What should I do after my motherboard started smoking while testing RAM sticks?
Asked by
CuriousCat92
I recently tested some RAM sticks on my Asus Prime B560M-A motherboard with an Intel i5-11400 processor and 4 sticks of 8 GB DDR4 3200 MHz Corsair Vengeance RAM. I used a 600W power supply that I had lying around, which has had some issues in the past causing my RX 570 to be unstable. After trying to boot the system multiple times without a CPU cooler, a microchip on the motherboard started smoking, specifically the one above the "TPM" label. I quickly turned off the power supply and disconnected everything. Now I'm worried about the state of my motherboard and what to do next—has it been ruined? Is it safe to power it back on again?
Answers
It looks like the smoke signals a pretty strong chance that your motherboard is damaged. It’s okay to do a quick POST test without a cooler, but repeatedly turning on and off like that isn’t the best idea. Also, just because it booted doesn’t mean everything’s fine—sometimes faulty RAM or slots might still show some signs of life but fail later. Using Memtest is the standard way to check for RAM issues, but right now, it might be best to just reconsider using that board altogether.
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If it’s the BIOS chip you mentioned, that’s a bad sign. Honestly, it might be time to think about replacing the motherboard. However, if it booted again, there’s a chance it’s still functioning, but who knows how safe it is. It could be risky—better to get a second opinion from someone experienced if you can.
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