Need help fixing retro AMD 'gaming PC', possible motherboard failure / replacement [M2N68-LA]

[Guest]

30 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

ah, good tip, but I'm not concerned about the cooler - looks ok, what I meant is if there's so much stuff that looks burned it must have gotten hot and the cpu might be damaged and might be the problem after all... but also I wouldn't be surprised if that's simply why the pc was so slow, with basically almost no thermal paste it would throttle like hell I guess. : o

 

 

 

So I think I'll try getting the MSI board - it somehow looks good and is only 20 bucks - with some CPU and cooler iirc... (so I'd have spare parts lol) 

Well 20 bucks its a pretty bottom board. But if it works, that's all you need then.

Had a variety of AM2/AM2+ boards. 

M2N32 SLI deluxe, M3A, M3A78-T, M2N68 LA, M3A32 MVP wifi deluxe (<-My favorite board of all time) and AsRock 939 Dual Sata II with AM2 riser card. (<- blew up with volt mod) All of these boards long gone now. 

[Mark Kaine]

28 minutes ago, ShrimpBrime said:

Well 20 bucks its a pretty bottom board. But if it works, that's all you need then.

Had a variety of AM2/AM2+ boards. 

M2N32 SLI deluxe, M3A, M3A78-T, M2N68 LA, M3A32 MVP wifi deluxe (<-My favorite board of all time) and AsRock 939 Dual Sata II with AM2 riser card. (<- blew up with volt mod) All of these boards long gone now. 

How about this (it doesn't say 32?)

comes with Phenom x4 and what looks to be a little space heater xD 

 

 

 

PS: it doesn't look like it comes with a shield tho... do I really need that or could I use my old or DIY one out of aluminum foil or something lol? 

 

edit: okay looks like the io shield isn't a big problem, they even have drivers

 

 

"nForce" so edgy haha 

[Guest]

54 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

How about this (it doesn't say 32?)

comes with Phenom x4 and what looks to be a little space heater xD 

 

 

 

PS: it doesn't look like it comes with a shield tho... do I really need that or could I use my old or DIY one out of aluminum foil or something lol? 

 

edit: okay looks like the io shield isn't a big problem, they even have drivers

 

 

"nForce" so edgy haha 

NForce chipsets where the best for many years. Socket A 462... you wanted that NForce 2 chipset so you could over clock!

 

Its the little brother to the M2N32 SLI. As you can see supports only a single PCIE 2.0 slot.

[Mark Kaine]

36 minutes ago, ShrimpBrime said:

NForce chipsets where the best for many years. Socket A 462... you wanted that NForce 2 chipset so you could over clock!

 

Its the little brother to the M2N32 SLI. As you can see supports only a single PCIE 2.0 slot.

oh wow, I mean that stuff is complicated if you just jump in... so many models /numbers - and seemingly restrictions... 

 

Ok so that one would work but I can't OC? 

 

And no second pcie is good - I suppose, cause I need matx... I mean the plan is to fix this pc as it was - maybe slightly better parts but definitely keep the case, the gpu, and perhaps the cpu / ram - but it would be nice if I could upgrade that later, so a mobo cpu combo seems good - and that one is only 25 bucks and also comes with 4 gigs, and a space heater!  (^。^)

 

PS: also re: cooling, it has an exhaust fan but there really isn't anything stopping me from putting another exhaust maybe on the side? since it already has 'airflow' holes there? 

or does this not make sense? 

 

 

[Guest]

7 hours ago, Mark Kaine said:

oh wow, I mean that stuff is complicated if you just jump in... so many models /numbers - and seemingly restrictions... 

 

Ok so that one would work but I can't OC? 

 

And no second pcie is good - I suppose, cause I need matx... I mean the plan is to fix this pc as it was - maybe slightly better parts but definitely keep the case, the gpu, and perhaps the cpu / ram - but it would be nice if I could upgrade that later, so a mobo cpu combo seems good - and that one is only 25 bucks and also comes with 4 gigs, and a space heater!  (^。^)

 

PS: also re: cooling, it has an exhaust fan but there really isn't anything stopping me from putting another exhaust maybe on the side? since it already has 'airflow' holes there? 

or does this not make sense? 

