A friend of mine had a HP DV9000 laptop which was showing severe signs of a dead graphics chip (you could bring up video but it'd just show gobbledegook on both the internal screen and via VGA). I'd read on the internet that some people have tried putting their motherboards & graphics cards into the oven to try and fix the problem (usually caused by the RoHS solder cracking). So, with nothing to lose, we stripped it down, pulled everything off the motherboard and popped it into the oven for 10 minutes at 200 degrees C (since with this machine the nVidia graphics chip is soldered to the motherboard, the whole thing had to go in). Sure enough, reassembling the machine, she powers up and starts booting Windows and the graphics issue is solved.

Has anybody else tried this or had any success?

 

Dry-heat sterilization will get rid of a lot of bugs and maybe even some other pests.

I could not find a single reference to using such moderate temperatures (i.e., below the reflow temperature) to get rid of tin wiskers. However, tin pests (an allotrope of tin formed at relatively low temperature) can be remedied by heating (See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin_pest )

Modern tin pest since adoption of RoHS

With the adoption of the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS) regulations in Europe and California banning most uses of lead, and similar regulations elsewhere, the problem of tin pest has come back with some manufacturers using pure tin, who previously used tin/lead alloys. For example, the leads of some electrical and electronic components are plated with pure tin. In cold environments, this can change to α-modification grey tin, which is not electrically conductive, and fall off the leads. After heating back up, it changes back to β-modification white tin, which is electrically conductive, and can cause electrical short circuits and failure of equipment. Such problems can be intermittent as the powdered particles of tin move around.

Perhaps the malfunction was caused by poor contacts (tin pests) and the heating improved them just enough to make the board serviceable.

John

 

I've heard of this being used to solve problems due to water, by drying it out, but never heard of it used like this, very interesting!

 

That would make sense if the laptop had been really cold that's what Wiki says is required for the tin pest problem to manifest, but mind you this is only for contact resistance NOT soldered joints, and mind you as well that even lead free solders contain antimony or bismuth which help prevent the tin pest effect from occurring, again according to wiki.

Trapped moist air, or other solvents (intentionally or accidentally) that work their way in with the air flow will dissolve or carry some dust with them making them conductive, such as Drakon was suggesting. It's more likely that the heat rid the board of the solvents which become gaseous at that temperature, which are A LOT of them. The solids would re deposit and most of them are generally insulating in the first place so wouldn't make the slightest effect on the circuit unless they become dissolved again.

 

I've heard of this being used to solve problems due to water, by drying it out, but never heard of it used like this, very interesting!

nVidia had this problem, soldered connections going bad, in their G80 line of products. I first run into reference about backing video card when people started doing it to their broken 8xxx series cards.

 

The DV9000 laptops were the subject of a highly touted recall...
HP took them all back and fixed them for free..
The problem is that the cheap shims used to hold the BGA VIDE chip sets were faulty. This resuklted in an over heating problem, and also a loss
of continuity in the solder balls providing electrical contact.
..
The fix requires an IR Reflow Workstation. Putting the laptop motherboard in an oven will only melt the swich contacts and other plastic retainer/spacers.
..
Would you put your cell phone in your oven and bake it with your morning biscuits?? I thought not.
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Bad news is that HP is no longer taking the DV9000s back for repair. Instead it is now the owner's problem.
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Good news is that there are at least three reputable repair sources that will fix this for about $99-$199.00. So it is a repairable condition.
..
Put the laptop in the oven - the repair will be about $1,800.oo
...
Dave R. mason
Phoenix Computer Labs
dataman19