A motherboard is an important component on a computer and many parts including CPU, memory module, etc. are integrated into the motherboard. Once it is damaged, we cannot use the PC properly.
Well then, how to tell if the motherboard is dead? See the following situations that you may meet.
Possible Bad Motherboard Symptoms
- Unusual Burning Odor: If there is a strong burning smell, the motherboard may be faulty. The smell means the component is overheated.
- Blue screen of death: This doesn’t always indicate the motherboard goes wrong. But if we run into the error code like (0x000000(0x000000,0x000000,0x000000,0x000000), go to search if it is related to the motherboard.
- Random PC freezing: Go to check if the PC freezes randomly due to the software problem. If not, the motherboard may be failed.
- The monitor shows strange lines or the PC can’t recognize flash drivers, especially for the PC that a video card is installed on a motherboard.
- The computer fails to perform Power-On Self-Test (POST).
- More…
These issues are not caused by only the PC motherboard. In fact, it is difficult to make sure of the motherboard issue and we need to rule out every piece of hardware connected to it. Fortunately, we can take some measures to test the motherboard for faults.
How to Test Motherboard
Visual Hardware Check
The first thing we should do is performing a visual hardware check. The common reason for motherboard malfunction is blown or bulged capacitors. So, we should check each capacitor’s top to see if it is bulging or leaking. If it is, this means the issue may be related to the motherboard.
Perform Software and Hardware Check via Tools
If there is no obvious issue after a visual check, we can use a software tool or hardware utility to diagnose the problem. On the market, there are many programs to test the motherboard. But due to the complexity and wide variety of computer motherboards, the tools may fail to detect all the possible failures.
Besides, someone recommends a multimeter to test the motherboard. Just search for the specific steps online and follow the prompts to perform the test operation easily.
Check PSU
A PSU can offer power to our PC. But if it fails to work or the specification goes wrong, there may be permanent system damage. If the load of PSU is too much, the power supply is not sufficient and even damages other parts.
So, plug the PSU into a working system and turn it on. If PSU is not working, it is the issue with the PSU, not the motherboard. For a laptop, plug the AC adapter in and power it on. If it works, the motherboard is not dead.
In addition to these test ways, we can do some other checks. When searching for how to test motherboard on the Internet, we find a forum that focuses on this topic and it is useful. Go to this forum to take part in a discussion.
Replace the Bad Motherboard
If we find the motherboard is dead after a test, we can choose to replace it rather than buy a brand new computer.
A motherboard replacement is not an easy task since we need to be very familiar with electrical components like capacitors and the risk of electrical shock. If the motherboard is under warranty, ask for a repair shop for help.
Since replacing the motherboard requires a clean install of the Windows operating system, we had better create a system image before the replacement and then restore the system to a new motherboard. This can avoid installing Windows from scratch.
To back up the Windows system when the PC isn’t bootable, we can use a professional Windows backup software, MiniTool ShadowMaker. It offers us a feature called Media Builder to create a bootable drive to boot the computer. Then, start the backup with the bootable edition.
After finishing a backup, install the new motherboard on the computer. Then, use MiniTool ShadowMaker to restore the system image to the PC. This post – How to Upgrade Motherboard and CPU without Reinstalling Windows may be helpful to us.
Final Words
How to test motherboard? This is not easy work. This post gives us a detailed guide and just follow the given instructions to check if the motherboard is dead. If it is damaged, replace it.
Related Posts: Chatbots Vs Virtual Assistants
