Computers fall down go "BOOM"... HELP!
:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:
Ok, so I was fuggering around with the print server... and I accidentally whacked a cap with a flathead screwdriver while trying to clip a heatsink on. I got it good too- dented the top and bent it a bit. I had to clear the CMOS (not because of the cap) and forgot to change the date back to the correct one so I had to reinstall windows (It's XP...). IT WON'T INSTALL. Every_single_f**king_time it BSODs or says it can't find a file and THEN BSODs while trying to copy files to the hd to install windows. Tried clearing the cmos- no go. Tried zeroing every single stinking sector on the hd- no go. Did I kill it? :sad2:
Also, I accidentally turned the K7D on with the clr_rtc jumper in the "clear" position (it hasn't been a good week...). Now it won't POST @ 133MHz FSB with the two bartons installed. I haven't tried one cpu or other CPUs, but I've flashed the BIOS, which did nothing. Did I kill this one too? :bawling:
Oh, and now my NF7 froze while installing off the same windows CD that won't run the print server anymore, if that's any help. (This is a LEGAL Microsoft Windows XP OEM CD, btw, not some burned copy, and it's worked fine since I bought it 4 days before XP came out...)
Ok, so I was fuggering around with the print server... and I accidentally whacked a cap with a flathead screwdriver while trying to clip a heatsink on. I got it good too- dented the top and bent it a bit. I had to clear the CMOS (not because of the cap) and forgot to change the date back to the correct one so I had to reinstall windows (It's XP...). IT WON'T INSTALL. Every_single_f**king_time it BSODs or says it can't find a file and THEN BSODs while trying to copy files to the hd to install windows. Tried clearing the cmos- no go. Tried zeroing every single stinking sector on the hd- no go. Did I kill it? :sad2:
Also, I accidentally turned the K7D on with the clr_rtc jumper in the "clear" position (it hasn't been a good week...). Now it won't POST @ 133MHz FSB with the two bartons installed. I haven't tried one cpu or other CPUs, but I've flashed the BIOS, which did nothing. Did I kill this one too? :bawling:
Oh, and now my NF7 froze while installing off the same windows CD that won't run the print server anymore, if that's any help. (This is a LEGAL Microsoft Windows XP OEM CD, btw, not some burned copy, and it's worked fine since I bought it 4 days before XP came out...)
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Comments
Also, in the K7D manual, there's a warning about not turning the system on with the clear cmos jumper in the clear position because it will damage the board (d'oh). Damage it how? Is this something a new BIOS chip will fix or is the board basically toast?
MY HEAD HURTS! HELP! :bawling:
As for the K7D. Have you tried any other CPUs? Made sure the RAM is seated? Made sure the PSU is still good? How about the battery?
As for the NF7-S, make sure the RAM is not overclocked. If it still fails, underclock both the RAM and the CHIP. I've had to do that before on both Intels and AMDs.
On the K7D, I just tried the 2200+, which didn't work. I DID throw some new RAM in it, so maybe that's the problem, but it's DDR 400...
The NF7-S is just being a pill I think... I'll try re-doing the install in a sec and see what it does...
send this gentleman an email with your concern. Tell him you heard about him from a moderator at Short-Media.com who purchased a new BIOS chip from him.
Seriously, he'll probably give you good advice concerning that board/BIOS.
You could try purchasing another capacitor from RadioShack and replacing it. Just make sure you match the capacitor perfectly.
Leo, I'll e-mail that guy and see what he has to say, thanks.
Well, one board (hopefully) down, two to go
Well, the print server seems to be fine for now... now the ultimate test... loading windows
wait, nevermind. I'll get him myself.
*deep breath*
<H1>
<font color="#FF0000"><BLINK>
<marquee direction="left" behavior="alternate" bgcolor="#FFFF00">SHOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRTYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!</marquee></BLINK></font></H1>
We need another smiley.
BTW, it appears that the RAM was causing the issue in the print server. Thanks for the suggestion A2J... I would've probably ended up RMAing the board and never thinking about the RAM
BTW, I loaded up this page in IE just to see what you were talking about. (I don't use IE often. I'm a Gecko man!) and it does look decidedly different.
