Why do motherboards keep blowing up on me??

[maverik-sg1]

I am not sure what the problem is here so I'll post the specs:

DFI NF4 SLI BIOS 510-3 LDT 1.4v Chipset 1.6v

FX55 (runs 24/7 @ 1.58v 255x12)

BH-5 2x512MB 3.6v 255Mhz 24/7

2x 200GB SATA drives

1x 74GB Raptor

P&PC 510 SLI all rails rock solid at 3.33v 5.1v 12v

2x 6800GT's watercooled 430/1150

1x DVD Writer

MACH2 GT R507

Antec P160 case

2x 120mm fans in case

1x 80mm fan on MOSFET for 4v DIMM

1x 40mm fan on other MOSFET

1x120mm fan on RAM fitted with individual copper ram sinks

So temps are good, voltages are adequate, Power supply is good Airflow is great.

Last MOBO went due to condensation at the rear of the unit. The one before that went beause the BIOS was corrupt, although I always flash in DOS and always Flash twice and only changed BIOS once from original to 326.

This 3rd unit (the mother that has just gone on me), was dialectric grease at the back, ultra sealed, neoprene around the CPU so no condenstion issues. Never been pushed hard (specs at the top are the specs I have run from day1) the poxy thing is only a week old and it died on me last night for no reason - I was just surfing the net for crying out loud. Swapped CPU, RAM and Tried VGA in different slots the unit wont even post!!

Is there and issue with these units shorting out on the MOBO?

Is there an issue with the Aluminium backplate supplied with the MACH2 CPU KIT?

Should I be completely coveing the back plate in insulation tape to be absolutley safe?

This will be my 3rd RMA with this motherboard and I am staring to get a little frustrated!!

Any thoughts or ideas as to why these things are happening??

Cheers

Mav

 

[Phil Stanbridge]

Is there an issue with the Aluminium backplate supplied with the MACH2 CPU KIT?

Its not something I am aware of personally, but I will be investigating this. Does your back plate touch anything on the rear of the motherboard?

 

[fatty]

My backplate is plastic ???

 

[Phil Stanbridge]

My backplate is plastic ???

The newer kits are alu.

 

[hardw1re]

i say they should of stuck with the plastic back (ps. my cpu is dead i think)

 

[cavemanep]

When in doubt, blame it on the static fairy - she creeps in late at night and fuses all your chips to the board!

 

[maverik-sg1]

Difficult to tell of it the backplate is touching - It may be something that I insulate in future - just in case.

Just striping it all out again!!

Maybe I will run a test bed first before I send back to see if I can identify the issue.

I cant blame the static fairy - unit is spike protected, I ws in teh room when it all went the way of the pear!

I wanted to try and hot flash the BIOS but looks like I need a special tool to extract the thing

RMA - it's a right royal pain, I'll soon be on first name terms with the quality control guys at DFI - LOL

 

[fatty]

LOL i got one waiting to go back

It could be condensation dripping onto the alu and shorting then drying before you actualy see it??

 

[maverik-sg1]

I have inspected the ally backplate - no signs of condensation every being there this time, looks like I got a good seal all around this time.

No sign of fused or corroded/eroded items anywhere - just wandering if the BIOS is corrupt again, if it is, what's the re-curring factor to make it happen?

Could it be I am getting a spike from the Mach2 USB or MOBO connecton??

I really dunno, its perplexing to think of htingds that I really should not have to be worrying about, justdip the lot in a bath of dilectric that should sort it!!

 

[rra]

Although I am no expert I have lost two DFI NF4 SLI DR motherboards even with good insulation etc a little cap near CPU about 1cm from backplate mounting (top of board) screw blows both times high memory clock.DFI HAVE ADMITED PROB with using 4v rail and then setting volts low ie 3.2v or lower.Mine was running 2hrs idle at 310mhz@ 2.9v 1:1 tccd multi @ 9 = 2790mhz ,on 3v rail .so my CPU was not stressed as I have taken screen shots up to 3400mhz.Personally I believe board has probs,never lost any equipment due to overclocking until dfi..???????

 

[Thickbrit]

I lost my ic7-g ,yesterday,bringing my tally of dead mobos to 8 now.All went in pretty much the same way,the fridge monster ate em all up.I'm fed up with trying to decide which mobo to try next,getting it,going through all the install crap,only to have to do it all again a few weeks later.The ic7-g has been in 8,maybe 10 weeks.I think this is the end of phase-change on my 24/7.I really can't afford any more wedge on mobos,and i've tried every combination of insulating technique,they still die anyway,for no good reason and all brands of mobo.

 

[maverik-sg1]

I had heard that IC-7's were prone to failure, I think thats why there is a mountain of mods available for them.

My mate has a system that is identical to mine in every way except the backplate and he has had no problems with his thus far (4 months and counting).

So I have re-insulated everything (including the back plate and the MOBO panel) the San Diego CPU is installed and I am half way through the re-installation of the whole package onto the MACH2.

I gotta go our for a couple fo hours but hope to have it finished tonight.

Fingers crossed this time

 

[cavemanep]

Dude - I now feel your pain - think I've just blown my NF7-s installinh my first Mach 1 - how annoying! Do you have a little problem solving routine you use - I've checked all the components on mine and all the bits (cpu/mem etc ) work - so I'm stuck!