Epox 8RDA+ burnt mark, dead board. (pictures to come)

[hackeron]

Hey,

I have been running on this board on linux for a few months. I decided to get a VIA Barebone as I had to move PC to my room and couldn't tolerate the noise at night, while still in need of a 24hr/day server. Long story short, I moved the PC to my room, plugged it into the mains, and...

SIREN!, wee ooo, wee ooo, wee ooo. I straight away held the power button for 5 seconds and it turned off. This was the last time it made any kind of sound or for that matter feedback.

I tried turning on and off a few times, nothing. Concidering it has been running without a reboot for 2 months, this is strange. I decided to migrate hard drive over to the Via, since I needed to get some work done pronto, and noticed a black mark on the case about 2cm from the motherboard.

A bad word came to my head which was soon confirmed when I layed the case on its side to see a burnt mark under the capacitor near the last PCI slot.

Anyway, not to bore you, the board is dead. Shows FF on the debug LCD, and actually on my recent try to turn it on, it turned off about a second after. Anyway, its still under warranty so unlike the person with the same issue on 8rda.com I'll be able to get an RMA for it, or maybe not?

I will post pictures tomorrow morning, its 2am here, and I'm too tired.

A few more details is there are no black spots on the other side of the board and no other strange black burnt marks anywhere else on the board. In anycase, give me whatever suggestions you can think of? any specific picture angle requests? any other comments, instructions, whatever?


Yet another slightly less than satisfied epox user,
Hackeron


EDIT: started threads linking here on the following pages:
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/sho...eadid=17199056
http://www.over-clock.com/ivb/index.php?showtopic=3929

[Gizmo]

I'm waiting for pics, but it sounds like your board is toast alright. It's not all that common for a blown cap to short internally (they usually go completely open), but it does happen, and that is what it sounds like has happened here. You should be able to get it RMA'd I would think.

[mookydooky]

This kind of stuff happens to all boards. It's happened on one of my Abits and one of my EPoXes. Most people don't use their computers like some of the hardcore users here who OC them to the max and run them 24/7 running DC projects like FAH for months and sometimes years on end. I think most people turn them on and use them for a couple of hours and turn them off, but that's not us. I'm pretty sure boards are more or less designed for the mainstream user, and once again, that's not us.

I had a board go bad last week. I'll try to RMA it, but I would understand if they said "no." I'm not a typical user and this board was probably not designed for people like me doing the stuff I do.

[Daniel ~]

God! I just hate it when I'm asked to take responsibility for my own actions! LOL

[hackeron]

Originally Posted by Daniel ~

God! I just hate it when I'm asked to take responsibility for my own actions! LOL

Ok, I dont think you understand. I have NOT been overclocking the board, it was running at stock voltage for everything but ram (heatsyncs on ram), and although I run the AMD Athlon 2500+ as 2800+, that was only since it was detected this way, and I thought, hell, epox knows best.

The PC was running mostly as a server, so I have taken every step to ensure its reliability.

And mainstream users should expect to be able to run the board without switch off on relatively low load, so while your board failures were probably your fault, mine certainly wasnt.

I owned many boards, always with this type of usage, and while I had problems with some, this is the first of its kind and I have NEVER heard similar things about any other boards. This however seems very common for Epox boards.

The only reason I put a question mark for the RMA request is because Epox are known for their less than adequate customer service as seen on 8rda.com.

In anycase, think what you will. The pictures which I'm moving from camera to PC as we speak will prove my innocence.



EDIT: Added the pictures, and will link to this thread directly on the bug report, hopefully Epox will prove me wrong.

[Aedan]

Actually, I think that Dan was referring to Mooky's comment about the boards running 24/7 F@H, as Dan runs several machines 24/7 with F@H on them.

Additionally, EPoX have changed the way that RMAs are handled in the US recently. From memory, I believe that the service used to be outsourced, but is now in-house.

[Daniel ~]

Aedan has it right. Sorry if I added to any misunderstanding.

On the other hand, I've run an 8rda+ @235 FSB (capable of 240FSB) for well over a year now,without incident. But then my board never sees a reported temp above 46C.Usually around 42C under full load.

As far a reliability EPoX does at lest as good a job as any. Whatever board is most popular at any given time is generally the board that draws the most complaints.

Drawing from your story, I'd RMA it.

[Gizmo]

This looks like a definite RMA candidate. It wasn't your cap that blew, judging by the pictures. I can't see well enough from the pictures, but it looks like there was either a diode or a transistor next to it on the mobo, and that suffered what is refered to as a 'catastrophic' failure.

