Motherboard Stability Diagnosis

[SiliconSwitch]

Hello everyone,

I have an old motherboard which I replaced some dead capacitors on and I would like to run some tests on the board to determine if it is stable or not.

What is the best way to test motherboard stability?

I assume the approach is to use a CPU and RAM which is proven to be stable in order to isolate the motherboard and then run some stability tests, which programs could I use?

I am thinking something like memtest or Prime95? Could errors in memtest with a known good stick of RAM point to motherboard problems?

Thanks!

 

[sinisterDei]

I assume the approach is to use a CPU and RAM which is proven to be stable in order to isolate the motherboard and then run some stability tests, which programs could I use?

I am thinking something like memtest or Prime95?

Both good options. You want to stress individual components for a bit each, as well as just generally load the system down and see if it maintains stability.

Could errors in memtest with a known good stick of RAM point to motherboard problems?

Yes

NOW THEN

With all of that said, maybe it's just time. If the system/mobo in question is the one in your signature, it's probably just about time to bring her behind the shed and shoot her unless there is some very specific and unique reason to keep her around.

 

[SiliconSwitch]

Both good options. You want to stress individual components for a bit each, as well as just generally load the system down and see if it maintains stability.


Yes

NOW THEN

With all of that said, maybe it's just time. If the system/mobo in question is the one in your signature, it's probably just about time to bring her behind the shed and shoot her unless there is some very specific and unique reason to keep her around.

Ran memtest for a few hours with 2x 1GB sticks in the board and it had 2 errors on test #3 after ~6 passes, I removed 1 stick and ran it overnight, no errors after 17 passes...testing the other stick now, if it returns errors I will conclude that this stick is bad, other stick is good and the board is good.

And yes it is the system in my signature, it has been collecting dust and I would like to re-purpose it as a local file server.

 

[sinisterDei]

I would like to re-purpose it as a local file server.

So, I'm of two minds about this.

I don't like to throw things away, especially things that are functional. I get the idea of reusing it.

On the other hand, it's *too old*. It'll use more power and be physically larger, hotter, and louder than something even semi-modern that could do the same job.

I've looked up an old review on the 8800 GTS; the GPU alone will use >40W of power while idling. For comparison, I looked up a review of an i3-8100 and the entire system used 57W of power when idle, and that system included 32 GB of RAM, a 4TB SSD, and a 1080 Ti in it. The Operon 146 will be similarly inefficient, as will its platform.

If you need a system, build a 2200G based system and slap it in an inexpensive motherboard with 8 GB of cheap RAM. It'll perform over 4x better, use 1/3 the power, be completely silent, and support modern platform features like USB 3 and beyond. Or buy something used... just not quite *as* used as your old setup Something like that could be a PLEX server in addition to just holding files, can run a modern operating system, etc.

 

[SiliconSwitch]

So, I'm of two minds about this.

I don't like to throw things away, especially things that are functional. I get the idea of reusing it.

On the other hand, it's *too old*. It'll use more power and be physically larger, hotter, and louder than something even semi-modern that could do the same job.

I've looked up an old review on the 8800 GTS; the GPU alone will use >40W of power while idling. For comparison, I looked up a review of an i3-8100 and the entire system used 57W of power when idle, and that system included 32 GB of RAM, a 4TB SSD, and a 1080 Ti in it. The Operon 146 will be similarly inefficient, as will its platform.

If you need a system, build a 2200G based system and slap it in an inexpensive motherboard with 8 GB of cheap RAM. It'll perform over 4x better, use 1/3 the power, be completely silent, and support modern platform features like USB 3 and beyond. Or buy something used... just not quite *as* used as your old setup Something like that could be a PLEX server in addition to just holding files, can run a modern operating system, etc.

Totally understood and I agree with you, a large part of wanting to revive this build is pure nostalgia.

The good news is I have a passive ASUS GT610 running in there now, it's silent and looks like it consumes 29W maximum, which is not terrible.

I have no desire to run plex or other media servers, all it needs to do is serve up files.

The second stick of RAM put up errors so I am concluding that the second stick is bad. I will re-run overnight with the first stick to confirm but after that I think this is solved, ram was bad, mobo is fine.

 

[sinisterDei]

Sounds like a winner!

 

[SiliconSwitch]

Sounds like a winner!

Interesting development here:

I re-ran the good stick of ram, it put up 30 passes with no errors so I was about to conclude the mobo is fine... I decided to run the same stick of ram in DIMM2 (all previous testing in DIMM1) , it put up 10 errors in ~15 passes. I am leaning towards concluding that DIMM1 is fine, the RAM is fine and DIMM2 has a problem from the mobo side... I will re-run the RAM in DIMM1 to confirm this.