Mother Board Caught on Fire!! What to Do!

[zetahammy]

Hey everyone...

Odd story. The night before i'm on my computer and shut it off for the night. When I wake up, I tried to turn on my computer and nothing happens! instead i hear this wheezing sound coming from the psu as if it was trying to start but couldn't and so wheezed. And since it didn't turn on with one push of a button.. I tried to press a few more times assuming it just was faulty. The same results happened and all of a sudden I started smelling burnt plastic.

So I opened up my case, and was trying to observe what was happening, but when I tried all of a sudden I see this huge flame rise up as soon as I press the power button!! and then after that I assumed that my mother board was shorted and fried. I tried contacting newegg and they said that it violated their warranty and won't replace.

My PSU still works after unplugging it (i checked by sticking a paperclip in the mother board plug and the fan is working). So i'm not sure if that was the problem.

Can you guys help by identifying the problem so I know in the future it won't happen again? and what products could have suffered problems from that malfunction? Then also what should I do.. Since newegg won't replace? I would assume that since newegg won't replace the manufacturer has the same policy and thus won't replace also. Should I just buy a new one?

Thanks.

 

[zetahammy]

Oh yea a I forgot to add my system specs :

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 3600+ Brisbane 1.9GHz Socket AM2 Processor Model ADO3600IAA5DL - OEM

Ram: G.SKILL 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) System Memory Model F2-6400PHU1-1GBNR - Retail

aftermarket hsf: ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 64 Pro 92mm CPU Cooler - Retail

Mobo which is now dead: BIOSTAR TFORCE 550 Socket AM2 NVIDIA nForce 550 MCP ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail

Video: EVGA 256-P2-N615-TX GeForce 7600GT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail

Case: COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-UW Black Aluminum Bezel, SECC ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail

PSU: THERMALTAKE TR2 500W Power Supply ATX12V V2.0 - Retail

HDD: And a Seagate 250GB SATA HDD

 

[an51r]

Well i would put out the fire first then buy a new mobo. I am actually building the same comp you have except the m2n sli from asus. IF you wanna sell your proc and ram I will but it. lol.

 

[zetahammy]

Bump.. Bumpity...

Well I just re-ordered another mobo from newegg... hoping i'll have better luck with this one.

But still a few questions.

Do you guys know a few possible causes as to why this happened? could it have been due to the psu? or something else? like a faulty mobo?

also since i'm buying a new one and pretty much just moving the parts over... i have a question about the cpu and aftermarket hsf. When I remove it, do i need to clean the original thermal paste on it? and apply new one? or just swap it and it'll be fine?

Also anyone have any experience OC this mobo and cpu combo? give advice i'm kinda upset and atleast if this board goes out on me again I want to use its full potential. And with the Ram I have also I forgot to add I have 2gb of it.

Thanks

 

[Apokalipse]

Bump.. Bumpity...

Well I just re-ordered another mobo from newegg... hoping i'll have better luck with this one.

Which motherboard did you order?

Do you guys know a few possible causes as to why this happened? could it have been due to the psu? or something else? like a faulty mobo?

My first guess would have been power supply. But it's not a cheapo brand, so I'd probably point to the motherboard (I don't trust a cheapo brand like Biostar). Though I wouldn't completely rule out the power supply.

 

[wolfeyes89]

Bump.. Bumpity...

also since i'm buying a new one and pretty much just moving the parts over... i have a question about the cpu and aftermarket hsf. When I remove it, do i need to clean the original thermal paste on it? and apply new one? or just swap it and it'll be fine?

Thanks

Well I used 99% rubbing alcohol from my local albertsons, and some DRY anti static wipes from staples. What you do is take the processor out of the motherboard and then get one of the cloths wrap a finger around it and dip a little bit of alcohol on it. Then just rub it on the processor till its clean, once it's clean just dry it with a new anti-static wipe. If you don't want to risk your processor just buy this Newegg.com - Arctic Silver ACN-60ML (2-PC-SET) Thermal material Remover & Surface Purifier - OEM from newegg a lot of people recommend it over the alcohol method, and it sounds safer.
Also did you buy Artic Silver 5 (Newegg.com - Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - OEM)
because trust me this thermal paste really works it lowers your temps a bit if applied right.

 

[saltynay]

I bet thats how they made fire in the stone age

 

[QuaziBee]

I have used a razor blade and plain paper towel to clean off thermal compound, as long as your grounded the charge remains constant. As for what made a flame, not much in your case is flammable at temperatures you see in even a tricked out computer. My best assumption would be a faulty resistor on the PSU's mainboard that allowed a surge of power through a line that wasn't made to handle that kind of pressure. I would assume that if you sent the PSU back to the manufacturer with a letter detailing your account and asking them to look at the PSU to see if they can find a problem with it, on the account that you hope to prevent anything like this happening to their products in the future; you may get a nice letter in return, Heck I've even got free promotion codes for writing nice letters.

 

[khan008]

thats really strange, a fire not caused by a cheap psu lol, probably just a cheap mobo

 

[SYL\X/3K]

Why the heck would say to them that the motherboard is dead due to FIRE!! clean up the burn marks and sent it back to them, Be smart not Truthful!