An 8-year-old desktop suddenly shuts down at random and occasionally emits a faint burning odor. During a visual inspection you notice several small cylindrical components on the motherboard with domed tops and a bit of brown residue, while no other parts show damage. Which action will MOST likely restore reliable operation?
Update the system BIOS to the latest revision
Clean the residue from the board and reseat the RAM
Replace the motherboard with a compatible new board
Domed or leaking electrolytic capacitors indicate they have failed. Bad capacitors cause unstable voltages on the motherboard, leading to random shutdowns, overheating smells, and eventual system failure. Because the damage is physical, the only reliable fix is to replace the entire motherboard (or have the capacitors professionally replaced, which is usually more costly and time-consuming than a board swap). Installing a higher-wattage power supply will not repair failed capacitors. A BIOS update cannot correct hardware damage, and merely cleaning residue and reseating components leaves the defective capacitors in place, so the problem will quickly return.
Ask Bash
Bash is our AI bot, trained to help you pass your exam. AI Generated Content may display inaccurate information, always double-check anything important.
What are electrolytic capacitors, and why do they fail?
Open an interactive chat with Bash
Why is replacing the motherboard the most reliable solution for failed capacitors?
Open an interactive chat with Bash
What are the signs of damaged capacitors, and how can they affect system performance?