crashes while watching videos and flash based pages

Though your screen-shot shows your CPU functioning at expected settings, your DRAM appears to be "throttled back".
Not good. The MotherBoard may be reducing RAM function as a result of those capacitors, or maybe as a result of compromised PSU. Or there might be just a setting that we haven't found yet. But it is not good news.

What can we do to fix this "throttling back" as I think this is a result of poor system performance

Hey leet_alex, sorry about the trouble you've had with a power surge. Nasty things that.

It's not so much that your "system performance" is poor, but rather that your system is TRYING to keep you up and running. Kinda like Fuel-injection in a car vs the old carburation method.

Capacitors are there to provide power stability to your system (motherboard, any board really.) At this point, you can be sure that attempting to throttling that back-up would result in your figit-ing being unable to get it to boot at all.

I agree with Doug in that you've accomplished a great deal to get to where you are now, and should be aplauded. However, given the destructive nature of PSurges and that their effects, like Radiation poisoning, are CUMULATIVE, replacing that motherboard in the very near future would be wise.

Have you tested your CD or DVD burner yet ? need to get that data backed-up asap.

I hope that helped !

Tallon41

Hello, The motherboard needs to be replaced now. It is exceptional that you have the machine functional! The power spike caused unrepairable damage. Here is the danger. The power spike produced enough heat to expand the electrolyte liquid in the capacitors, shown by the swelling and leaking. The leaking electrolyte can cause serious burns. If one of the caps explodes while you are inside of the case you will recieve bad burns. The electrolyte is corrosive, it will cause more damage in time. Salvage what you can now, or wait untill everything is beond repair and buy a new one. The reduced RAM function indicates damage to the chip set (your BIOS) as can be caused from a voltage spike. In order to generate enough heat to expand the electrolytes, a major power spike had to occour, there is no telling how much of the electronic circuitry has been damaged. We know that it also damaged your video card. Please do not play with the power cord for your video card when there is power going through it. one volt, pushing one Amp, producing one Watt of direct current can kill you. (yep, it can flat line your heart.) No arguements please. Please note that you have not lost the use of your hard drive. If you replace the motherboard with the exact same one you should not have to reinstall Windows.

Thank you Gentlemen, (Tallon41 and HFCG)

Alex,

Please take HFCG's cautions about danger from leaking capacitors and danger from "figiting" with live wires SERIOUSLY.

At this point, it would make no sense, and would be irresponsible, for WTT to make any recommendations other than —
"STOP using that Machine Immediately"

Turn it off and unplug it now.

Given your previous statements about reluctance to do work inside of the case, it would be best for you to have another more experienced and competent individual perform any additional work inside the case.
I would recommend turning the job over to a paid professional.
_______________________________________________________________

What of "future options"?

The Hard Drive can be removed from this faulty machine and installed as "slave" into one of your other machines for purposes of Saving your data and media.

If the Optical Drive (CD/DVD writer) in this machine is of better quality than what you have in your other machines, then you may also want to transfer it to the other machine for use in burning your CD/DVD's.

Next,
Have a Professional remove and replace your MotherBoard.
Have the Professional also install a new Power Supply Unit.

If you have the Professional install the "exact" same Motherboard, it "may' be possible to just pop in the same Hard Drive that you are presently using and have it up and running as before.
Otherwise you may need to reinstall the Windows Operating System.
This "would not" be a Repair Install, but rather a Fresh Installation that would cause the loss of your applications and saved data, so be sure to get your important stuff saved using another machine.
____________________________________________________________________

I'm going to quote some additional comments of caution that HFCG transmitted to me.
Again…. Take these cautions SERIOUSLY.

Hi Doug,
The swollen, leaking Capacitors, with the information of a voltage spike to the video card, indicate that a power fluctuation has caused a great deal of damage to the electronic circutry {motherboard, riser cards)
The unusual memory speed is an indicator of a damaged chip set.
The problems are only going to get worse with time.
The cable to the video card having to be played with is dangerous! There is an electrocution risk here.
The processor may be salvagable, but the motherboard needs to be replaced, along with the video card, and RAM. (the RAM may be salvagable, but it would be better to replace it in the long run).
Trying to repair the motherboard after such damage is a long shot by a skilled electronic technician, cheeper to buy a new one.

Capacitors have a liquid electrolyte in them. This is an acid and is capable of causing burns.
When the voltage spike hit the motherboard the temputers in these caps where high enough to cause the electrolyte to expand, swelling the caps and causing leaking (capacitor bleeding).
This was a major power spike.
The OP is playing around inside the case, and could get some of the electrolyte on his hands, and then rub his eye… causing burns to his skin and possibly his eye!
If a cap explodes while he is playing with the machine he will get burned.

OK, Thanks again Gentlemen.

Alex, we are done now with this machine.
Further use of the machine could result in rupture of the capacitors, leakage and possible burns to objects and people.
Continued operation of the machine with the faulty power connector to the AGP could cause fire and/or electrocution.
Further work on the machine would be far to dangerous to be attempted by other than an experienced professional.

