Keeps on failing - after I changed mobo

[Elyone]

~~~Please see updated post bellow~~~



Not sure where to post this.

I recently built my first build, after a LOT of reading. I am very good mechanically and technicaly.
I made an i7, P6T, 6GB corsair, 4850, TX750W + a Monsoon III cooler.

I KNOW I built it right, I did it very slowly. Everything was connected. I am pretty sure the cooler also was installed correctly - if not, it would not have lasted a minute. It started up, I installed Vista64 , Installed the drivers. Everything was running great. Say for about a day. The CPU temp was showing about 33 centigrade on idle, according to the ASUS utility.

OK, I next tried to to run Prime95. Not the torture test, just the basic program. No OC at all yet. Everything baseline.

Ok, I started the program and I looked at the temp and it said about 60. This after about 5-10 secs. Ok. About 2 secs later I heard some not good sounds from the case, a burning smell and before I could do anything - it shut down. I can't restart. There is a clear burning smell.

Please tell me what I can do. The little internal I/O button glows red, but when I try to turn the machine on, I get a split sec glow from the Monsoon LED's and a click and it won't go on.

It should have worked, I am SURE everything is correct, it ran great, for a day. Could it be a fault in the mobo or the CPU that showed up only after I stressed it a bit? I.e. something I can get an RMA for? I can't tell WHAT burnt in there, there is nothing obvious.

HELP!!

Thanks for any replies


~~~Please see below for pics.~~~

[vbironchef]

Welcome to L.R. Please list all parts that you put in your rig to let us see what you built. That would really help everyone that is more than willing to help. Until you list your parts we/me can't suggest anything. I am talking about makes and models. From what you are saying it looks like you have some sort of short or ground issue. Check all your connections, you may have connected something improperly. I think that is the case. Maybe take some pics and post to see where some potential problems may be. Please show photos of your cpu cooler. What kind of thermal paste did you apply?

[Apoptosis]

Prime 95 should never be used unless you are stress testing an overclock or going for bragging rights as it blows stuff up very quickly if something doesn't have the right voltage, not enough thermal compound or incorrectly built.

I highly suggest taking apart the computer and tracking down the burnt smell... is it a memory module, is it the motherboard, the PSU... Give your nose a good workout and once you track it down you can see how bad the damage is... from what you told us I'd check with the motherboard and the processor first.

[DMB2000uk]

Wasn't the monsoon cooler the one that used the TEC?

(If it was, what TDP wattage processor is it rated up to?)

Dan

[dicecca112]

Nope dan just a regular 120mm fan cooler. My guess would be PSU, seen at least 5 reports of that corsair PSU having "issues" lately

[Tech_Greek]

I read this thread earlier...and I swear it cursed me!

Then installed new ram, then my fans turned on uber 100% loud (BTX) and I couldn't figure out why. Checked Everest...106 C Ram Tempature.

I FREAKED OUT, quickly shut it off, and felt it...cool to the touch hmmmm

Wiped the sensor off with it running in windows, fans fell speed wise to idle and my temp went from 106 C to 36 C...MUCH better

Want to talk about panic situation!

[martini161]

sounds like the psu to me as well.

[FZ1]

Likely the PSU but you have to be careful on these new X58 boards with the voltages for QPI & PLL voltages when changing from auto. Also, sometimes boards fail to recognize the right voltage to use for the RAM and assign it incorrectly. I always check the PC health stats in the BIOS to make sure they are in line with what I expect.

[Elyone]

OK all thanks so far for the answers. I was unable to deal with it past 24h (family stuff..)
I will take it apart tonight and let you know where I think I smell anything.

My build:

• Core i7 920
  CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V (Would never have thought thats the problem)
  ASUS P6T Deluxe LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX (non OC - BIOS on default except for boot drives..)
  CORSAIR XMS3 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666)
  Monsoon III LT cooler with Arctic Silver V paste -(a single line like in the instructions + I did add a tiny bit more to each side of the line) bolted on tight and I am darn sure, correctly.
  SAPPHIRE 100245L Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16
  Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD3200AAKS 320GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM x2
  Fujitsu MBA3073RC 73.5GB 15000 RPM Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) x1
  built in an Antec P182

EDIT : *** A few hours later***



OK I took the damn thing apart.
There was NO smell AT ALL from the PSU. Nada.
The paste seems to have been enough, even a bit TOO much, and it was definitely flattened between the CPU and cooler. (See pics)
The chip did not smell at all, even after I lifted it up and smelled it real close.
The only place that had a faint smell, similar to the one I had after it happened was the area I circled in red. (pic)
I did not spot any obvious melty places.

