Mobo Gone?

I have an old Dell desktop from 2006 that I have kept going (new PSU, new GPU, new HD) over the years.

Two days ago my monitor hooked up via DVI went into power save mode. I thought it was the GPU so just installed a new one.

Then I noticed some burned out capacitors on the Mobo but I don't know how old the damage is. I don't know about Mobo circuits at all. Looking at this pic, is this the end of the line?

 

Could this just be a coincidence and it was working with those already burned out? Anyway to determine what part of the Mobo they were for and whether other parts are ok?

 

The picture is kinda dark but they don't look burned out to me, they look like they have leaked. This is typically caused by heat creating excessive internal pressures. These caps are intentionally designed to crack out at the pressure relief point so they don't explode and spew hot corrosive electrolyte materials all over the place, including eyes.

Nevertheless, while leaky (or even bulging) caps can last for years in that state, typically, once leakage occurs, they no longer do their jobs properly and typically result in sudden unexplained shutdowns, freezes and reboots. There are places that recap motherboards and lots of tutorials out there for do-it-yourselfers, but frankly, on a 10 year old computer, it would not be cost effective.

I would try a different monitor just to verify the problem is on the computer side, but even so, those caps do suggest impending doom.

 

This is very helpful information, thank you. Yes it is possible they were leaking or bulging for a while and this was the final straw.
The main issue seems to be that the Mobo is not distributing enough power which is why I cannot see or power the monitor.
It looks like one of the internal fans is no longer turning, which might explain rising temps - who knows how long that was out.
On a different monitor, same problem - so guess we are finally done.

Begging the next question: this 10 year old computer running Windows XP SP3 with a Pentium D dual core runing a GTS 450 GPU was sufficient for kids to do homework, print, online websearches.
I don't need the latest intel Core i7 etc, but I am unfamiliar with the latest chipsets and hardware. What is the equivalent low end system in today's options, and what would be a reasonable budget for that. In addition, any reason to NOT use a refurb since that is what my computer has essentially been playing as for 5 years.

 

You are right, you don't need an i7. There are several decent i5 or even i3 processors that will "do". You really need to set your budget then go shopping. But to be sure, I would definitely ensure whatever you get is already running with Windows 10 to ensure future proofing and the tightest security (reason enough to ensure W10).

As for refurbs, again, I would make sure it is already running W10. This for a couple reasons (beside that already stated). There will be a fairly big learning curve coming from XP, regardless the OS installed on the refurb system. W7 is already pushing 7 years old so it is heading out the door. W8 is not that far behind. So to avoid the hassles of two learning curves, get the latest. Also, with W10 already installed, you know the older hardware will support W10. Finally, W10 is more secure (worth repeating!).

I am not really a fan of refurbished systems but if you decide on that route (besides W10) make sure it has a good (at least 1 year) warranty.

 

A lot say Win 7 or Win 8 with free upgrade to Win 10, is that good enough?

 

"In theory" yes. But we all know that theory and real-world don't always see eye-to-eye. For sure the vast majority of the 100s of millions of users who have upgraded to W10 had no problems at all. In fact, I have seen reports that 99% of those upgrading were a complete success. But 1% of 200 million is still 2 million upset users. And 2 million upset users can make a LOT of noise.

Most (but not all) of the upgrade problems occurred with older systems running W7. That is, most W8 users had no problems. I suspect this is because the newer hardware running W8 is more likely to support W10.

All I can suggest is to get one that came with W8.1 preinstalled. That would indicate newer hardware. Then I would immediately upgrade to W10. And if problems occurred you could not quickly resolved, take the computer back within the no-questions asked time frame (typically 30 days).

In any case, note the free upgrade offer expires in July, so don't wait too long.

 

Two questions along these lines:
1. Win 10 home vs pro?
2. Would you choose a 6th gen i3 or 4th gen i5?