I fixed my laptop with a blow/hair dryer !

[Computer-Geek]

Well today I finally decided to look at my laptop which died on me a few months ago. It is a HP DV6305 and I had this issue where the laptop would boot up with nothing on the screen , all the lights turned on and the fan. I had it looked at by a computer repair shop and they said my motherboard was dead so I left it in a closet up until today. I browsed the internet and found a strange solution but tried it anyway. It involved heating up the video card area as my laptop series has an issue where the vga cooler doesn't make contact with the video card. 5 minutes later pc booted 400.00 repair for 0.00 :banana:

[Zephik]

That is positively awesome. lol

[Computer-Geek]

It sure is lol http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/5034/vid00006r.jpg

[Luke122]

AWESOME. I now have 4 - DV9000 laptops with this exact failure. If I can fix one of them (or all...awesome), I'm gonna be sooooo happy. :D

Refurb + flip! YAY!

[Trace]

Sounds like the bake the 8800 method to fix desktop gfx cards. Come on nVidia, make a card worth buying!

[Luke122]

Testing on a DV9000 now...

[Computer-Geek]

Good luck :D don't allow the heat to be there for too long there is also another fix just incase it doesn't work.

Edit : Well it appears that my fix did not last long I have a feeling I may have to open up laptop and customize vga cooler like this (http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Hardware/DV6000-DV9000-NVidia-Issue-fix/m-p/174757) guy did since I assume its overheating due to bad contact. This is what happened about 10 minutes ago http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fR_teYRw0I

I am now 100 percent sure its overheating since it booted back up after letting it sit for a little.

[LiTHiUM0XiD3]

it sounds like ur dealing with the same issue the 360s bring forth...
using a hair dryer will get ya sorta there... but there is only 2 things that would really help... a good reflow using a heatgun/BGA rework station... or a reballing... seeing as many things have been ruined by lead free solder nowadays... im sure gettin reballed with proper solder would help this issue... altho somehow improving the cooling is a good idea aswell.. just lackin in space lol

[crenn]

I don't see how lead free solder is the issue, my entire computer is RoHS and it doesn't have an issue ;P

[LiTHiUM0XiD3]

your entire computer prolly has a much better cooling solution aswell crenn... meaning things in there prolly dont hit 80 celcius and upwards (idle that is)... which causes PCBs to flex... which makes the GPU lift from the board... the problem with lead free solder is it isnt even remotely as flexible... so when the gpu lifts it causes stress fractures... ergo... 3 RLOD... and gpus needing to be reflowed... altho as i mentioned.. reflowing is only half the solution... actually.. if i remember correctly.. this same problem happened to the 8800 gpus quite a bit... ppl fixed their video cards by throwin them into the oven for a cheap reflow..

[crenn]

I heard about the 8800 GPUs, but I do believe that was a fault with the soldering process, not the solder itself.

[Computer-Geek]

I plan on fixing it soon but can anyone help me find a guide on how to open it without destroying it.
Edit: found one ! http://www.insidemylaptop.com/disassemble-hp-pavilion-dv6500-dv6600-dv6700-dv6800-notebooks/

[LiTHiUM0XiD3]

poor design in general heh... ive come across a bunch of laptop with the same issues...

i had a V6000 that had the same problem.. but seeing as there is no way to prevent it from happening again.. i just scrapped it... anybody need lappy parts? lol

[Luke122]

OK, so my first DV9000 was a success! I have two more on the bench to try next, and a DV6000. The possibility of a couple more is very real too, so I'll keep you all posted on how things work.

I'm reinstalling to stress test the DV9000 right now, and will be pushing it to the limit for the next few days to see if it holds or not. :)

[Computer-Geek]

OK, so my first DV9000 was a success! I have two more on the bench to try next, and a DV6000. The possibility of a couple more is very real too, so I'll keep you all posted on how things work.

I'm reinstalling to stress test the DV9000 right now, and will be pushing it to the limit for the next few days to see if it holds or not. :)

Sweet!

I plan on ordering the copper shim soon. I found a guide which shows me exactly what i need to do. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnkQNmKauEc

[Luke122]

I used the same vids, but I used a dime on mine rather than the copper shim (since I didnt have one on hand). Yes, I used a dime. :D

I hit the chip from both sides with the heat gun, thermal paste, then a dime, then heat gun again on the dime with some silver solder to flatten it out a bit. Put back together, and we are running. :D

[Computer-Geek]

LOL nice I plan on adding the shim to the cpu also :D So I just have to melt off the silver stuff before doing anything right?

[Luke122]

I just scrubbed both gpu and cpu clean with rubbing alcohol, then did the heating of the gpu, then applied the thermal paste and the dime on the gpu and just thermal paste on the cpu, heated the dime with the heat gun and a small amount of silver solder on the dime to level it off, then let it cool just enough to get it reassembled.

[Computer-Geek]

alright sweet i am waiting on my copper to arrive i hope it works once i put it back together @.@

[Trace]

Luke, want to send me one of those 9000s? Ill cover shipping :P

[Luke122]

Hehe.. Sorry Trace, I need to pay my mortgage this month, so they are getting refurbished and flipped. :D

[Computer-Geek]

I received my copper shim today and the temps are way better than before. Here is a screen shot http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/8493/10641484.png If any mod wants to you can move this to laptop section. My video card originally idled at 80c

[Luke122]

I managed to kill that DV9000 again. I threw a sustained video test at it, and it failed after 3 runs, back to graphic corruption and system hang. I'll reflow it again, and see what's up. :D

[Computer-Geek]

aww that sucks once i ran prime95 the temps were too hot so it turned itself off I will only use this laptop for music / ms word/ browsing web so the temps should be low which shouldn't cause it to lockup :D

[LiTHiUM0XiD3]

get it reballed with the correct solder! LOL trust me
ppl will do it for as low as $50 for a 360... im sure it wouldnt be much more for them to do the laptop..

