Hardware insanity
 

Here's a story that'll make you laugh and/or cry. Recently my friend let me borrow his 3.2EE. I set-up my Asus P4C800Ed, and inserted my new eVGA 6800 GT in anticiopation for some serious DOOM3'ness.

Most important was my installing the new Alphacool Xtreme watercooling set which I'm reviewing for them. It contains the NexXxos Pro block, an adjustable pump from 12V to 24V, two Pabst 120's, Black Ice Xtreme double raditor, a beautiful cylindrical reservoir, VGA, and Chipset blocks. Initially I only intaled the CPU block. The system booted up, and everything looked absolutely great. The temps read 22C at idle (yes radiator outside of the case with AC on), this is obviosuly why the NexXxos has been holding the top slot at both CaseUmbau and Water-Cool-Planet. Then I went into the BIOS, raised the FSB to 250FS at 1:1, made sure the PCI/AGP was locked, and saved.

Next thing I see is BIOS flashing? So I hit re-set switch, and it says this again. I hit reset again and next thing I see is BIOS Checksum error, seraching CD-ROM... Nothing has worked to fix this. Clearing the BIOS, turning off the power etc.

SO I decide to set up my Abit AA8 Socket-775 P4 530, with a new ATI X800 XT PCX card, as I thought I'd get online and download the Asus BIOS and put it on a floppy to save the system. I pull out the Danger Den TDX w/Socket-775 mount, and the Big-Boy Hydor L-45. I struggle with the Bay reservoir, get it in, and boot up. Boom the temp reads 89C!!!. OMG I turn off the PC, and check to see the Danger Den TDX wasn't even making contact with the dam block. The AS5 was still a small dollup, not even touched by the waterblock. I can't believe the chip didn't fry, and actually ran at 89C without cooling? BUT THAT's NOT The worst PART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyhoo;
I get the TDX S775 mounted on the AA8 correctly but unbekownst to me moving around the bkock stressed the hoses, which were already at a bad angle. Being in a rush I failed to replace the hose exiting the block into the reservoir, which was too short and bent almost to a kink. The poor connection allowed some water (about 20-drops) to leak onto the PCI-E slot, and on the $679 card I just got, not to mention the $160 mobo. I heard air enter the lines, but stupidly didn't head the warning as I thought it entered from the the reservoir connection Doh.

I try to restart twice, then notice the puddle of water on the card. OMG

Long story short. BE CAREFUL WHEN WATERCOOLING, NEVER RUSH, AND BE PATEINT. MOST OF ALL, WHEN YOU HEAR AIR ENTER YOUR H20 SYSTEM, LOCATE THE SOURCE!!!!!!!!!!

Luckily the system is running, by some miracle of God. I don't know why I'm not crying because I fried a new AA8, P4 530, and X800 XT PCX. I might be RMA-ing my Asus P4C800Ed, as it is? Thank you Poland Spring De-ionized water, thank you Universe. Thank you Karma, and thank you all for listening to my story.

Below is a picture of the water which dripped into the slot;
EDIT: one month later it happened agin!

you got very lucky! Watercooling your PC requires a lot of extra attention, rushing through can be disastrous!

how can you call that lucky? Unless you make 2500$ a month - and even then -, that's an awefull lot off money to go down the drain.

sorry to hear that :grum:

WTF? he just said that by some miracle everything is still working, except for the Asus which can be RMA'd..

spilling water over his expensive gear while it is powered on, and it not burning up.. I call that lucky.

I thought his comment to be a bit dubious:
From this comment I'd agree with you but I think he's referring to his Asus board and the Geforce and his friends P4
But from this comment I'd say bad luck rather then just luck...

Most of my computer parts were waterproof :)

I've said this before, particularly to Jmke regarding W/C.

But, here is my story - with happy ending.

Two drops of water landed on the board; dead Mobo. I was going to RMA the sucker and felt stupid for awhile. RMA went thru and was about to pack the Mobo for return.

Changed my mind; put the entire mobo into soapy water for about two minutes. Rinsed with clear water for a minute; put a house fan in front of the board; the next day I reinstalled the Mobo; IT WORKS.

Okay, my first W/C mistake. Then, it happened again, this time, at best one drop of water landed some where on the board. Same f_ucking thing happened; dead board. Repeated the same process. It WORKED again.

I had a tiny leak in the plexy of my cpu block so after a few hours a drop formed and fell on my graka (a ti4600) the system rebooted over and over and i didnt knew why.
After a while i got the brilliant idea to check if there was a leak or somthin.
i whiped off the graka and fixed the block and nothin was ****ed :d

Why wash it in soapy water and rinse it with clean water? Why not just dip up the drops, dry and test?

Sticky anti-frost additive conducts?

Removing the anti-freeze and other materials that might have conductive function when dried. I thought there was nothing to lose anyway before I returned the mobo.

I did not know where the hell the drop of water went.:D