 

 

Those boards should OC. 

The M2N SLI is actually a half way decent board. I was referring to the other two boards we where talking about, the MSI and M2N68 LA are pretty bottom end boards.

 

As long as you have good case flow, extra fans never hurt imo.

[Mark Kaine]

On 2/25/2021 at 1:52 PM, ShrimpBrime said:

Those boards should OC. 

The M2N SLI is actually a half way decent board. I was referring to the other two boards we where talking about, the MSI and M2N68 LA are pretty bottom end boards.

 

Ok, so I know that was pretty stupid from me but I thought why not try it... so I set everything up - new thermal paste, cleaned everything... but I didn't put the X1950 GT in there because I already kinda new the motherboard is toast... 

 

it worked well for over an hour - really snappy just like I remembered it... then BSOD and now it doesn't boot anymore, 1 short beep, 1 long beep, can't really find any info about it, they all say 2 short, 1 long, which my mobo doesn't do, it's 1 short, 1 long...

 but it's pretty obvious it's the motherboard - that's what the dude in the repair shop told my friend as well - and that repair shop is pretty good. 

 

Anyways I hope it didn't damage the other parts... I prob won't know until I got a new mobo, eh. 

 

it looked real good too, albeit a bit frosty! 

 

 

 

I really hope the pocessor is ok lol.

[Guest]

 

30 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

Ok, so I know that was pretty stupid from me but I thought why not try it... so I set everything up - new thermal paste, cleaned everything... but I didn't put the X1950 GT in there because I already kinda new the motherboard is toast... 

 

it worked well for over an hour - really snappy just like I remembered it... then BSOD and now it doesn't boot anymore, 1 short beep, 1 long beep, can't really find any info about it, they all say 2 short, 1 long, which my mobo doesn't do, it's 1 short, 1 long...

 but it's pretty obvious it's the motherboard - that's what the dude in the repair shop told my friend as well - and that repair shop is pretty good. 

 

Anyways I hope it didn't damage the other parts... I prob won't know until I got a new mobo, eh. 

 

it looked real good too, albeit a bit frosty! 

 

 

 

I really hope the pocessor is ok lol.

That's probably two separate beeps. 

1 short memory failure

1 long is normal post.

 

If the temps are accurate??? = CCB or CB issue maybe.

[Mark Kaine]

16 minutes ago, ShrimpBrime said:

That's probably two separate beeps.

yeah, possibly. 

 

16 minutes ago, ShrimpBrime said:

short memory failure

also possible but why would the memory fail all of the sudden? 

I mean I don't know, I guess a damaged mobo could do that? 

 

16 minutes ago, ShrimpBrime said:

long is normal post.

 

it doesn't post tho? or at least it never did this beeps before... it really just doesn't show anything and continues those two beeps... pretty weird. 

 

16 minutes ago, ShrimpBrime said:

If the temps are accurate??? = CCB or CB issue maybe.

Well the temps can't be accurate, at least not for the mobo temps... it's about 20C in my room... the PC was really cold tho, but I think it always was, so cpu seems maybe accurate. 

 

And what does ccb or cb mean? 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Mark Kaine said:

yeah, possibly. 

 

also possible but why would the memory fail all of the sudden? 

I mean I don't know, I guess a damaged mobo could do that? 

 

it doesn't post tho? or at least it never did this before... it really just doesn't show anything and continues those two beeps... pretty weird. 

 

Well the temps can't be accurate, at least not for the mobo temps... it's about 20C in my room... the PC was really cold tho, but I think it always was, so cpu seems maybe accurate. 

 

And what does ccb or cb mean? 

Cold Boot (motherboard) or CPU Cold Boot issue.

Most of these processors near freezing will simply not post.

Some motherboards run better warm on the chipset actually.

Odd beeps would be normal with no display. I figured you had it by the window or something maybe. 

 

Does it have a new cmos battery? That can make a big difference too.

 

[Mark Kaine]

3 minutes ago, ShrimpBrime said:

Cold Boot (motherboard) or CPU Cold Boot issue.

