Difference between revisions of "Motherboard Testing"

Revision as of 15:47, 20 May 2009

Process

Check the motherboard and be able to identify

Motherboard type (ATX family, Baby AT, LPX, NLX
Packaging type ( SECC, PGA…)
Socket type (Slot 1, Slot A, Socket A, Socket 370…)

Blown capacitors Check for curved or leaking top.

Check for visual defects (blown caps, mutilated components)

If only one capacitor is bad, send the motherboard to recycle except if it is one that supports Pentium P4.
look for burn marks or discolerment.

After checking the packaging and the socket type that matches the motherboard,

Identify the motherboard by manufacturer, model, version
Go to the manufacturer website or just search via google and determine with which range of processor the motherboard is compatible.
Put a compatible heatsink with a fan on top of it.

Check the battery for the CMOS, if less than 3 volts replace it.
Add some memory: DIMM modules, SDRAM, DDR SDRAM or Rambus RDRAM (remember to install Rambus in pairs and use CRIMMs).
Attempt to post

connect the minimal things needed to post (power, keyboard, video, etc)
if you need help see flowchart below.
If board beeps but won't post, check the Beep Codes and diagnose the problem.

Power down, then attach

Use an IDE cable (40 pin)to connect the hard drive to the Primary IDE.
Use the second IDE cable to connect the CDROM drive to the Secondary IDE.
Use the floppy cable (34 pin)to connect the Floppy Drive to the motherboard.

Boot to Memtest, Let it run for a minute, it will run for ever if you let it (The memtest program is a boot option on the hard drive)
Boot up to Operating System

Check that the mouse and keyboard work
If you have on board video check that it works.
Test all the USB ports with a mouse
If you have on board sound play a audio cd, if not then take a look at a data cd
run stress-test

Some cases might call for testing

RAID
SATA

If the motherboard works and is worthy of the store then label it.

processor type and or speed
type of memory it takes
special featuers

Useful links

Information on different motherboards with summary description, it's quiet commercial but it provides quickely the basic information you're looking for : http://www.motherboards.org/ For complete and accurate information on motherboard just go to manufacturer website like Abit [1], Asus [2], MSI [3] and the others. Sometimes you are able to download the motherboard manual.

The two main processors manufacturers can be visited on : http://www.intel.com/ and http://www.amd.com/us-en/

If you just want an answer to any question around the computer or to understand something, go to http://computer.howstuffworks.com/

