HP Pavillon dv9500 Fault

[Lee B]

I have been asked to look at a faulty HP Pavillon dv9500 with a faulty screen display, The screen is fuzzy and after doing a quick google search found some you tube videos of people taking them apart and heating up the graphics card chip to 210 degrees and then putting a copper shim under the heatsink and new thermal paste. I have also tried the Ctrl +Alt + Del when booting and also tried using an external screen.

Any ideas are welcome as I dont want to damage the graphics chip with a heat gun.

 

[gdavies]

is it the graphics chip that has gone or is it the invertor that has gone

 

[Lee B]

i think it is the graphics, if I place the laptop on its side sometimes it works and the laptop is fine, place it on the table and it is happy. Power it down turn it on again and the screen is either white clowdy or just black.

 

[gdavies]

guessing you have not really fixed many of these

 

[Lee B]

No I dont really fix laptops I have a go at desktops but laptops have way too many screws, my fist thought was it was the screen connector but as I am not getting any output on an external screen it has to be deeper. Some you tube videos seem to thing it is to do with the heatsink and dust but I dont get why they heat the chipset up first then put new paste on?

 

[gdavies]

they heat the graphics chip because it is a common fault, along with the invertor been a common fault, the heatsink clean is part of a rebuild, either way if its the invertor the laptop needs to be stripped and invertor replaced, other wise again laptop needs to be stripped so the graphics chip can be resunk into place.

 

[Lee B]

if I strip it down and remove the thermal paste from the graphics chip and clean it up, add new paste and copper shim under the heatsink without heating the chip, do you think that would fix the problem? I have found a kit on ebay but it does not include anything to heat the chip only cleaning solution, cloths and a Shim.

 

[gdavies]

hard to say with not inspecting but i am not the only computer repair person on here

 

[Lee B]

Ok no problem, I would have said the same, also looking at some of the you tube videos it can depend if the chip has got too warm and then it needs replacing. What sort of price would you charge to do the job, I know striping and rebuilding takes way longer that a desktop? I am not asking you to do it.

 

[wmrcomputers]

Hi Lee B

First of all, it's definitely the gfx chip.

Secondly, forget about the kit on eBay - the copper shim only scrapes 2 degrees off the top temps anyway and is a complete waste of time. The kit required for doing the repair isn't something the smaller guys like us have at home. The graphics chip needs removing, cleaning off, fluxing and then a stencil is used to place the (few hundred) tiny solder balls in place. Then it is lined up and heated by infra red to reattach it to the board.

As for the oven method - yes you might get yourself up and running again - but it doesn't last!! A couple of months if you are lucky. If you are unlucky, some of the delicate components will fall of the board in the process and then you have rendered it completely useless.

I know of a computer shop in Newcastle (Stoke) that has all the kit and charges £80 for the repair. He does them for me for £35 if I strip the laptop and take him the board, but with the return trip to pick it back up, plus fuel etc etc it isn't worth the agro for me. If you want to go there yourself, then I will PM you the shop details (don't want to advertise them directly in this thread for obvious reasons)

 

[wmrcomputers]

@GD - sorry wasn't trying to overtake, this is just something that I see SOOOOooooo flaming often now, and wish I didn't! lol
He's stated no output on the VGA connection either so hence it not being related to the inverter for sure.

 

[Lee B]

Hello thank you for you reply, I would be greatful of the details, this laptop is not mine, looking on the net this seems like a common problem for these HP models. I will take the details and then pass them on, I think it is worth getting repaired and £80 seems a fair price looking at the amount of kitt this has inside it.

 

[wmrcomputers]

PM sent mate. Just remember GD and myself if there's anything not gfx chip related

 

[Lee B]

I am sure this will not be the only questions I have, the person who owns this machine has just had their desktop back after explaining he thinks the graphic card has gone and infact it was his hard drive which sounded like a tin can been hit with a wooden spoon. I am not sure how he let it get so bad.

 

[wmrcomputers]

When it's a job I don't have the kit to do, I'll point you in the right direction by all means. If you want training advice on certain issues then I might not be so helpful - lol - I'm supporting a 7 child family and you're potential competition No offence intended

 

[Lee B]

No offence taken, I would not dream of taking work from fellow men.

 

[wmrcomputers]

If you can take it from me crack on mate. It's a man eat man world out there!

 

[Glam]

I'm supporting a 7 child family and you're potential competition No offence intended

You might be surrounded by computers,but don't you have a telly in your house?! 7 kids?!!

 

[wmrcomputers]

2 from first marriage, 2 from current plus 3 step kids. Got a big telly thanks...... was recently purchased to keep me distracted!!
No more though, had a game of conkers at the doctors and my string broke (if you catch my drift)

 

[Glam]

Shouldn't really comment,there used be 8 of us,2 dads,2 mums - complicated. But my dads excuse was,BBC1 wasn't on in the daytime when all of us were born.