everything was
going fine until sometimes the mcahine would lock up when he was using it,
and sometimes it would not POST (sometimes it would). It finally would
not POST any more. I opened it up and those caps were now leaking. It was
dead.

By the way, ever curious, I opened up one of the swollen caps. MAN DOES
IT STINK OF AMMONIA!!! It was wicked strong!

The tops of the caps need to be flat. If they are not completely flat,
the caps are going bad. if they are leaking, chances are the board wont
POST at all.

The problem with the caps is they are cheap. Therefore, they fail
relatively rapidly. There has been quite a bit written on the subject in
tech news sources.

As far as what processor- I do not think the processor makes the
difference. However, since AMDs are cheaper and are usually used by
people trying to build cheaper systems, I would think the majority of the
mobos are AMD boards since they tend to be cheaper too. But, this is just
conjecture. I have not really paid much attention to how many Intel
boards vs how many AMD boards have failed.

As far as your years of experience, I think most of this problem has been
rearing its ugly head for only about the last couple or few years. I
think you will see more of it in the future since more companies are using
cheaper garbage to make their boards as well.

Take care Navin.

Re: Opinions on BioStar MBs
 

In article <cuvdvvs61mcs3rdkha87jiicbq2h9el98v@4ax.com>, Navin R. Johnson
<TheJerk@optigrab.net> wrote:

> On Fri, 02 Jan 2004 18:11:01 GMT, in alt.certification.a-plus you wrote:
> <Snipped>
> >> Another thing, I keep hearing about these mystical swelling capacitors
> >> that seem to be the root of all motherboard failures. I've built 70-80
> >> systems per year for the past 10 years and serviced at least three times
> >> that many and still have never come across one of those elusive swelling
> >> capacitors that everyone keeps talking about. What's up with that? I do
> >> use AMD CPUs 99% of the time. Could swelled caps only be a problem on
> >> boards with Intel processors? Or possibly only when boards are played
> >> with or overclocked? Whatever the cause, I for one, am not going to
> >> worry about them. Just my 2 cents.
> >>
> >> NRJ
> >
> >Navin,
> >
> >I have a box of dead mobos waiting to go to the recycler guy. The caps on
> >almost every dead board are swollen and leaking.
>
> I just checked my own box'o'dead mobos and lo and behold found one board
> that had a swollen cap - from an IBM. I took a good looking cap from
> another dead board and replaced the swollen one and now the IBM board is
> alive and well again. It was a fairly easy fix.
>
> >I recently had a customer who's machine I rebuilt because it was not put
> >together properly (lots of problems). I noticed about half a dozen caps
> >that were swollen. I advised him the board was going to fail soon, but
> >since he did not have the money to take care if it them (yes, it was AMD
> >if I recall prpoerly), I advised him to keep going until it died. I did
> >not feel it would damaged anything else, nor did I feel it would damage
> >the information on the HDD.
> >
> >Well, about a month after he picked up his machine, he said everything was
> >going fine until sometimes the mcahine would lock up when he was using it,
> >and sometimes it would not POST (sometimes it would). It finally would
> >not POST any more. I opened it up and those caps were now leaking. It was
> >dead.
> >
> >By the way, ever curious, I opened up one of the swollen caps. MAN DOES
> >IT STINK OF AMMONIA!!! It was wicked strong!
>
> Uh, that was Xenuniform gas you were smelling there. Breathe too much of
> it and it'll cause your nut sack to swell up and leak........
> Kidding... ;-)
>
> >The tops of the caps need to be flat. If they are not completely flat,
> >the caps are going bad. if they are leaking, chances are the board wont
> >POST at all.
>
> >The problem with the caps is they are cheap. Therefore, they fail
> >relatively rapidly. There has been quite a bit written on the subject in
> >tech news sources.
>
> Just found a good article on the problem:
> http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/WEBONLY...eb03/ncap.html
> Corporate espionage gone bad?
>
> >As far as what processor- I do not think the processor makes the
> >difference. However, since AMDs are cheaper and are usually used by
> >people trying to build cheaper systems, I would think the majority of the
> >mobos are AMD boards since they tend to be cheaper too. But, this is just
> >conjecture. I have not really paid much attention to how many Intel
> >boards vs how many AMD boards have failed.
>
> From what I've read about the problem, it doesn't seem to be confined to
> just the cheaper boards. ABIT and IBM have both acknowledged it and
> they're definitely not cheap.
>
> >As far as your years of experience, I think most of this problem has been
> >rearing its ugly head for only about the last couple or few years. I
> >think you will see more of it in the future since more companies are using
> >cheaper garbage to make their boards as well.
> >
> >Take care Navin.
>
> I'll keep an eye out for bloated caps when I check out any bad mobos in
> the future. It wasn't too difficult to replace the one swelled cap I
> found on the IBM board but I would want to replace all the caps on the
> board to be sure it won't happen again. Now, to find a good source for
> reasonably priced, reliable replacement caps. Any ideas?
>
> Thanx,
> Navin R. Johnson
>
> I do, I do, I do believe in swollen capacitors.....


No, I have not been replacing caps... most of the boards I see are not
really all that good and I would not consider them worth the time and
effort to replace the caps.

But, for some decent boards I would consider it... I have a ton of
(apparently still good) caps I took off the old boards when I was bored,
but like I said, most of the boards are garbage boards anyway. Now, if it
was a RAID board or a multiple CPU board, then it would be worth it.

Let me know if you find a decent source for them, ok???

Re: Opinions on BioStar MBs
 

Navin,

Check out the following links for info...

It is from: http://www.motherboardrepair.com



U.S.A. Part Information:

Nichicon "low E.S.R." caps are available from Mouser : http://www.mouser.com/
The part # is : 647-UPW1A152MPH6


As an alternative, a suitable Panasonic part is available from :

Digikey at http://www.digi-key.com
Here's Digikey's part # P10228-ND
*Panasonic's part # EEU-FC1A152
*Description : CAP 1500UF 10V ELECT FC RADIAL
Capacitance 1500uF
Rated Voltage 10V
Tolerance 20%
Series FC
Package / Case Radial
Packaging Bulk
Features Aluminum
Maximum Temperature 105°C


....Ghost