How to identify a broken trace?

[Theo]

I'm just wondering whether anyone could tell me what a broken trace actually looks like, please?

Kind of vague, I know and apologise, but it's something that's bugging me about my NF7-S at the moment. I'm not sure whether I've broken a trace, or not.

If someone could present me with a picture or description, I'd be more than happy.

[CrapshoT]

i broke 3 traces on my asus a7n8x and you could hardly see the scratch as well i slipped with a screwdriver taking off my heatsink and that was enought to break 3 traces sorry dont have a pic tho
i was gutted as it was only 3 weeks old as well
but if you dont know how or where you have broke one it will be hard to spot !!

[Nox]

they can also corode if not coated properly. much rarer, but fortuantely easier to spot as it would be an area, rather than a single scratch. happened to my keyboard after some fizzy alcopop cr@p got spilt in it :/

Nox

[Kezzer]

what's a trace?

[Jonny M]

Lines on a PCB

[Kezzer]

ah yeh, you can fix those with those eraser tools and stuff. We did it at college once.

[Tom]

ot but i read that as how to identify a broken face lol

soz ill get my coat

[shamus21]

Ok Theo i have had a lot of problems with this over years and its getting a lot harder now that they try to cram so much on to a mother board, Get your self a Big MAGNIFIER Glass bigger the better and some Conductive Silver paint (maplin electronics order code N36BA ) and a very small paint brush sort of thing you would use for unlocking your old amd cpu`s ID the area of damage clean off any of the protective film and paint a little of the silver paint over the trace and give it a test with a meter if you have one or just put it back in the box and power up.
hope it all works out ok letme know how you get on .