Machine Won't Power Up - Bad Capacitors?

[Angelyco]

Hey all,

I'm hoping to get some quick advice/guidance before going out in a few hours and just buying replacement parts.

Here is the situation: A friend's computer needed a new DVD drive, so as my Christmas present to him, I bought a new drive and replaced it for him, then I did a fresh install of 32-bit Windows XP Pro, since he was using Ubuntu (against his will, he's not very tech savvy). I also added another GB of RAM, he only had 1, so now he has 2 GB.

Everything was going great. I wiped the drive with Killdisk, Windows installed perfectly, all updates, service packs, and all drivers were installed. The machine was working beautifully.

I was working on the very last thing - he has a wireless PCI card that he uses in his own house. I tracked down the drivers for it and installed them, rebooted per driver installation. Once the machine was back up, I noticed that the wireless utility was disabled, so I figured it was because I had the ethernet cable plugged in. While the machine was still running (which shouldn't have been a problem), I unplugged the ethernet cable. The whole machine shut off.

I have been unable to get the machine to power back on, I've tried turning the PSU off and on, different outlets, etc. The ethernet light still comes on when the cable is plugged in. The CPU fan will spin for just a second when I try to boot up, but nothing else comes on - no other lights or anything. I tried both with and without the ethernet cable. My last attempt was removing the PCI card and unhooking the DVD drive and HD, basically bare minimum was hooked up, still nothing.

I did notice that some of the capacitors look bad, but I don't know what is wrong with them, nor do I know if they were like this before the incident:



Could the capacitors be the problem, and thus definitely need to replace the motherboard? Or could there be some other problem? Since this isn't my computer, I don't want to waste $70 on having a tech do a diagnostic, so if the problem is most likely the mother board, I can get a new mobo, CPU, and RAM for $120. I just want to make sure it wouldn't be something easier to fix before spending the money on someone else's computer.

The basic specs that I know of:
350W PSU
MSI K8NGM2-FID motherboard
4 x 512MB DDR 400
Onboard video, no graphics card
No idea what CPU, just that it's AMD

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Automata]

With failed capacitors like that, I would say that is the source, yes. The replacement caps should be a few dollars, if that. Check out Mouser.

Replacing these is trivial, even if you have basic soldering experience.

 

[Angelyco]

Unfortunately, I have ZERO soldering experience. I have the tools, but never touched them.

 

[johan851]

It's not that hard, but it will take a little time to figure out what caps you need, round up the equipment, and get it done. It depends on what you'd rather do - replace the caps or drop the $120.

Personally, if it was my system, I'd replace the caps myself. I'm already comfortable doing that. If it was a friend's system, I'd buy the new gear because I don't want to be on the hook for everything that goes wrong.

 

[Bobnova]

I'd probably try to replace them, mostly because the thing is already dead. Hard to kill it if it's dead, ya know?
That's just me though.

It can take a decently beefy soldering iron sometimes, but replacing caps like that is a fairly easy operation.

 

[oldbrave]

I've got a new plan !
Replace the MB and Keep the old one and replace the Caps on it and everything is shiny.
Your friend gets his computer back with a new MB, you get to learn some soldering skills
and you get a backup MB !

 

[Frakk]

Those Caps are gone.

Its easy to replace the Caps, but i would just get a new MOBO, there not expensive and given that this MOBO has got to the point where this has happened then its probably just the start to a never ending battle to keep it going.

Like an old car where every time you fix it the next thing on it breaks......

Time to switch off the life support.

 

[Angelyco]

I ended up buying the new mobo, CPU, RAM, and got him a new case while I was at it, since his didn't have the side panels anymore. It sucks spending so much money just because the mobo died while -I- had it, and this guy doesn't realize that a dead mobo = new computer for him. I just hope he appreciates it. Going from a single core CPU, 1 GB RAM to quad core, 4 GB. Geez. I'm leaving him stuck with the on-board video though, I'm not THAT nice, and he doesn't game.

But I do think that's a good idea - trying to fix this mobo just for practice and as a backup.

 

[Dolk]

I wouldn't be surprised if those caps were not pull through. Might just be better to buy rather than repair unless you send it to someone like Bobnova.

 

[Bobnova]

I'd put good money on them being through-hole. They don't have any SMD bracketry around their bases.