Help
Help
Visited a tech service center because my computer wouldn't start, no POST and no USB power. They suggested trying to revive the motherboard, which worked briefly but then failed again, requiring a replacement. I decided to check it myself at home and noticed sparks and a burning odor—probably a burnt capacitor. I’m unsure if they’re covering up their error, as my motherboard never sparked before. Should I seek another repair shop? I’d like your advice on whether this build is worth fixing or if it’s best to replace it. This system is an older Intel i7 6th gen with Z170 chipset; while replacing the board might be simpler, finding compatible overclocking parts is tough—only ASRock Q270 BTCH is available, and most others are from less trustworthy brands. What should I do?
The biggest issue with these outdated boards is that inexpensive H610 boards combined with various controllers can outperform even the most advanced CPUs and often offer comparable connections (like multiple SATA ports, several M.2 slots, and USB3 ports), making it not worth investing heavily to maintain them.
Ebay has a lot of stuff. Avoid the Z series since they're pricier than a new board, and by then you might prefer just upgrading the CPU and board.