Need help with motherboard

[mallik]

Hi, I was trying to take the heatsink off, when the stupid clip broke. Since I was applying pressure, the screwdriver slid down, and hit the board. Now when I try and boot up, it doesn't work. When I hit the power button, everything spins up but nothing comes up on the screen. I can't turn off the computer unless I hold the power button. I took some pictures of the where I think I damaged the board with the screwdriver (I circled the part in red):

PIC

Is there anything I can do to fix this? I think one component is an inductor, and the other is a capacitor, but I'm not 100% sure on what they are, the values, or where to get replacements. The board is a GigaByte GA-7VTXE. If anybody is curious about the POS brand of cooling, it was a GlobalWIN FOP-32. Any help would be appreciated. I understand it would probably be easier to just get a replacement board since they're fairly cheap, but I like fixing things so I wanted to give it a shot.

 

[FlyingPenguin]

You almost certainly cut open a foil trace on the PC board. You may have even damaged a resistor (those little rectangualr things). Unless you know someone who's VERY good at micro soldering and you're VERY lucky, the mobo is probably a lost cause.

If it's just a cut trace someone with skill can solder a bridge across the break, then seal it with clear nail polish (to keep it from corroding). But that would be tough work in that spot even for someone with the right skills.

That sucks, but learn from your mistake. You must ALWAYS take care when working on a mobo not to lose control of a tool. When prying a heatsink ALWAYS place a credit card or some other protection underneath the area you're working on in case the tool slips.

Use the RIGHT SIZE screw driver. Most HSF clips are designed to have a slot screw driver blade LOCK INSIDE a pry hole slot to prevent it from slipping out. Don't use a screw driver with a blade bigger than the slot.

 

[LiLithTecH]

YES, they are caps.

The problem you face besides not knowing the values is it looks like
you damaged the trace on the motherboard (most likely a pass-thru)
(can be fixed by soldering jumper to area)

If you can read the values from C6 & L2 you should be close to the values required.
(at this point you have nothing to lose, sep maybe a CPU, RAM, etc... just kidding)

 

[FlyingPenguin]

Actually a sloppy solder job could easily cause damage: shorted PSU, sending voltage down a trace that's not supposed to carry voltage and frying the CPU or memory or a card.

I wouldn't say there's nothing to lose. As long as you're aware of the risks, feel free to experiment.

 

[pkypkypky]

send it for warranty service if possible.

 

[FlyingPenguin]

He gouged the motherboard with a screwdriver. How does that qualify for warranty service?

 

[mallik]

hehe, there's no warranty on it anyway, so it's a non-issue.

Where is the damaged trace? I'm sorry, I don't see it. Would a conductive pen (or something like that) work instead of soldering a jumper?

There are no values from C6 and L2 shown anywhere. Would I have to use a meter to determine the values I would need?

 

[LiLithTecH]

If you look at C5, next to the 'C', there is a trace next to the white circle.
Then look at the passthru hole, just above L2, which in the photo looks to
be damaged.

Yes, you would have to use a OHM meter to read the values.

While a conductive pen would work, it most likely would not last (tends to corrode even if lacquered)