Well, its my first build, and, being the clumsy person i am, i managed to fail the vaunted Smoke Test. Due to slow reflexes, one of those little black square thingys on my MSI P6N SLI-FI actually caught fire breifly. This was on first powering-up. Why did this happen?
Note: I did not use any case standoffs. The case i have is a really cheap rosewill from newegg.

My only plan is to rma it to newegg.
Also i am worried about my ram (patriot 2x 1gb pc6400). The chip that fried is right next to the ram slots.

Is this possibly due to short with case's tray?
The tray is unmarked, and the back of the motherboard only has slight discoloration underneath this circuit. The top of it is partially vaporized, and partially ashy-white. Any ideas?[/img]

You didn't use any standoffs? 8O
Your "cheap" case should have come with standoffs, always use standoffs.
Your Mobo is fried, hopefully the rest of the componets are ok.
You need to get a new Mobo, install it using standoffs, and test the rest of your componets. If you are lucky the rest of your hardware will be ok, but I kinda' doubt it.
Chalk it up as a hard lesson learned and move on, everyone has to start somewhere.

that what these brass thingies are for?
/slaps forehead

they should tell me these things

ty

hope rams not fried too. Thoughts?

This is a wind up... Right?

roflmao ok MSI = shite for one, and two, your ram might be ok, it might not be ok - depends if the lines got shorted and zapped the ram too

That would be the likely culprit, to answer your question directly. It is a common beginner's error and often results in a fatal shorting of the board.

I did this too, though it was back in 95 on my first full system build. I had actually done a lot of upgrading and repairing and what have you, even to the point of switching out MOBO's in a case, but I had never installed a MOBO in a new case and I just didn't think about the standoffs.

i did thi s stpid thing a while back, i had put togetther a pentium 3 when it came out and now i thought i could do it again with pentium 4..but forgot about standofs... my motherboard fried but other components(cpu,ram & video) were ok

Yea... the er standoffs are there too hold the mobo away from the case so it doesnt short out.

I know a guy that installed a new Intel CPU who gently placed the chip in the socket, but had a hard time closing the little lever to secure the chip in place. After a great struggle, he got the lever in place and then installed the stock HSF. The computer wouldn't boot, so he brought the system back to the vendor complaining the whole thing was defective. Upon quick inspection, the technician noted the plastic protective cover on the CPU was still attached crammed inside the socket. Warranty voided.

8O Hmmm,while I find this amusing,it also angers me.Did you learn anything from this,(hopefully)or you plan to rma frequently to N.E and drive up prices?!

As everyone else said, the board is fried for certain. Now as for the ram/cpu, it just depends on which solder points got shorted, no-one can say for sure. One thing to make sure of on future builds is that the standoffs are also placed in the right spot, I've seen many boards fried from them being in the wrong spot and shorting the board, so when you install the board count how many standoffs are on the case, and count how many screws you screw in to be sure they all go in. I know that sounds like a common sense thing but you'd be surprised at what I've seen working in a computer repair shop 8O

You are pissing us, aren't you?

standoff's

1, Makes sure all atandoff's are the same, (you might to use ones that are different if there are not enough

2, plastics standoff you can plastic standoffs (that provide a mechanical connetion but not electrical so that the board dont flex when you plug stuff in (i have one near my PATA ports.

3, make sure a standoff is removed if there is no hole for it on the board.

Have you considered cooking as a hobby? or maybe an acquarium (poor fish...)?

Quit picking on the poor guy. *hugs* OP. We've all done stupid things when first starting out

Now Babaghan... I was only being nice. And my heart was truly in the right place. I was just suggesting that a much less expensive way to consume his obviously long days is available.

I'll fix it!!!

So OP, I am sorry if you may have misunderstood my intent; the c