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Hello all,

Have this strange problem. I have a computer that will POST sometimes then
it will freeze and other times it will freeze before POST. It is an ATX MB.
I have tested the PS both on the molex plugs and they test at the correct
voltage. I have tested the PS plug to the MB and each wire tests fine both
with the power on, and the power off (with power to the PS on) The memory
test good and I'm starting to think that the CPU is going bad? In all my
years as a repair tech Ive never seen this... The known history of this
system is it has been left on for long periods of time with a bad CPU fan...

What do you all think?


Thanks in advance,

David Meek

On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 18:19:34 -0500, "TechRepair" <> wrote:

>Hello all,
>
>Have this strange problem. I have a computer that will POST sometimes then
>it will freeze and other times it will freeze before POST. It is an ATX MB.
>I have tested the PS both on the molex plugs and they test at the correct
>voltage. I have tested the PS plug to the MB and each wire tests fine both
>with the power on, and the power off (with power to the PS on) The memory
>test good and I'm starting to think that the CPU is going bad? In all my
>years as a repair tech Ive never seen this... The known history of this
>system is it has been left on for long periods of time with a bad CPU fan...

check the caps around socket or voltage regulators on MoBo !

-- Regards, SPAJKY
& visit site - http://www.spajky.vze.com
Celly-III OC-ed,"Tualatin on BX-Slot1-MoBo!"
E-mail AntiSpam: remove ##

If it's been left on for long periods of time with a bad CPU fan, there
could be CPU damage, without a doubt. Swap it out for another CPU and see if
it solves your problem. You did replace the bad fan I assume, correct? If it
locks does it take several minutes before you can re-boot, or can you
re-boot immediately?

"Firebird81" <> wrote in message
newscklb.2982$ m...
> If it's been left on for long periods of time with a bad CPU fan, there
> could be CPU damage, without a doubt. Swap it out for another CPU and see
if
> it solves your problem. You did replace the bad fan I assume, correct? If
it
> locks does it take several minutes before you can re-boot, or can you
> re-boot immediately?
>
>

Oddly enough, the fan was replaced about 2 months ago and booted fine at
that time. I suppose the owner could have zapped it with an ungrounded
finger or something...

"Spajky" <Spajky##@volja.net> wrote in message
news:...
> On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 18:19:34 -0500, "TechRepair" <> wrote:
>
> >Hello all,
> >
> >Have this strange problem. I have a computer that will POST sometimes
then
> >it will freeze and other times it will freeze before POST. It is an ATX
MB.
> >I have tested the PS both on the molex plugs and they test at the correct
> >voltage. I have tested the PS plug to the MB and each wire tests fine
both
> >with the power on, and the power off (with power to the PS on) The memory
> >test good and I'm starting to think that the CPU is going bad? In all my
> >years as a repair tech Ive never seen this... The known history of this
> >system is it has been left on for long periods of time with a bad CPU
fan...
>
> check the caps around socket or voltage regulators on MoBo !

That's an ok suggestion, but at least tell the guy what he should look for.
Suspect capacitors (barrel-shaped objects) that have bulged tops (normal
caps should be very flat on top), or brownish fluid leaking from the top or
bottom of the capacitor.

On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 21:18:47 -0400, "Thor" <> wrote:
> In all my
>> >years as a repair tech Ive never seen this...

>> check the caps around socket or voltage regulators on MoBo !
>
>That's an ok suggestion, but at least tell the guy what he should look for.
>Suspect capacitors (barrel-shaped objects) that have bulged tops (normal
>caps should be very flat on top), or brownish fluid leaking from the top or
>bottom of the capacitor.
>
Thought was enough because he said he is not a novice in matter ...

-- Regards, SPAJKY
& visit site - http://www.spajky.vze.com
Celly-III OC-ed,"Tualatin on BX-Slot1-MoBo!"
E-mail AntiSpam: remove ##

"Spajky" <Spajky##@volja.net> wrote in message
news:...
> On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 21:18:47 -0400, "Thor" <> wrote:
> > In all my
> >> >years as a repair tech Ive never seen this...
>
> >> check the caps around socket or voltage regulators on MoBo !
> >
> >That's an ok suggestion, but at least tell the guy what he should look
for.
> >Suspect capacitors (barrel-shaped objects) that have bulged tops (normal
> >caps should be very flat on top), or brownish fluid leaking from the top
or
> >bottom of the capacitor.
> >
> Thought was enough because he said he is not a novice in matter ...

"Experienced" as a PC tech, doesn't always mean that a person is experienced
much, or at all at the component-level, and may not notice something as
subtle as a slightly-bulged capacitor top.

"Thor" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> "Spajky" <Spajky##@volja.net> wrote in message
> news:...
> > On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 21:18:47 -0400, "Thor" <> wrote:
> > > In all my
> > >> >years as a repair tech Ive never seen this...
> >
> > >> check the caps around socket or voltage regulators on MoBo !
> > >
> > >That's an ok suggestion, but at least tell the guy what he should look
> for.
> > >Suspect capacitors (barrel-shaped objects) that have bulged tops
(normal
> > >caps should be very flat on top), or brownish fluid leaking from the
top
> or
> > >bottom of the capacitor.
> > >
> > Thought was enough because he said he is not a novice in matter ...
>
> "Experienced" as a PC tech, doesn't always mean that a person is
experienced
> much, or at all at the component-level, and may not notice something as
> subtle as a slightly-bulged capacitor top.
>
>
>

You are right. I might not notice a bad capacitor right away because there
is a laundry list of components that typically will fail long BEFORE a
capacitor might. Unless during production it got to hot during the soldering
process... I'm starting to think that it is the CPU.

> > > Thought was enough because he said he is not a novice in matter ...
> >
> > "Experienced" as a PC tech, doesn't always mean that a person is
> experienced
> > much, or at all at the component-level, and may not notice something as
> > subtle as a slightly-bulged capacitor top.
> >
> >
> >
>
> You are right. I might not notice a bad capacitor right away because there
> is a laundry list of components that typically will fail long BEFORE a
> capacitor might. Unless during production it got to hot during the
soldering
> process... I'm starting to think that it is the CPU.

Yes, but realize that we are referring to capacitors that fail prematurely
because they may be from a batch that were manufactured with faulty
materials. Many major brands of motherboards have been affected by this
problem that originated roughly 4 years ago, with a company that used stolen
(and incomplete) information to manufacture electrolyte fluid, which they in
turn sold to a few major Taiwanese capacitor manufacturers, who in turn sold
these little ticking time-bomb caps to many major motherboard manufacturers.
Asus, Abit, Gigabyte MSI, Biostar, IBM are just a few companies who had
problems with these things. I've already fixed a few boards with this
problem (because I am fairly skilled at component-level parts replacement,
and the parts are cheap) The faulty electrolyte fluid releases hydrogen,
which bulges or bursts the top or bottom of the cap, causing fluid leakage,
and malfunction. Usually the symptom is a failure to post. Or a sudden
lockup in windows, then a failure to post when reset.

Thor wrote:
>
> Suspect capacitors (barrel-shaped objects) that have bulged tops (normal
> caps should be very flat on top), or brownish fluid leaking from the top or
> bottom of the capacitor.

Sounds like VD aka a STD. [grin]

My pre-emptive fluid is usually clear drops.