VIA EPIA-M broken?

Hackan · #1 (**permalink**) 09-09-08, 09:27 PM

Hi

I recently received an HUSH mini-ITX with an VIA EPIA-M rev. B mainboard inside (got it from a friend), which refuses to boot correctly. When I power on, the power-LED is lit, but there is no video output, and the keyboard Num/Caps/Scroll-lock LEDs does not show anything (they flash when I plug in power, but not afterwards), and the power button doesn't power off the computer in one try, so something seems wrong inside. I've tried to disconnect everything inside, only power and RAM connected, but that doesn't seem to help.

Does anyone have an idea of what could be wrong? I'd like to try to use the computer, since it seems very quiet (completely fanless). I've tried with another PSU also, but that didn't seem to help. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Sincerely
Hackan

Mr. Chris · #2 (**permalink**) 10-09-08, 01:15 AM

Try clearing CMOS with the CLEAR CMOS jumper inside. What kind of monitor is connected? If it's an LCD, the screen resolution may be out of range. Is there a case speaker hooked to the board? If so do you get any beeps as the board powers on? Chris.

Hackan · #3 (**permalink**) 21-09-08, 02:06 AM

Sorry for the late reply, I've been busy with school..

I've tried to clear CMOS, but that hasn't helped. So far I've tried two different monitors, one LCD and one CRT. I haven't heard the speaker, is there a speaker soldered on the board, or do I have to connect one by the pins on the mainboard? Can I connect some regular PC-speakers to the line-out instead? This is the first VIA-card I've used, so not sure about how it works.
//Hackan

islandTime · #4 (**permalink**) 21-09-08, 01:08 PM

It doesn't sound good for your board. There is a beeper on the board. I've mostly worked with the M10000 and it does not beep on a good boot like most boards. If you try to boot the board without ram installed the bios should give a string of beeps indicating a problem with ram. This would at least indicate the bios is starting.

I've had one board with the symptoms your describing. I never was able to revive it. You might have bad capacitors but that never kept the boards I've worked with from booting. If you do have bulging capacitors it is worth trying to replace them.

Bob Stewart

Hackan · #5 (**permalink**) 22-09-08, 12:35 AM

I've tried booting without RAM now, and it didn't like it (it beeped at me), so there's at least some response. Since I only have the monitor I'm seeing what I'm typing on at the moment, I couldn't see if there was any image (when RAM inserted), but the keyboard should light up, right? (tried to boot with RAM re-installed).

I have some studies to take care of, but as soon as I can, I'll try to start it with monitor connected, and I'll talk to the previous owner of the card, and see if he has any ideas (I think it worked at least a bit before I got it).

If it is the capacitors, exactly how do I replace them? I should be able to find a few at home if I know the specifications on them, but it's the de-soldering/soldering I'm worried about. There was some kind of foam (it looked like that at least) on one of the capacitors, and not sure how they should look like. I'm trying to ad a photo, unfortunately I only had my phone to use, but I think you can see something from that. Took several photos, but the focus wasn't perfect.

Capacitors

Is there anything more to try? Soldering feels a bit risky, but I could try that as a last resort for this board.

//Hackan

islandTime · #6 (**permalink**) 22-09-08, 12:38 PM

You've got more bad caps than I've ever seen on a board. I wouldn't put any more effort into reviving this board.

Bob Stewart

Jacek Zagaja · #7 (**permalink**) 23-09-08, 09:52 AM

I have normally looking Nichicon caps and same problem. No more Epia please.

Hackan · #8 (**permalink**) 24-09-08, 12:22 AM

Ok, so the capacitors seems to be the main problem? If I try to replace them, is it possible that would help? Is there something else I could try? If it is the capacitors, this is actually the first board I know of that doesn't work due to that.

Jacek, did you get it working, or was it totally dead?

EDIT: Checked closer, and it seems it's GSC-capacitors, which I've read have been a problem with other mainboards. The capacitors should sit tight to the board, not moving if I touch them, if I get it right, and not bulging at all? How do I know what capacitors to replace them with? Is it just looking for the same 6.3V, 500μF (I think that is what they say)? I think I can get my brother replacing them, since I have full-time studies to keep up with at the same time...

//Hackan

islandTime · #9 (**permalink**) 24-09-08, 11:56 AM

I didn't mean to imply that the capacitors are your root problem but the replacement process can inflict more damage on the board if your not carefull. You might get all the capacitors replaced and still have a dead board. If you want to try the replacement use capacitors of the same value. It is printed on the capacitor.

Hackan · #10 (**permalink**) 25-09-08, 12:13 AM

Thank you very much for all of your answers!

Since the board won't start correctly right now, do I have something (except time) to lose on replacing them? If it's not the capacitors, then I can at least say I've replaced capacitors on a board, and it would be some soldering-experience (I'm not very used to soldering, but I've tried it a few times, and I'm often careful of what I'm doing).

There are about 4 of the caps that looks extremely bad, from what I can see. Replacing them, couldn't that tell me if the capacitors are a (main) problem? I've read that you're supposed to replace all of them while you're at it, but I suspect that's because the others will eventually give up, but replacing 21 of them (I'm excluding the smallest ones) seems a bit too much to do.

If it's still dead after replacing, is it possible to buy a similar board, so that I can use the same cooling block (not sure about the correct word for that, heat spreader perhaps)? The fanless design is something I really like about it, even though I've never had it running, but it sounds good to me.

How about the mini-ITX 2.0 standard? Is there anything with the features of that released?
Full-HD playback and some gaming (Age of Empires 3, MapleStory and such games) would be nice, it it's possible, even though 1080p is a bit too much for my current computer, which I believe is capable of a bit more than the broken board. I was hoping to place the computer together with the TV, using it as an PVR with my DVB-T receiver, and I think that requires a quiet computer with at least some power, although I only have access to one HD-channel at the moment, so that kind of recording could wait for a few months. It's very possible what I want is a bit to much from what's available at the moment (both from stores, and considering my economy), but one could always dream...

//Hackan