On your diag card, are all the voltage rails present, and what does the reset indicator state? Is the board being held in reset?

Always worth throwing up a few high-res photos of the board, someone might spot something you've missed!

I suggest measuring the 3 power rails generated by the board,
2.6v memory rail generated by the mosfets near the ram slots
1.5v rail generated by the mosfets near the agp slot.
and cpu vcore.
also board has a switching buck converter on the 2.6v memory rail, so make sure all the caps on that area are good.

paradigital wrote on 2023-05-22, 06:59:

On your diag card, are all the voltage rails present, and what does the reset indicator state? Is the board being held in reset?

Always worth throwing up a few high-res photos of the board, someone might spot something you've missed!

good point, thank you, the images below.
The voltages are ok on the diag. card, the reset blinks at the beginning then goes off.
The chipset cooler was changed by someone to the one which is there now, not sure why.

https://www.sylex.repository.3d-sphere.com/in … q6ZnMmjEKgLRMAR
https://www.sylex.repository.3d-sphere.com/in … arfSCMy35BLMSHW

Karbist wrote on 2023-05-22, 07:27:

I suggest measuring the 3 power rails generated by the board, 2.6v memory rail generated by the mosfets near the ram slots 1.5v […]
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I suggest measuring the 3 power rails generated by the board,
2.6v memory rail generated by the mosfets near the ram slots
1.5v rail generated by the mosfets near the agp slot.
and cpu vcore.
also board has a switching buck converter on the 2.6v memory rail, so make sure all the caps on that area are good.

i have checked he memory and 2,6V
the PCI slot has 3,3V
1,5V rail as well

the mosfet around the CPU (row closer to the connectors): G: 3V, S: 1,5V, D: 12V
the mosfet around the CPU (row closer to the CPU): G:10V, S:0V. D: 1,5V

It looks like one of the yellow capacitors near the CPU has been replaced when comparing your photo to the one on The Retro Web. Try to make sure it is installed in the correct orientation and has the appropriate values.

The fact that it was replaced may also be a hint that the yellow caps are faulty. Are you able to desolder one and check its health?

Towncivilian wrote on 2023-05-22, 10:32:

It looks like one of the yellow capacitors near the CPU has been replaced when comparing your photo to the one on The Retro Web. Try to make sure it is installed in the correct orientation and has the appropriate values.

The fact that it was replaced may also be a hint that the yellow caps are faulty. Are you able to desolder one and check its health?

Do you mean the black one in the tow with the yellow ones? The same is as well on the picture from retroweb, at least I see it here. I have checked the bottom of the board and couldn't see any traces of soldering.

Since someone has replaced the north bridge heatsink, I would remove the heatsink and inspect the smd component surrounding the chipset and make sure nothing is damaged or knocked off.
also if the original heatsink got hit by something that he had to replace it, there might be cracked soldier joints under the chipset.

Karbist wrote on 2023-05-22, 12:18:

Since someone has replaced the north bridge heatsink, I would remove the heatsink and inspect the smd component surrounding the chipset and make sure nothing is damaged or knocked off.
also if the original heatsink got hit by something that he had to replace it, there might be cracked soldier joints under the chipset.

i have removed the heatsink and there is no obvious damage, like no damage at all. I guess that someone removed the heatsink since the board was not booting, very gently, no marks at the board at all.
i was wondering if the BIOS is okay, I will assume that the intel n82802ab8 is the BIOS chip, next to the buzzer, right? I have never read out such chip, any advice where to get the adaptor to DIP for example?

edit: okay, I have found an adaptor on ali, will need to remove it first but seems like a good approach
any alternative for the intel n82802ab8 ?

thx, tomas

Hi,

I have checked the oscillator which is next to the BIOS chip and all looks fine, and thus decided to remove the BIOS.
I am waiting now for the parts to read it out and as well for replacement capacitors, just in case.
Here some pictures from the removal:

https://www.sylex.repository.3d-sphere.com/in … HGZDQHmyTq4oM4g
https://www.sylex.repository.3d-sphere.com/in … 2YDS38L36nAHc5K
https://www.sylex.repository.3d-sphere.com/in … e8QH9LYkZn66RWb

