hurt my SB3 installing mini-pci wireless card

[taloyd]

Hello,

So I purchased the internal wireless card from another member of this forum, and had some trouble installing it. Until I figured out that it just clicks in when you put it in at an angle, I was applying some strength.

The wireless does work, but here's the problem: after a few minutes of use, the SB3 will turn off, and will not turn back on unless I unplug it and wait -a- -long- -time-. At least 30 minutes. I'm guessing I cracked a solder joint around the power supply regulator, and when combined with the thermal expansion of it actually conducting current, it's good for a few minutes, than breaks the circuit. When it cools down it resets.

Does that sound logical? I'm really frustrated, as all I wanted to do is make my wired SB3 wireless, and now I think I killed it. Should I just send it to Slim Devices and have them fix it? I suppose I can take it apart and then run it like that and probe it with my multimeter...

Any suggestions?

thanks,

-tal

[SuperQ]

Ouch, that sucks.. could be you unseated or damaged the connector that's between the CPU module and the mainboard. Those MiniPCI card slots are pretty fragile.

Have you tried removing the MiniPCI card?

[seanadams]

I'm guessing the mezzanine connector which joins the CPU and motherboard is cracked. If that's the case it's unfortunately not repairable. However, did you try removing the wireless card just to see if it was the card itself that in introduced the problem?

[taloyd]

So I removed the wireless card and it worked. Than I put it back and it worked. Than I bolted it back together and listened to music again. I got about 1 minute into a song before it turned off. The new thing I noticed is that the display remains powered on after the CPU/music stops... there are faint reddish lines running horizontally across. If I unplug it and wait an hour or so, I can usually get another few minutes out of it before it turns off again.

I suppose this is my lesson to be forward-thinking when I purchase things and not try to save $50 because "I didn't need the wireless"...

I think I'm going to look for a new one.

Sean,
Thanks for the response; I'm sure you're correct. It looks like you guys got yourself a customer twice for the same product...

thanks,
-Tal

[taloyd]

Yet again, turns out Sean knows what he's talking about... removing the wireless card solved the problem. Ran it straight for 4 hours with nary a hiccup... so I'm going to go with my original solution of getting a Homeplug/Powerline (don't know the official term for it yet, but it's the LAN that runs through the wall outlets...)

Wiki page describing technology:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeplug

Examples:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833702020


...at least I know I didn't kill my SB3, which makes me feel better. Don't understand why the wireless works - perfectly - but only for a few minutes. I've attached a picture of the mini-PCI card I put in...

So once I decide which Homeplug device to get, I'll get two, (one plugs into the router to enable the system, and then one transceives (slave/master, so two required)

thanks again,

-Tal

ps: (next time I'll get a wireless to begin with...)

[zanash]

have you checked for over voltage ?......if it works and then shuts down its normally an overheating issue as the unit switches off to stop from immolating its self

[taloyd]

How would I check for this? I'm running the same PS, so I don't know how it would over-voltage with the wireless, unless the wireless card had an internal short... except it works really well, up until it shuts off. So I'm not sure what can be so wrong that it stops working after a minute or two, but work perfectly while it's working...