My DFI MI P55-T36 caught on fire!

GreenGoose

GreenGoose

[H]ard|Gawd
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Aug 17, 2004
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I built a small system in February 2010 with the DFI MI P55-T36, i5-750, HIS HD 5450, Corsair XMS 3 memory, and an Antec BP550 modular power supply. I chose the Lian Li PC-Q07 case. I knew this case had poor airflow; however, I didn't plan on overclocking, gaming, or anything else very strenuous so I thought it would be fine. This build was just a small internet surfer and office machine.

Yesterday evening, I was on the internet looking around on the internet when I smelled an electrical fire smell then heard a "pop". The machine stopped immediately. I quickly turned the case around and looked through the small vents and observed a flame! It was like a Bic lighter was burning on my motherboard. I took the side panel off and managed to blow it out, lol! I took the power supply out and observed it was still smoldering so out in the backyard it went.

It appears the fire started around a capacitor near the P55 chip. Photos below.

Anyway, I thought I would pass this along. The P55 chip on this motherboard does need a lot of airflow regardless of what you are doing. I think I will replace it with a Gigabyte GA-H55N-USB3. Do you think airflow will be a factor on this board as well? Or should I just keep a fire extinguisher close? I'm trying to figure out how to rig a fan up but there is zero space inside.


DSC02027.jpg
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Interesting! Im curious on the RMA process.

BTW what all components were damaged/destroyed?
 
Definitely give this mobo to RMA. They have to accept it because it's not your fault and besides the board is still on a warranty. At work our customer bring to us a pc that he bought from us about a month earlier - the pc was completely fried. I mean completely. Fire was caused by hdd external chassis ^^
Fried parts was sent to manufacture of that chassis and he finally give back money for a new parts :)
Apart of that i rather think that that was something like a factory defect.

OF course if something else has been damaged by the mobo you have to tell them and propably sent them to verify.

Check this out ;)
http://img541.imageshack.us/i/20100709102153.jpg/
 
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jstutman said:
Interesting! Im curious on the RMA process.

BTW what all components were damaged/destroyed?
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The only other thing damaged was the plastic USB plug where it connects to the header. Completely melted. How is the RMA process with DFI since they are no longer in the motherboard business?
 
from what i understood is that DFI even though their not doing consumer level motherboard anymore.. they had a backstock for RMA reasons.. although i can't remember where i read this.
 
GreenGoose said:
The P55 chip on this motherboard does need a lot of airflow regardless of what you are doing.
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I have my DFI ITX board on a Lian Li PC-T7R. I had issues where the USB mouse would cut out (tried different mice and ports) at LAN parties where the ambient temperatures got really warm. I ended up removing my overclock and putting a little 60x10mm fan on top of the P55 chipset heatsink. I don't have it attached in any way - it just sits on there at a slight angle wedged between the graphics card and the Cooler Master TX3 heatsink. Since I did that the problem is around 95% licked. Still happens on occasion when it gets really hot in the room, but nowhere near like before.
 
That sucks. I got a pc in the other day that a cap literally exploded and sprayed juice all over one of the ram sticks. The ram stick was dead, I'm sure the liquid shorted it out, I replaced the cap and the mobo worked fine afterwards.
 
HaX said:
any updates on this?
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I sent DFI an email and they responded the same day. I had to fill out the RMA form and email it back with a copy of my invoice Friday. I'm sure they will send me a RMA number and shipping instructions tomorrow (Monday). My Gigabyte GA-H55N-USB 3 will be here tomorrow and I will rebuild my machine. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with my RMA'd DFI board yet. I might sell it if I can find a buyer.
 
good to hear that dfi is going to get you a replacement

newegg has a board from giada that has same socket placement as the DFI board; however, no reviews that i can see. I've never heard of them before.
 
There is a reason DFI is getting out of the motherboard business - their boards have always been built with shoddy components and low QC.

