Video Card Repair???

S

safehaven

Limp Gawd
Joined
Apr 28, 2008
Messages
224
My PS3 crapped out on me yesterday. After doing a bit of research, I found out they are prone to the "yellow light of death" (similar to the "red ring of death" on the Xbox). Found a video with instructions on how to take it apart and fix it by heating the cpu and gpu to above 500 degrees. I guess it resets the solder or something.

So, it got me thinking, I have a dead 9800GT. Do video cards usually fail in the same manner as the PS3 and Xbox? Can it be repaired in the same manner as the consoles?
 
yup bake it.

8800baked.jpg
 
Baking the card is a last resort option, but I have seen it work for both desktop and laptop graphics cards. Particularly those affected by the whole bad bumps fiasco a while back with nVidia solutions. If you do this read up on the procedure...if you leave it to bake too long, or heat up too fast, or bump anything while the solder is liquid, device murder is very likely.
 
Well, the card already doesn't work. So, I don't think I can hurt it.

Here is the procedure that followed to fix the PS3

Clean the existing thermal compound off
Place the card on a surface that it won't get bumped
Use a heat gun at 700 degrees, 4 or so inches away from the board, to temper the board. 90 seconds
Ues a heat gun at 700 degrees, about an inch away, directly on the cpu and gpu. 90 seconds each
Move the heat gun back to 6" away from the board to begin cooling it. 90 seconds.
Let cool for 30+ minutes, untouched, to allow it to fully cool.
Re-apply new thermal compound and reassemble.

Would this process work on the video card? Or, should I research the oven idea?
 
safehaven said:
Well, the card already doesn't work. So, I don't think I can hurt it.

Here is the procedure that followed to fix the PS3

Clean the existing thermal compound off
Place the card on a surface that it won't get bumped
Use a heat gun at 700 degrees, 4 or so inches away from the board, to temper the board. 90 seconds
Ues a heat gun at 700 degrees, about an inch away, directly on the cpu and gpu. 90 seconds each
Move the heat gun back to 6" away from the board to begin cooling it. 90 seconds.
Let cool for 30+ minutes, untouched, to allow it to fully cool.
Re-apply new thermal compound and reassemble.

Would this process work on the video card? Or, should I research the oven idea?
Click to expand...

700C is enough to burn a board at 4 inches away...:eek:

Stayfr0sty said:
You serious? baking a card will fix it? Does it involve transistors being fixed?
Click to expand...

No, if the chip is damaged there isn't anything you can do. If/when the solder bumps that connect the chip to the PCB develop breaks it can result in a chip not getting power, not being able to use RAM, not access vBIOS, etc, etc, etc. Baking the card fixes the solder breaks, that's all.
 
Got it in the oven now... fingers crossed!

night_2004 said:
700C is enough to burn a board at 4 inches away...:eek:
.
Click to expand...

The gun says 700 degrees. I don't know that it actually outputs 700 degrees. Nevertheless, the gun got my PS3 going.

Edit... 700 degrees F. Not C.
 
safehaven said:
Got it in the oven now... fingers crossed!



The gun says 700 degrees. I don't know that it actually outputs 700 degrees. Nevertheless, the gun got my PS3 going.

Edit... 700 degrees F. Not C.
Click to expand...

OK. Don't want everyone thinking 700C is safe :eek:.
 
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