How deeply I'm tangled up!
How deeply I'm tangled up!
Observed this during the process of placing the board in the case. A new board was used. The Asrock z790 Steel Legend Wifi initially I assumed it was scratched on a case riser, but it doesn't appear to be next to a screw hole. The last two photos are stock images showing its intended appearance and what's on the front. There is a video of spot 2.mp4 displaying the area with no arrow image indicating the issue, plus a stock image of the board back, another stock image of the board front.
I believe it would work well, I’d combine it with spare parts and be prepared to shut it down if anything goes wrong.
These PCBs are surprisingly robust, and the traces are positioned far from critical components, making me confident nothing serious will happen unless there’s a real problem. If they came out of the box this way, I’d verify functionality first and return it if needed. I’m planning to build it in a stripped-down form, test the 2nd M.2 slot, and confirm everything works.
if thats a scratch i wouldn't use the board ie return it asap picture resolution is pretty bad for me though... not sure if any traces are actually damaged, I'd still return it
It doesn't seem too bad—it's just a minor surface mark and it doesn't seem to impact the traces. Especially on the z790 board, which is multi-layer. Still, if you're concerned about OCD or anything that bothers you, please come back soon. I'm surprised how this passed the inspection at AsRock, though Steel Legend is generally the weakest part, so it's not a valid reason.
As long as the traces aren't being cut, you can use it. But if I were you, I'd remove it.
It looks like a small piece of tape that wasn’t part of anything you have. You tried using your nail to take it off and noticed no damage underneath. Now you’re concerned about oils from your fingers affecting the surface. For cleaning, gently wipe with a dry cloth or mild soap and water, then dry thoroughly. Avoid harsh chemicals or abrasive tools.
I thought it resembled something attached to the board due to its pristine condition. For cleaning, use 99% Isopropyl Alcohol with a paper towel or Q-tip. Avoid finger grease penetrating the coating—it mainly matters if exposed metal connectors create resistance when plugged in. Likely I’d have left it as is, since it would probably detach over time from thermal cycles without causing harm.