So, what do I do now? Send back the mobo? What do I say? I don't see how this can be my fault. The BIOS settings were almost all default, like I mentioned above. I ran Prime because I intended to OC, after I used the computer and learned way more about it, but I wanted to see the baseline. That's why I went for the Asus and not the Intel mobo. But this all happened on default settings.

Thanks for all your help...

[Apoptosis]

The board might have 'popped', so is there a way to borrow a friends board to see if that is the only thing that is wrong? If there is a local store like Frys or something maybe you can swap boards quickly.

Actually there is this - http://forums.legitreviews.com/about18726.html

You should be covered under ASUS's enthusiast RMA program and they will cross-ship a board to you. I haven't used it yet to see how good it is, so if you use it be sure to post back how ASUS treats you. If they don't take care of you I can yell at them for you as I have several meetings with ASUS during CES

[vbironchef]

How does the back of the motherboard look?

[Elyone]

back looks ok.

i got it from newegg, so I can use their RMA system, no?

EDIT:

Hmm I wonder now what's better? I checked up that site and my board does qualify. They (Asus) DO offer a cross shipping, while EGG does not.

[Mumm]

Guessing from the location my 1st guess is to check your stand offs. if you had a stand off where one shouldn't have been it may have shorted out the motherboard. Near the spot you have circled there is a common place where Micro and standard ATX overlap and be misplaced.

[Elyone]

Thanks for the input, but that could not have been, as the stand offs in the P182 are pre-instaled and they matched perfectly to the 9 holes of the P6T. I am sending it back to Newegg, hope I get new one

[Elyone]

HELLLP!

I replaced the mobo under RMA. Still does not work, so it was not the mobo.

This is what happens:

I connect the PSU and the onboard power button lights up.
I hit the 'on' button and I get about a half second startup - the CPU fan spins a couple revs and then the whole thing turns off and stops. (Just as before I changed it)

I then tried the followng: Removed vid card. Same. (so it not the card)
Put in a different PSU - same exact thing. (Only connected the fans and mobo, did not even connect any drives to the PSU) So it's likely not the PSU or the drives.

I ask what could be causing it not to turn on at all and try to even POST? I guess it must be the CPU, no? I was so sure it was the mobo, darn it.

Will Newegg they let me send in another RMA for the CPU? What do I say?? Just nothing and say it won't work? It LOOKS just fine - no burning and no obvious physical damage.

[vbironchef]

Are you sure you have the correct drivers in place and proper settings in bios? Wipe the harddrive and start from scratch.

[turnsoutitwas]

Try booting the system with it removed from the case. Place the board on the anti-static bag and also on the motherboard box, only have 1 stick of ram, cpu, gfx & monitor connected.

There could be a short causing failure to boot. make sure you have all power cables connected correctly and also check the cables on the psu for any exposed/loose wires.

[Elyone]

It's not even reaching BIOS to do anything - it essentially wont turn on.


I tried your advice, turnsoutitwas:

I first connected the mobo, gfx card and mem (did all three sticks though, not only one) , OUTSIDE the case, and turned it on. (On a wooden board with my wrist on a static cord connected to the case). The board lit up and the gfx card fan spun. The monitor, however, did nothing and did not turn on. Should I not have gotten BIOS even without a CPU? (I connected the big and little power connectors, and the PCIe power connector, hooked the monitor to the card, nothing else)

I then added in the CPU (after reattaching heatsink) and turned it on and nada. Just like before, a split sec turn of the heat sink fan and complete shut off.

I then disconnected the CPU but left the CPU fan connected (in case somehow THAT was the prob) and turned it on, and again the mobo remained on. (i.e. the fans spun and some pretty lights on the mobo lit up and stayed lit.)

Is this convincing evidence that the CPU is the problem??

[DMB2000uk]

You wont get to the BIOS without a CPU.

Does the board stay on if you have just the CPU and board (no mem and no graphics).

Dan

[XstollieX]

i would try cpu and no sticks of memory and see if you get post codes. Have you tried switching mem sticks around