capacitor fix

mdchachi · Post by **mdchachi** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 6:37 pm

I wonder how do I go about finding somebody or a shop who can do the capacitor fix on my BP6? I don't even know how to start looking...

InactiveX · Post by **InactiveX** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 7:16 pm

Hi there mdchachi,

Try a TV repair shop, computer and electronics repair shop, or http://www.motherboardrepair.com/

davd_bob · Post by **davd_bob** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 7:45 pm

mdchachi,
if you are up to soldering...
be patient. i am doing that repair in the next few days on my BP6. Once done I will list the tools and supplies needed, and a HOW TO procedure. I got the caps for free from the manufacture by just asking for them.

I will include a list if links

If you are NOT up to doing it yourself then InactiveX nailed it. motherboardrepais.com seems to be an excelent choice...cost about $50 plus shipping
David

mdchachi · Post by **mdchachi** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 11:22 pm

As I've never done any significant soldering, I don't think I want to start with this, easy as it looks. I'll call around locally and see what I can find.

You contacted Abit for the caps? Or the capacitor manufacturer? Can you give me the contact info? Probably be better if I have the capacitor in hand and can just take it to a shop.

Thanks.

headseed · Post by **headseed** » Mon Apr 19, 2004 10:46 am

Just got the BP6 I have been waiting on, check this out:

Bad Caps!

Ughh! Good thing I've traded with this party before, and he was on irc when I opened the package. We'll be in touch regarding the transaction. I just mailed Jackson for replacments, we'll see how it goes.

I can't complain, I asked him to send me some ram (of type of his choice), and he sent a stick of infiineon PC133 128, a nice suprise. I just wanted something like PC100 64MB for testing. Good guy.

davd_bob · Post by **davd_bob** » Mon Apr 19, 2004 11:28 am

'seed,
Cool!!!

now ya gata update your sig.
david

headseed · Post by **headseed** » Mon Apr 19, 2004 6:54 pm

Ah yes, the Jackcon caps are bulging, but is the other ones (the green ones) that are exploded everywhere, so I can't expect them to replace caps they didn't make. Called the abit rma dept., they consider the bp6 a recall, and will reapair/replace the board for free, and they said I could ship USPS priority. So I should get this done for short money, even less than buying caps myself.

I described the caps for him, and the extensiveness of the problem (they all either popped or going to soon) and the ammount of electrolytic stuff all over the place, and how some small surface mount components that are no where near any caps apear to be melted/burned (and also in a puddle of something), and he said most likely they will replace the board!

I am happy, but at the same time, this was a v1.0 board... I don't think I get one of these back from them, will it affect the ability of 100fsb? Should I even care? I mean, a brand new bp6 is going to be awesome!

davd_bob · Post by **davd_bob** » Mon Apr 19, 2004 10:12 pm

now i wish i had checked abit rma.
my system is working ok at 92fsb with one 366@500. I replaced the 2 "4" packs of caps but lost my confidence with how the work turned out.

headseed · Post by **headseed** » Mon Apr 19, 2004 10:34 pm

yeah, its a recall, and basically they call it an extended warranty.. they said when I fill out the rma it will email a request for $25, this does not apply to the bp6 because its a recalled product. The rep said not to send the money because they don't want it, and they can't refund it or something.

I told the rep that they were a good company to stand behind their product like that, and he was in agreement. I may send another one I have back, a trace is burned out on it, but it still runs. Maybe get another new one. heh, heh, I won't abuse it though.

Send me your dead, but still rma'able bp6's! (i.e. not out of warranty with solder jobs and what not.)

davd_bob · Post by **davd_bob** » Tue Apr 20, 2004 1:01 pm

'seed,
post the ways in which abit can be reached.
a link if possable and a phone number would be great.
Thanks,
David

headseed · Post by **headseed** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 6:07 am

Read the bottom of the page

You don't have to pay the $25, the email you get asking for it is just a leftover email from before. They told me not to worry about it.

davd_bob · Post by **davd_bob** » Thu Apr 22, 2004 8:09 pm

a BIG thank you headseed.

James He · Post by **James He** » Sun Apr 25, 2004 5:56 pm

Yes thanks! I'll have to get an alternate system going before I ship it off or decide to do it myself. (leaning to the latter- sounds "fun") Hopefully this mobo hangs on until then.

locomo10 · Post by **locomo10** » Mon May 24, 2004 11:49 pm

Thanks for the headsup (sorry, I just had to say that:)
My BP6 has some bulgings caps, and was getting more and more
unstable. Finally had to take the FSB down to 66 from 100.
Sending it in tomorrow, hope they'll do a good job.
locomo

davd_bob · Post by **davd_bob** » Tue May 25, 2004 12:13 am

locomo10,
post your "story" on when/how you contacted Abit, and what you had to do including any costs, and how long for the whole process from start until the board succusfully boots to an operating system.

