Epox 8KHA+ leaky capacitors

[Handruin]

I gave up with my socket A system... I was never able to get it to POST again while using a replacement MB (ECS) that I bought from cougtek.

I'd bet the athlon 1.2GHz is still good, along with the 768MB of PC133 RAM. Now they are collecting dust in my closet. I've already taken numerous parts from my system for other needs.

Now I sit frustrated not knowing what to do with two 18GB U160 (Atlas 10KII and barracuda 18XL) SCSI drives, and a 9GB (Atlas 10K) SCSI drive. The drives are too small for my needs, and adding them to any of my systems will only increase the temperature. I also have my old WD expert 18GB drive that won't seem to die.

So not only has an aged motherboard replacement become a problem for me (much like yourself), I also don't want to use my older equipment in that system.

 

[Fushigi]

As I'm finally building my media server, I've realized that my main workstation only really needs a boot drive. Your 10KII still makes for a good boot drive (my wife's PC has the 36GB version). For all of the data beyond 'my documents', I'll use the server. As such, no workstation will have >1 drive so heat, even SCSI heat, won't be a concern. The largest heat producer will likely be the CPU running F@H.

 

[Handruin]

Maybe I should do that for my Dell. I plan on using it as my media server in my utility room (as mentioned in your other thread). I can swap out the 80GB SATA it came with, and use it elsewhere. I'm guessing my atlas is faster than the WD SATA drive. I'll have to look up benchmarks. My only trouble would be finding a suitable SCSI card to run under SuSe 9.2. My tekram is getting up there in age...I'll have to research it some more. Thanks for the idea.

 

[CougTek]

I gave up with my socket A system... I was never able to get it to POST again while using a replacement MB (ECS) that I bought from cougtek.

If the motherboard was DOA, you just had to send me an e-mail and I would have refund you. I think it was in a period when I was kind of short on cash, but for honor purpose, I would have done it anyway. I think the board worked here before I shipped it (or else, why would I have sold it?).

Anyway. Do you remember how much I asked you for it? I look in my inbox, but I don't see any message concerning that ECS board (and details like if it worked well when you received it / price I asked you for it, etc). I'll gladly pay you back plus a supplement for the trouble. Sorry.

 

[Handruin]

Coug, I meant not to imply you sold me a bad board. The fact is, I don't know if something else was wrong with the system, so it wasn't even worth bothering you about. I think you sold me the board for $25...which was hardly worth troubling you about. I very well may have hurt the CPU when I transfered it from my old board to the new one. Since I don't have any other parts to troubleshoot, I can't determine what parts are bad. The board poweres on, but I never get a video signal or beep noises. I've tried different video cards and different RAM stick (in different variations), but nothing made a difference.

I apologize if I gave you the wrong impression. I did not meant to imply any negativity against you. If I really thought you were trying to screw me, I would have tried to resolve it through e-mail or PM. But I didn't think that at all.

 

[Fushigi]

My tekram is getting up there in age...I'll have to research it some more. Thanks for the idea.

My PC uses a Tekram DC390U2W with an original 18GB X15. It's still a speedy performer. My wife's PC, with the Atlas 10K II uses a generic LSI U160 card.

The media server, FWIW, will boot from a 160GB Samsung.

 

[Buck]

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=24596

Battle of the bulge for Dell.

 

[time]

Just two small corrections:

- All except one Soltek 75KAV that I've managed to check had leaks, but none have become unusable.

- I found an Epox board that doesn't have leaky caps! Also, Epox actually replaced the last two boards, and significantly, the 'new' 8RDA3+ has different caps! I'll happily re-use that one, but the 8RDA+ has the original GSC rubbish. I'll keep it for emergencies ...

 

[tazwegion]

Hmmm... have you considered replacing the bulging caps' yourself? :eekers:

I suppose this concept sounds a little daunting? it shouldn't be... I resurrected an EPOX EP-MVP3C2 & Gigabyte GA-5AA with my 'humble' electronics skills

There is a guide albeit meager over @ the Emergency Room of my Retro site, and while some of the capacitors can be hard to source... we can cheat a little and use alternative components (as long as the capacitance value is the same) with higher voltage rated items for example...

replace 100 mF 10v 105c
with 100 mF 16v 85c

All in all, a worthy undertaking... if you've the time and inclination

 

[blakerwry]

I just had a 1-2 year old eMachines Socket A motherboard die suddenly. I assume the problem is the capacitors, as several along the CPU socket are bulging a wee bit and one has a little fizzle at the cap.

Rather than soldering I'm just going to replace the motherbaord with a new one from newegg.

I might then decide to work on the old one and see if it is reclaimable. After all, I did spend one semester soldering circuit boards in digital design class.

 

[LiamC]

The revival of this thread reminded me to check the in-laws 8KHA+ last night. All the caps appear to be flat and shiny with no leakage.

Phew!

 

[time]

I need to apologize without reservation to Jtr1962. I have no idea why I took the line I did about capacitor internal resistance - let's just attribute it to stupidity or intoxication.

I meant to apologize once the thread had quietened - sorry it took me so embarassingly long.

P.S. Jtr1962 rules and I wish he would post more LED info (hint, hint).

 

[Howell]

That's big of you time. You're a class act.

 

[time]

Just had my first Gigabyte failure, a 7VAXP.

I'm clinging to the fact that it used an unknown brand of capacitor, whereas more recent Gigabyte motherboards I've seen have generally stuck with Japanese 'name' brands.

Unlike Asus, which I used to replace it ...

 

[Mercutio]

The GA-7VAXPs I have had fail all died because the northbridge fan died and as not removed. Are you sure that isn't what killed yours?

 

[time]

The fan had already been replaced, although it would have needed replacing again. :x

The caps are clearly bulging. It still boots, but may or may not make it into Windows. I've checked another of the same vintage and it also has two bulging capacitors, but is yet to misbehave.

 

[Sol]

Just as a matter of interest has anyone returned an out of warranty board to the manufacturer and paid for a repair job?

I've noticed they all seem to have a flat rate repair/replace policy, which just seems odd to me. In the US/Canada I guess $35 repair for a $50 board isn't really worth it but in Australia you'd probably pay $150 or more for a lot of boards so a $40 or so repair charge is really pretty good.

I recently sent an out of waranty video card back to MSI and they sent me a new one for $40, which seemed very reasonable since it was an X800Pro which retailed for nearly $500 at the time.

 

[LiamC]

The revival of this thread reminded me to check the in-laws 8KHA+ last night. All the caps appear to be flat and shiny with no leakage.

Phew!

Died the lingering death of BadCaps. I'm going to try resurrecting it this weekend with my 1337 soldering skills

:rofl: