On Thu, 06 Jan 2011 09:38:53 -0700, D Yuniskis wrote:

Hi,

I'm wondering what the prevailing approach is when it comes to dealing
with kit that has been found to have "bad cap-itis". Particularly,
PC's.

Do folks exploe the current operating conditions of the machine *before*
re-cap-ping (i.e., see what supplies are affected, what sorts of ripple
is present, etc.)? Or, do you just replace and *functionally* retest
(i.e., if you haven't probed the circuit to get an idea for the exact
nature of the problem, probing afterwards at that level of detail seems
to be a contradiction)?

In particular, how do you know if the system has been operating within
"absolute maximum ratings" while this fault has been present? How do
you know the system's reliability/integrity hasn't been compromised (so
your "fix" is just a band-aid)?

E.g., I've been recommending disposing of machines with this problem.
The labor to re-cap just doesn't make sense given the book value of
machines that exhibit these problems -- especially in light of the fact
that you can't be sure that the "repaired" machine is really "100%"
(maybe OK for a machine you use informally at home, but would you want
to *rely* on it in a commercial environment?).

I suspect most machines are just recapped and re-used but wanted
confirmation or repudiation of that opinion.

Thanks!
--don

Most mainboards are disposable. Better boards are made with better
components and cost considerably more. Sure you can buy a new
board for an Intel i5 or AMD PhenomII for under $40 but don't expect
longevity. My quad core Asus M4A78T-E board hast this featu

100% All High-Quality Conductive Polymer Capacitors.
5000hrs VRM, over 57 years operation lifespan at 65c.

A look at the board shows none of the old style shrink-wrapped cans.

Cost of the mainboard + AMD PhenomII 955 quad 3.2ghz bundle was $300.
So it's not toss away stuff.

--
Live Fast, Die Young and Leave a Pretty Corpse