Missing BIOS Selection Switch on EVGA Classified SR-2 - need help wiring jumpers

[Apprisco]

Hey all!

Sorry for the blurry photo, but this is my day 3 on attempting to fix this EVGA Classified SR-2.

Apparently, someone took parts off of it for an electronics project, explaining the 7 missing 560uF 6.3v capacitors.

However, it would appear that that same person has also removed the damn BIOS selection switch, and I cannot find a replacement part anywhere.

If anyone can find a replacement part that I can purchase, that'd be amazing, but otherwise, I'd need to wire a set of jumpers(maybe even a separate switch) to get this working.

 

As you can see, the bios sel switch itself is missing, and someone has clearly put some hot air on this board, moving that switch around.

 

Any ideas on what I can do?

[mariushm]

Desolder the selection switch completely, you can't figure out the connector until you see exactly the footprint and how it's wired.

 

Read the part number from the bios chips, in case you don't remember I already told you, they're the chips with orange dots and the chip in the holder above the two chips with the orange dot.

Find the datasheet using that part number, and figure out which pin is the ENABLE or SELECT pin as that's most likely the pin that's switched by the selection switch. The switch will most likely connect a trace to one of the three enable/select pins of the bios chips.

 

You can use a multimeter in continuity mode to figure out what each lead or pad under the switch does. Put a lead on one of the pads or holes of the leads of selection switch and one on the enable pin of the bios chip, if it beeps you figured out that pad/hole lead is for one of the bioses.

 

Once you figure out the footprint, you can go at distributors of electronic components and buy a 3 position slide switch matching the footprint, as in spacing between rows, spacing between individual pins or pads (if it's surface mount)

 

For example, here's 120 slide switches in stock (540 incl. out of stock) which are either SP3T  (single pole) or DP3T (double pole) : https://www.digikey.com/short/bbm4c4pz

 

It's important to figure out the footprint in order to pick the right version. Then, you can filter by surface mount or through hole (switch with leads going through motherboards), then you can search the remaining ones for one with proper pin spacing.

 

The part number / manufacturer may also be listed under the part, in the plastic... or under the metal shroud, which could be a cover for the actual slide switch - usually the switches themselves are more ugly looking.

 

also if you figure out the way the switch was supposed to work you could just solder a wire across two pins (most likely) to enable a specific bios chip.

 

[Apprisco]

Update:

So, there's literally only 3 pins holding that switch to the motherboard.

I recapped the board, and there's no changes, and it definitely won't boot without the bios switch.

It's literally just 3 pins, no model number or anything on what's left of it.

 

Reminder:

That white part isn't the switch, it's what's left after someone decided to tear it out. Possibly just pads for the real switch.

 

Can't find anything similar on the digikey link you sent, sadly.

[Apprisco]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007QAJUUS\

These are looking promising though

[mariushm]

OK so if there's only 3 pins, that means that switch only switches between 2 bios chips. 

 

You can't find such switches in the link I gave you because by default, it's set to filter and show only switches with 3 positions. 

 

if the switch truly has only 3 pins then most likely the layout is like this  [ 1. to bios 1 ] ---- [ 2. from chipset ] ---- [ 3. to bios 2]   

 

So when you set switch to the left, you make connection 1-2  , when you slide to the right you make connection 2-3 

 

There's 209  SPDT switches (single pole, double throw/tap/whatever) in stock on Digikey alone : https://www.digikey.com/short/zr0zz7tj

 

It don't necessarily have to look the same, as long as the distance between pins and thickness of pins is good enough..

 

 

[Apprisco]

Yeah, I bought my SPDT from Amazon, these should work.

 

The issue is that there is no change in behavior after re-capping the whole board... 

Not having much hope in this motherboard.

I just bought two more x5650s to test, but really no hope in this rig rn.

[Kilrah]

As @mariushmmentioned if there is no switch no BIOS would be enabled unless you jumped the connection to one of them so it's not surprising it wouldn't boot. 

[mariushm]

And it's fairly OBVIOUS, but ideally you would get a programmer and actually CHECK the bios chips to see if they have content written in them. AND, also check the bios inside the bios chip holder... if there even is a bios chip in the bios holder.

 

As that's an overclocking motherboard, one bios may be simply erased, or one of the bios may have presets and everything set for LN2 overclocking or some other ridiculous settings, which would cause the board to simply not start.

A programmer is as low as 3-5$ .. see for example CH341 and volt mod it to 3.3v or whatever the flash chips need.... see video below.

 

And I've explained to use a multimeter to test traces and figure out how that switch works ... either you don't have a multimeter OR you don't know how to use it OR you're lazy OR you can't be bothered to follow tips and instructions ... just say so then, so me and others won't waste our time trying to help.