I have made a cradle around the BIOS using kapton a aluminium tape, the aluminium tape was smoking like hell and thus removed it later on.
The BIOS went off easily 350C on the gun with pre-heat at 100C from the bottom and flux. Hopefully it will work at the end 😀

tomas

IMO it's difficult to spoil a firmware on Intel desktop mainboards - the recovery bios procedure really works there.
What model of P4 did you try with it? I think old Willamate won't run.
Usually ICH5 is weakness of this platform. So check its heating in standby mode and also check resistance of each USB data lines against GND rail (when a power cord is unplugged).
Another weakness - lose contacts of a cpu socket or MCH. Press it slightly and run system to diagnose such failure. Re-flow might help in this case.
Reference board schematics of Intel 865
Good luck!

tsalat wrote on 2023-05-22, 06:52:

Any idea what to test before I start to change the capacitors?

thx, tomas

I have two of these boards. They don't like to boot. Most other boards will try an fail, but these boards just seem to give up for whatever reason they can find. Be sure to not use CAS 2 memory but use CAS 2.5 or CAS 3. Also both boards had just one bulging capacitor: the big tall one under the RAM slots. I use in a system because it looks so good. If there is something I can test of measure let me know.

Roman555 wrote on 2023-05-26, 14:17:

IMO it's difficult to spoil a firmware on Intel desktop mainboards - the recovery bios procedure really works there. What model […]
Show full quote

IMO it's difficult to spoil a firmware on Intel desktop mainboards - the recovery bios procedure really works there.
What model of P4 did you try with it? I think old Willamate won't run.
Usually ICH5 is weakness of this platform. So check its heating in standby mode and also check resistance of each USB data lines against GND rail (when a power cord is unplugged).
Another weakness - lose contacts of a cpu socket or MCH. Press it slightly and run system to diagnose such failure. Re-flow might help in this case.
Reference board schematics of Intel 865
Good luck!

I understand, still, I would like to try that. Maybe a leg was loosen maybe it will not do any difference, we will see. I need 1-2weeks until the stuff will come, than I will try 😀
The CPU is Northwood, 2,6GHz. The other one I have tried was around 2,3GHz I think.
I have tried to press on both the ICH5 and MCH during the power but no difference, re-flow of those two will be the last option.

tomas

Dorunkāku wrote on 2023-05-26, 16:47:

tsalat wrote on 2023-05-22, 06:52:

Any idea what to test before I start to change the capacitors?

thx, tomas

I have two of these boards. They don't like to boot. Most other boards will try an fail, but these boards just seem to give up for whatever reason they can find. Be sure to not use CAS 2 memory but use CAS 2.5 or CAS 3. Also both boards had just one bulging capacitor: the big tall one under the RAM slots. I use in a system because it looks so good. If there is something I can test of measure let me know.

At this moment the board is dead, nothing on the debug card at all, so even without RAM there is no life.
I need 1-2weeks to put the BIOS back I will then come back and report, and post as well some positions to measure, maybe there will be something.

thank you, tomas

Dorunkāku wrote on 2023-05-26, 16:47:

tsalat wrote on 2023-05-22, 06:52:

Any idea what to test before I start to change the capacitors?

thx, tomas

I have two of these boards. They don't like to boot. Most other boards will try an fail, but these boards just seem to give up for whatever reason they can find. Be sure to not use CAS 2 memory but use CAS 2.5 or CAS 3. Also both boards had just one bulging capacitor: the big tall one under the RAM slots. I use in a system because it looks so good. If there is something I can test of measure let me know.

ok, got the parts, was very excited, didnt waited to use the microscope, during the "leg" check of the adaptor for the BIOS teared away a few pads on the board, was jumpering them back, got it done... hopefully I repeaired what I have done at the end, and the adaptor is solidly add to the board. Hence, I can try a different BIOS image.

Any chance to dump the BIOS from your board to make sure it should work?

thx

I use version P15 for no particular reason. Other versions are available here.

