Fried Motherboard?

[razordazor]

Ok, so this one is strange to me.

Im not exactly an expert on computers but i know a bit about them. But what happened today was kinda weird for me.

While i was playing Planetside 2 my computer suddenly shut down. At first i thought that my CPU had gotten too hot but when i tryed to turn it back on it wouldn't budge. after waiting about 15 minutes i tryed again and nothing changed. Then i unplugged the PSU and pluged it back in and tryed again after about 30 seconds.

When i turned it on i saw a small orange flash on the left top side of the motherboard just under the power supply and to the left of the CPU i don't know if anything fried or something else happened. But i did notice a smell that usualy happens when some parts are fried. Well but the thing i find weird is that no capacitors or other things look blown up on the motherboard or the graphics card and as i am writing this everything seems to be working normal.....for now.

As soon as i noticed the flash, i got afraid that i will have to buy a new component again but the computer started up as normal and is working fine now. And i don't know what's wrong. However there is one thing. I have a pat parrot and i was wondering if it is possible that a small fether or something could have got sucked in to the computer and caused the flash i saw.

Specs:

GPU: Asus Radeon HD 7750 1Gb GDDR5
CPU: AMD FX-6100
Mobo: Asus M5A88-M
Ram: Patriot 4Gb 1600MHz (1 stick)
PSU: Inter tech SL-500A (500Watt)
Hdd: Seagate barracuda 75gb / WD Caviar green 650Gb

 

[daswilhelm]

that looks like a poor quality power supply, if i were betting, id say that popped.

 

[christop]

My guess is your psu fried your motherboard. I would replace both. Also go with a good name brand psu.

 

[Fulgurant]

Ok, so this one is strange to me.

Im not exactly an expert on computers but i know a bit about them. But what happened today was kinda weird for me.

While i was playing Planetside 2 my computer suddenly shut down. At first i thought that my CPU had gotten too hot but when i tryed to turn it back on it wouldn't budge. after waiting about 15 minutes i tryed again and nothing changed. Then i unplugged the PSU and pluged it back in and tryed again after about 30 seconds.

When i turned it on i saw a small orange flash on the left top side of the motherboard just under the power supply and to the left of the CPU i don't know if anything fried or something else happened. But i did notice a smell that usualy happens when some parts are fried. Well but the thing i find weird is that no capacitors or other things look blown up on the motherboard or the graphics card and as i am writing this everything seems to be working normal.....for now.

As soon as i noticed the flash, i got afraid that i will have to buy a new component again but the computer started up as normal and is working fine now. And i don't know what's wrong. However there is one thing. I have a pat parrot and i was wondering if it is possible that a small fether or something could have got sucked in to the computer and caused the flash i saw.

Specs:

GPU: Asus Radeon HD 7750 1Gb GDDR5
CPU: AMD FX-6100
Mobo: Asus M5A88-M
Ram: Patriot 4Gb 1600MHz (1 stick)
PSU: Inter tech SL-500A (500Watt)
Hdd: Seagate barracuda 75gb / WD Caviar green 650Gb

Kinda sounds like you blew a capacitor on your motherboard (and/or within your PSU, but based on the location of the flash you describe, it sounds like it was on the motherboard), probably because the PSU fed it too much power. If so, then you're living on borrowed time, sad to say.

I would be very careful about using your system until and unless you can replace the power supply at the very least. Inter-Tech, from what I can tell from a brief search, seems to have a questionable reputation. It wouldn't hurt to go looking at the capacitors on your motherboard, either.

 

[PanicMaster85]

check your PSU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FWXgQSokF4

normally a motherboard has a surge protector on it so that if your psu did just "pop" then i would say your motherboard stopped this from fring it just get your PSU checked and if it does not pass then your PSU is not working, and I also recommend not replacing your motherboard just yet
^
because of the surge protector it could be the reason for the spark, maybe it just refered the power away which saved your motherboard but tells you that your PSU is done

 

[daswilhelm]

yes i agree with panic, most likely your mb is ok, just swap in a decent brand of psu and give it a shot

 

[PanicMaster85]

yep

 

[camohanna]

Im sure you would be happy to fork out $50 to prevent all your components being fried, would you?

Go with a psu such as - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139027

$50 after $10 rebate

 

[razordazor]

Ok ty for the replies

 

[razordazor]

Ok so i tryed the PSU test that PanicMaster85 suggested and the fan of the PSU starts up as normal and i checked the motherboard capacitors twice and none of them seems blown up.

So i guess i should try a new PSU anyway?

 

[razordazor]

Oh btw the motherboard has an integrated graphics card that i don't use. Is it possible that that fried because the flash happened very close to that.

 

[Fulgurant]

Ok so i tryed the PSU test that PanicMaster85 suggested and the fan of the PSU starts up as normal and i checked the motherboard capacitors twice and none of them seems blown up.

So i guess i should try a new PSU anyway?

Yes. It's not worth gambling the health of your components on a PSU with a dodgy reputation, particularly after you've already smelled burning parts.

 

[PanicMaster85]

Oh btw the motherboard has an integrated graphics card that i don't use. Is it possible that that fried because the flash happened very close to that.

so do you run off of a graphics card or the integrated graphics?

 

[razordazor]

ir run from a Asus radeon hd 7750 Graphics card...

 

[PanicMaster85]

ok welll then you grahics card was faulty just get your old one RMA'd and everyhing should work just ifne

 

[Fulgurant]

ok welll then you grahics card was faulty just get your old one RMA'd and everyhing should work just ifne

Wait, is there any evidence that the OP's problem has anything to do with the graphics' card? I'm honestly curious; maybe you know something I don't, but it seems like we've moved awfully fast from, "I saw a flash and smelled burning and report no obvious display problems," to, "it's a bad graphics' card."

Whatever the cause of the problem, the PSU seems like a safe bet to replace, IMO. Even if you don't think the PSU is to blame, it's the single component most likely to fry the rest of your components if you're wrong.

 

[PanicMaster85]

OOO sorry i thought that was "IT" typo instead of "I" so my bad

 

[Fulgurant]

OOO sorry i thought that was "IT" typo instead of "I" so my bad

Heh, np.

Was just clarifying. Thought I'd missed something, which happens a lot!

 

[PanicMaster85]

:lol: i know its hard to know exactly whats going on and be in 30 other threads

as for the OP just rma your PSU and possibly motherboard... your components should be fine because the motherboard has a surge protector type deal that like you saw will channel the over surging voltage somewhere else but still keep your parts intact... but im not sure if it gives its life for your parts(like jumping in front of a bullet for them)

 

[razordazor]

Oh sorry didn't notice the typo before....was a bit in a hurry.

Well i already ordered a new power supply yesterday and the motherboard seems to be working but since i'm a student i don't have a lot of money to go around and i will probably have to stick whit this mobo for now.

I would like to thank you guys for all the help and advice you had given me.

 

[razordazor]

Well just got the new PSU today and everything seems to be working great for now, but i guess that only time will tell if the PSU was causing the problems.

 

[PanicMaster85]

ok please pick the answer that helped you the most by pressing the "BEST ANSWER"

Glad your build is working now... Glad I could help!

also if it boots then it should be fine and if there is another problem then just make another thread in the future and im sure we could help you fix it