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[RyRy]

Hey guys,

So a few days ago we had the start of some unusually hot weather and when I went to my computer it was unresponsive and screens wouldn't come on.

I rebooted and saw a quite obvious graphics card failure with green lines, distortions and artefacts. I removed the graphics card, put it back in, tried a different power cable but nothing worked.

I removed the card, took the heatsink off and replaced the thermal compound, plugged it all back on and still it was broken.

I then noticed that the fan wasn't spinning round fast at all. It seems as though the heat made the plastic on the fan expand fractionally which resulted in the fan failing which lead to the GPU processor to quickly overheat.

I took it apart again and used double upped foil to protect/shield all components of the graphics card. I then cut a hole into the foil so that the GPU processor was exposed and then got a heat gun to heat up the chip for 3-5 minutes at about 180°c.

This is called reflowing and it works because the graphics card overheated when facing downwards which meant the solder melted a tiny bit and gravity pulled it downwards out of the small holes where components sit so when you reflow it the graphics card is facing upwards and you have to melt the solder just the right amount so that it effectively reverses the damage caused by the overheating.

I did this yesterday and so far the graphics card is working fine, it will more than likely fail again within the next few months and I'll have to reflow it again.

Hopefully though it will last and hold up.

Sent from my Nexus 4

[geetface9]

Dang I didn't know you could do that 'reflowing' stuff. I just bought a new gtx650 ti cuz my card was like 4 years old and finally bit the dust cuz of all the HD pr0nz Cost me $125 USD so it's a pretty good card for the price. Big step up from the gtx 260 I had.

I really need to replace my mobo and processor. Those are both about 7 years old. The fan is starting to go and the processor overheats when I have more than like two tabs open on the internet. I could probably just put fresh heatsink on but I'd rather just replace em because they're so outdated anyway. I gotta get an amd 3+ socket so I can get with the times

[RyRy]

Dang I didn't know you could do that 'reflowing' stuff. I just bought a new gtx650 ti cuz my card was like 4 years old and finally bit the dust cuz of all the HD pr0nz Cost me $125 USD so it's a pretty good card for the price. Big step up from the gtx 260 I had.

I really need to replace my mobo and processor. Those are both about 7 years old. The fan is starting to go and the processor overheats when I have more than like two tabs open on the internet. I could probably just put fresh heatsink on but I'd rather just replace em because they're so outdated anyway. I gotta get an amd 3+ socket so I can get with the times

There are several ways of reflowing some put them in their oven to heat then but this can heat other parts incorrectly and can make certain parts too hot, it also sometimes smells.

Rebailing is the best thing to do but you've got to be somewhat of a professional to remove the solder and refresh with new.

My computer too is about 8 years old, but everything else works fine. I do use ssds though so it helps with speed. I can't wait till I can afford a brand new one.

The graphics card it's the most expensive part cost me like £350 5 years ago so I would rather not have to buy a new one if i can eek more life out of this one.

Graphics card still holding up. It's actually working better than before because one of my screens would never turn off but now it does which is nice lol

Sent from my Nexus 4

[What's Burning?]

The way computing HP has been of late, I'm still running with a motherboard from 2007 and an Intel Quad core Q9550 that's been overclocked to 3.1 GHz since the day I first turned it on and still hobbling along with 4 gigs of RAM. The only upgrades I've made since new seven years ago are the video card (twice) a pair of SSD drives striped for speed an a very good 24 inch Samsung monitor. Currently running a GTX 660ti and it's more than good enough for whatever games I get around to which isn't much nowadays anyway.

Still allows me to run everything I do, so every time I put together a quote for parts for a major upgrade I say... WHY? and close the web browser. I guess there are other more pressing hobbies than need money funneled to before I upgrade the existing rig again.

[RyRy]

WB we're using the same processor xD and my mobo is also that sort of age

[geetface9]

My desktop sat in the closet for a year after I moved once so that's what made it go off a cliff I think. I had a laptop I used all the time so I was like $#@! it

[racechick]

RyRy how do you know to do all that stuff? I'd have to find a nice man

[LRW]

:eek: RyRy how do you know to do all that stuff? I'd have to find a nice man

I think you'll find RyRy IS a nice man....

[myownalias]

I gotta get an amd 3+ socket so I can get with the times

As someone who owns an AM3+ board with FX8350 processor; buy a better CPU heatsink/fan; for two reasons, 1) the stock HSF is noisy as hell; and 2) temperatures will run into the 70°C's if running at full load for prolonged periods of time. I bought a Coolermaster Hyper 212 Evo tower HSF for $35 which brought temperatures down to the low 50°C's.

[RyRy]

:eek: RyRy how do you know to do all that stuff? I'd have to find a nice man

I'm good with techy stuff, for me it's all common sense, logic and just rather easy. We all have things we're good at

:eek: RyRy how do you know to do all that stuff? I'd have to find a nice man

I think you'll find RyRy IS a nice man....

LRW, stop making me blush! haha

I gotta get an amd 3+ socket so I can get with the times

As someone who owns an AM3+ board with FX8350 processor; buy a better CPU heatsink/fan; for two reasons, 1) the stock HSF is noisy as hell; and 2) temperatures will run into the 70°C's if running at full load for prolonged periods of time. I bought a Coolermaster Hyper 212 Evo tower HSF for $35 which brought temperatures down to the low 50°C's.

Noisy as hell is an understatement, they sound like jet engines! My brother has one and he's still using a stock heatsink and fan, I told him to get a better heatsink and fan because it will make it much much cooler and much much quieter but nope... ignored lol