GAH!! stupid OCZ...

[rogue_jedi]

so i'm migrating my computer to my case (from my desk) and adding a support plate to the back of the mobo so my mounting method (for my custom waterblock) doesn't snap my motherboard. (cause that'd be a [kinda] bad thing - i say kinda because i dislike it, as it has a limited voltage range) i cut a hole in the mobo tray so the motherboard will fit in with the plate installed, cut out the back fan grill, and start installing hardware. did this yesterday.

today i mount the block, finish wiring, turn on computer. nothing. monitor still says no signal, but all the fans spin up. check psu voltages, 5V reads 5.22, 12V reads 12.10-ish. normal for the psu. turn off machine, unplug everything except monitor/keyboard. leave drives plugged in. still nothing. move memory to other slot. still nothing. plug in speakers & turn them on. turn on on computer. voice reporter says "memory check failed" or something to that effect.

i have OCZ pc3200 premium ram (512mb stick) and this is pissing me off. few questions...

1) what is OCZ's rma process like? memory is more than 30 days old, so it can't go back to svc (AFAIK, correct me if i'm wrong please)

2) any recommendations for new memory? i am looking at corsair XMS/kingston hyperX pc2700 2-2-2-5 1T memory (the corsair may be 2-3-2-5, but the top review said it was 2-2-2-5, and newegg was listting it wrong) the price difference between the two is about a quarter.

3) should i get a fortron psu to replace my powmax? (fortron is cheap and good from what i've read)

4) is the dfi infinity a good replacement for the a7n8x deluxe rev1 i have now (worth the money for someone on a really tight budget who still wants 2ghz out of his palomino and could get it with 2volts of vcore)

thanks.

 

[rogue_jedi]

well, just for the heck of it i turned on my computer today. loads winXP, then locks. put the ram in my brother's p4, and it works there. so it looks like the water that leaked onto my mobo was enough to damage the memory controller (of course it did run for ~15 hours after that at full load most of the time, including prime95)

so looks like its time to get an infinity.

 

[zer0signal667]

Damn, that's too bad.... but on the other hand, you get a nice new board
That's why i was sad when my KX7 crapped out, but then happy again when I got me an NF7-S

Lets see how that motherboard brace looks/works, I've thought about making something like that before too.

 

[rogue_jedi]

i just have to convince my dad to let me buy the board, then i'm prolly going to overnight it if it doesn't cost to much (but it probably will)

the brace is basically a steel plate from a case i had lying around (cut it out with a jigsaw) and some antistatic foam from radioshack inbetween the plate and the mobo. (i tested it, and it IS non-conductive, even a few millimeters apart) the steel is between 1mm and 2mm thisk, and is about 3"x4" (didn't really feel like cutting it down more when i made it, just wanted to get my machine together) later i'm going to take it off again and bend up the edges after heating it a little to decrease flexibilty (not that it has much in the first place, but whatever) i'd post pics if i could, but i can't get any right now.

i still want new memory (this stuff isn't winbond at all on the chips, some unknown i've never heard of before and can't remember now) o and the OCZ 'premium' is their cheap stuff. i didn't buy it, one of my friends did and i took it over the 2x 2700 256mb kingmax sticks i had. i may just have to get those back to go with the infinity, though. (he can KEEP the OCZ stuff and rma it himself)

i think you saw my mounting method before, but to reiterate anyway it uses 2" long #6-32 screws through the mounting holes with nylon nuts on the socket side to hold them in place and now the mounting plate on the other. the block is attached and then i haven't figured out the "optimal" amount to tighten the nuts yet with the mounting plate on there as it compresses. before i turned each on 1.5 turns after they contacted the surface of the block, .5 turn at a time. that worked pretty well. and now my jet block (which leaked on my mobo before i fixed it) is working really well (~15C rise over ambient, so usually ~36C)

later.

 

[rogue_jedi]

i apparently have myself a stick of pc4000

this ocz runs 1:1 @ 250fsb on my brother's lanparty (rev A) with 2.7 volts and 3-4-4-8 timings (just like pc4000 stuff) haven't tried any other timings or speeds, and his voltage goes no higher, even after we flashed the bios last night to the latest one.

maybe i need this thread title changed to "stupid ASUS" instead...

though i may have to try again in my asus before i buy a new mobo (can't rma it either, it's more than 1 year old and i modded it anyway)

later.