So I seem to be having a bad week in PC components

[jivetrky]

This week I got a Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme so I took apart my system, de-dustified everything and rebuilt it with the extreme on there.

I made a big mistake when putting on my Tuniq back when I built the system...I removed the tape covering and affixed the backplate to the board. Getting it off was horribly not fun. I ended up using a blow drier to get the backplate warm so the thing would come off a little more easily. Anywho....this isn't where the bad time really starts.

I got it all back together and guess what, no post. Board powers but never posts, never beeps, nothing. I was too tired to deal with it at the time so I just left it until the next day. When I finally played around with it, (after stripping the system and trying to boot the board out on the table) I found that one of my sticks of RAM had somehow gone bad. I have no idea how :shrug:

So I'm running on only 1GB of RAM right now until I figure out what I'm going to do. But the fun doesn't stop there. I was doing a fresh install of Vista when I rebuilt the system and just today I went to install the drivers for my X-fi only to find that the drivers say there's no creative product installed. Hmmm, ok, so I removed the card and went to put it in another PCI slot when I noticed the leads on the bottom of the card. Not sure if this is my problem or not, but it sure doesn't look too good.

Here's some pics (Front and back):

http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/7441/IMG_1765.th.jpg (http://img219.imageshack.us/my.php?image=IMG_1765.jpg)http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/1959/IMG_1767.th.jpg (http://img219.imageshack.us/my.php?image=IMG_1767.jpg)

Does that look like it's damage to the leads? Is it possible I could fix that?

[thideras]

I can make you feel better. Just ask DawgDoc about his "streak" ;)

No offense to him or anything. I cried myself to sleep every night you hurt a card :cry:

[jivetrky]

I can make you feel better. Just ask DawgDoc about his "streak" ;)

No offense to him or anything. I cried myself to sleep every night you hurt a card :cry:

hehe...yeah I saw the thread of nade's where he was recapping that nuclear blast of a former cap. :)

[jivetrky]

So how would that third lead have gotten damaged that way? Maybe it's hard to tell in the picture, but where it's not golden colored, the copper is actually gone.

[torin3]

So how would that third lead have gotten damaged that way? Maybe it's hard to tell in the picture, but where it's not golden colored, the copper is actually gone.

If it were me, I'd try masking it up with electrical tape and use a conductive pen to try and repair the traces. It looks like there is enough exposed trace at the top you can make a good connection.

[Ben333]

If it were me, I'd try masking it up with electrical tape and use a conductive pen to try and repair the traces. It looks like there is enough exposed trace at the top you can make a good connection.

My thoughts exactly! :santa: You've got plenty of space, don't give up!

[jason4207]

So how would that third lead have gotten damaged that way? Maybe it's hard to tell in the picture, but where it's not golden colored, the copper is actually gone.

Static discharge? :shrug:

[jivetrky]

I'd think that would be some very serious static electricity if it could damage the copper contacts. I'd think it would have charred my fingers if it came out of me :)

[jason4207]

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/3190/raidenkr1.jpg

[jivetrky]

Holy crap, were you peeping through my window!??! :D


So no one really has any fix input? I was thinking of maybe trying one of those Conductive ink pens, but I'm not sure where to find one. I thought I remembered hearing that Radio Shack carried them, but I stopped at one of my local RS's and they didn't have one (and they gave a crazy look when I asked for one)

[torin3]

Holy crap, were you peeping through my window!??! :D


So no one really has any fix input? I was thinking of maybe trying one of those Conductive ink pens, but I'm not sure where to find one. I thought I remembered hearing that Radio Shack carried them, but I stopped at one of my local RS's and they didn't have one (and they gave a crazy look when I asked for one)

http://www.ocforums.com/showpost.php?p=5529003&postcount=5

What, I'm no one? :cry:

Radio Shack should have them, you can order them from their online site.
http://www.radioshack.com/sm-buy-the-circuitwriter-pen-on-wwwradioshackcom--pi-2104395.html

Here is a good google search that brings them up too.

http://www.google.com/products?q=conductive+pen&hl=en&show=dd

Only thing I would worry about is if it scrapes off too easily when reinserted.

[jivetrky]

hmmmm......I'm really not sure what to say. I don't know how I overlooked it. :) Sowwy!


Well, their site shows that it's available at a store that isn't TOO far away (not ideal, but not too bad i guess). So I'll see if I can get up there today or sometime soon. I just hope it doesn't easily scrape off as you said. (yes, I read it this time. or at least remembered that I read it when replying :D)

[Sephis]

You can go to any auto parts store and buy a kit to fix window defoggers, its all the same stuff.

[torin3]

hmmmm......I'm really not sure what to say. I don't know how I overlooked it. :) Sowwy!


Well, their site shows that it's available at a store that isn't TOO far away (not ideal, but not too bad i guess). So I'll see if I can get up there today or sometime soon. I just hope it doesn't easily scrape off as you said. (yes, I read it this time. or at least remembered that I read it when replying :D)

No problem, just poking fun. :beer: Honest, my ego isn't that fragile.

I've never actually used them, so I couldn't say for sure, but my guess is it should hold up for a few reseats as long as you make sure it is completely dried/cured.

Good luck!

[Dawgdoc]

I can make you feel better. Just ask DawgDoc about his "streak" ;)

No offense to him or anything. I cried myself to sleep every night you hurt a card :cry:

Hehe Thx man!!!

hehe...yeah I saw the thread of nade's where he was recapping that nuclear blast of a former cap. :)

Actually its alot deeper than that...I knocked off umm...."some" GPUs for a few weeks there.

Got back 2 of em on RMA though! 8800 GTS G92 is here allready and XFX actually honored the 2nd owner lifetime warranty and shipped out my 8800 GTX today!

Sorry nothing to add regarding the ram :(