Spare Parts (part deux)

I took off work yesterday and today to collect my thoughts and sit on my ample posterior. I spent yesterday afternoon with a kitchen designer. Hopefully we'll get a new kitchen soon. I spent today working on my cluster since all my parts are now in. In short no joy.

I tried to power up the first motherboard. Nothing. Nothing. (Switch wires around.) Nothing. (Cuss loudly.) Nothing. Exam the capacitors on the motherboard, curse even louder. The capacitors on the motherboard have all gone bad (yeah it happens, motherboards of a certain run shipped with bad caps). They've weeped dielectric like an old battery weeps acid. CRAP. I wish I'd noticed that before I started this project.

Ok, next board. Install the next board into its case. Hit the power button. Fans come on, then go off. Frell. Hit the power button, fans come on, fans go off. No beeps, no boops, no joy. "Hmmm, maybe this power supply is bad." Switch out power supplies, since its easier than removing the board. "Hmm, this power supply has a rattle to it. What could that be. No worries." Switch out power supply. No joy. Wow. This power supply is really bad.

Back in with the other supply, at least it makes the fans move. Hit the power button...BANG!!! SMOKE! WHOA!! SHIT! The rattle? A diode fell out of the power supply. Utter garbage. A quick call to Tigerdirect and these crappy power supplies and cases are on their way back to Illinois. You get what you pay for.

So now what? I'm down to one board that may or may not have been fried when ol' smokey went off and now I'm out of time before the school year starts.

I hate it when a plan doesn't come together.