teiresias wrote on 2024-09-06, 16:51:
Just opened it up during my lunch break. Looks like the mobo is an MSI MS-7184 v1.x.
The machine also has a Bestec PSU, so from doing some searching looks like I may want to replace that before trying to power it on.
If I had checked back on this thread two days ago and seen your previous post, I could have told you what motherboard would be in there before you opened the box. 😉 (Alas, my internet service was down.)
Don't fret about the Bestec PSU, just check which model it is. The only model that was known to be very problematic was the ATX-250-12E - often nicknamed "The Motherboard Killer", and for a reason (the 5VSB would overshoot to over 10V and usually kill the SIO and/or Southbridge on many boards.)
Now, if you have any of these: ATX-250-12Z, ATX-300-12E, or ATX-300-12Z, do not worry - these are actually pretty good PSUs. Of course, like many OEMs from that era, they might be due for a recap now. Bestec liked to use CapXon and Jamicon caps a lot, and those rarely lasted too long. Depending on which model you have and if they used the crappy tan glue that goes conductive, you might either have a PSU that is very easy to recap, or one that would be a bit of a nuisance. I've personally worked on all of the PSUs above (except for the problematic 250-12E - that one is pending as I just got it recently.) All in all, worth a recap. They make decent low-end PSUs for a modern build and also OK PSUs for a retro build that needs a strong-ish 5V rail (single Athlon /XP will be fine.)
As for the MSI MS-7184 motherboard, I have two of these. One is a Compaq OEM and the other was either a Gateway or an eMachines, IIRC. The Compaq needed a recap due to Chemicon KZG caps near the CPU VRM. The Gateway (or eMachines??) one is still OK, though it does have Teapo SM caps littered everywhere on the motherboard, and those are known to go bad over time and give trouble. With that said, it seems to be a lottery as to what caps one will get on these boards. The Teapo SM caps should be replaced for long-term reliability. The CPU VRM caps may or may not need replacing. My Gateway board, for example, has Rubycon MBZ caps, which aren't problematic at all. Either way, have a look at what caps are on your board when you get a chance. And if you need a recap, I believe my post on badcaps forum should still be there... actually, here it is, found it for you. 😉
pentiumspeed wrote on 2024-09-05, 23:45:
This is not T12 tips and what T12 looks like are long tips shaped in a round bar, is changed by pulling out and pushing different tip into handle with a snap. This is small tips that you change by unscrewing the base nut, not best.
Agreed.
That's a Hakko 900M series style tips.
While the real Hakko ones (and the very good clones) can be pretty decent, the cheapo ones are terrible, IME. I have an early KADA 852D+ station (hot air + soldering iron) that uses these tips, and the ones that came with the station are complete garbage. Supposedly the station can deliver 40 Watts of heat (and it does!), but even the fat tips struggle with melting anything on a multi-layer PC motherboard. I can still solder with it, but it's a nuisance.
A real T12 (even the cheapo clones) is absolutely classes above the 900M design. Have a very early Circuit Specialists CSI 2900 (Aoyue OEM rebrand), and with a bevel 5.2 mm tip, I've soldered short pieces of copper pipes with it. No, the station wasn't happy and kept cranking full power into the tip for almost a minute before the solder started melting on the pips... but it got the job done. Now that's POWAH! 😁
