cod2easy
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Repeated RAM failures with Biostar TForce motherboard
Hello,
Hopefully this is the right zone for this question. Yesterday I began having random lockups, errors and BSOD's under Windows Vista 32-bit. Today when I powered on the system the drives and fans power on, but I receive long beeps (long beep, pause, long beep, etc) and have no display.
Tried clearing CMOS, but was only able to power on the system by running one stick of memory. When adding the second back, even in 2nd set of dimms, it would either not power on or I would receive BSOD's upon booting to Vista.
This is the second time in the last year the _exact_ same symptons occurred and was solved then by replacing the memory. It's now happened again.
My question is, does the source of the problem sound like it's coming from the power supply or from the motherboard itself?
Current setup:
E4300 @ 3.0GHz
Biostar Tforce 695PT
Super Talent 2GB DDR2 800 (replaced Buffalo Firestix)
768MB eVGA 8800 GTX
Ultra X-Finity 500W
Thanks in advance!
Hopefully this is the right zone for this question. Yesterday I began having random lockups, errors and BSOD's under Windows Vista 32-bit. Today when I powered on the system the drives and fans power on, but I receive long beeps (long beep, pause, long beep, etc) and have no display.
Tried clearing CMOS, but was only able to power on the system by running one stick of memory. When adding the second back, even in 2nd set of dimms, it would either not power on or I would receive BSOD's upon booting to Vista.
This is the second time in the last year the _exact_ same symptons occurred and was solved then by replacing the memory. It's now happened again.
My question is, does the source of the problem sound like it's coming from the power supply or from the motherboard itself?
Current setup:
E4300 @ 3.0GHz
Biostar Tforce 695PT
Super Talent 2GB DDR2 800 (replaced Buffalo Firestix)
768MB eVGA 8800 GTX
Ultra X-Finity 500W
Thanks in advance!
Biostar TForce motherboards use Sacon FZ series capacitors which are complete crap.
They have been know to pop hard enough it can be heard across a room.
Sacon's old name was GSC and they've gone by Evercon as well.
With bad caps mucking up the quality of the power to the RAM I'm not surprised it keeps dying.
CPU, video, chipset, and drive controllers probably aren't too happy either.
First photo is actually from a Biostar TForce motherboard.
Bottom cap is an FZ that's blown it's internals right out the top. [Happens often with FZ.]
The other cap (above the FZ) is a legit solid polymer from Chemicon.
Solid Polymer caps do not have vents, only Electrolytic caps have vents. [The "K" stamp on the FZ.]
Second photo is the black version of FZ found on a Jetway board.
FZ caps are very VERY common on video cards made in the last 3-4 years as well.
You need to replace the motherboard of have it recapped.
.
Sacon-FZ-Biostar-tForce-590SLi-D.jpg
Sacon-FZ-Jetway-skt939mobo-pcb.jpg
They have been know to pop hard enough it can be heard across a room.
Sacon's old name was GSC and they've gone by Evercon as well.
With bad caps mucking up the quality of the power to the RAM I'm not surprised it keeps dying.
CPU, video, chipset, and drive controllers probably aren't too happy either.
First photo is actually from a Biostar TForce motherboard.
Bottom cap is an FZ that's blown it's internals right out the top. [Happens often with FZ.]
The other cap (above the FZ) is a legit solid polymer from Chemicon.
Solid Polymer caps do not have vents, only Electrolytic caps have vents. [The "K" stamp on the FZ.]
Second photo is the black version of FZ found on a Jetway board.
FZ caps are very VERY common on video cards made in the last 3-4 years as well.
You need to replace the motherboard of have it recapped.
.
Sacon-FZ-Biostar-tForce-590SLi-D.jpg
Sacon-FZ-Jetway-skt939mobo-pcb.jpg
Your motherboard does not appear to exist on the Biostar site:
http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en-us/search.php?search=Tforce+695PT
Is the id correct?
http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en-us/search.php?search=Tforce+695PT
Is the id correct?
