please help me with ACER TravelMate 5513WLMi:how serious??

Good evening.

Please, I would like your help in my two questions:

a. I have an ACER Travelmate 5513WLMi.
I would like to disassemble it, clean it inside and change thermal paste on CPU and GPU. You will understand why to do that in my b. question.
Laptop is since 2006!!! without even one service/maintenance. So, I have started disassembling it. In the first steps of disassemble, you can detach CPU heatsink. As I did. It was like there is no thermal paste. On both CPU and its heatsink. Thermal paste was converted to a stone!
Before I proceed to my description of the problem, I would like to give you the service guide manual link.
Here is the link to help someone in disassemble:

http://www.intellcity.ru/content-2/...100-TravelMate-5510-5210-Extens-5410-5010.pdf

Please, you may download it or just open it.
The one think I worry so much is also in b. question. Is the reason that I want to open laptop for the maintenance.
Before I proceed to the disassemble, from manual page 74, 75, 77 is shows that the VGA chip/module is close to CPU socket. But on my board there is no VGA module there. My question a. here is if you can help me find where is VGA module on my board. Maybe I do not need to proceed to the complete disassemble procedure.
For sure this is my model: ACER Travelmate 5513WLMi.
Under RAM modules, the place that laptop manufacturers place a label with motherboard model, indeed ACER has placed this information as follows (I give it in case it helps):
HCW51 L03
MBABK02001
I have tried a lot searching in the web, following this information, to try to find the VGA module on my board, but I cannot. So, here is my first question:can you please help me?
And why on .pdf ACER manual shows that picture of VGA module on the pages I have mentioned? Since, the motherboards on all the models on the first page of the manual are the same (I guess), and in the models is mine, I do not understand. Could you please help me?

question b.
As I have told you, on CPU and its heatsink thermal paste was like not exist. Both melted and like a stone (what was left). I guess, the same condition will be on VGA chip. Under this mess, I work on the laptop.
So, last night, as I was seeing an .mp4 video on kmp player, in very small window, not even 1/8 of the screen (I always see my videos in so pretty small windows in kmp, because I know my video card is not for half or full screen), suddenly, for the first time after 8 years I have the laptop, I got a picture like the following:



My stripes were blue and white (not black) and fatter

Not like this



Laptop did not turn off. It was still on. I immediately turned it off from the power button. For just once again, I turned it on and logged in Windows XP. Worked on it for just half an hour seeing the kmp video in the same small window. Then, I turned it off and since yesterday I have not turned it on again.

I guess thermal paste on both CPU and GPU may have caused this: overheating.

What is your opinion on the image that screen has displayed? Can it be from overheating of CPU or GPU? Of both? Is the GPU permanently damaged and is in its last state? Is it permanent or the fact that I will make the maintenance/service immediately, from the first leads, I have prevented the damage?
Your opinion? CPU, GPU, something else?
Should I not worry so much because it is the first time that it makes it after a no service 8 years working laptop?

Also, I would like to give some information that might help:have copper shims that I also have installed on other laptops.

Please, I would appreciate your help and advice because you understand my worries!!!

Thank you for your time,

John

 

About what is displayed on the screen - due to overheated VGA card (because of hardened thermal compound) is dying, I think. If you`ve managed to launch Windows as everything was as intended (for instance, you see Windows loading logo, desktop and so on), than, maybe, your card will still live. Maybe for short time, maybe for long. In addition,it can be somehow damaged cable, that is connecting motherboard and the LCD module. Or just a bad contact of that cable.

About VGA. Your VGA chip is soldered on board. On the page 68, Chapter 3, there is shown, as the copper J-Type heatsink is unscrewed using two screws, that holds it. If in last 8 years the laptop has not been serviced, than under the VGA heatsink you`ll see another brick of hardened thermal compound.

If you still want to use this laptop and want to give him another years to live - perform a very good service - fully clean it from the dust, clean old thermal compound using alcohol, apply thin layer of new (such as Arctic Silver 5). And in disassemble process be careful with everything, even with heatsinks. Those can be easily bent - after that cooling abilities of your notebook will be very poor.

