How Long did Your Laptop Last After Reflowing the GPU?

Hi,

After 5.5 years, my xps m1330 got the dreaded vertical lines of death (NVidia gpu bga cracking). I reflowed the gpu using a heat gun.

After correctly re-installing my memory, my computer seems as good as new . However, I read in several places that it doesn't last long.

How long has the gpu continued working after you reflowed it? I just cancelled a good price on a latitude 14 since my computer started working.

background: I originally bought the laptop off Dell Outlet - I have the "copper" mod installed - my gpu idles now ~60c.

Thanks

 

I've tried to reflow a couple 8x00 series GPUs, and it's never lasted more than a few days... some people have reported weeks or months, but in general it's hardly a permanent fix.

Typically reflows last longer on the older 7x00 GPUs, but even then it's hardly permanent.

 

My 8800M GTX lasted 6 months on the 1st reflow and 4 months on the 2nd. I was pretty pleased with that - after it went the 3rd time it was replaced with a cheap quadro 2700

 

What about those on eBay that say they replace the chipset with newer chipset does that work better??

 

Haven't done too much research into it, but I don't think anyone will replace the actual chip... My understanding is that some will just reflow it using the proper equipment, in which case it won't be much better than your oven/heatgun, but others may actually reball the BGA package in which case the fix could last a long time. I'm pretty sure the latter are few and far between and expensive to the point where you might as well buy a new laptop.

 

thanks for all the feedback, looks like I need to keep my eye out for a replacement laptop & do my backups. May be it will last until black Friday.

 

Update: 2 weeks - fix still working . My understanding it's not the bga balls that are failing, but the "bumps" from the semiconductor die to the bga substrate that are failing. See Why Nvidia's chips are defective- The Inquirer for more info.

 

I got my old Asus G1 reflown (Geforce Go 7600) and it lasted for about 2-3 good months until it died again. Then, I didn't bother anymore, and bought a new one.

 

Update 5/20/14:

Well, the m1330 just failed again - looks like it lasted about 1 month. I'm going to try to reflow it again, I'm not sure I really got it hot enough the first time - then replace the motherboard. Need to start looking for a replacement. I tried a Chromebook, which is good for about 80% of what I need a laptop for, but I need a real laptop for the other 20%.

Any suggestions on a replacement? I was thinking latitude 14" or XPS 13 if they get 4th gen i5s in the Outlet.

 

Update: 23May14

tried replacing motherboard with "new" one bought off Ebay - "new" motherboard didn't work - hoping to get $ back.

I reflowed the gpu again - working - we'll see how long it'll last this time. Ordered Latitude 7440 from Dell Outlet - hope this one lasts as long as my trusty m1330