m8530f desktop PC with a m2n78-la mother board doesn't see my drives

[lanternwaste33]

I have a Desktop p6310f, which is a couple months out of warranty.  My MB drives have not yet crashed: but whenever I try to play video games the framerate slows to a crawl, or when I pull up a video fullscreen it the video image slows down and doesn't match the audio.  I attribute this to the NVIDIA GeForce 9100 graphic card becoming too hot -- which apparently leads to a total motherboard failure.

I'm glad I found this thread before I lost all my files.  I will be backing up my files on a portable hard drive, then I plan to use the computer until it dies.  After that, I will buy a new computer -- but I will likely NEVER buy another HP.  I bought this PC to replace an eMachines computer which had a motherboard failure and would not turn on.  The problem sounds familiar to those on this thread.  That eMachines had a NVIDIA GeForce 6100 card.  I wonder if it had the same cooling issue.  I am so frustrated about this, because I bought this HP specifically to avoid motherboard problems.

I am not technically advanced enough to replace a motherboard, but even if I was I doubt I would want to throw more money down the drain for this PC.  HP should compensate all of us in some way, as it appears to be a rampant issue.

[geebjen]

I tried installing a really nice brand new motherboard I got from NewEgg for $94 including free shipping.  I had to manually wire the connector from the front panel switch because the connector on the motherboard was different, but it worked fine hardware wise. I was really hoping this would work because it was 1/2 the price of an exact replacement board AND it allows a lot more changes to the BIOS including overclocking.

HOWEVER, it booted up and tried to do a repair install of windows which took about 15 minutes then ultimately failed.  I tried messing around with a few things to try to get it to fix itself but it wouldn't.

I ended up buying a new replacement motherboard on e-bay for $169 including shipping which came from Hong Kong.  When I put that motherboard in, the system booted up like nothing had ever happened. I had to sell my $94 "new" board as used on e-bay and got $45 for it.

I went this route because I didn't want to do a clean install of windows.  Even though I have all my data backed up, I didn't want to have to re-install all my applications and re-configure everything.  Plus, these PC's don't even come with a windows install disc.

I'm hoping to avoid this problem on my replacement board because I installed a fan which only cost about $6 which I strapped directly to the graphics processor.  Still, even with the fan mounted directly on it, the graphics processor runs 50-55 C when the room is 80-90F even if I'm not doing anything on the computer.  It drops to 45C or so when the room is 60-70F.

[quinny714]

what model PC do you have? and what type of board did you purchase?  I have a p6130y and if I don't get an exact replacement I have no idea which MB to even purchase that would allow me to just install it and boot up with no issues.

[geebjen]

The motherboard I got IS an exact replacement, I just got it from e-bay instead of HP.

Mine is a p6320f and I just looked up the specs on HP's site and then searched e-bay for the exact same thing.  Here's the one I bought.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemVersion&item=270762651923&view=all&tid=744962810017

[quinny714]

thanks for the info geebjen.  That link is expired though.  So the board you bought is a Pegatron m2n78-la?

[geebjen]

The link works for me, but probably because it was my auction.

Anyway, yes it's a Pegatron m2n78-la violet6 motherboard. Like this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/250863098534

[Sweetdouma]

I have a desktop HP P6310f. One day the screen went blue and that was it. It will not read any drives. Since it was 6 months old, I called HP. This was back in February. They had me open the case and pull / switch cables from hard drive to dvd. I was doing things they told me to do for almost one hour. They figured out it was the motherboard. I sent it to Texas only to get it back saying it was infected with insect droppings and that this had voided the warranty. I was in tears because I know this is not true. I worked with this computer couple of  days before with the tech support and didnt see anything...but anyway, 6 months down the road the computer still sitting in my closet and no money to fix it. I had read of another person who had the same problem so If anyone if planning to send a computer to HP pls take pictures before you send it so you can prove the computer its clean. As I got it back I took it to a shop for a free diagnostics. Told them what had just happened. They said the desktop was completely clean (I didnt bother opening after it was shipped back). They said it was going to cost a lot to fix it and to call HP back but I didnt feel like dealing with this people. No more HP for me.

[dunwithhp]

Well . . . after reading all the problems and expenses encountered by others who have replaced their mobo's, I gave HP a call.  Needless to say, I didn't get any further than anyone else.  As much as I hated to, I am going to have HP do a bench repair, which is costing me $150.00.  This price included shipping both ways and a 90day warranty.  My other option, with regard to HP, was to order a replacement mobo $90.00 and hope that was the only issue with my PC.  I think I need to buy some HP stock, because they are raking in the dough. 

[pchelperdude]

well i have a friend who i have been helping with this motherboard and its northbridge heat issue.. it seems hes prolly just going to have to pay hp to get him another of the same motherboard that will die in another year. Wow.. i am surprised at how hp is handling this. It has definetly affected my decision on wether i will ever buy another hp...NOT.. i use to recommend hp to customers and friends... not anymore. 

Just for the record...  HP p6210f   DEAD after 1 year.

[bomberbob]

If your friend installs a new motherboard of the same type (and with the same potential defect), also install a small fan on the heatsink. That is the problem, the passive heatsink the designers put on it is not enough.