ASKER
Thanks for the replies. I will be checking them out and updating the results. I have listed the link for this board below (TSeries, then select T Force for Intel).
http://www.biostar-usa.com/app/en-us/t-series/content.php?S_ID=191
http://www.biostar-usa.com/app/en-us/t-series/content.php?S_ID=191
TForce is a series, not a specific model.
http://www.biostar-usa.com/quicksearch.asp
Regardless Biostar has never consistently used good caps.
You often won't even find the same caps on 2 boards of the same model and revision.
They seem to slap on whatever they can get cheap that week.
They do make good boards after you fix the cap problems.
.
TForce.jpg
http://www.biostar-usa.com/quicksearch.asp
Regardless Biostar has never consistently used good caps.
You often won't even find the same caps on 2 boards of the same model and revision.
They seem to slap on whatever they can get cheap that week.
They do make good boards after you fix the cap problems.
.
TForce.jpg
ASKER
Sorry, yes it's the TFORCE 965PT. I have checked the motherboard and as best I can see there are no visible signs of leaking or blown, albeit not in the best light. For "normal" caps, should they have a raise on to top or should they be completely flat?
I was actually responding to phototropic being lost.
>> Tops should be completely flat on electrolytic caps.
Any bloating at all indicates the electrolyte is breaking down and forming gasses inside the can.
The vent [stamp mark on top] is a designed in weak spot that provides a place for the can to split open and relieve the gas pressure vice the outer can blasting off like a little missile.
- Airborne bits of aluminum is generally considered a bad idea inside a chassis full of electronics boards.
Some electrolytics that are 6mm and most that are smaller may not have vents because they can't build enough pressure to pop the top off anyway.
If it's electrolytic and 8mm or bigger it WILL have a vent.
Solid Polymer never have vents because they don't form gases.
.
>> Tops should be completely flat on electrolytic caps.
Any bloating at all indicates the electrolyte is breaking down and forming gasses inside the can.
The vent [stamp mark on top] is a designed in weak spot that provides a place for the can to split open and relieve the gas pressure vice the outer can blasting off like a little missile.
- Airborne bits of aluminum is generally considered a bad idea inside a chassis full of electronics boards.
Some electrolytics that are 6mm and most that are smaller may not have vents because they can't build enough pressure to pop the top off anyway.
If it's electrolytic and 8mm or bigger it WILL have a vent.
Solid Polymer never have vents because they don't form gases.
.
ASKER
Thanks for clarifying. Took another look and the caps look like the first picture you posted, raised / beveled tops, but without the explosion of course. By replacing the motherboard and ram, do you feel the CPU has been damaged or that I may be able to get a little more life out of it?
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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My first question is a simple one. The previous stick of RAM that failed, was it in the same dimm slot?
If so, you have either been extremely unlucky with getting 2 sticks of ram which have died rather quickly, or your pc is blowing the RAM.
It could be Power Supply or Motherboard causing it if this is the case.
In any case, those 2 things are not hugely expensive parts, though not as cheap as RAM these days.
Maybe you could look at trying a different brand of RAM.
I believe Kingmax has a lifetime guaruntee on RAM these days, which means if it goes, they will replace it free of charge.
If so, you have either been extremely unlucky with getting 2 sticks of ram which have died rather quickly, or your pc is blowing the RAM.
It could be Power Supply or Motherboard causing it if this is the case.
In any case, those 2 things are not hugely expensive parts, though not as cheap as RAM these days.
Maybe you could look at trying a different brand of RAM.
I believe Kingmax has a lifetime guaruntee on RAM these days, which means if it goes, they will replace it free of charge.
ASKER
Thanks for the reply. Actually, it was two sticks of RAM that failed originally (dual channel Buffalo sticks). One failed first, seemed to be okay, then the second sticked did the same. Then now with the Super Talent (dual kit as well), it has done the same thing. Although, one stick is still working *atm*.
ASKER
The power supply has been tested locally and all the voltages were in range (although it was not tested under load). Looks like I will be ordering a replacement motherboad as it appears the caps are the culprit. Thanks for all the help!
You can try the memory in another machine and see what it does there.
You can try another power supply and see how that handles the motherboard. Just stick it on top of the case and plug it directly to motherboard. That'll isolate the problem down to the motherboard or not.