What can make the board fries?

Question

My computer in question is an HP Pavilion 9780C with a 900 MHz AMD Athlon Processor pn AMD-A0900MMR24B A.

Last weekend we observed that it had stopped working and that the cooling fan for the processor was not turning. I oiled the fan and got it working, and the checked out the system. It came back up slowly, but was working. The next morning it was dead again, even though the fan was still working.

I went to Fry's electronics in search of a replacement processor, but they no longer carry this model. They suggested that I go to the internet to find a replacement, which I did.

When I installed an identical processor and a new fan which I picked up from Fry's this morning, the light for the hard drive comes on, but the message on my screen says the monitor is working, but check the computer or cable. I used heat sink compound and saw that a small amount had squeezed through and may have contacted the board in the processor case. Would this short out the board and possibly prevent it from working? The type I used is a non silicon type from Fry's electronics.

Do you have any suggestions for next steps? Since the system is already 4 years old I hate to pour more money into it if there is a more cost effective solution.

Thanks,

Richard Fox

Answer

This question was answered on November 29, 2003. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.

Any liquid drop on the motherboard you have the risk to make your mother board to fries and can damage a part of your motherboard that could affect other components such as the IDE controller for your hard drives or the PCI bus for your PCI card devices.

Do me a favor don't turn the computer or if you do then don't let the computer much longer on, I suggest to buy a antistatic cleaning wipe, so you can wipe the durt that you drop on the motherboard with the power unplug and let it dry or stay off for few minute.

Also use at air compression to blow the dust this may also help.

Other wise if this doesn't then buy a new motherboard but for best investment buy another computer instead.

Author

Posted by Student of Katharine Gibbs School - New York on November 29, 2003