If you have additional questions, feel free to ask.

Hope it helps.

 

Thank you for the answer. It helped me a lot!

Is there any way to check if the VGA card is dying (its condition)? Of course I will make the very good and careful service, and will check the LCD cable connecting motherboard and the LCD module. But, can I check the condition of GPU?

 

Download FurMark and make a stress test of the your card on the default settings of that utility. If after some minutes you`ll se the same situation - you have to change the motherboard. Or using specialized services you can give your laptop there and they will re-solder your old VGA chip with new one.

 

This is unbelievable!!!
15 years computer engineer I have not seen something like that. And it happened to my laptop. I completed disassembly. And VGA chipset had the following overheating "protection": (nothing more nothing less - the pictures are original from the disassemble)...















Supposed overheating protector is meant to be this copper skin WITHOUT any thermal compound. What can I say???
Now... I have uploaded all these pictures because I also would like to ask you something more. You can see the VGA chipset and its surface. My thought is to cover it with thermal compound, over it place a copper shim and over all that reinstall the protector (supposed) that exists from ACER. Do you agree? Is that all right? I ask that because of the surface of VGA chip. May I proceed or the surface is one that I may damage the chip and that is the reason of such an ACER protector?

p.s. The truth is that, since this is all cooling staff of ACER, there is no heatsink mechanism with screws to make copper shim tight and generally all this I have though to be hold. But, on the other hand, as you can see, I cannot leave such an overheating "protection" to protect my VGA.

 

Wait a minute, the J-type heatsink is not covering this VGA heatsink? I wouldn`t recommend you to use a copper shim because even with stock cooling sollution there is no thermal compound at all - thus, there isn`t just any space for such mod. Try to apply a very thin layer of thermal compound on the VGA chip, assemble back the system and run some stress test on the CPU and VGA at once - you`ll see if the system is stable against overheating after service performed.

Hey, stop. That`s not a VGA chip. Open the manual in chapter 3, page 68. There you`ll see the VGA cooling heatsink. Under that is your VGA.

Chip, that is shown on your photos - this is ATI IXP 400 - a ATI-made South Bridge.

 

Yes, you are right. This chip is not VGA. But I am in a mess because in my motherboard there is no such a heatsink on the left of CPU socket as the one shown in page 68 chapter 3. I do not know why but there is not. Definatelly they are different motherboards.
The only chip that exists is the one shown on page 68 chapter 3 and is in front of the CPU socket. A small square black chip. You can see it on the picture of manual. On this chip it says
ATI RADEON EXPRESS 1100.

Do you understan the chip I am talking about?

 

There is not mess here - Acer typically offers "G" versions of notebooks with dedicated graphics and non-G version with integrated graphics. Existence of said dedicated graphics and its cooling system is the only difference between the two. Service manuals always use photos of the "G" version because this one is actually harder to service.

Yours is not a G version and as such uses an integrated graphics - one that you have correctly identified as ATI Radeon Xpress 1100

 

Of course there is no mess. In my worry, I was in a mess, I was complicated.

Downloads, extremelly useful your information about G version and no G, manuals, integrated VGAs, etc. Now I know in every detail what happens with my mobo.

Thank you both for your extremely precious and helpful information!!

 

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention this! Thank`s downloads! Thus, yeah, if you apply some thin layer of thermal compound on this chips under that copper "cooling" the situation should be better. I don`t know, why does ACER did not apply it on that chip, but, if you browse the internet, on some old desktop motherboards this south bridge was installed too. And what do you think? It wasn`t cooled as it should be - it was without any cooling at all. And off course after some time was overheating. ))

I hope that after some thermal compound is applied your situation with temperatures will be better.

By the way - great christmas tree there! ))

 

So, except CPU and GPU I will also apply a thin layer of thermal compound on south bridge. I also believe that after all that, things will come in a better state.

Thank u!!

Merry Christmas too and have a great 2015!!