Motherboard explosion, help?

[ilikepi]

Ok. I was installing a Cooler Master Hyper TX3 today, and after I had plugged in everything after installing it, I tried booting it up, but every time I pressed the power button, the whole computer seemed to short circuit (no hard drive spin up, no bios boot, nothing, and then it all turned off with a small noise). I know there was power, because my PSU LED was lit up, but after the short, everything was turned off. After taking everything out and putting it back in, I tried booting up. Everything started running, my hard drives spun up, and then, a capacitor right next to my 4-pin CPU power connector exploded and threw up smoke all over my computer. Obviously now, my CPU isn't getting power, and it won't boot up. However, if I unplug the 4 pin CPU power cord, the hard drives spin up and everything when I boot it. I already have a new motherboard on the way, but I want to make sure this doesn't happen again to my new motherboard.

Note: I did drop my CPU before this happened, bent 2 pins slightly, which I bent back into place. Maybe something to do with it?

 

[buzznut]

Ok. I was installing a Cooler Master Hyper TX3 today, and after I had plugged in everything after installing it, I tried booting it up, but every time I pressed the power button, the whole computer seemed to short circuit (no hard drive spin up, no bios boot, nothing, and then it all turned off with a small noise). I know there was power, because my PSU LED was lit up, but after the short, everything was turned off. After taking everything out and putting it back in, I tried booting up. Everything started running, my hard drives spun up, and then, a capacitor right next to my 4-pin CPU power connector exploded and threw up smoke all over my computer. Obviously now, my CPU isn't getting power, and it won't boot up. However, if I unplug the 4 pin CPU power cord, the hard drives spin up and everything when I boot it. I already have a new motherboard on the way, but I want to make sure this doesn't happen again to my new motherboard.

Note: I did drop my CPU before this happened, bent 2 pins slightly, which I bent back into place. Maybe something to do with it?

You don't mention your motherboard, but I don't see where a few bent pins can cause a cap to burst. In my experience, bad caps just happen. But it especially happens on cheap motherboards. It good you pulled everything out and checked, alot of times while installing its easy for a screw to get lodged under the board and can arc across some traces.

I would chalk it up to a bad cap though and RMA the board. When you do get the new mobo, I would go into BIOS and ensure the voltages from the PSU look good.

 

[buzznut]

Another thing, look carefully at the 4pin 12V connector and make sure you are putting it into the socket correctly, especially if your PSU comes with two 4 pin connectors. The connectors are shaped to go in one way only, two of the pins will be square while the other two are rounded on one side.

 

[ilikepi]

I'm sure I put in the 4pin in correctly, I build computers regularly. I've just never seen a cap explode like this, so I wasn't sure if some CPU damage could have caused this. Also, this is an older Dell computer I got, so do you happen to know how I could RMA this board?

All I know is that it's an AM3 with a 760G

 

[buzznut]

I'm sure I put in the 4pin in correctly, I build computers regularly. I've just never seen a cap explode like this, so I wasn't sure if some CPU damage could have caused this. Also, this is an older Dell computer I got, so do you happen to know how I could RMA this board?

All I know is that it's an AM3 with a 760G

Yeah it would depend on warranty, but I would go through Dell to see if rma is possible. Didn't realize this is an older PC, sounded like a new build.

I build computers a lot and I've seen at least 3 caps explode like this. Usually lots of acid leaks out, and maybe even burning on the motherboard. Let's see, Dell=cheap, 760G=cheap, older board=worn out capacitors. Yep, not an unlikely scenario to me at all.

Again, I highly doubt a CPU could account for this damage. Just an old cap giving up the ghost friend.
My buddy had a working mobo do this about 2 weeks ago, the mobo was only about 3 years old, but it was a cheapo that I paid about $50 for. For $50, about 3 years is the best you can hope for.

 

[ilikepi]

Yeah, I RMAed to Dell, they're going to completely replace the computer. (Annoying, because I can't keep my HDD and files). But yeah, this was before I learned to build computers, and the magic of the money you save DD.

And yeah, dell is cheap, and expensive.

 

[buzznut]

Nice. You should back up your files though.. I would probably send them back a blank HD!

 

[ilikepi]

Yeah. Good thing is, they send me the new computer before I have to send it to them. So, I'm going to copy everything to my new computer, then wipe the old HDD clean. (I'm not just going to swap the drives because they might have some record of the serial numbers and such)

 

[buzznut]

Yeah. Good thing is, they send me the new computer before I have to send it to them. So, I'm going to copy everything to my new computer, then wipe the old HDD clean. (I'm not just going to swap the drives because they might have some record of the serial numbers and such)

If you're running vista or better, I'd use the easy transfer wizard. It'll be just like your old PC.

 

[ilikepi]

Best answer selected by ilikepi.