2 blown mobos in 6 months - any advice please guru's?

Well if the PSU is the threat he could test it in another system and test it out to make sure

I still doubt it is the PSU though unless he has some kind of voltage calculater to make sure it isn't spiking that would be the for sure way to test it

Also he can return it to newegg or where ever he bought it from to RMA it and test it that simple don't have to draw out a debate about it we all know anything and everything can fail just have to do the right test to make sure you are replacing what really needs to go because by the point you figured it wasn't what you thought you have already commited more money that didn't need to be used

Get a test dummy rig buy a voltage calculator test your psu on that make sure the amps are with in what your system should be running

if the load is steady and good it's not the PSU and you could move on to other options just something to think about first not going against anyone's advise but it does get kinda costly

ickymay said:

Two months later I had some , "GSkill Ripjaws Z Series 1600 CL 9.0 16GB (4x 4GB, DDR3, Quad Channel, F3-12800CL9Q-16GBZL) as Link", spare from another build so fitted it to my MSI Z77A-G43 mobo and I haven't had a problem or crash since

Yeah, sometimes some boards will simply refuse to run with some ram for unknown reasons. The most high-profile of the bunch I saw was a z68 Sabertooth crashing on Gskill rams (that were perfectly fine on any other rig I tested them in), for example.

Solarstarshines said:

I still doubt it is the PSU though unless he has some kind of voltage calculater to make sure it isn't spiking that would be the for sure way to test it

He said his PSU was a great deal cheaper than others in the same wattage. It's usually very strong evidence pointing at its low quality.

linnemeyerhere said:

It is never ever recommended to open the PSU for any reason as there are no user replaceable parts inside but the stored energy in the caps is potentially dangerous !

Sort of....

The energy stored in the capacitors can be potentially dangerous, but in most PSU's they dissapate the charge rather quickly as long as they have a bleed resistor (that is functioning). found something on this that was a fun read: Capacitor Safety In Power Supplies - Overclock.net Community


Not to take any merit away from your warning. Your warning and reasonings are completely valid, just wanted to pass on some cool info...

As for mmkarimi post,

Although the fuse in the power supply "could" be replaced, I would not do this unless you absolutley positively know what you are doing. And replacing a fuse will not neccessarily make the problem go away. There could be more issues than just the fuse blowing that are not being addressed.

With how cheap a good PSU is, it is best advised to replace the PSU instead of opening it up and trying to fix problems with it... And get a good PSU. it is the life-blood of the computer.

Note: I have in the past opened up PSU's to clean out dust buildup, but I didn't touch any of the components. I'm glad I know better now...

If you really know your way around electronics then the risk is lessened to some degree but when you think about it why did the fuse trip? Will replacing the fuse assure you that the problem is fixed? Yes it could be a tired fuse but understand most internal fuses are soldered into place so what does that add to the whole equation? If the fuse has a holder then pull it carefully without touching other items (remember the game Operation) then take it to a good electronics store to get a 5 pack of replacements for like $9.50, gas down and back another $10.00, your time and aggravation plus remember to test the replaced fuse before turning the rig back on and then really never knowing what caused the fuse to break or if the PSU is really stable. Now sum all this up and compare that to a NewEgg sale on a top flight brand name PSU for $69.99 with free shipping and to me the answer is simple....but that's just me !

mmkarimi said:

I don insist on opening the psu, but actually there is nothing to be afraid of.
just dont touch the capacitors, and check the fuse.

NOT TRUE. Opening a power supply by a untrained person can get that person killed. A simple mistake by a trained person can have the same results.

Well in my case having grown up with electronics, having built a Heath Kit receiver at age 10 and going on 45 years as an avid audiophile I would say I have little fear of electronics but I know what battles to fight to win the war and with PSU's it's just my opinion that it's rarely a battle worth fighting on several esoteric levels. I say if it floats someones boat to work on it themselves then just do some due diligence and have the proper knowledge and tools.