Boards We Like to Test

Flow Chart

Here's a chart flow that can help you to visualize the process

This is a graph with borders and nodes. Maybe there is an Imagemap used so the nodes may be linking to some Pages.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ==Process==
-;Check to see if it is on the list of motherboards we like to test by identifying the socket #.
+;Check the motherboard and be able to identify :
-== Boards We Like to Test ==
+*Motherboard type (ATX family, Baby AT, LPX, NLX
-* [[wikipedia:Socket 423|Socket 423]]
+*Packaging type ( SECC, PGA…)
-* [[wikipedia:Socket 462|Socket 462]]
+*Socket type (Slot 1, Slot A, Socket A, Socket 370…)
-* [[wikipedia:Socket 478|Socket 478]] over 1.8 GHz
-* [[wikipedia:Socket 479|Socket 479]]
-* [[wikipedia:Socket 603|Socket 603]]
-* [[wikipedia:Socket 754|Socket 754]]
-* [[wikipedia:Socket 775|Socket 775]]
-* [[wikipedia:Socket 939|Socket 939]]
-* [[wikipedia:Socket 940|Socket 940]]
-* [[wikipedia:Socket AM2|Socket AM2]]
 [[Image:Blown_fuse_screenshot.JPG |thumb|''[[Blown capacitors]]'' Check for curved or leaking top.]]
@@ Line 17: / Line 9: @@
 ; Check for visual defects (blown caps, mutilated components)
 * If only one capacitor is bad, send the motherboard to recycle except if it is one that supports Pentium P4.
-* look for burn marks or discoloration.
+* look for burn marks or discolerment.
 ; After checking the packaging and the socket type that matches the motherboard,
 * Identify the motherboard by manufacturer, model, version
@@ Line 29: / Line 21: @@
 * If board beeps but won't post, check the [[Beep Codes]] and diagnose the problem.
 ; Power down, then attach:
-* Use an IDE cable (40 pin)to connect the hard drive to the Primary IDE (written on mobo).
+* Use an IDE cable (40 pin)to connect the hard drive to the Primary IDE.
 * Use the second IDE cable to connect the CDROM drive to the Secondary IDE.
 * Use the floppy cable (34 pin)to connect the Floppy Drive to the motherboard.
@@ Line 40: / Line 32: @@
 * run stress-test
 ; Some cases might call for testing
+* RAID
 * SATA
 ; If the motherboard works and is worthy of the store then label it.
@@ Line 53: / Line 46: @@
 * If you just want an answer to any question around the computer or to understand something, go to http://computer.howstuffworks.com/
+== Boards We Like to Test ==
+* [[wikipedia:Socket 423|Socket 423]]
+* [[wikipedia:Socket 462|Socket 462]]
+* [[wikipedia:Socket 478|Socket 478]]
+* [[wikipedia:Socket 479|Socket 479]]
+* [[wikipedia:Socket 603|Socket 603]]
+* [[wikipedia:Socket 754|Socket 754]]
+* [[wikipedia:Socket 775|Socket 775]]
+* [[wikipedia:Socket 939|Socket 939]]
+* [[wikipedia:Socket 940|Socket 940]]
+* [[wikipedia:Socket AM2|Socket AM2]]
 ==Flow Chart==
@@ Line 65: / Line 69: @@
     start         [label="START HERE", shape="box", style="bold"]
     bios          [label="Enter the BIOS", shape="box", style="bold"]
     recycle       [label="RECYCLE", shape="box", style="bold"]
+    capacitors    [label="Are there any\nBLOWN CAPACITORS?"]
-    capacitors    [label="Do you notice\nany blown capacitors?",shape="box"]
+   addstuff      [label="If needed, add \nRAM, VIDEO\nand/or POWER SUPPLY", shape="box"]
+    connections   [label="Check the connections\nDoes it post?"]
-    connection    [label="After checking the\nconnections, Does it post?", shape="box"]
+    memory        [label="Move and\nchange memory modules\nDoes it post?"]
+    video         [label="Are you using\nONBOARD VIDEO?\nTry an AGP card\nand/or a PCI card\nDoes it post?"]
-    memory        [label="After moving and\nchanging memory modules,\ndoes it post?", shape="box"]
+   oldcpu        [label="Does it still have\nthe CPU\nUit came with?"]
+    knowncpu      [label="Swap the CPU\nDoes it post?"]
-    video         [label="On board video,\ntry an AGP card\nand/or a PCI card.\nDoes it post?", shape="box"]
+    jumpers       [label="Check the JUMPERS\nand BIOS DIP SWITCHES\n(See manufacturer manual)\nDoes it post?"]
+    cmos          [label="Clear the CMOS\nDoes it post?"]
-    cpu           [label="CPU may not work and\nneed to be changed.\nDoes it post?", shape="box"]
-    jumpers       [label="Check the Jumpers\nand Bios Dip Switches.\nSee manufacturer manual.\nDoes it post?", shape="box"]
-    cmos          [label="After clearing the CMOS,\ndoes it post?", shape="box"]
     start       -> capacitors
     capacitors  -> recycle [label="YES"]
-    capacitors  -> connection [label="NO"]
+    capacitors  -> addstuff [label="NO"]
-    connection  -> cmos [label="NO"]
+    addstuff    -> connections [label="NO"]
-    connection  -> bios [label="YES"]
+   addstuff    -> bios [label="YES"]
+   connections -> cmos [label="NO"]
+    connections -> bios [label="YES"]
     cmos        -> memory [label="NO"]
     cmos        -> bios [label="YES"]
     memory      -> jumpers [label="NO"]
-    memory      -> bios [label="YES"]
+    memory      -> bios [taillabel="YES"]
     jumpers     -> video [label="NO"]
-    jumpers     -> bios [taillabel="YES"]
+    jumpers     -> bios [label="YES"]
-    video       -> cpu [label="NO"]
+    video       -> oldcpu [label="NO"]
     video       -> bios [label="YES"]
-    cpu         -> jumpers [label="NO"]
+    oldcpu      -> recycle [label="NO"]
-    cpu         -> bios [label="YES"]
+    oldcpu      -> knowncpu [label="YES"]
+   knowncpu    -> jumpers [label="NO"]
+    knowncpu    -> bios [label="YES"]
    }
 </graphviz>

Difference between revisions of "Motherboard Testing"

Revision as of 15:47, 20 May 2009

Contents

Process

Useful links

Boards We Like to Test

Flow Chart

Navigation menu

Search