If you have a DMM, you should check your PSU before you plug anything else into it, and make sure that it is regulating properly. Since this board is already fried, you can use it as your guinea pig.

[hackeron]

Originally Posted by gizmo

This looks like a definite RMA candidate. It wasn't your cap that blew, judging by the pictures. I can't see well enough from the pictures, but it looks like there was either a diode or a transistor next to it on the mobo, and that suffered what is refered to as a 'catastrophic' failure.

If you have a DMM, you should check your PSU before you plug anything else into it, and make sure that it is regulating properly. Since this board is already fried, you can use it as your guinea pig.

Thanks for the reply and advice, I tried the PSU with an older SMP P3 board I had, and it seems fine. Its a high quality Enermax PSU 430W so I don't think it was the problem, its been running rock stable for a couple of years now, and shows no signs of dying on me.

As for using the motherboard as a test unit, doesn't seem like a possibility. I recently tried to plug it in, it just switches itself off about a second or 2 after being switched on, just enough to get a glimpse of the FF on the debug LCD.

I think I'm just going to wait for a reply from Epox support, request an RMA and send it in to be examined and hopefully replaced.

When taking the MB out of the case the second time however, the black burnt out cover over the blown compunent came off, and I see a bronze coloured plate. It doesnt' mean much to me, but maybe could mean something to some of you?

I can take a picture if needed.

[Gizmo]

You had a semiconductor failure, bro'. Dunno what that part used to be, but it is a wire now, most probably connecting a power rail to ground (probably either +5 or +3.3). That is the reason the thing shuts down after about two seconds, I would guess.

In any case, you're taking the proper course of action at this point, IMHO.

[hackeron]

Originally Posted by gizmo

You had a semiconductor failure, bro'. Dunno what that part used to be, but it is a wire now, most probably connecting a power rail to ground (probably either +5 or +3.3). That is the reason the thing shuts down after about two seconds, I would guess.

In any case, you're taking the proper course of action at this point, IMHO.

Ok, thanks a lot for all your help, I'll still however waiting for reply from Epox, hopefully the lack of replies is due it being the weekend, but I can only hope.

I have also posted info about this on: http://www.over-clock.com/ivb/index....t=0#entry32874

[jaxxin]

Look if you 24/7, many boards, Run them for years, Cant help this guy then piss off , we dont want to here about your 24/7 many years stuff

[jimbobaggies]

I seem to remember somebody posting in the last year with a capacitor blown in the same place as yours, and I'm sure EPoX tech said it was something to do with USB (iirc).

[Daniel ~]

Originally Posted by jaxxin

Look if you 24/7, many boards, Run them for years, Cant help this guy then piss off , we dont want to here about your 24/7 many years stuff

"as ye judge, so shall ye be judged"

[hackeron]

Originally Posted by jimbobaggies

I seem to remember somebody posting in the last year with a capacitor blown in the same place as yours, and I'm sure EPoX tech said it was something to do with USB (iirc).

This is exactly what I fear, they will start making rediculous excuses , just for the record, I didn't have any USB devices plugged in AT ALL!, I just plugged in power and network cable, didn't even plug in monitor, just wanted to boot it quickly, transfer files over network and power it off, then finish install on my new VIA, but the damn siren came on .

Also, thanks for banning the ***** Daniel

[Daniel ~]

I think one might still give EPoX the benefit of the doubt at this point...yes? ":O}

[hackeron]

Originally Posted by Daniel ~

I think one might still give EPoX the benefit of the doubt at this point...yes? ":O}

day3, no reply from Epox, so the benefit of the doubt still exists, but it isn't looking too great for epox. I will keep you updated with Epox's actions.

Also, could you changed the thread topic from 'pictures to come' to +pics?

Also, you made my comment seem like I was swearing at the guy, for the record I wasnt . I may have picked the wrong word, I meant troll.

[Daniel ~]

2 of those days were week-end non business days yes?

[Daniel ~]

Originally Posted by hackeron

day3, no reply from Epox, so the benefit of the doubt still exists, but it isn't looking too great for epox. I will keep you updated with Epox's actions.

Also, could you changed the thread topic from 'pictures to come' to +pics?

Also, you made my comment seem like I was swearing at the guy, for the record I wasnt . I may have picked the wrong word, I meant troll.

I didn't make it look like anything. I said we don't permit name calling and we don't. Troll would have gotten the same response from me as lammer.

Please read our forum rules.

[hackeron]

Originally Posted by Daniel ~

I didn't make it look like anything. I said we don't permit name calling and we don't. Troll would have gotten the same response from me as lammer.

Please read our forum rules.

Ah, I see. I wasn't familiar with this rule, thanks for upholding it, its a good rule.