On 3 February 2010 12:24, <p...@stimpsonfamily.co.uk> wrote: > Hi Chris, > > > > On Mon 12:21 PM , "Chris. Aubrey-Smith" cas...@gmail.com sent: > > Hello, all! > > Quite a while ago, I had a problem with a machine which suddenly wouldn't > start. After several attempts it started and ran normally and then would, > again, refuse to start. On power-up, the fan would sometimes 'kick' and > then.... nothing. Very occasionally, it would start and run normally. > > [snip] > > > I've just encountered another machine (a completely different make) which > is displaying identical symptoms, so I'm moved to have another try. > > Does anyone have any suggestions? > > > What are the makes and models of these machines please? We've had lots > (10s) of machines at work do the same thing. They were all Dell GX260 and > GX270 machines with the same fault and we consider it a motherboard defect. > Since Dell use Intel motherboards I see no reason the fault shouldn't affect > others too. > > Have a look at the electrolytic capacitors on the board (I don't know your > level of experience so they're the cylindrical components with a plastic > coating on the outside and a metal disc visible on the top). The metal disc > on the end of them should be totally flat (usually with grooves marked into > it) . On all the motherboards we had the discs had all bulged outwards (some > of them had leaked fluid too) indicating the capacitors had failed and > built up pressure internally. > > Is this what you're seeing? > > Cheers, > Paul. > > The machines are (1) Medion MD5000 (2) Asrock Wolfdale 1333-GLAN/M2. (No, I'd never heard of the latter, either.)
The capacitors were the first thing I checked. No signs of excessive heat anywhere on either board. Acetone served to separate the CPU chip and heatsink, but I haven't yet had time to power it up to see if it survived... Chris. > > -- > Please post to: Hampshire@mailman.lug.org.uk > Web Interface: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/hampshire > LUG URL: http://www.hantslug.org.uk > -------------------------------------------------------------- >
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