ECS motherboards are 'Budget' motherboards. In other words they use low quality components on the motherboard.1) Did you FOLLOW Anti-Static Precautions?Anti-Static Precautions:Your body carries Static electricity.Static WILL fry out, (Short Circuit), the delicate hardware components in a computer.Relieve your body of Static BEFORE working on a computer.Computer on a table, computer Unplugged from power, computer case open.TOUCH an unpainted surface, of the metal frame of the open computer case.[ A bed, couch, or directly on a carpet floor, are HIGH areas of Static ][ FYI: A Processor is the MOST susceptible hardware component to Static shock.Also you probably won't see it, or feel it. { Static ]If you did not follow Anti-Static Precautions, more than likely your motherboard, processor, and even the graphics card/s, are now expensive paper weights, or doorstops.2) The ECS 945AGCT-M/1333 motherboard, has an LGA 775 processor socket,
http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWebSite/Product/Product_Detail.aspx?DetailID=830&CategoryID=1&MenuID=16&LanID=0(Click on - More pictures, for a clearer view )Intel Core2 Duo processors run pretty hot,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_Core_2_microprocessors#Dual-Core_Desktop_processors(Also scroll down)Take the Intel Core2 Duo E4500, for an example,
http://ark.intel.com/products/30781/Intel-Core2-Duo-Processor-E4500-%282M-Cache-2_20-GHz-800-MHz-FSB%29?wapkw=e4500+tdpThe case thermal limit is 73.3 degrees Celcuis, or also stated as 163.94 degrees Fahrenheit.This means that the Thermal Paste can dry up easily over time.To digress;The top of a processor's case, and the bottom of the finned Heatsink, that sits on it, is not perfectly smooth.A magnified view would detail, 'Pitholes, Valleys, and Hills'.When the two parts are mated together, (Processor and Heatsink), it creates air pockets.Air is an Insulator. Not a Conductor.Thermal Paste fills these imperfections, or voids, and is an Excellent conductor of heat.If the thermal paste is dried up, it looses it's thermal conductivity.This would 'tell' BIOS that the Processor is overheating, and spin the fan at full speed.(Needs to cool processor down)Some manufacturers use a Thermal Pad, instead of Thermal Paste.(Thermal Paste is also known as Thermal Grease)A Thermal Pad is a material that is impregnated with Thermal Paste.A Thermal Pad is J-U-N-K. Peel it off, and throw it away.(CANNOT be reused anyway)Use a plastic old credit card, and scrape as much of the goo off, (Or dried up paste), as you can. Processor, and bottom of Heatsink.Follow with Q-tips dipped in Isopropyl Alcohol. (Rubbing alcohol)91 percent is best, 70 percent will do. 50 percent = No.That is 50 percent WATER, and 50 percent alcohol.Make take a BUNCH of alcohol soaked Q-tips. Needs to be clean enough to eat off of.CAUTION!!Isopropyl alcohol is EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE!Use in a WELL ventilated area with NO sparks or flames present.Now put a small pea sized drop in the middle of the Processors case.When the Heatsink is mounted down firmly on the Processor, the paste will squish out to the proper specifications.For additional questions post in a Comment.Regards,joecoolvette(Also look at the Electrolytic Capacitors on the motherboard.Look C-L-O-S-E. See if there are visual signs of failure,
http://www.capacitorlab.com/visible-failures/index.htm The ones on the motherboard that have no sleeve, and a blue(?) half-moon mark on them, are polymer solid capacitors. Rarely do they fail. The one's that have a black sleeve on them, are Electrolytic Capacitors.These DO fail )
