K, so, I have this old motherboard that's done me SO right for about 9 years. It was an MSI KT4AV Motherboard. State of the art for its time (1999). I loved it. had an AMD Athlon XP @ 2.5Ghz in it. It has traveled with me from Canada to the States wth no problems. Well, last week, I shut my puter down like normal at night. Woke up, tried to start my computer, and nothing. It would turn on, but nothing on the screen. I thought it was my GFX card finally going out on me (an ATI All-In-Wonder Radeon 9600XT AGP).
So, I went to a computer store (many actually, since AGP is now a thing of the past, little did I know), and found a cheap ass AGP card. Came home, plugged it in, and still nothing.
SO,, I decided to de compile my PC and inspect/clean the entire thing. Well, I came across an ICS relay chip just lying at the bottom of my computer case. Im thinking Holy @!$# where the #$%@$ did this come from!?!?!!11!!ONE!!1!
See the pictures below....
I somehow blew this chip clean off my motherboard. I couldnt get close enough, but about 5 of the pins have burnt solder on them.
RIP MSI Board. You have done me well.
So now I was FORCED (since as you all know we need computers nowadays), to go buy a budget board (since we're saving for our wedding we can't afford anything expensive), with, of all things, an INTEL CPU...... I have been a Loyal AMD and ATI user for over 15 years. I am ashamed...
Im sorry AMD, I had no choice....
But, at least I have my computer back up and running.
~Jon