Help choosing the right motherboard

I have another thread in the software section http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=209613to fix my BSOD problem, but since this is a straight hardware problem I thought I'd ask here. After many hours on the phone with Dell, driver updates, restores, re-installs, replacing the memory, video card, and the hard drive, the problem is still there. Although none of the tests I have run seem to point to a motherboard problem, I guess it still could be the cause. This is mostly just based on an older thread where someone had the same problem and it was due to a bad motherboard.

I'm hesitant to buy and install a new motherboard not knowning if it's even going to fix the problem, but I'm not really sure where else to go from here. Plan to take it to a shop (best buy, unless anyone knows of a good place in the DC/VA/MD area?), but I'm not sure how to pick a motherboard for the system. Specs: (Intel Core Extreme X9650 3ghz, factory overclocked to 3.67ghz, dual 9800 GX2's, 4gb ram, running 32bit win7).

Any suggestions for a motherboard or other ideas to fix the BSOD problem would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

 

If you change your motherboard windows isn't going to activate and you have to buy a new copy of windows.

As it looks like you will need a LGA 775 board that supports SLI

However you will need to find the form factor of your motherboard and make sure it's not a dell from factor that isn't standard.

 

Thanks for the reply. I'd hate to have to buy Windows once again, but I'm just not sure what else to do at this point other than take it into best buy and see if they can find a solution, which I honestly don't see happening. Based on how the computer sounds and the fact that the problem occurs on clean installs makes me pretty certain it is indeed a hardware problem one way or another.

How can I go about finding out which form factor the motherboard is? Will I just need to contact Dell and ask for the details? Thanks again.

 

Dell should tell you

If you have somebody change your mobo it could be costly

Shop labor I think its 75-80 Hour

So they will probably change 2 hours

If you take to best buy they will probably change you a diagnostic fee which I think is around 60ish

 

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately if I do this, depending on the cost of the motherboard it looks like it's going to be over $300. I've never had a problem bad enough to take it to a repair shop so I'm not really familiar with any local smaller shops that would likely end up being a bit cheaper. Hopefully best buy will work it out. Thanks for the help.

 

You will NOT have to buy a new OS!!!!!

OEM software is linked to 3 parts of the PC CPU, RAM and the Motherboard,

ONLY IF YOU CHANGE ALL 3 DOES IT BECOME UNUSABLE.

Have a look for a good 775 motherboard. I would recommend this.

If money can stretch

http://uk.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=o5ztautLyFiNMFcJ&templete=2

Otherwise

http://uk.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=wOFZuyplXj0vLmAc&templete=2

Burrell

 

So you happen to have an extra HD laying around? If if do, pop it in and see what happens. Maybe it is the HD

 

Is your system still under warranty?

Sam

 

If he has as much as opened the case, the likely hood is, its been void.

Burrell

 

I'm pretty sure it's tied to the motherboard. I don't see how an OS can tie itself to the CPU or ram.

I could be wrong tho.

 

Quoted from Microsoft

http://oem.microsoft.com/script/ContentPage.aspx?pageid=552846

 

NO

It is tied to all 3.

I have done it several times.

Burrell

 

Right now I do have a hardware warranty with Dell. Initially I had one of the video cards swapped out and that did not solve the problem. They then sent me new memory and a new HD. After installing them the problem still occurs, so I don't think it is the HD. Unfortunately it has been very frustrating to get to this point with Dell. They don't seem to think it is a motherboard problem simly because it passes the diagnostic test. Talking on the phone with them always seems to lead nowhere, as they just want me to do a restore or fresh install of windows. One concern I have with dell replacing the motherboard is that they will most likely replace it with the exact same model I have now. While I don't think it should be a problem as it was occuring when I was running vista, could the motherboard simply not be compatible with 7 yet? From what I gather the motherboard is running Phoenix - Award Bios Revision 1.0.6 - 6A61MB01C-00. When I look for information about support for that Bios, I do not see Windows 7 listed at all.

Glad to hear that if I do change I might not have to buy Windows once again. Thanks for all the responses.

 

Yep!

Some motherboards aren't Win 7 compatible.

Burrell

 

Which is most likely due to driver issues.

Are you sure you have done it with OEM copies and not retail copies of windows?

 

Yes, definatly OEM.

Burrell

 

I guess they are full of S**T then and lie to people :-D

The windows 7 computability issue is most often to drivers if it isn't.

 

I think in theory your not "supposed" to change the mobo, but ive never had any problems.

Burrell

 

I think I may have finally found the problem. I received the new motherboard today and while it was being replaced I noticed that the cooling system looked to have leaked! I had never noticed it before because I never needed to remove the cooling cover, but there was a lot of a white powder like substance all over the motherboard. After a while on the phone with them they have decided to simply replace the whole computer and rebuild me a new one (with a free bump to 8gb ram!). For future reference, what could cause a cooling system to leak? Would love to be able to prevent anything like this from happening again.

Just wanted to say thanks again for all of the help!! Very glad to finally have this all worked out.

 

If there was white stuff on the CPU that's called thermal compound and that's normal to be on the cpu.

Hope you have a 64-bit OS to use the 8gb ram.

 

Not exactly sure what it was, but it's all over the case as well. It just doesn't seem to look like it should be there. I'd been using vista/7 32bit since I only had the 4gb, but ya I do have the 64bit 7, so I guess I'll try that when the new one comes in.

 

Did it look like this
http://www.capn13.net/it/cpu_mounting/p4_04_thermal_paste_small.jpg

 

Attached a pic. It's hard to tell from the picture, but there is a good amount of the substance that is directly on the motherboard.

 

It might be something dell put on it to protect the motherboard.