USB 3.0 I/O Plug in fries mobos aand CPUs???

mxgasdvr

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Sep 7, 2011
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Greetings all:

Although kindness is appreciated as I am VERY new and only did my first custom build June of 2011, it is not in any way, required. Thus, should anyone feel the need, please flame away. I may learn something.


I selected the XL ATX Gigabyte G.1 and made the horrible mistake of purchasing the Xigamtek Elysium case. After the first install it simply cannot take the weight. The damn thing warps and bends and the drive cages suck. However, I deal with Microcenter henceforth “MC” and since I work in the software industry, I get excellent pricing. Unfortunately, MC carried only one XL mobo and one XL case.

Net-net: The mobo is fried and the CPU which was an i7 960 I acquired for $139 is also fried.

1. The first call I received blamed insertion of the front I/O USB 3.0 Plug. For those familiar with this mobo, there 2 of these blue plug-ins on board and I screwed up, since I only noticed after the fact, the first one had bent pins out of the box. With 4 USB 3.0 in the back, two I wired to the front of the case, combined with the mobo bracket which contained two more USB 3.0, an OC button and a direct SATA plug-in all under the top Sata Dock, I think I had more than enough USB 3.0 I/O’s. BTW, Is it only me, or does anyone else find these docks useless given the frail nature of drive cable plug-ins? Just curious.

2. I ended up using the second on board plug-in and it worked fine, with one exception. It would not stay plugged in.

So, my critical question is, I considered RAID ten. Not so much for performance, (the Vertex 3 takes care of that) but for more redundancy. Yes, overkill, but I have the drives and this is why I needed to take apart what I was lucky enough to put together correctly the first time, but which did not start up. No power. I also use Acronis are multiple steps, so I am expecting someone to say, you're an iddiot and have no need for RAID. which would be good. That said:

3. I was told the bent USB fried the board. Aside from one being bent from the start, the one I used never worked correctly, in that the darn think kept coming out.

Does anyone know if this is possible? Can you fry a board in this manner?

Then worse news came in. The store is telling me the CPU is also fried because of the same USB. Here’s the rub. I wasn’t buying this but I could be completely wrong. Then an email came in telling me the pins which seat the CPU were bent. Unfortunately, CPU’s although seemingly easy, I did not want to take a chance, so I did not initially install it. MC did and that card is in my pocket.

So, how was it working all this time? Aside from the contradiction, can the CPU also be friend by that blue USB Plug-in? I do not believe this, but I wanted to get an opinion from the experts.

Lastly:

The case is going back, since it is defective, I have already decided to go back to ATX and this time I handpicked the case, which is the Corsair 600T. Chubby, but rock solid and looks like a mid-tower if it were not for the depth. I also choose the Gigabyte ATX Guerilla (something about these mobos I like).
I am forcing MC to find me one of the i7 980x chips they claim are not in stock, since a week ago they were selling them for about $489. I believe all know the 990x at $999 is nowhere near the price difference and this is why their install of mthe 960 is in my pocket.

Given the new configuration I have decided on, does anyone feel I am making poor judgement for what I do?

I do not play games I run web services on Windows 7 as well as massive digital libraries with indexes in excess of 13-15 GBs constantly changing and video editd above:


Both mobos have virtualization on board, thus I can run my legacy ERP Applications via a web based VPN in Windows XP SP3 and be able to do my job, which is splitting co-exist JD Edwards instances. (i.e., Green screen 7.3 and the 8.0 versions) to prepare the data in 1/4 the time it takes to do a traditional
migration to a fully Web Based ERP back office system .

Regarding the new configuration as descrive
Am I using the best HW config for what I am doing? Thanks in advance for your help, expertise and advice (and any flaming as well for making some stupid decisions) :bounce:

Dean Poulos


 
Solution
First thing that I really noticed is with computer components they are made to very strict regulations, if a plug is not fitting smoothly and easily, there is something wrong. If the USB connector had a bent pin, you probably had to use a little (although not a ton) of force to get it to seat.

That out of the way, there is no way that should have shorted / fried both the MB and the CPU. It is possible that if the MB warped and shorted on the case this could have happened, but not a bent USB pin.

I would suggest RAID 5 over 10 since it does give you higher performance than 10, but you still have the redundancy. That coupled with Acronis makes it very secure.
First thing that I really noticed is with computer components they are made to very strict regulations, if a plug is not fitting smoothly and easily, there is something wrong. If the USB connector had a bent pin, you probably had to use a little (although not a ton) of force to get it to seat.

That out of the way, there is no way that should have shorted / fried both the MB and the CPU. It is possible that if the MB warped and shorted on the case this could have happened, but not a bent USB pin.

I would suggest RAID 5 over 10 since it does give you higher performance than 10, but you still have the redundancy. That coupled with Acronis makes it very secure.
 
Solution

mxgasdvr

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Sep 7, 2011
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@Daniel,

First, let me say thank you. You were correct, however, the store did not know this. I only found out when I jumped the board. You were also not off on thinking the case could have crushed it. As I said, the people at Xigamtek are very cool, but I have to say, IMNSHO, should anyone have the need for an XL ATX case, I would strongly urge against it and really urge, METAL. Make believe your enclosing a stack of Teradata SSD's for a Datawarehouse!

It is worth it to tell you the result of bringing your information to the store and forcing myself into the back tech room demanding to jump the board, but first the result.

As most here know, when Intel released it's 990x, there was a one week window I saw the 980x for about 500 bucks and did not jump on it. Microcenter not only made good by taking back my damaged 960, they credited the price and then discounted down the 990x to an even $500. Since I decided to stay with Gigabyte, I went with an ATX, i.e., the G.1 Guerrilla and the Corsair 810 T Case which I love. They added an H-70 and are telling me with the H-70 I can run the i7 990x consistantly at 4.5 and if I pay close attention they claim I can go to 5.2.

Now comes the big one and I owe YOU my friend!

I am waiting for an RMA from Gygabyte. You were SPOT ON. The USB did not cause any issue as the tech assumed!

I did NOT incorrectly installed the CPU, as they assumed because the pins were bent and scratched. (that's why the board would not power up).

Net-Net: The CPU socket is horribly loose. I almost made a movie of it. How did this happen? Personally, I feel the quality of the case threw the board out of whack. As you said Daniel.

Again this is now only my second build, so I am very new to this. I'm just guessing but you called this as well. I have never opened the bar on a CPU socket and watched as it moved 1/4 to 1/2 inch. The movement, even when locked down, would cause all the pins on my old 960 to bend. To even look at the pattern is revealing. Email me privately if you want some pics before I senf it back to Gigabyte who at least, based on what I have told them and the fact I bought another of their boards, they are fixing my G1.Assasin. NO CHARGE!

Lesson learned: DO NOT SKIMP ON THE CASE. even at $140, the Xigamtek was an XL ATX. That's like buying an ATX for $30 again, IMHO. This new Corsair is rock solid and I'm loving it.

Now, I need to find out why the stupid Marvel controller is not given my Vertex 3 240 GB Sata 3 6.0 speeds, it benched at 350 MB/s RW and despite setting it up AHCI, it reads in DevMgr as a FRIGGIN' IDE! Of course the store has no idea, but it's probably better for me I learn on my own. Thank you once again my friend. Glad to have found Tom's...


Regards,

Dean Poulos
 
Glad everything I said was able to help you out.

I agree with you completely on cheap cases, I have had really good luck with CoolerMaster, Antec and Corsair cases.

You just have to remember that computers are sensitive devices, and care has to be exhibited when working with them. Just be careful and things will be fine :)

best of luck