The motherboard is located inside the cabinet of our computer and houses the microprocessor, the memories, the graphics card and is where all the storage units are connected, basically, is the central component of any computer. As you can see, a PC could not function without a motherboard, hence its importance.
Identifying what is wrong with a motherboard can be a headache, literally too much to do there to efficiently dissect the defective material and repair it. This is why most repair work is carried out by professionals or amateurs. It takes a long time to have full control over the handling of hardware problems accurately. However, there are some common problems on a motherboard that may have a relatively simple solution.
One of the most common problems with motherboards is with capacitors. This is something well known to professionals and amateurs in motherboard repair, capacitors fail and swell.
The problem persists wherever a capacitor is used and only one thing can be done with it, replace it. Discovering a defective capacitor is easy: it has a bulging top and a leakage of electrolytic glue. Most capacitors expel the electrolyte fluid into them. This material may dry on the back or leak on the circuit board. In the worst case, the capacitor explodes due to excessive electrical voltage. If they are not damaged externally, you can check them using a capacity meter or multimeter.
To replace the capacitors, you’ll need:
You will need a soldering iron, tin and original capacitors of the same capacity as the old ones, they cannot be smaller or bigger than the original ones, they have to be exactly the same in their characteristics. Of course, you should also have good welding and de-soldering practice to avoid damaging the motherboard.
Checking with beep codes
To diagnose a problem, you will need to know where to look. The first stop would be the BIOS POST (Power-On Self-Test). If the computer beeps when starting up, it means there is a problem with certain parts of the motherboard. This is good (relatively speaking) because the beeps will tell us directly what is wrong. Pay close attention to the type of beeping (the duration – short or long and the number of beeps). You have to look on the Internet for the “BIOS beep code”, which will give us a substantial clue as to where the problem is.
Source diagnosis:
It never hurts to have a second source of spare parts, just in case. If the computer continues to fail and the motherboard does not give any sign of life, it may be due to the power supply (PSU). Using another spare source for testing is highly recommended. If the computer does not turn on or beep, the power supply is sure to fail.
Static discharge
A circuit board can be easily damaged by static electricity because it causes a small energy overload, which is enough to kill the fragile circuit. Therefore, you should take two precautions:
The first is to provide a proper ground (ground) connection to the power outlet to which the PC is connected.
The other problem is human contact with the motherboard. Every time you touch the cabinet metal or plate directly, you risk generating a static current through them. That’s why it’s a good idea to touch something metal other than the computer before you start manipulating the motherboard to remove the static current from your hands.
That’s all friends, I hope it’s been useful and I’ll see you next time.