Dorunkāku wrote on 2023-06-08, 12:16:

I use version P15 for no particular reason. Other versions are available here.

thx a lot, tried the BIOS, unfortunetelly it behaves the same as before.
I am not sure now what to try next, measured most of the mosfet, and the voltage seems reasonable at drain.

any idea what to try next?

tomas

tsalat wrote on 2023-06-09, 14:26:

thx a lot, tried the BIOS, unfortunetelly it behaves the same as before. I am not sure now what to try next, measured most of th […]
Show full quote

Dorunkāku wrote on 2023-06-08, 12:16:

I use version P15 for no particular reason. Other versions are available here.

thx a lot, tried the BIOS, unfortunetelly it behaves the same as before.
I am not sure now what to try next, measured most of the mosfet, and the voltage seems reasonable at drain.

any idea what to try next?

tomas

Maybe you'll be interested in a topic about ASUS s478 P4P800
ASUS P4P800 disaster

Roman555 wrote on 2023-06-12, 20:16:

tsalat wrote on 2023-06-09, 14:26:

thx a lot, tried the BIOS, unfortunetelly it behaves the same as before. I am not sure now what to try next, measured most of th […]
Show full quote

Dorunkāku wrote on 2023-06-08, 12:16:

I use version P15 for no particular reason. Other versions are available here.

thx a lot, tried the BIOS, unfortunetelly it behaves the same as before.
I am not sure now what to try next, measured most of the mosfet, and the voltage seems reasonable at drain.

any idea what to try next?

tomas

Maybe you'll be interested in a topic about ASUS s478 P4P800
ASUS P4P800 disaster

thank you for your answer. I did not have time to fiddle with the board but I will come back to it as soon as I can.
If it would be dead, well, I will have a spare board, heh

One question though, I have a similar Foxconn board, and I have started to remove the capacitors next to the CPU, however, the solder joints seems to be impossible to be removed. The solder seems to be "strange", temperature 330C will not melt them, adding a fresh solder helps a bit but still the majority of the old one sticks to the copper or capacitor joints, flux dont help either... any trick how to remove it more effective?

thx, tomas

tsalat wrote on 2023-06-24, 05:43:

thank you for your answer. I did not have time to fiddle with the board but I will come back to it as soon as I can. If it would […]
Show full quote

Roman555 wrote on 2023-06-12, 20:16:

tsalat wrote on 2023-06-09, 14:26:

thx a lot, tried the BIOS, unfortunetelly it behaves the same as before. I am not sure now what to try next, measured most of th […]
Show full quote

thx a lot, tried the BIOS, unfortunetelly it behaves the same as before.
I am not sure now what to try next, measured most of the mosfet, and the voltage seems reasonable at drain.

any idea what to try next?

tomas

Maybe you'll be interested in a topic about ASUS s478 P4P800
ASUS P4P800 disaster

thank you for your answer. I did not have time to fiddle with the board but I will come back to it as soon as I can.
If it would be dead, well, I will have a spare board, heh

One question though, I have a similar Foxconn board, and I have started to remove the capacitors next to the CPU, however, the solder joints seems to be impossible to be removed. The solder seems to be "strange", temperature 330C will not melt them, adding a fresh solder helps a bit but still the majority of the old one sticks to the copper or capacitor joints, flux dont help either... any trick how to remove it more effective?

thx, tomas

Hi,
It looks like the board is lead-free and also has massive copper polygons next to the CPU socket. It causes melting point is higher and a soldering iron loses temperature fast. So you are forced to make temperature much higher to melt solder but then there's a danger to damage PCB.
The easiest way is to mix lead-free solder with fusible alloy (Rose's metal or Wood's metal) in soldering joints. But after a de-soldering process you have to remove remains of that metal from holes before installing new caps. Because those alloys is too fragile. Also don't forget using flux even for de-soldering. And also choose a tip massive enough (similar to 900M-T-SK).

As option or addition you may upgrade soldering iron to a more powerful one (eg with T12 Soldering Iron Tips) or use a pre-heater.
Good luck!