Machine dying during boot, or after OS loaded

MSI K9N Neo V2.0
AMD Athlon 64 2x 6000+
4x 2G DDR2 Ram
3x 500G Sata HDD
1x CD-RW
Nvidia Gforce 7600 GT
Soundblaster AWE 64 Audio
USB Mouse and Printer
Enermax 330W PSU
3x 80mm Fans
Dual boot 32bit WinXP SP4 / 64bit Linux Mint 19.3


MoBo has had 2 (largest) blown caps for over a year now.

Recently, machine would not boot into Linux Mint, nor will it boot other 64bit apps from flash drive. Sometimes it will boot WinXP and run for hours, other times will fail while loading OS or after starting file transfers. At other times machine will not complete POST.

Several times when the machine had completed POST and got to the Grub menu, I let it hang there for hours and it didn't shut down. Once, I chose a Linux Memory Test option and that ran for over an hour and reported no errors, and did not shut down.

When boot to Linux (or "Boot Repair 64" from flash drive) fails, an error message flies by:
"[ 0.032518] Spectre V2 : Spectre mitigation: LFENCE not serializing, switching to generic retpoline"

After any of these shut down events, the fans all turn off, screen goes dark (but not completely black), and power LED on front panel blinks at 2 second intervals. (2 sec's on, 2 sec's off). This continues until I unplug power, or turn off switch at PSU, at which point screen noticeably goes completely black. After PSU is off, LED continues to blink for another 5 or 6 seconds before that stops. Keyboard and mouse do nothing, so this is not sleep mode.

I called MSI Support and they told me the blinking LED is no help as far as any diagnostic indicator of a problem.

I checked all connections and they seem to be fine. Tried disconnecting the Linux Mint HDD but this made no difference.

So more recently, I took the machine to my local tech to diagnose this issue. He saw the 2 blown caps and insisted on performing a boardectomy. This would have taken a month to get a compatible MB, and much $$$.... so I took it back home instead. He did not check anything else on the system.

At this point I have ordered a replacement MB, but I'm not certain that this is a cure. I'm open to any suggestions.

Thanks,
Wolf

 

Yes replace those bulging Electrolytic Capacitors. They are going to cost you a miniscule amount. Surely you have a basic soldering iron? You have nothing to lose.

If you are unsure of exactly how incredibly easy your task to fix your motherboard is, then here.

 

The only time I experienced this problem, unfortunately leaking electrolyte from the faulty capacitor had also etched away some of the conductive track on the PCB. Check carefully for the extent of any damage.

There is a particular period of production beset by this problem.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor_plague

 

Thank you Madeleine and Priscus for those posts. I would never have imagined that my soldering skills would be up to such a task, but the video makes it look like something definitely worth attempting.

The blown caps on my board appear to be 6.3V 1800uF.... of which I have none in my stash. But I'll go looking around.

From what I think the guy on the video said, I do need to match the uF rating, but I can go higher on voltage. Is this correct?

Wolf

 

Very hard to read more info on the capacitors than I already posted.... do I want to buy "low ESR" caps?

Thanks,
Wolf

 

Hi ImWolf

Yes you can go higher on voltage, don’t go mad though. As they become more expensive. Get the right size roughly and certainly you must match the Capacitance IE 1800 uF.

Low ESR capacitors are obviously better, but just go for correct size and a nice price. If you can get Low ESR for good price go for.

You should find easy enough on ebay.

You probably don’t need me to tell you to remove CPU’s and anything else before you solder.

I find using pliers on the Capacitor to remove helps. It’s bulged it’s dead it won’t mind the rough treatment.

At the moment I am just trying to source 500 Ohm wire wound potentiometers. Wow they are pricey, I need 12 of them.

Good luck with your first motherboard repair. I have confidence in you.

All the best

Madeleine

 

Yes

EDIT: Sorry, my reply was redundant, as in meantime, Madeline has supplied you with a much fuller answer.

 

Madeleine, if you don't mind me asking, what are you making, requiring the 12 WW pots?

OK if you do not want to disclose. I am just curious.

 

I am making fan controllers. Because I thought I was really smart and could do better than the professionals. Arrrggrrghhhhh.

I have a beautiful range on a 12v fan with a 250 ohm. However I thought I would go for 500 ohm, so I could get a turn off point.

Typed into ebay 500 ohm potentiometer and got hundreds of really nice pots at dirt cheap prices.

I bought 50 of these for future use

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/32423245...var=513301433437&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

Yes I know Priscus. They are not correct are they. Bloody ebay.

You can go to 1k and they are still really cheap. But when you go down to 250 – 500 ohm they become really pricey and they are not the nice 6mm shafts that I have carefully drilled for in my case and have the knobs for.

They are wire wound and expensive. I need 12 of and they need 6mm shafts so I can fit them in a bay of my Workstation.

GRrrrrrrrr

I am now going to drink lots of Baileys,, as Husband in bed

 

My Sunday Evening

 

Enjoy the Baileys. (My favourite tipple, also.)

In UK, usually have bought my components from Farnell. They will not be the cheapest, but many years ago, when I was in the trade, they excelled as a trusted, supplier of high quality material.

 

Bulging/leaking Capacitors... Always the first place to look. I've replaced a few in my time. Worth the effort.

 

Wolf,

Come back and tell us how you get on with replacing the caps, please.

Madeleine,

Most envious of the excellent workspace you have got set up for yourself there.

 

[Solved]

Thank you Madeleine, and others who chimed in on this.... it took a week to get the caps here. Replaced them last night and put the system back together this morning.

So far, all is right as rain. :b

Wolf