dead Asus P4P800 DELUXE/P4 2.8

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

In article <1118107762.054314.212870@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com>, "liu"
<spamfreeliu@yahoo.com> wrote:

> I've have the system running for 1.5 years. It died 2 days ago. I was
> compressing some files and left. When I came back, the system was
> freezed half way on the job. The mouse isn't moiving so I rebooted the
> PC by shutting the power off and on again. The sytem powered up and it
> appeared that HD was powered too. But no video signal out. No BIOS
> screen. I then tried a different DDR RAM, switching locations.
> Unplugged video card and plugged a basic one in. Check all the
> connections. It looked fine but still won't boot. I then replaced with
> the new battery but still no go. My Power supply is 1.5 years too and
> it's 450W. Since it powers up so it don't think there is anything wrong
> with it.
>
> What's left is either CPU or motherboard (or both). I'm researching on
> buying a new CPU and motherboard, but still wonder what's wrong with
> the old system. Is there anything else I can try before giving up on
> it? I'm amazed that most my systems lasted only ~2 years. I wonder if I
> didn't handle them correctly?
>
> Thanks for any suggestions,
>
> cpliu

Have you checked the Southbridge ? There have been a fair number
of failures reported. Use the warranty and get it repaired, if
this is what it looks like. What you are seeing in these pictures,
is burning caused by power conductors in the USB data pair area
of the chip. All failed chips should burn the same way (although
we have one report of someone who just had the USB ports fail,
without the rest of the motherboard failing too).

http://www.abxzone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84122&hi...

Typically the problem correlates with the hot plugging of a USB
device (front or back USB port can cause it). But, there are people
who weren't plugging anything at the time, who suffered a failure.

If your Southbridge is toasted, please post the details leading up
to the failure, to add to all the other reports posted so far.

You could have some kind of power supply failure, but due to the
prevalence of this kind of ICH5/ICH5R Southbridge failure, I
somehow doubt that trying a different power supply is going to
help in this case.

http://tw.giga-byte.com/Motherboard/Support/FAQ/FAQ_456...

Paul

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

if your not getting any post screen, what type of beeps do you get ?
That may be your clue, but it sounds like the board. At this point,
considering you have tried another video card, it's either the psu or
the board...Mine only lasted a year, same board...

On 6 Jun 2005 18:29:22 -0700, "liu" <spamfreeliu@yahoo.com> wrote:

>I've have the system running for 1.5 years. It died 2 days ago. I was
>compressing some files and left. When I came back, the system was
>freezed half way on the job. The mouse isn't moiving so I rebooted the
>PC by shutting the power off and on again. The sytem powered up and it
>appeared that HD was powered too. But no video signal out. No BIOS
>screen. I then tried a different DDR RAM, switching locations.
>Unplugged video card and plugged a basic one in. Check all the
>connections. It looked fine but still won't boot. I then replaced with
>the new battery but still no go. My Power supply is 1.5 years too and
>it's 450W. Since it powers up so it don't think there is anything wrong
>with it.
>
>What's left is either CPU or motherboard (or both). I'm researching on
>buying a new CPU and motherboard, but still wonder what's wrong with
>the old system. Is there anything else I can try before giving up on
>it? I'm amazed that most my systems lasted only ~2 years. I wonder if I
>didn't handle them correctly?
>
>Thanks for any suggestions,
>
>cpliu

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

No beep at all. If I take the RAM out, I hear continous beep. So the
beep system still works.

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

I don't run it 24/7. The day it died, it was running overnight. I
usually turn it off if I know I won't use it for a long time. By
average, probably turn on and off 1 to 2 times each day. In the
weekend, maybe 3 or 4 times a day. By average, I probably use it 5
hours a day in thee weekdays, 8 to 10 hours in the weekend.

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

Is Southbridge one of the chips on the motherboard? I checked briefly
before going to bed but didn't see any burn mark on on big black chip
close to the battery. I will check again tonight.

Using the ASUS P4P800 Deluxe picture below, which chip is the south
bridge?
http://usa.asus.com/products/mb/socket478/p4p800-d/enla...

Thanks a lot for your help,

cpliu

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

Per liu:
>I'm amazed that most my systems lasted only ~2 years.

Do you run your PC's 24-7 or turn them off when not in use?
--
PeteCresswell

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

In article <1118148563.000338.65790@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>, "liu"
<spamfreeliu@yahoo.com> wrote:

> No beep at all. If I take the RAM out, I hear continous beep. So the
> beep system still works.