Ah, ok, well the cpu was really always running very cool to my recollection. 

I just really think the motherboard is now finally dead - like I said some caps don't look good at all, and that this results in 'weird' beeps maybe isn't surprising?

 

6 minutes ago, ShrimpBrime said:

I figured you had it by the window or something maybe. 

nah it was odd, the first few times it would go in this recovery screen where u can choose between like 3 recovery options or boot normal, and then it would just turn to gibberish, but after trying a few times it's just black screen - so it *does* look like memory, I just think that's because the power delivery from the mobo is malfunctioning... probably! 

 

 

8 minutes ago, ShrimpBrime said:

Does it have a new cmos battery? That can make a big difference too.

 

Ah, that's the one thing I forgot... no it's the old battery... I thought that could be a factor too. 

 

but I guess I'll just get a new mobo and hope that fixes it (and has better caps) 

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

Ah, ok, well the cpu was really always running very cool to my recollection. 

I just really think the motherboard is now finally dead - like I said some caps don't look good at all, and that this results in 'weird' beeps maybe isn't surprising?

 

nah it was odd, the first few times it would go in this recovery screen where u can choose between like 3 recovery options or boot normal, and then it would just turn to gibberish, but after trying a few times it's just black screen - so it *does* look like memory, I just think that's because the power delivery from the mobo is malfunctioning... probably! 

 

 

Ah, that's the one thing I forgot... no it's the old battery... I thought that could be a factor too. 

 

but I guess I'll just get a new mobo and hope that fixes it (and has better caps) 

It's tough. I just tossed an M4A78T deluxe a few weeks back. It had seen it's overclocking life cycle and no saving it. It would only post after clear cmos. OC in windblows OC apps only. Make one mistake, clear cmos post in safe mode and do it all over. Flashed bios a few times, did not matter. I almost purchased a bios chip for it, but likely and possibly burnt NB made me change my mind. My M3A32 MVP wifi deluxe app solo also died in similar fashion. And that board did probably 2 dozen chips overclocked on various cooling methods sub zero to ambient. I missed that board. First sign of damaged bios... Set v-core 1.560v and it would post 1.620v. Higher than the manual setting would even allow. It was a pretty awesome way for it to brick it's self, I enjoyed many overclocks as a result!

[Mark Kaine]

9 hours ago, ShrimpBrime said:

It's tough. I just tossed an M4A78T deluxe a few weeks back

yeah i mean those things don't last forever, I'm going to try to get the M2N SLI "deluxe", btw what is the copper pipe thing really - I get that it's cooling, but for what? VRMs maybe? 

[Guest]

55 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

yeah i mean those things don't last forever, I'm going to try to get the M2N SLI "deluxe", btw what is the copper pipe thing really - I get that it's cooling, but for what? VRMs maybe? 

Heat pipe connects NB VRM and SB.

[Mark Kaine]

@ShrimpBrimeWell... I messed this up again... I *knew* I should double check everything but the description was so bad lol... I mean it does say 'ATX' (somewhere) but still... 

Thing is I need mATX, so now I ordered a ASUS M2NS - NVM/S...

 

But I'm also getting the M2N-SLI Deluxe, including Phenom x4 and some RAM - are these parts compatible between those motherboards? 

 

That wouldn't be so bad then I guess but it's difficult to find proper info, both are AM2 so I guess it *should* work? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Mark Kaine said:

@ShrimpBrimeWell... I messed this up again... I *knew* I should double check everything but the description was so bad lol... I mean it does say 'ATX' (somewhere) but still... 

Thing is I need mATX, so now I ordered a ASUS M2NS - NVM/S...

 

But I'm also getting the M2N-SLI Deluxe, including Phenom x4 and some RAM - are these parts compatible between those motherboards? 

 

That wouldn't be so bad then I guess but it's difficult to find proper info, both are AM2 so I guess it *should* work? 

Yes the Phenom Agena core is AM2/AM2+ would work for sure. 

 

[Mark Kaine]

6 hours ago, ShrimpBrime said:

Yes the Phenom Agena core is AM2/AM2+ would work for sure. 

