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View Full Version : Curiosity [Almost] Killed The T-Bird - HELP!


HiProfile
12-16-01, 04:48 PM
This is what happened. A few weeks ago I picked up two Slot-A 750 T-Birds (for $23 each!) and decided to open one up. This was going to replace the extra working K6-2 PC, so I wasn't very worried about breaking it. Never underestimate Murphy's Law. Never.

I opened the case and proceded to seperate the PCB from the backplate. I should have seen the "slip, scrape, ping!" coming: the pliers I was using sliped, scraped part of the PCB (where its just green) and then popped off the capacitor (?) circled in the picture below (if it got attached). Being so tiny, it went flying far enough to be lost forever.

The strange part is that the CPU posts, boots Windoze, and is 100% stable; this is due to the redundancy of the several rows of these caps under the cpu, as they all (28) are in a parallel config.

What I need help with is finding out either if I really need this cap or the rated microfarads of this capacitor so I can replace it. I'm assuming this is a cap because the resistors are labled Rxxx and this is labled C138. These caps have direct leads off of them going to the two farthest-right slot pins (with the g-fingers on the upper-left). I wanted to modify the multiplier/core volts using the resistor soldering method, but I'm not sure if this would create a problem since the cap is missing.

el
12-16-01, 06:03 PM
well it is a cap and you could use a multimeter to check the value. I would try adn find it. nice pic and I am glad it still runs.

Angry
12-16-01, 08:55 PM
LoL..man...I cant use the GF on my Slot A because a few of the little brown chips under neath them that connects them to the PCB came off when my tool slipped when I was taking my caseing off...Where did you get your birds at?

HiProfile
12-17-01, 12:50 AM
I got my ****-a's, er, slot-a t-birds at uBid.com; they had an auction for literally 1200 of them (maybe more :confused: ). They had a few of these in a row too. I kinda feel bad since I know bulk purchaser of these probably saw a negative return on his/her investment. But as long as I got a good deal...

I should add that these birds use a 1.7v core, which hardly heats up the Global Win HSF much, even with the stock 50mm(!) fan. It sure is quiet, though.

I'm planning on moding the multiplier soon, practicing SMD soldering on an old mobo, which I'll also use for spare SMD resistors. All those years of chipping PSX units now pay off in another way... The strange thing is that I had a SMD cap or resistor pop off a PSX unit while soldering. You won't believe how hard it is to solder into a SMD resistor with a metal end missing!