That is a good sign. For the board to beep, the processor has to be
able to run BIOS code. It could be, when a DIMM is present, that
the BIOS code is getting stuck on some other busted hardware.

Your board has "Vocal POST". If you plug an amplified computer
speaker into the green Lineout connector on the motherboard, you
may hear a voice error message. The error messages are listed
in the user manual, and you will have to compare the sounds made,
to the list of error messages, as the voice samples are highly
compressed.

HTH,
Paul

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

Per liu:
> By
>average, probably turn on and off 1 to 2 times each day. In the
>weekend, maybe 3 or 4 times a day. By average, I probably use it 5
>hours a day in thee weekdays, 8 to 10 hours in the weekend.

I used to run my old one 24/7. Now, with my new box (P4P800 Deluxe also) I've
been doing the same thing you are.... couple on/offs per day.

Long time ago, when I was working in the IT department of a major electric
utility, somebody reasoned that we could save significant money by turning all
our IBM 3290 terminals off each night and back on again in the morning.

Electric consumption, obviously, went down by the precise calculated amount of
TerminalCount * Watts/Terminal * HoursOff.

What nobody expected was that repair costs on the terminals went through the
roof - far outweighing the savings in electricity. Something about
heating/cooling the circuit boards over-and-over.

But that was a long time ago.... and I'm hoping that circuit board design has
progressed since then.

I guess I'm gonna find out... but until somebody who knows chimes in I'd hold
that out as a possible factor in your bad luck.
--
PeteCresswell

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

Check for leaking capacitors on the MB?

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

In article <gfkca19vihg4vofjegavod7l5tfpoic18p@4ax.com>, "(PeteCresswell)"
<x@y.z.invalid> wrote:

> Per liu:
> > By
> >average, probably turn on and off 1 to 2 times each day. In the
> >weekend, maybe 3 or 4 times a day. By average, I probably use it 5
> >hours a day in thee weekdays, 8 to 10 hours in the weekend.
>
> I used to run my old one 24/7. Now, with my new box (P4P800 Deluxe
also) I've
> been doing the same thing you are.... couple on/offs per day.
>
> Long time ago, when I was working in the IT department of a major electric
> utility, somebody reasoned that we could save significant money by turning all
> our IBM 3290 terminals off each night and back on again in the morning.
>
> Electric consumption, obviously, went down by the precise calculated amount of
> TerminalCount * Watts/Terminal * HoursOff.
>
> What nobody expected was that repair costs on the terminals went through the
> roof - far outweighing the savings in electricity. Something about
> heating/cooling the circuit boards over-and-over.
>
> But that was a long time ago.... and I'm hoping that circuit board design has
> progressed since then.
>
> I guess I'm gonna find out... but until somebody who knows chimes in I'd hold
> that out as a possible factor in your bad luck.

The thermal coefficient of expansion of the materials used is the
same as it always was. For example, if you heat and cool your
motherboard by a certain temperature range, several times a day,
it can affect solder joint reliability (motherboard might last
less than ten years). So, yes, switching the PC on and off a lot
should have a measurable effect (if you wait enough years and
sample enough motherboards).

But, you might also have to consider the beneficial effect on some
of the other components. Perhaps the electrolytic capacitors will
last longer, if the system case air temperature is reduced on
average. So, some parts of the computer may benefit, and others
are harmed a tiny bit, by the different operating practices.

But a dead PC gives you an opportunity to upgrade, so it isn't
all bad :-)

Paul

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

Thank you all for the information. One last question, is there a way to
figure out whether it's the CPU or the motherboard that is bad. I think
it's highly unlikely that both went bad. I'm thinking A64 system for my
next purchase, so I don't have a similar setupto test.

Thanks,

cpliu

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

In article <1118626858.811744.322860@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>, "liu"
<spamfreeliu@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Thank you all for the information. One last question, is there a way to
> figure out whether it's the CPU or the motherboard that is bad. I think
> it's highly unlikely that both went bad. I'm thinking A64 system for my
> next purchase, so I don't have a similar setupto test.
>
> Thanks,
>
> cpliu

Because the board beeps when RAM is missing, I think you are able
to execute some of the BIOS code. That means the CPU is still good,
whereas we don't know about the motherboard.

Assuming the warranty on the motherboard is good for three years,
perhaps you can return it under warranty, and get it fixed.
Wrap the motherboard in its anti-static bag, and put in in a
box that won't get easily crushed. Phone Asus Tech support to
arrange an RMA - web site methods are notorious for unreliability.
The RMA number must be on the outside of the shipping container,
for an RMA to be accepted at the receiving end.

Paul