 

And last but not least... I think I've asked for you to post some clear pictures of the board... you have the motherboard, is it too hard to grab your phone or some camera and take some clear pictures? There may be some other parts missing or broken that you're not seeing. Other pairs of eyes may be able to tell you what else is bad.

The board was obviously hit on the bottom edge, I can see the bent header for programming the bios chips.... which by the way ... if you had bothered to read the manual, it would tell you what each pin of that header does, so you could use the multimeter from that header to the bios switch to figure out the traces.

 

 

 

 

[Apprisco]

5 hours ago, mariushm said:

And it's fairly OBVIOUS, but ideally you would get a programmer and actually CHECK the bios chips to see if they have content written in them. AND, also check the bios inside the bios chip holder... if there even is a bios chip in the bios holder.

 

As that's an overclocking motherboard, one bios may be simply erased, or one of the bios may have presets and everything set for LN2 overclocking or some other ridiculous settings, which would cause the board to simply not start.

A programmer is as low as 3-5$ .. see for example CH341 and volt mod it to 3.3v or whatever the flash chips need.... see video below.

 

And I've explained to use a multimeter to test traces and figure out how that switch works ... either you don't have a multimeter OR you don't know how to use it OR you're lazy OR you can't be bothered to follow tips and instructions ... just say so then, so me and others won't waste our time trying to help.

 

And last but not least... I think I've asked for you to post some clear pictures of the board... you have the motherboard, is it too hard to grab your phone or some camera and take some clear pictures? There may be some other parts missing or broken that you're not seeing. Other pairs of eyes may be able to tell you what else is bad.

The board was obviously hit on the bottom edge, I can see the bent header for programming the bios chips.... which by the way ... if you had bothered to read the manual, it would tell you what each pin of that header does, so you could use the multimeter from that header to the bios switch to figure out the traces.

 

 

 

 

Look, I'm doing this in my free time, around 30 minutes a day.

No need to be so mad, and additionally I already checked nearly everything.

1. Cleared CMOS, chances are the BIOS has no settings on it.
2. Don't expect me to buy things I don't have to fix it, that I won't use in the future. I got the spare cpus and coolers because I need them on other projects anyways, like finishing my multiple r710 blade server rack.

3. There's a reason why I found an SPDT switch before you even mentioned it? I already tested the enable pin. Which is why I have high hopes for that damn switch.

4. There's no missing parts other than the caps which I already replaced, and the bios switch. (Speaker doesn't count since it doesn't matter for post.)

5. THERE ISNT ANY INFORMATION about the bios header, holy crap.

I believe what you mean is the EVGA Control Panel tester, which does nothing related.

Please go read the manual yourself, I've read it at least 30 times by now.

 

I'll even be nice and link it here for you:

https://www.evga.com/support/manuals/files/270-WS-W555.pdf

 

6.

There is a bios chip in the holder, which seems to be in perfectly good condition. I'm just waiting for the switch to arrive.

[Apprisco]

On 9/22/2021 at 2:35 PM, mariushm said:

And it's fairly OBVIOUS, but ideally you would get a programmer and actually CHECK the bios chips to see if they have content written in them. AND, also check the bios inside the bios chip holder... if there even is a bios chip in the bios holder.

 

As that's an overclocking motherboard, one bios may be simply erased, or one of the bios may have presets and everything set for LN2 overclocking or some other ridiculous settings, which would cause the board to simply not start.

A programmer is as low as 3-5$ .. see for example CH341 and volt mod it to 3.3v or whatever the flash chips need.... see video below.

 

And I've explained to use a multimeter to test traces and figure out how that switch works ... either you don't have a multimeter OR you don't know how to use it OR you're lazy OR you can't be bothered to follow tips and instructions ... just say so then, so me and others won't waste our time trying to help.

 

And last but not least... I think I've asked for you to post some clear pictures of the board... you have the motherboard, is it too hard to grab your phone or some camera and take some clear pictures? There may be some other parts missing or broken that you're not seeing. Other pairs of eyes may be able to tell you what else is bad.

The board was obviously hit on the bottom edge, I can see the bent header for programming the bios chips.... which by the way ... if you had bothered to read the manual, it would tell you what each pin of that header does, so you could use the multimeter from that header to the bios switch to figure out the traces.

 

 

 

 

Glad to prove that you were completely wrong.

 

Anyways, confirmed that some sockets are dead( to be expected when the ends are literally chopped off)
and that 1 socket is nonfunctional, which is saddening.

Not sure which voltage readouts I need to test.