# [SOLVED] What's a replacement for Asus M2N68-LA



## Dragoen (Apr 10, 2009)

I'm troubleshooting an Asus M2N68-LA in an HP mini tower unit and believe the board is dead. What's the best way to pick a suitable replacement board that will use the same cpu, ram, video card, sata drives, etc. and be the same size?


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

*Re: What's a replacement for Asus M2N68-LA*

The M2N68-LA (HP codename Narra) is fairly common on the used/rebuild market.

A new replacement is mATX and supports 89 watt AM2 cpu's, DDR2 800 memory and PCI-e video. Use Neweggs *Advanced Search* to narrow down the selection.

M2N68-LA on eBay


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## Stu_computer (Jul 7, 2005)

*Re: What's a replacement for Asus M2N68-LA*

Asus M2N68-LA could be a Narra2-GL8E am2 board, but it could also be a Narra3-GL8E am2+ board

need to give the HP Product model.

also, if client is using the oem OS it's likely keyed with the bios in that board.


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## gcavan (Aug 13, 2009)

*Re: What's a replacement for Asus M2N68-LA*



> Asus M2N68-LA could be a Narra2-GL8E am2 board, but it could also be a Narra3-GL8E am2+ board


There's also Narra, Narra5 and Narra6. They are all basically the same board with BIOS support for different CPU's

Stu is correct, in that if you replace the board with one other than the exact model, the OEM operating system may not install or respond.


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## Dragoen (Apr 10, 2009)

*Re: What's a replacement for Asus M2N68-LA*

Thanks guys. I'm pretty sure its a Narra(2) based on the connector configuration. I finally found the HP support page with a picture of the board. I'm trying to find out what version of Windows it had on it. I fear it was Vista, so I'll probably end up reconfiguring it with Win7. Off to Newegg....


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## Dragoen (Apr 10, 2009)

*Re: What's a replacement for Asus M2N68-LA*

I found a suitable Gigabyte board at newegg for $50. A closer visual inspection of the HP board showed 5 capacitors were blown. Apparently for a few years around 2005 the electrolyte the manufacturers were using would generate hydrogen and end up blowing the caps. I hope they got all those bad caps out of the system now.


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

*Re: What's a replacement for Asus M2N68-LA*



Dragoen said:


> I found a suitable Gigabyte board at newegg for $50. A closer visual inspection of the HP board showed 5 capacitors were blown. Apparently for a few years around 2005 the electrolyte the manufacturers were using would generate hydrogen and end up blowing the caps. I hope they got all those bad caps out of the system now.




YUP / there was a HUGE rash of those cheap motherboard capacitors around that time frame; most all motherboard manuf's got bit by that problem in some form or another / it damn near killed jetway


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