Burnt GPU/Motherboard Chipset...Help!

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rlakhani11

n00b
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Dec 15, 2014
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First of all hello to all the experts out there.

SPECS:
3770 | Asus MVE | GTX 780 DCU II OC | TX750 | HyperX 16GB | HAF 932
Positive Airflow (1x 230mm front & 5x 120mm side/bottom fans for intake | 1x 230mm top & 1x 140mm rear for exhaust)

A couple of days back I noticed a strong burning smell in the PC. After turning it off and on after a couple of hours, the display signal from 780 was gone. The burning smell was strong and was coming from everywhere/all peripherals including the card. But when all this happened, the PC was almost idle at the time (only some YT videos loading) and all fans (cpu/gpu/case) were running at full speed. So there couldn't be any heat accumulation problem. Moreover, for whatever it's worth, I only turn the PC on in the evening when the temps are not as bad as during daytime. Interestingly, the system can still detect/identify the 780 (igpu is disable when it's installed) and fans also spinning just fine. So I doubt it was the one burnt.

More interesting is the fact that igpu (HD 4000) works fine as "Primary Display Driver" but as soon as I try to install the dedicated Intel driver, the display signal goes away the same way as it does with 780. Which led me to do some research on the relation between gpu/graphics and mobo chipset. Wasn't able to give it much time but I can recall that igpu driver used to get installed without any fuss before. Yesterday I felt that smell once again. Could've been coming from the chipset because it was getting so hot it was barely touchable for even a second.

Are there any other indications I could look for to exactly pinpoint if it's the card or chipset? And in either case, could all this by any chance relate to the PSU? Like some excess voltage scenario or something. I'm sure to have heard/read somewhere that good PSUs short themselves before other components are harmed.

I'm unable to arrange another motherboard or gpu for testing, hence these queries. Kindly help.


Thanks very much.
 
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Look at the front/back of the motherboard. Follow the "tracks", whatever they are called...circuits, and see if you notice and brownish or light white marks or maybe even a minor break in the circuit.

If you have like $50 or so, grab a cheap 1155 motherboard. Swap components to test the card itself. If it has iGPU, turn it on w/ that first to make sure the PSU wont pop the system again if that was the issue to begin with.

Put the card in, and power on again. Hopefully its not the gpu as you mentioned.

Just by reading your info, though, it sounds like the motherboard.
 
Apologies for getting back late.

So opened the system up and what do I see? It's the sound card (Xonar DX) that's melted for some reason. Motherboard has no such burn marks nothing at all (both sides). Removed the sound but for no good. The same happens with the display, that is, no signal with 780 and can't install Intel HD driver.

Burning of the sound card is just part of the problem at least that much is true. GPU going bad, or any dedicated graphics for that matter, could be purely related to the motherboard. So as it turns out, both Asus products went bad together. I am, or rather was using 4 major Asus products: MVE, 780, MX239H, and Xonar DX. Seems like I put too much trust in one brand.

I'll be back with more updates as soon as I get my hands on some cheap GPU; currently in talks for HD 3450 and GT 220.

What do you suggest?
 
rlakhani11 said:
Apologies for getting back late.

So opened the system up and what do I see? It's the sound card (Xonar DX) that's melted for some reason. Motherboard has no such burn marks nothing at all (both sides). Removed the sound but for no good. The same happens with the display, that is, no signal with 780 and can't install Intel HD driver.

Burning of the sound card is just part of the problem at least that much is true. GPU going bad, or any dedicated graphics for that matter, could be purely related to the motherboard. So as it turns out, both Asus products went bad together. I am, or rather was using 4 major Asus products: MVE, 780, MX239H, and Xonar DX. Seems like I put too much trust in one brand.

I'll be back with more updates as soon as I get my hands on some cheap GPU; currently in talks for HD 3450 and GT 220.

What do you suggest?
Click to expand...

You didn't put to much trust in one brand, When electronics die they tend to take their friends with them, would of happens to any brand.
 
If the southbridge was overheating and failed it could have taken the sound card and the slot it was connected to with it. If the southbridge has passive cooling I would remove the heatsink on it and see if the damage is there. I would also check the motherboard's VRMs while you're at it. I would not power the system on again before determining the problem as it is likely you will cause even more damage in doing so. All signs seem to point to a fault or failure somewhere on the motherboard.
 
I don't know how to check the VRMs or open the southbridge. But do you think I should check the VRMs if I never attempted CPU OC'ing before? I'm willing to check these things if I really must.

Also, as northbridge is integrated into the CPU and it's the one responsible for graphics controllers, and as I mentioned in my previous posts that both 780 and iGPU have ceased to work, whatever this motherboard has done may have messed up the CPU/northbridge.

I request you to take a close look at the these images (unedited; only resized). I hope everyone can observe the brownish tinge towards all corners or almost the entire boundary of the processor.

nd5ufp.jpg

majl2d.jpg


Let me know if you guys think if these brown marks are normal and the CPU wasn't affected the way I think it is, and what could possibly have caused the motherboard to behave as such.

Thanks.
 
I can't see it, but any discoloration of the PCB is not a good sign. Since you took the CPU out, what is the condition of the socket?

The VRMs are under the two heatsinks that surround the CPU socket. They should only be held on with a couple of clips. The southbridge is under the large square heatsink located next to the PCI-E x16 slots with a heatpipe protruding. Many people have reported the VRMs on this particular motherboard to run hot, so instructions for dismantling should be readily available as they replace the passive cooling with a monoblock or other form of dedicated water cooling.
 
Other than this discoloration, it's completely intact and alright.

I don't see any evidence of burns or any such damage on the mobo. Seems absolutely alright to me. What do you think?

I for one at least want to believe now that it wasn't the GPU or the motherboard.
 
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Bump.

I believe it has been the processor all along. Good thing it's still got two years' warranty left. Shall get replaced easily.

What do you think my friends?
 
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