David

locomo10 · Post by **locomo10** » Fri May 28, 2004 12:33 pm

I just followed Headseed's (thanks again headseed) link and called them up.
The abit guy said it would be easier to use their website, so I did.
I was going to leave the link,
but their site has been unaccesible the past few days.
Their RMA dept phone number is 1-510-492-0882.
Tell them BP6 + bad caps and that you can't reach their website. The rest of what head said is true.
You'll get some BS email saying it's out of warranty then another saying good news from Abit or something.
You'll get some form to fill out to send back with the motherboard.
As always make sure that the RMA number (not the stupid request number or somesuch)
is on the outside of the postal package and insure it with tracking number. They should receive mine today.
locomo

BCN · Post by **BCN** » Fri May 28, 2004 12:46 pm

we are awaiting how the story continues

locomo10 · Post by **locomo10** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 8:42 pm

Got my board back yesterday. They changed ALL the large caps including, unfortunately, my RatShack Vtt Cap. It's little again. Vtt was rock solid in Bios at 1.50v, now fluctuating again like the old days.
Anyway put everything back together and power up. Posts, but when windows is just about to start it, BSOD. Man I hadn't seen that in a long time. Reboot at 66 fsb instead of 100, and same thing. Not looking good. But since it's an IBM DeathStar I'll give Abit the benefit of the doubt. Put in a clean SCSI (Cheetah)drive (w/ Adaptec card) it loads Win XP Pro and see the desktop. Reboot to 100 fsb and now black screen of death. (you see the windows logo, it fades out then nothing). Being that I don't want to keep the SCSI in this machine, I opt for a Maxtor 40g drive. Load xp but after the auto reboot (blue setup screen before GUI set up screen) machine states it can't find operating system. Had this problem before, just can't remember how I fixed it. My BIOS has changed a bit, as they might have put in a new battery. So now I'm messing with BIOS sttings, trying to find the OS after initial loading of xp.

purrkur · Post by **purrkur** » Fri Jun 18, 2004 2:11 am

Ho ho.

The components that I would take a good look at when getting random BSOD's is power supply and memory.

Start by removing all PCI cards from the machine, leave the graphics adapter in there. Remove all memory sticks except one and boot the machine. If you still get BSOD's then replace the memory stick with another and try again. If that works, start adding components to the system. What PS do you use?

davd_bob · Post by **davd_bob** » Fri Jun 18, 2004 3:31 am

what he said...
if you have a spare, try the psu first. it is the most likely culprit and easiest to eliminate.
ya ya i know, it was working when you disassembeled the unit to send in the rma.
so was my light bulb just before it burned out.

locomo10 · Post by **locomo10** » Sat Jun 19, 2004 12:37 pm

Ok I got it running on the SCSI drive at 66fsb. Anyone know where the photoshop? program and file is to test Vtt?
Thanks,
lo

InactiveX · Post by **InactiveX** » Sat Jun 19, 2004 1:47 pm

BP6 Stability Issues

hyperspace wrote:There are a couple of good ways to determine if you are experiencing lock ups due to the BP6's own stability. One involves creating an color area-fill in PhotoShop which produces a very large memory load for the CPU's to deal with. In Photoshop, make a new image 100 x 150 CM at 150 DPI (total 149.7 MB). Now, use the paint bucket to fill the canvas with a random color (Any colour). During the fill process, the BP6 will lock up. You can also monitor the BP6's VTT voltage using a program like MotherBoard Monitor, MBM. The proper VTT voltage should be around 1.5 volts. It can vary from 1.47 to 1.53 volts. If the range of variation is more like 1.3x to 1.7x volts or better, the BP6 will have stability issues.

locomo10 · Post by **locomo10** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 11:56 pm

InactiveX (love that name),
I finally loaded PhotoShop. I'm not familiar with it. I couldn't find the paint bucket,
so I used the Fill option under the Edit menu. It did NOT lock up. Is that the correct procedure?
Thanks,
locomo

hyperspace · Post by **hyperspace** » Mon Jun 28, 2004 1:05 pm

locomo10 wrote:InactiveX (love that name),
I finally loaded PhotoShop. I'm not familiar with it. I couldn't find the paint bucket,
so I used the Fill option under the Edit menu. It did NOT lock up. Is that the correct procedure?
Thanks,
locomo

Yes.

locomo10 · Post by **locomo10** » Mon Jun 28, 2004 7:50 pm

Thanks Hyperspace,
You might want to summerize this post and make it a sticky.
Website (when working):
http://www.abit-usa.com/about/contacts.php
Their RMA dept phone number is 1-510-492-0882.
Again thanks, headseed, InactiveX, hyperspace, and all BP6er's out there. Hope this thing lasts another 4 1/2 years.
Now, back in search of 100 Mhz front side bus.
locomo