As to the CAP, if you can match it is possible to replace one. Jameco sells good CAPs in as little as Qty 1, they tend to ground USPS fairly cheap also on parts. If you dented top in visibly, you probably manaaged to create a state where the chemical layrs got crushed or MIXED inside, it is like a battery and has layers of chemicals as vertical rings to store electrons and "bank" them in significant numbers. Check it for broken leg (one of the two or three metal vertical things UNDER it), have seen silver solder rebuild a leg in an emergency and that has lasted for months. Ideally, you want a milspec solder able tech friend for THAT part if needed, though.
I HOPE the board with the bad CAP(acitor) was not at all hooked to PSU at the time, though. THAT could have triggered a real problem, but if just CAP that is a 3-4 min solder job that has saved many a video card and a mobo. You might want a JameCo commerical catalog (online as PDF also), though if I know CAP specs (numbers and symbols and logo if any cuz can maybe also help you crossmatch if needed) from reading side of CAP I might be able to give you JameCo's part number for same. Trick with caps is to mount them a tib high in R&R work, and put heatsink clip on leg you are working on, invert board, and desolder and solder from BOTTOM of board. If not possible to desolder with CAP in place from underside of board with a 40 watt solder iron and a solder sucker, use a small flush nipper like an Xcelite 170M and cut off about 1\8" up from board each leg. Then you can get to both sides to desolder. KEEP old CAP, you will want new one leg matched to position of old, and if can snap a closeup of CAP in situ on mobo first.
Lesson, good to learn milspec soldering before banging things(corellary is veryone FUBARS things, trick is fixing and remembering the work to fix as a memory aid so you avoid FUBARing them after that)-- from John, who when he made his first HD cable reversed 12 and 5 volt lines-- OOOPS, THAT was not fixable except by an RMA. And a 1\4" mechanics straight large screwdriver inserted in the lockdown bracket on the last heatsink arm to go on will lock and not slip out-- try reversing mount order and you gat a RADICAL mess, and if you did reverse order examine CPU core for cracks, ok???
PS: Oh, Link is http://www.jameco.com/
.. and dude...
You are :screwed:
I think <img src="http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:nwzkTh68KOMC:www.ccl.umist.ac.uk/teaching/material/1081srcpics/spanner.jpg"> is better
Heh, you bust a cap in its ass
Though I have had my own share of close calls when bitch slapping capasitors with large metal poles
NS
He has had a few reported incidents with screwdrivers and hard to fit sinks
NightShade.... it was one of those stoopid Globalwin clips. It was a CAK-38 that I was trying to clip onto the CPU...
Ageek, thanks for the info. The problem with the print server was definitely the RAM because I replaced it with some other stuff and it worked just fine. However, if that thing has inexplicable problems in the future, I'll probably replace the cap.
Oh and Leo, I e-mailed those guys last night. They got back to me this morning, and said the problem was almost certainly the BIOS chip. That's kind of what I figured, too since I looked up the D_LED code that it displays when it's asked to boot @ 133MHz FSB, and it's freezing at the "Decompressing Bios" step, so I'm betting the BIOS chip is frito. I'll probably order one from them, and if it works, I may buy a backup (in fact, maybe I'll just order a backup for each computer... since I overclock stuff and I've killed the BIOS chips on 2 A7N8Xes, I probably should...)
Like.
1. Replace bad BIOS chip with good.
2. Boot system.
3. Replace good BIOS with bad.
4. Flash BIOS.
5. Have two good BIOS chips.
That would work, right?
(Or did you mean order 1 BIOS for each DIFFERENT mobo? I read what you typed as wanting a backup BIOS for all systems, even if it is the same mobo. You did say 2 A7N8Xs
Go to this site:
http://www.msicomputer.com/msiforms/c_problem_desc_form2.asp
and fill out the form saying the a bios flash from 1.5 to 1.82 failed and that your board won't recognize the MP2800+ processors your trying to put inand it's now dead. They will send you a new bios chip FREE flashed to the 1.82 or later bios!! I have mine sitting here in case I do a bad flash and I need to substitute it!! It took them about a week to get it to me, it arrived in a box big enough to hold a complete motherboard, and they even paid shipping from California to Florida. I saw this on 2cpu's and gave it a try as people were reporting bad flashes with the K7D's and MSI was giving this service. Oh yea, mine just arrived on Monday, so it shouldn't be a dead issue yet, but I'd hurry.
Good Luck,
Flint
Thanks for the tip.