MB died, need replacement help

rilzic

Beta member
Messages
3
Location
usa
Hello forum, I'm not as new as it seems. This forum has helped me build two systems (including my first build it yourself) so far and I am humbly back for more help. For some reason, when I tried to reset my password, i didn't get the email, so I created another account ... literally as I type this, I realized it is probably in junk mail facepalm:eek:

The story so far...

My computer froze as I was rebuilding the roman empire in crusader kings 2, so I rebooted. It seemed like the monitor wasn't being detected, all the lights and fans came on, but the monitor was acting like it wasn't plugged into the computer. At first I thought it was the video card, so I used a old one, then I bought a new one. Nothing. My motherboard started displaying post codes: 68-02-EA-01. So I called the manufacturer and searched the internet but couldn't find out what it meant. At this point I did the normal diagnostics which led me to swapping the ram around, trying different ram, flashing bios (removing MB battery), all to no avail. The monitor works fine with other computers, and different monitors don't help. Could potentially be the PSU? HD corruption?, the motherboard? CPU?? I don't know. I can't get to bios, run in safe mode, or the windows log in screen. There is nothing. I am hoping I at least did enough to somewhat confidently rule out RAM or the video card. What do you think?


The Specs

Processor: ( Intel® Core™ i7 960 Processor (4x 3.20GHz/8MB L3 Cache) )

Motherboard: ( EVGA X58 SLI Classified (6 Ram slots, Triple Channel DDR3 1600MHz+ ) )

Memory: ( 12 GB [2 GB X6] DDR3-1600 Triple Memory Module - Corsair Dominator )

Video Card: ( ATI Radeon HD 5870 - 1GB - Single Card )

Power Supply: ( 850 Watt -- Corsair CMPSU-850TX Power Supply )

Operating System: ( Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit )

Data Hard Drive ( 1 TB HARD DRIVE X3-- 16M Cache, 7200 RPM, 3.0Gb/s ) One HD was recently installed, a month or two ago.

From here I think I need a new motherboard, but it has been two years since I have looked into any of this kind of thing and am a bit lost. For example, I can't find a X58 board with 6 memory slots... Do I need X58? Wiki says the X58 was socket LGA 1366... is that what I need or can I use a newer MB? Can I use a P55, or even something newer? I really don't know where to start.

To cut to the chase, basically I need a MB that is compatible with the above hardware, 6 memory slots, and between $150-$250, $300 tops. Preferably between 150-200 dollars.

As always please let me know if you want any further information.

Lastly I just want to be clear how much I apprechate the help, this forum is truely unlike other forums I have used in regards to the patience and help you give to people that just stop by. So Thanks!

Edit: If anyone thinks it's not the motherboard, I'd like to hear opinions on that as well.


 
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Did you have the CPU overclocked? When this happened was there a power surge, brown, or black out from Hurricane Sandy? Ruling out all options.

If none of the above, it very well could be your motherboard but it isn't usual for something like this to happen randomly. Have you tried taking the heatsink off, reseating the CPU, and putting the heatsink back on with a new application of TIM?

The only motherboard available new on Newegg is this one which does have 6 slots.
Newegg.com - MSI X58A-GD65 LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

If you want anything else you'll have to head over to Ebay.
 
Did you have the CPU overclocked? When this happened was there a power surge, brown, or black out from Hurricane Sandy? Ruling out all options.

If none of the above, it very well could be your motherboard but it isn't usual for something like this to happen randomly. Have you tried taking the heatsink off, reseating the CPU, and putting the heatsink back on with a new application of TIM?

The only motherboard available new on Newegg is this one which does have 6 slots.
Newegg.com - MSI X58A-GD65 LGA 1366 Intel X58 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

If you want anything else you'll have to head over to Ebay.

No blackouts power surges or anything.

Upon your suggestion, I reset the cpu, new tim, etc. Didn't work

Does your suggestion mean I need a LGA 1366 or was that just one that you found? The above link is out of stock:( I don't trust ebay....
 
Thanks.

I am starting to think I should just get a new CPU & MB
 
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