Old Hardware help needed: Update.

  • Thread starter Thread starter ~misfit~
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M

~misfit~

I don't know if you guys remember my posts from a couple of weeks ago (I
can't just add this to that thread as I've just done a clean install) where
I couldn't get an old AT machine working for the life of me, swapped out
everything to no avail.

I was asked to report back when I solved it so here it is:

It was running a P166MMX and originally wouldn't always start, hitting reset
worked for a week then it died. I swapped everything out (and I mean
*everything*). The culprit? The CPU. I had swapped it out for another 166MMX
that I had here that had been a good pull and it didn't work either. I don't
know if the original mobo fried the second CPU after I fitted it and tried
it (I swapped mobos after I tried swapping CPUs) or what happened. They were
both more than adequately cooled. I've never had CPUs fail before so didn't
think they'd both be shot. I finally fixed it when I tried a third 166MMX in
the second mobo. (Lucky I've got piles of Socket 7 CPUs lying around!)

Just thought I'd post a follow-up to let y'all know what it was.

Thanks to all who helped me with this.
 
Thanks to all who helped me with this.
Click to expand...

What about corrosion. I had some stuff, cards sitting around on a desk
for a day and none of them worked when I installed them. When I
cleaned the contacts they all worked fine.

I also had to bend the pins straight on my 1 gig athlon I had sitting
around for 6 months in a plastic case. I think one side of it got a
little smooshed.
 
What about corrosion. I had some stuff, cards sitting around on a desk
for a day and none of them worked when I installed them. When I
cleaned the contacts they all worked fine.

I also had to bend the pins straight on my 1 gig athlon I had sitting
around for 6 months in a plastic case. I think one side of it got a
little smooshed.
Click to expand...

I've had a similar problem on a couple 486 boxes... the socket was
corroded... the solution was to install and remove the CPU several
times, using the friction to wear away the buildup towards a better
contact... no idea how long the systems would work after that, as they
were still working a year later when I sold their owners newer
systems.


Dave
 
~misfit~ said:
I don't know if you guys remember my posts from a couple of weeks ago (I
can't just add this to that thread as I've just done a clean install) where
I couldn't get an old AT machine working for the life of me, swapped out
everything to no avail.

I was asked to report back when I solved it so here it is:

It was running a P166MMX and originally wouldn't always start, hitting reset
worked for a week then it died. I swapped everything out (and I mean
*everything*). The culprit? The CPU. I had swapped it out for another 166MMX
that I had here that had been a good pull and it didn't work either. I don't
know if the original mobo fried the second CPU after I fitted it and tried
it (I swapped mobos after I tried swapping CPUs) or what happened. They were
both more than adequately cooled. I've never had CPUs fail before so didn't
think they'd both be shot. I finally fixed it when I tried a third 166MMX in
the second mobo. (Lucky I've got piles of Socket 7 CPUs lying around!)
Click to expand...


Heh, well who would have thought .........

Beer in hand and an hour or so to waste on a Sunday morning, and
actually I enjoy troubleshooting of this nature. My spares drawer saps
out at the P1 and ATX level, but finding the faulty culprit is perversly
satisfying. I guess.
 
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