Their mini-ITX boards fall under their industrial side and they are still building these. I did own one ages ago and it worked fine.
 
sleepeeg3 said:
There is a reason DFI is getting out of the motherboard business - their boards have always been built with shoddy components and low QC.
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DFI is quality IMO.

They are not getting out of the MB business. They are just focusing on large scale commercial/Industrial IT MB applications.

I'm waiting on an RMA for a DFI X58 JR right now. Great customer service. :cool:


OP should keep good air flow in mind and occasionally dust out the case and MB if it wasn't done before.
 
SonDa5 said:
OP should keep good air flow in mind and occasionally dust out the case and MB if it wasn't done before.
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I agree on the air flow for this board but I kept it clean as a whistle inside with a monthly cleaning.
 
bit-tech says this board overheats fairly easily in their review.

During our first round of overclocking before Christmas we pushed it very hard and the board decided to corrupt the SATA bus and hose the whole Windows install. Geee, Thaanks. We had to start again from fresh, which is always, always frustrating. To be honest, we think that was an overheating issue of the P55 PCH, so be warned.
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http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/mo.../dfi-mi-p55-t36-mini-itx-motherboard-review/9
 
holy crap...thats scary. good thing you were home when that happened.
 
Im having goofy issues with mine as well. Ive built and htpc and pc for my little bro with the h55n-usb3. If your RMA goes smoothly I think im gonna RMA mine as well, and then use the h55n on my main rig, and put the DFI board in my little brothers rig
 
cj3waker said:
Im having goofy issues with mine as well. Ive built and htpc and pc for my little bro with the h55n-usb3. If your RMA goes smoothly I think im gonna RMA mine as well, and then use the h55n on my main rig, and put the DFI board in my little brothers rig
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I tried that with a zonky zotac (Jen's gonna kill me), but little grumbling still escaped, and I eventually had to replace the E7200/9300ITX with an i3 530/H55H-I setup that was for more stable and a fair bit faster. Otherwise, I'd hear light complaints still excape, and my OCD didn't allow for that.
 
SonDa5 said:
DFI is quality IMO.

They are not getting out of the MB business. They are just focusing on large scale commercial/Industrial IT MB applications.

I'm waiting on an RMA for a DFI X58 JR right now. Great customer service. :cool:


OP should keep good air flow in mind and occasionally dust out the case and MB if it wasn't done before.
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+1 I've had good luck with the DFI boards I've owned.
 
well, got nothing back from DFI for my board (and don't have the invoice, anyway)... guess i've got a new mockup board :(

bought a giada h55 for the htpc and swapped the zotac to the big rig. corestores should be delivered tomorrow :)
 
I had wondered what the giada would be like since I haven't heard too much about them. Give us a mini review xD

Btw, what happened to your dfi board.
 
HaX said:
I had wondered what the giada would be like since I haven't heard too much about them. Give us a mini review xD

Btw, what happened to your dfi board.
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went to reset cmos using their handy-dandy switch (after a failed post -- had noticed that the ram was running at 1066 instead of 1333, so switched it back to spec, then poof) once I had shut the system off. no boot any time after that, just get a flicker of light out of the bios code block. swapped all components w/ another board and everything 'cept the mobo checks out. it needs either a bios block to reload or be replaced, can't get either from DFI. :(

wilco on the giada, i'm interested to see what it's like (would've preferred their h67 board but I think it's going to be a while on that one)
 
The Giada board looks interesting the price is right and I really like the layout. Let us know how it works out for ya and good luck.
 
If ya would've went with sandy build you could of gotten the foxconn h67 board layout looks good. too bad it's another board with only 3 sata connectors
 
Harry1969 said:
The Giada board looks interesting the price is right and I really like the layout. Let us know how it works out for ya and good luck.
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yeah, and newegg had it $20 off instant as well ;) (it's already shipped, too!)


HaX said:
If ya would've went with sandy build you could of gotten the foxconn h67 board layout looks good. too bad it's another board with only 3 sata connectors
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c'mon, now -- you know i'll never buy a board w/o mini-pcie :D
 
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