Since you have two identical boards, check both alongside for damaged or missing components. Clean the PCI connector thoroughly, either with alcohol or an eraser.

Check for bent pins on the chips. Especially on the FBI shorted pins can cause permanent reset etc.

Doornkaat wrote on 2020-03-10, 12:10:

Check for bent pins on the chips. Especially on the FBI shorted pins can cause permanent reset etc.

Yup Upon further inspection i found pins touching on two of the big chips.

*sigh* any advice on how to separate these. Im suuuppeeer nervous of breaking this V2

SodaSuccubus wrote on 2020-03-10, 17:21:

*sigh* any advice on how to separate these. Im suuuppeeer nervous of breaking this V2

I had this SAME EXACT thing happen to me this weekend in the SAME exact spot! I put on a headlamp, got out the magnifying handy helper, and gently moved the leg over with a #11 exacto blade (which I dulled a bit beforehand on some sandpaper....it was the thinnest tool I had to use and was still a little thick...).

Mine also wasn't turning on. Weird part was it worked fine the weekend before and I don't think I removed it since then...

I used a magnifier and a tip of a pin needle to separate pins on a motherboard chipset. The tip was exactly correct size that the distance of the pins became same as with the other pins in the chip and I was happy with the result.

Baoran wrote on 2020-03-10, 19:01:

I used a magnifier and a tip of a pin needle to separate pins on a motherboard chipset. The tip was exactly correct size that the distance of the pins became same as with the other pins in the chip and I was happy with the result.

Ack 😵

I can't for the life of me figure out how to do this. Do i push the sowing needle inbetween the two pins, or move it at the feet.

We really need someone to do videos on these :p

Yup, if I remember correctly one of those is a reset line.
Just very carefully insert a needle tip or fine blade between the two pins. The bent one gets bent outward, the other one gets bent inward ever so slightly. You don't need much force. Just make sure to stop once they're safely separated and don't make the second pin connect with the third. You can absolutely do this fix, I have rather shaky hands and I can separate those no problem. I have even resoldered lifted pins on the FBI of a V1 by now. If you have somewhat steady hands you can do it! 😃👍

Oh and yes, going in near the solder pads where the legs are still seperate and carefully moving up to separate the pins sounds good from the looks of your picture. Just remember you don't need much force.

Yes, use a needle. I had the same problem with one of my V2s.