Dell XPS m1530 graphic chip repair

[RonA]

My trusty Dell XPS m1530 laptop gave up the ghost on Saturday.
The computer won't boot up, power light comes on briefly & then goes out, a search of the internet shows this is a known problem not solely limited to Dell. It turns out the NVidia graphics chip gets so hot it unsolders itself from the motherboard.
YouTube is awash with videos of how to fix the problem ranging from popping the motherboard in the oven for 10mins, to using a hot air stripper to resolder the chips connections. However these need the computer to be totally stripped to get at the motherboard.
By far my favourite repair was achieved using a small butane blowtorch which with its small flame allowed the repair to be completed in situ just by removing a few of the computers cover panels.
Can anybody suggest a make of blowtorch with just such a small flame, Hopefully not to expensive.
RonA

 

[rtbcomp]

Moved to Brew room.

 

[pete1176]

its more luck than judgement if that works the best way 2 do is 2 have the chip reballed or reflowed,reflow being the cheapest way.still some expensive kit required like ir pre heater top heater thermal propes

 

[rikrobson]

It will be a ball grid array. There are no pins, just pads and the chip sits on solder "balls"
When these are manufactures he components of the Board are stuck to down with a solder paste. The board is then heated in an oven to flow the solder. The ovens are temp controlled to raise and lower the temperature to specific temperatures for specific times.
As Pete Said its going to be a lottery if re-flowing works. But if your board is knackered then you've noting to loose.

 

[alistairlee]

Unusual for the power light to go out if the graphics are faulty- more usually you get beep codes.
Are you sure your PSU is not faulty and the battery flat?
Regards
Al

 

[Rig Pig]

This sort of repair is probably best done professionally, the chance of wrecking it totally with a DIY effort are pretty high. Or if the house insurance covers it then it could get 'dropped' off a table?

 

[mike os]

pull the hard disk and drop it (if you are insured) then put the disk back if they ask for it to go to repair .....its going to be an expensive repair either way

diy is not so bad to dismantle, but the soldering is the PITa

 

[steviec_lj]

I've got two laptops that exibit the same conditions. Albeit I've stripped one down for parts, the other I'm not sure what to do with, so will strip it down and check this out.

 

[RonA]

Unusual for the power light to go out if the graphics are faulty- more usually you get beep codes.
Are you sure your PSU is not faulty and the battery flat?
Regards
Al

Battery is definitely charged up, for some reason (according to YouTube "experts" ) the video chip problem interferes with bios operation hence the lack of beep codes. The only thing that puzzles me is who found out the cause of the problem in the first place. Definitely going to have a go at a DIY repair, as rikrobson said I've got nothing to lose other than a very expensive door stop.
Had to go out on Sat & buy a replacement, it came with Windows 8.1. The bl***y thing won't load my 2007 Microsoft office suite & it's not keen on my Epson printer which is less than 2. years old. Thanks Bill !!!
RonA

 

[wookie]

It will be a ball grid array. There are no pins, just pads and the chip sits on solder "balls"
When these are manufactures he components of the Board are stuck to down with a solder paste. The board is then heated in an oven to flow the solder. The ovens are temp controlled to raise and lower the temperature to specific temperatures for specific times.
As Pete Said its going to be a lottery if re-flowing works. But if your board is knackered then you've noting to loose.

Been there and done it with a hot air gun and an infra-red thermometer to check the temps. I shielded the rest of the pcb with ally-foil with just a little hole for the graphics chip.

That was on a couple of Thinkpad T41 well known for BGA graphics chips problems, I did two boards, one worked the other I tried twice but no go.

If you've nowt to loose have a go and if you fix it it's a bonus, but it probably will go wrong again eventually because it's basically a design flaw.

 

[pete1176]

pre heat your board all moister needs 2 be gone ells top die will popcorn out before you hit reflow temp 220c is reflow temp also nee the correct profile to take temp up is needed

reason for this is unleaded solder the heat an cool cycle causes cracks

 

[ford34/2]

Very surprised windows will not Load 2007 suite, I got a new tower a few weeks ago and an Old Office 2000 I have, Original microsoft went straight in, I had an original 2007 as well, but 2000 came with every Office programme you could want.
Epson Printer drivers, Windows found the driver for my R300, but sadly it didnt support printing cds, a play round with other drivers off the Epson site meant I can now print as normal with all the options, print cds, moniter the ink, My printer was an Old R300 now using an R340 driver. Epson didnt support drivers for Windows 7 professional, (Windows 7 home only supports 8Gig memory.) and as I said the Windows/Microsoft appointed driver didnt work the full printer options. So dont be frightened to try some other Epson printer drivers near to your model number, its as easy to delete them as it is to download them,
Stan

 

[mike os]

win 8 is a pita

 

[the snooper]

I would firstly remove the battery and then the bios battery and leave for an hour then try it again, I had the same problem with an acer press the power button light came on fan gave a brief burst and that was it the above cured it