 

Thanks! Well I bought both, 50 euros in total... this better work, that 1 hour or so brought back the memories why I love Vista so much ~ idk I could swear there's like no input lag or something, I didn't even get to try the 'blades' - which is where you control the whole thing with an Xbox controller - though im not entirely sure that could have been XP also.

[Mark Kaine]

 

Ok replacement board A is here, looks almost brand new? 

(old but unused perhaps) at least the caps look OK! 

 

Going to get the other board with 4GB ram and Phenom processor today as well, hopefully, then I can frankensteiner my new superior Vista™ PC!  Hopefully. 

 

@ShrimpBrime I thought you wanted to know! also is that another 'shitboard™'?  I mean at least it has functional looking capacitors and I don't really plan to OC, except the GPU - which has really cool ATi overclocking software (it's just a slider lol) 

[Guest]

11 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

 

Ok replacement board A is here, looks almost brand new? 

(old but unused perhaps) at least the caps look OK! 

 

Going to get the other board with 4GB ram and Phenom processor today as well, hopefully, then I can frankensteiner my new superior Vista™ PC!  Hopefully. 

 

@ShrimpBrime I thought you wanted to know! also is that another 'shitboard™'?  I mean at least it has functional looking capacitors and I don't really plan to OC, except the GPU - which has really cool ATi overclocking software (it's just a slider lol) 

Well yeah. Definitely not an OCer's board. But it looks real clean! 

 

What GPU was it again?

[Mark Kaine]

1 minute ago, ShrimpBrime said:

Well yeah. Definitely not an OCer's board. But it looks real clean! 

yeah, I figured as much... the problem was I really needed mATX, they all look kinda similarly 'basic' (plus I have no idea what I'm doing lol) 

 

2 minutes ago, ShrimpBrime said:

What GPU was it again?

ATi Radeon X1950GT from Saphire ~

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Mark Kaine said:

yeah, I figured as much... the problem was I really needed mATX, they all look kinda similarly 'basic' (plus I have no idea what I'm doing lol) 

 

ATi Radeon X1950GT from Saphire ~

Look for Omega drivers. Sometimes they where better than the ATI drivers. 

[Mark Kaine]

1 hour ago, ShrimpBrime said:

Look for Omega drivers. Sometimes they where better than the ATI drivers. 

hmm okay, thanks, although the ATi driver I had was really pretty good (no guarantee I find it again though ) 

 

Well, this 'SLI' board *without SLI (?) looks really a lot better, I could almost make a second 'retro' PC if I find a ATX case...

 

 

Caps look ok too, it's really just my old board with bad caps, but then it was used for over 10 years so... 

 

 

 

with cooler, idk the fan looks weak though? the one from my Athlon looks beefier. 

 

 

PS: oh there is no io shield for that one, guess I would need one? 

 

Also the io shield from the M2NS-NVM/S is kinda 'padded' is that normal? seems a bit odd I'm not sure if I should remove the padding? 

 

 

never seen this before lol... 

@ShrimpBrime

[Guest]

35 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

hmm okay, thanks, although the ATi driver I had was really pretty good (no guarantee I find it again though ) 

 

Well, this 'SLI' board *without SLI (?) looks really a lot better, I could almost make a second 'retro' PC if I find a ATX case...

 

 

Caps look ok too, it's really just my old board with bad caps, but then it was used for over 10 years so... 

 

 

 

with cooler, idk the fan looks weak though? the one from my Athlon looks beefier. 

 

 

PS: oh there is no io shield for that one, guess I would need one? 

 

Also the io shield from the M2NS-NVM/S is kinda 'padded' is that normal? seems a bit odd I'm not sure if I should remove the padding? 

 

 

never seen this before lol... 

@ShrimpBrime

The shield padding is for silencing. It doesn't hurt anything but you have to push the board against it to line up the screw holes with the stand offs.

[Mark Kaine]

1 hour ago, ShrimpBrime said:

The shield padding is for silencing. It doesn't hurt anything but you have to push the board against it to line up the screw holes with the stand offs.

Ah, alright.