Alex, I'm glad you've decided to become a member here at WTT.
I believe that your post here is very likely to help others who read it and learn from your experience.

I look forward to you being around WTT Forums as need and interest makes that possible.

Best Regards,
Doug

/teary eyed /cry Now that is hard to take I'll get right on replacing thse Mobo now and video card as well as psu I'd much like to replace it with the same motherboard i currently have to not risk losing my files or having to reinstall anything however the problem is my mobo is an older model AOpen AK86-L to be exact maybe you guys can help direct me in store or where to look? -alex

Hey guys, the person who built this last machine is un able to locate my current motherboard He suggests it would be in my best intrest to get a whole new system, problem is I dont know where to look interms of whats good and what isnt Maybe you guys can help me with some suggestions I like to do some gaming on this computer as well as general use and music listening i know this might not sit well but I like AMD as they are quite cheaper in price i'm not too picky on ATI or Nvida but have always found myself with ATI cards

Hello, Not knowing your budget I can only suggest that you shop around. There is nothing wrong with AMD processors. In fact many gamers swear by them. I like intel myself, but it is only personal preferance. The AMD quad core is rather exciting. That is a lot of processing power! Look more at the memory, try to get 3 GB of RAM if you can. I run with 2 GB and my system is fast, but I do not game. Do not accept less than 2 GB.

Budget isnt a concern I'd like something to play most games out there right now I aint a big fan of vista some laptops i've tryed with it, was too flashy

Hi leet_alex

It's been some time since I logged into WTT, and Doug sent me a PM asking if I was able to be of service to this thread.

After reading through the whole thread, I certainly agree that you should not bother using the machine any further. The physical damage to the motherboard, video card, (and PSU) is staggering to think it's still running at all.

There is no need to get a whole new system, unless this is what you want to do. It is tricky, though, in that you could replace these three components, have a system up and running again and have some other problem surface… Computers like to work in this nature. <_<

I would look at getting a new motherboard, video card, and PSU. I would also invest in an external hard drive for backup purposes, you seem to be rather clingy to your data (music etc) but haven't made any firm statements that you intend to protect this data.

Once your data is backed up, you will be able to "format" and start again with a fresh install of your operating system.

And a quick point about Vista - I find most laptop computers don't have the required power to run Vista in all its "flashiness" smoothly. A high-powered desktop - such as mine - and it runs fantastic. Of course, you are able to turn off all the "flashiness" and opt for the Windows Classic look (looks similar to Windows 98, 2000 Pro style). I do this, even in my fast desktop, because instead of running fast, my machine becomes pretty-much instant.

Although you are still able to choose XP, of course. I do not recommend it for a new computer, because XP was released many years ago.

Either way, let me know if you are still pursuing avenues for repairing or replacing this computer, or if some decision has been made already.

There's plenty I can help you out with.

Cheers

Troy

Hey Troy Thanks for the input I was looking for a new system for the reason simplely because the damage was too much for a quick repair and priced it out to be much cheaper I'm currently search for new specs for a new computer As for windows vista, like most everything, I only really hear the negatives of it and never really the positives I just found XP to be more less ram dependent and less flashy

Hi again, Yes you'll find a lot of negative press about Vista. For some reason, it's become the OS people love to hate. I have not experienced any major problems with my system. I built it over a year ago now, and have not even come close to reinstalling. By the time I had XP for one year, I had reformatted and installed many times… Maybe Vista is better, or I'm getting better… RAM is cheap enough these days to be able to afford plenty enough for Vista. And like I said, if you don't like it, you can turn the "flashiness" off easy enough. Onto your system, though - are you looking to purchase one ready made, or would you like to build one yourself? What budget are you allocating for the computer? Are you wanting to include a new keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers? Some responses to these questions, and I'll definitely be able to help point you in the right direction. Cheers Troy

Hey Doug and fellow helpers of this topic So I finally got around to getting a new computer when I thought, I need to thank you guys for helping me dignose the problem and narrow it down. In case you were wondering or just needed some closure on this topic or just personal intrest Also here are specs for my new pc(came up with the parts myself) Asus P5Q Motherboard Intel Core 2 Quad Processor CPU 2.4GHz, 8M L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB, 65nm, Retailbox Seagate 1000g Barracudea Sata 2 3gb/s 32m Buffer and my old HD for backup Sapphire Radeon HD 3850 512 DDR3 PCI-e Dual DVI OCZ2P8004GK DDR2-800 Platinum Creative Sound Blaster X-fi Xtreme Audio 24/bit Antec Sonata 3(case) w/ 500watt PSU(Back-up) OCZ GameXStream psu 850w Main Windows XP Home Editon all this for 1085 CDN$ anyways thanks again and hope this thread can prove some use to you and other members

Thanks for the follow-up leet_alex.

Looks like you have a nice rig now.