What you dont want to find when you pick a new motherboard!

[Dandasarge]

Pros: Supports newer processors like the 1055t six core and is rated up to 140 watts, in theory. Having 3 video slots was nice for doing GPU based distributed computing (see cons)...

Cons: After 5 months it caught on fire! Good thing I was right there and pulled the plug.

In fairness I was pushing it pretty hard with a 6 core 125 watt CPU and 3x 9800GT "green edition" video cards.

I've not found any power handling information but evidently 414 watts is too much.

Other Thoughts: The case this motherboard was installed in is a "Sniper Storm" which has 3 huge 200mm fans, plus a normal 120mm fan, (plus the PS fan) so cooling was not the issue.

I ordered another one of these motherboards just today to replace the one that caught on fire. It would be really nice to know how much power one of these boards can take. Like is the new one going to burn up if I only run 5 cores and 2 video cards?

[Fire$torm]

Pros: Supports newer processors like the 1055t six core and is rated up to 140 watts, in theory. Having 3 video slots was nice for doing GPU based distributed computing (see cons)...

Cons: After 5 months it caught on fire! Good thing I was right there and pulled the plug.

In fairness I was pushing it pretty hard with a 6 core 125 watt CPU and 3x 9800GT "green edition" video cards.

I've not found any power handling information but evidently 414 watts is too much.

Other Thoughts: The case this motherboard was installed in is a "Sniper Storm" which has 3 huge 200mm fans, plus a normal 120mm fan, (plus the PS fan) so cooling was not the issue.

I ordered another one of these motherboards just today to replace the one that caught on fire. It would be really nice to know how much power one of these boards can take. Like is the new one going to burn up if I only run 5 cores and 2 video cards?

First question: What is the make and model of that MB?
Second Question: Why replace with the same?

From the description of your system and how you used it, I can say that I seriously doubt that pushing your system is the real cause of the silicone BBQ. More likely the fire was due to a bad capacitor or some other component on the MB.

[Dandasarge]

First question: What is the make and model of that MB?
Second Question: Why replace with the same?

From the description of your system and how you used it, I can say that I seriously doubt that pushing your system is the real cause of the silicone BBQ. More likely the fire was due to a bad capacitor or some other component on the MB.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-191-_-Product

Its not my listing its just something i found as i was looking for a build.

[DrPop]

They're a pretty reasonable company. Did you send it in for warranty? I would. They'll give you a new one. I'm sure F$ is right, there was just a faulty part on there, especially with that case and all the airflow. I know the GPUs pull quite a bit of power - (We're running (2) 58xx and (2) 48xx cards, and I can see it on the electric bill), but no reason it should have gotten that hot if everything was working correctly.

[Slicker]

AS of today, I look for compatibility with RAM. Bought 12 GB, it only recognizes 8GB. If I remove two of the six, then it only recognizes 4GB. Others on the web say the swapped the RAM and it then worked OK. It irks me that standard RAM on one MB won't work on another. That would be like saying my car can run on BP but not Shell gas. Ridiculous!

[zombie67]

AS of today, I look for compatibility with RAM. Bought 12 GB, it only recognizes 8GB. If I remove two of the six, then it only recognizes 4GB. Others on the web say the swapped the RAM and it then worked OK. It irks me that standard RAM on one MB won't work on another. That would be like saying my car can run on BP but not Shell gas. Ridiculous!

Yep. And then when you talk to the MB company, they refer you to the list of qualified DIMMs. You didn't use one on that list? Not their problem!

[DrBob]

...Cons: After 5 months it caught on fire! Good thing I was right there and pulled the plug.

In fairness I was pushing it pretty hard with a 6 core 125 watt CPU and 3x 9800GT "green edition" video cards...

IIRC those "green edition" 9800s do not have a power connector and pull all of their power from the PCI buss. That could have been what overheated the board, especially if you raised the clock speeds on the cards, "green edition" cards are slightly under clocked to keep the power requirements down.
IMO running 3 “green edition” GPUs with no external power connectors on the same board is not a good idea as they will really be taxing the MB to supply them all with their needed power. If the cards have an external power connection then it would not be a problem.

Just my 2 cents...

[Dandasarge]

IIRC those "green edition" 9800s do not have a power connector and pull all of their power from the PCI buss. That could have been what overheated the board, especially if you raised the clock speeds on the cards, "green edition" cards are slightly under clocked to keep the power requirements down.
IMO running 3 “green edition” GPUs with no external power connectors on the same board is not a good idea as they will really be taxing the MB to supply them all with their needed power. If the cards have an external power connection then it would not be a problem.

Just my 2 cents...

That really makes since. its an under-clocked under volted 9800 so if you overclock it it will bring it back into normal range minus the outside power leaving 100% load on board and it could easily go over the 300w max.

[Fire$torm]

IIRC those "green edition" 9800s do not have a power connector and pull all of their power from the PCI buss.....

Good call there.

[STMahlberg]

It's stuff like this that changes the computer industry; first you needed more cooling for the CPU's so in came larger cooling fans, then water cooling and now they have mini HVAC units you can install.

The next hardware upgrade for your rigs is going to be an automatic fire suppression system.