Megatouch EVO repair - No signal

[justtaint]

I get that Windows won't see the drive, but it should register in the bios if the drive is working correctly.  That would rule out a bad ide cable or connector on the mobo, no?
Neither of those two are likely, and I don't want to do too much more work. 

Are there links to CD images anywhere?

[ed12]

no it will not reg in bios to my know...
merit has a d/l site for them files..
with the proggie i chatted about u can c if the drive can be seen at all
:without: playing with the jumpers..which out-side of linux is a bad move..
for the merit site u will need to install d/l manager >there< d/l/m..
if it is even up?
if not as u are usa? ask a usa user for a copy.
u :must: burn it to iso,then install it..
personaly the olny way i have done it is to clone,works perfect every time
"easeus to do backup" is the file name for windows
but your problem if it is the boot sector and or bad h-d,will be a fresh drive and a fresh install
remeber u must spec your "country" code
ie usa,canada,uk
as these are key depented

ed

[justtaint]

Yes, USA.

[mahkeymike]

If you connect the hard drive to another computer and it doesnt get detected in the bios, then its most likely dead. I would download the ISO and burn it to a dvd and see if it detects the hard drive. If not, then you need to get an IDE hard drive atleast 8gb. I think thats the minimum size for all force versions. I know i have 2011 force installed on a 8gb CF card.

[ed12]

yes 8gig

i have never had a good merit hard drive detect in bios of any kind
with out moving the jumpers. which btw was my point.
i can use the 2 proggies i spoke of and not move the jumpers and see every parition
about 4-5
they start ext,#,#,ext,#
in that order
the # i take it are the back-up's >re-load<,and or a .dat of the ,
 sw *8 on any merit,will fource the re-load of the o/s

ed

[lilshawn]

the bootstrap deal is just the system trying to boot from a network image. it can be ignored.

enter the BIOS and make sure the harddrive is being detected in there...and set to be booted off of.

[justtaint]

It's not being detected during POST in the Megatouch.  Haven't had the opportunity to look at it in another pc.

My friend has decided to upgrade to a SSD, so I'll be buying a SSD and new security key from Ebay.
Anything I should watch out for?

[mahkeymike]

Make sure its IDE.

[justtaint]

2010.5 Force SSD and security key ordered from eBay.
2 x 256 MB SDRam ordered from Newegg (an upgrade from 64MB)

New lock and key backordered from Suzo-Happ (will tape it shut for the mean time).

Time to track down some fans and then I hope everything is complete.

[justtaint]

New fans, SSD, security key all installed.  2 x 256MB sticks of ram should be waiting for me when I get into work tomorrow.
I need to set it to free-play, but I'm sure that's in the manual somewhere.

The only issue I have left is a bit of video glitching.  Hopefully I haven't done all this work in vain.

[justtaint]

Since I only replaced about 50% of the capacitors (the ones that were bulging and those located nearby), I'm guessing that I should go back and replace all of them?

[lilshawn]

it's probably a good idea. it's will only be a matter of a few months and the ones left behind will swell up.

[justtaint]

Did something very stupid just now.  Took everything apart to add more ram and upgrade to the SSD.  When I put everything back together I must have mistakenly placed a 5v or 12V line where it wasn't supposed to go.  A zap and a puff of smoke later and I've got a scorch mark on the back of the motherboard.  Now I know why I usually take pictures before disassembly.  I connected an unused power line to an unused connector on the mobo.  Too scared/frustrated to see all the damage, but next time I get a chance I'm sure I'll be needing a replacement mobo (and hopefully nothing else).

 

[lilshawn]

A zap and a puff of smoke later and I've got a scorch mark on the back of the motherboard. 

uh oh, you let out the magic smoke. never a good thing.

leave it for a couple days...even a week and then come back to it. trust me.

[justtaint]

Hooked everything back up, and .....nothing.  Is there a fuse to look for, or time to replace the motherboard?

[lilshawn]

The board could be toasted. Plug it in and take a look at the boars. It has a little.green led that should light up showing the board is getting power. If it's getting
 power, you might luck out and be able to jumpstart it. But if power has gone in where it's not supposed to, it could be dead dead.