Re: System Shutdown?

On Thu, 29 Mar 2007 20:54:40 -0400, Larry Sabo wrote:

Leythos <void@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

The first thing I look at, and not just with computers, is the CAPS, and
if they are "pregnant" I don't even go any further - it's just time for a
new board at that point.

I replace the caps to salvage the mainboard. Saves a lot of hastles
with OEM systems, whose mainboards are sometimes prohibitively
expensive, or unavailable. Unless you replace the mainboard with an
identical board, XP and Win2K can be real problems to recover, giving
lots of BSODs once startup is attempted. Most users wouldn't be able
to replace the caps themselves, but might be able to find a local tech
to do so for less than half the cost of a new board. I run into bad
caps on mainboards more often than on PSUs.

Sorry to wander so OT with my ramblings, but the OP should definitely
check the mainboard caps (tops) for signs of swelling.

I have a very nice weller station and have been soldering since the early
70's, even got a couple micro-mini schools for soldering while in the
service so that I can do 6 layer boards. In most cases, replacing the caps
is very easy, as long as you do it properly so that you don't damage the
layers between the front/back. Most people don't have the hardware to do
the job, and stations are not cheap.

I've actually found more routers and cheap SOHO devices with bad caps
because of the fill than motherboards (in the last 12 months). I've stated
to see a rash of Dell Dimension machines that have Win 2000 on them (yea,
that old) with swelling caps, but those machines are P3 systems and due to
be replaced anyway.

For a server I would replace the caps, but not for the typical workstation
(unless it was my own).

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