[ale] Pictures of the culprit (was OT: Diagnosing HW problem)

[Geoffrey]

Calvin Harrigan wrote:
> Geoffrey wrote:
> 
>> Calvin Harrigan wrote:
>>
>>> Seems like a power transistor (probably a MOSFET)  for the switch 
>>> mode regulator. Typically used to drop the 3.3 Volts down to the 
>>> 1.4-2.0 volts used by most CPUs.  That circuit is pretty far in from 
>>> the outside world.  If I had to take a guess two things might have 
>>> happened, it was shorted by a screw or some other piece of metal or 
>>> the least likely one of the capacitors shorted and caused an over 
>>> current situation.  Either way motherboard is bye-bye.  Sorry.
>>
>>
>>
>> Or possibly shorted by collection of conductive dust????
>>
>> http://www.3times25.net/junk/mb_2.jpg
>>
> LOL, that was so wrong man...
> Hope dust never gets that conductive.  I wouldn't own a single piece of 
> electronic/electrical gear.

Oh, but you'd be so surprised that it can happen.  Anyway, I assure you 
I've got some dust bunnies that size and larger in some of my boxes. 
Most of the time, dust bunnies contribute to overheating, but they can 
cause electrical issues as well.

-- 
Until later, Geoffrey