[Luke122]

I'm sure it's still to do with the piss poor design of the DV series laptops, so I'm not too worried about it. I'll reflow it, and keep it for light duties, and it should last just fine. I have a decent enough machine for gaming on, and a 360 as well. :)

I posted my Acer for sale today, so if I get the DV9000 fixed again, I'll post my XPS for sale as well.
:)

[DeadDude]

Sorry to revive a dead thread, but anyone out there still playing with this?

My DV9000 was given to me 'dead'. GPU overheated so bad/often that the hinge split and melted. I had to finish breaking it off so that it wouldn't injure the LCD.

What have I done to 'fix' it? Left hinge broken off entirely, GPU ran fan-less for 15 minutes (until thermal shutdown) with 10lbs of phone books sitting on it. At highest temp I palm slapped the stack as hard as I could. Heard a POP. Kept pressure on chip for an hour.

My reasoning behind this? No heat gun available, and I've used this method on 360's with great success (just make sure you never let it get super hot again.)

I Did make sure to have the board properly supported as to lessen the chances of damaging it.

Reassembled. Works, but still runs hot hot hot. So I disconnected the webcam (USB cord) and knocked holes out of the bottom of the case- mounted spare laptop fan to bottom with webcam USB for power.

GPU never exceeds 73C now. I have seen it as high as 124C before my mods.

Oh yeah, that new temp is after I overclocked it (380/450 stock to 400/500 = 3000 points more in futuremark03)

I am toying around with upgrading cpu from 1.66 to 2.4 and ram from 2 to 4...
Maybe fab a new case and make it a luggable portable...

Anyone out there still tinkering on these? Need in-depth diagrams on MB internals to continue...

[d_stilgar]

Sorry to revive a dead thread, but anyone out there still playing with this?

My DV9000 was given to me 'dead'. GPU overheated so bad/often that the hinge split and melted. I had to finish breaking it off so that it wouldn't injure the LCD.

What have I done to 'fix' it? Left hinge broken off entirely, GPU ran fan-less for 15 minutes (until thermal shutdown) with 10lbs of phone books sitting on it. At highest temp I palm slapped the stack as hard as I could. Heard a POP. Kept pressure on chip for an hour.

My reasoning behind this? No heat gun available, and I've used this method on 360's with great success (just make sure you never let it get super hot again.)

I Did make sure to have the board properly supported as to lessen the chances of damaging it.

Reassembled. Works, but still runs hot hot hot. So I disconnected the webcam (USB cord) and knocked holes out of the bottom of the case- mounted spare laptop fan to bottom with webcam USB for power.

GPU never exceeds 73C now. I have seen it as high as 124C before my mods.

Oh yeah, that new temp is after I overclocked it (380/450 stock to 400/500 = 3000 points more in futuremark03)

I am toying around with upgrading cpu from 1.66 to 2.4 and ram from 2 to 4...
Maybe fab a new case and make it a luggable portable...

Anyone out there still tinkering on these? Need in-depth diagrams on MB internals to continue...

I'm not sure if other people are still messing with this, but I would really love to see pictures of what you have done.

[DeadDude]

well, I'll see about taking a few pics later...

it really ain't 'pretty' yet...

but depending on what 'other' power sources I can find, I plan on more tinkering... then I'll try to make it 'pretty'...

I'm just thankful the right hinge is stiff enough to hold the screen still

[Konrad]

I can't understand why this "repair" would work. I mean, a poor solder joint either makes contact and completes the circuit, or it does not. Although I suppose liquid-state soldier alloys might be used for fine capillary bonding and such, a process which might introduce the possibility of all sorts of unreliable flaws - which is why I doubt it would ever actually be used on "high-end" commercial products. Of course, stranger things have happened. And we are talking about nVidia.

RoHS is not to blame. Modern solders are generally superior in every capacity to traditional Pb- or Cd-bearing solders ... the reason the "hazardous" old versions were used is cost, and I'm thinking that megamanufacturers like nVidia are able to splurge on better solders and tooling ... they probably manufacture everything from their cheapest junk to their $$$$ PC video boards on the same equipment, so the retail price of their product isn't a very meaningful indicator of build quality.

I'm guessing heat would somehow adjust the chemical equilibrium of some borderline-failing or underrated semiconductor. Most likely an electrolytic cap. Possibly a chemical battery (at least on PC mobos). Maybe even a cheap resistor. Silicon isn't much affected by heat until it starts to get hot, complex ICs almost always have operating ranges which extend well below room temp or freezing point.

[Luke122]

I figured I'd chime back in on this topic also..

All of the ones I reflowed ended up failing again. It's simply too big of a thermal load for the cooling system to dissipate, and once it's been cooked, it will never be the same. As Konrad said above, it's definitely affected some component permanently.

I simply parted out all of the failed units, and recouped all my costs (plus a little extra).

I've also had two xbox 360's fail again after reflows, so I've just unloaded those as well. As much as this was a great hack/repair, it simply wasnt reliable enough to keep these systems in service. It was great to recover data or limp along temporarily, but replacing the device is just a better option.

What if you cant afford to replace it? Limp it along until you can.. it WILL fail again.