How to Repair a Bad Motherboard
The motherboard is the heart of your computer system. The computer will not work properly if you have a bad motherboard. To know how to repair a bad motherboard, read on...


For motherboard repairing, it is necessary that you must first understand what are the main parts of a computer motherboard. The computer motherboard is located inside the computer cabinet. The computer motherboard consists of a microprocessor, chipset and BIOS (basic input output system). The microprocessor used in the motherboard decides the type of central processing unit (CPU), i.e., the cabinet type. The chipset of the computer motherboard constitutes two bridges: north bridge and south bridge. These bridges control the flow of data to the computer. The basic functioning of the computer is controlled by the computer BIOS. A real-time clock is also another major component of the computer motherboard. The slots and ports on the computer motherboard connect the computer peripherals like the sound card or graphics card. These slots provide a connection between the hard disk and the computer peripherals.

Troubleshooting a Bad Motherboard

There are many bad motherboard signs. It is necessary that you identify the correct cause of your bad motherboard to repair it. The most common causes of a bad motherboard are always related to cabling and connections. Let us discuss the various causes of a bad motherboard one by one. The first thing to check is whether the screen is live or dead. If the screen is dead follow the steps given below:

   1. Foremost, check whether the fans and lights on the motherboard are in a working condition. Also, check whether the system is turning ON or not. If all these signs are encountered, it indicates that you have to troubleshoot power supply of your desktop computer. Usually, it is observed that the connections and wiring from the power supply to the computer system are not properly done.
   2. If the power supply is working fine, the next step is to troubleshoot the video. A video failure may lead to a dead screen, which may be mistaken as failure in the power supply.
   3. The next step after a negative result of video failure troubleshoot is to check whether the RAM is inserted in the given slot properly. Improper insertion of the RAM modules must be checked. If the RAM is positioned properly and even then your computer is not working, change the RAM.
   4. The next step to be followed, if the RAM is positioned and working properly, is to check that the CPU is inserted in its socket perfectly or not. It is possible that one of the CPU leads is not inserted in the socket properly. This case is possible when you have upgraded your CPU or installed a new one. The heat sink module inside the cabinet is mounted upon the CPU, so it is quite possible that one of the leads of the CPU are bent due to the weight of the heat sink. Check whether the CPU leads are properly inserted in their respective sockets. If you cannot insert the leads properly in the socket, it is likely that the socket is faulty or the CPU that you have is not the correct one for your computer motherboard.
   5. If you find no fault in the CPU connection, follow this step. Check whether the fan and the heat sink is working properly. The fan must be powered by connecting the correct power point on the motherboard, to connect the BIOS to the computer monitor. Whenever the BIOS is turned ON, the heat sink and the fan must turn ON. Ensure that the fan on the heat sink is working properly and replace the fan if it is not working properly.
   6. The next step after you find that the fan and heat sink are properly working is to find whether you hear any beeps from the computer. The RAM of your computer must be replaced if you hear a string of beeps. The next step is followed if beeps are not heard.
   7. Restore the motherboard settings to default. Lastly, if any of these steps are not the reason for your motherboard failure, replace the CPU.

The next steps are to be followed in case you do not witness a dead screen.

   1. When the computer turns ON properly and the screen freezes on the BIOS screen, the computer must be disassembled and assembled again with only a few parts. These parts are: power supply, motherboard, RAM, video adapter and CPU.
   2. If your computer system still freezes, check whether the RAM is connected properly.
   3. Finally, set the CMOS setting to the default ones. When you overclock the system, the computer system may heat up and lock the system. After this, you may have to replace your heat sink and restore your default CMOS settings.

If all these steps do not start your computer, it is advised to choose a new motherboard. It is recommended that you seek professional help for computer repairing if you are unable to troubleshoot the problem due to any reason. These are some of the guidelines to repair a bad motherboard.

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