Another Dead Mobo

linthat22

Regular
Man, this is getting frustrating.

Okay, in the last thread I created I talked about how I thought I killed my mobo ( you can read it here ).

Well, my machine and my wife's machine are the same (RAM, mobo, video card, sound card etc...) and her's is now doing what mine did.

It will power up, but no beeps, no video, no nothing. I'm wondering if it's either the board itself or the RAM. I still haven't received my board back from Asus since RMA'd it.

So what do ya'll think? I'm so frustrated.

Quick edit, it's an Asus P5K with Crucial Ballistics RAM (DDR2 1066)
 
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Have you tested different RAM?

Just so you know, Crucial Ballistix is about the most unreliable RAM money can buy. Google for proof. I had a 2GB set of PC4000 DDR a couple years ago that I literally had to RMA 5 times over the course of approximately 1 year until I finally got a working set.

I will never buy Balllistix again.
 
A long while ago I had a problem with an ASUS motherboard that seemed similar.

It was actually the power supplies fault.

Anyway I don't know if you have thought about trying a different one. It might be worth a shot if you have one lying around collecting dust.
What happens when you take the RAM out of the machine? Most will put their siren on if you do that. It certainly cannot be the RAM if it isn't even in the motherboard right?
 
My Asus mobo fried in late 2006. I've also since heard from two friends of mine that also had Asus products go kaput (one was a mobo too, the other was a DVD drive). The two mobos were different models btw. My mobo was high-end when I bought it in mid-2004.

After that, I bought an ultra-cheap ASRock mobo. No problems thus far *knock wood*.
 
My Asus mobo fried in late 2006. I've also since heard from two friends of mine that also had Asus products go kaput (one was a mobo too, the other was a DVD drive). The two mobos were different models btw. My mobo was high-end when I bought it in mid-2004.

After that, I bought an ultra-cheap ASRock mobo. No problems thus far *knock wood*.

Everyone has problems, but it seems very difficult to get a real sense of failure rates. I wish we could find that information to learn if it really mattered at all what brand you buy. I am feeling that it matters less and less in my own experience.
 
Have you tested different RAM?

Just so you know, Crucial Ballistix is about the most unreliable RAM money can buy. Google for proof. I had a 2GB set of PC4000 DDR a couple years ago that I literally had to RMA 5 times over the course of approximately 1 year until I finally got a working set.

I will never buy Balllistix again.

I'm starting to come to your conclusion. I've read where people were having issues, but I figured since mine was working fine, I would be fine.

Maybe this time I'll try the RAM that's suggested in the mobo manual. Sucks, but even if it doesn't work I can always send it back.
 
I went ahead and ordered some Kingston HyperX DDR2 1066 RAM. Should be here Friday, I'll update then. If it is the RAM, I'll RMA the RAM and deal with it in my machine and let the wifey have all the new RAM so she doesn't have to put up with it.
 
BTW just check that no caps are leaking on the mobo, just takes some minutes, good luck.
 
look at the MOSFETs too. See if any overheated and fried. The hard ones are ones that only show a light fading of color or use a multi meter and see if the gate is blown.
 
There under the heat sink around the CPU socket 775 ( another name is socket T). There black and have 3 leads or 2 leads with a back plate. If one went bad then the power to the CPU will be cut down or wrong voltage will be feed to the CPU. There are newer MOSFET packaging now and have 3 to 4 leads on 2 sides. The motherboard you have could be one or the other.

EDIT
here is a pic of bad MOSFETS and in this pic its realy bad.
HPIM0375.JPG
 
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PK5? Try this. Turn off power to PSU. Hit start button. Remove battery. Short CMOS clear jumper (10s). Short battery terminals (10s). Replace battery. Turn on power. If successful go into BIOS & reset options. Also check around the motherboard PSU & 12V connectors for any 270uF Fuji poly caps. If so, it's best to replace with 520uF/820uF poly/OSCON or 1200uF/1500uF non-AQ quality electrolytic at a pinch.
 
Quick update: It was the RAM

I ordered some Kingston RAM and popped it in and the the mobo perked right up. I'm going to order another 2 gig set for my machine when my mobo get's back.

I'm going to RMA my 4 sticks of Crucial Ballistix. When those return I'll let the wife have the Kingston RAM in my machine and I'll use the Ballistix. That way we'll both have 4 gigs of RAM and I'll have a bum set (crosses fingers that the new set won't be faulty).

I betcha ASUS are wondering why I RMA'd a mobo with no issues. Oh well, live and learn.

I appreciate everyone's comments and suggestions. As always you all rock! Thank you!
 
Yay for being right
boo for Crucial Ballistix

I can't that crap has such a good reputation and people keep buying it. I can't count how many horror stories I've heard about it, and my own experience was the worst I've ever had with any individual PC component.

Don't bother putting that stuff back in your machine man. You're only asking for trouble. I had to RMA mine 5 times. No over-volting or over-clocking was done through the last 2 sets, and they still crapped out within weeks. Sell it and move on. There's so many choices out there...

I just bought these. 4GB of DDR2-1000 for $100, how can you pass that up?
 
The Crucial standard stuff has been pretty good for years. Nothing staggeringly high end, but solid quality at a decent price. I wonder where they went so wrong with Ballistix, which was really their first foray into high speed/overclockers ram?
 
The Crucial standard stuff has been pretty good for years. Nothing staggeringly high end, but solid quality at a decent price. I wonder where they went so wrong with Ballistix, which was really their first foray into high speed/overclockers ram?

You're right about their bog-standard stuff. I've worked with Crucial-branded memory for years as a reseller and service tech, and have had very few RMAs. Really good quality stuff. Ballistix is some of the worst junk out there though, IMHO.
 
You're right about their bog-standard stuff. I've worked with Crucial-branded memory for years as a reseller and service tech, and have had very few RMAs. Really good quality stuff. Ballistix is some of the worst junk out there though, IMHO.

I have only used their cheap ram, corsairs' ram, and Geil (which is pretty cheap) and never had a problem with any of them.
 
I have only used their cheap ram, corsairs' ram, and Geil (which is pretty cheap) and never had a problem with any of them.

Corsair is always good, and Geil isn't half-bad, although the 4GB DDR2-800 kit of Geil I have now is crap. Didn't o/c at all and seems to actually be failing after < 1 month of operation no more than 10% out of spec. Pretty pathetic if you ask me. Oh well, I can still return it for refund since I bought from Newegg.
 
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