Is it possible to repair a GPU?

[Asdf Fdas]

I want to buy a GPU but it is broken ( not working). If all the capacitors are intact, how would I repair it? Does anyone know any sites on repairing GPUs?

 

[getochkn]

What's "not working" ?

 

[prit87]

if the fan is not working then u can replace the fan but if the card has gone bad then i am afraid no....

 

[prkle]

A friend of mine has repaired broken hardware like laptop parts, video cards etc. with quite good success by putting them into an oven at 300°C for some time. This reconnects possible cracks in the soldering by melting them back together.

 

[prit87]

yes i have also heard about these experiments but its not that it will work all the time actually most of the time it fails but if your card is totally gone then u can take the chance cannot say about the oven .....

 

[Asdf Fdas]

But don't you guys know any websites about self refurbishing and diagnosing GPUs? I have heard about the oven trick but I also heard that after you do that the capacitors have lower tolerance and all the parts perform worse than a new GPU.

What I want to do is buy a non working card, unsolder a few things, replace them with new parts, and have the whole thing work again. So does anyone know a good website or video that teaches how to do that? (and how to diagnose)

 

[USAFRet]

Troubleshooting and 'fixing' a known bad device can't really be learned through a youtube video.

Is it possible to fix a bad [whatever]? Sure. Depends on what is wrong with it and your skills.

 

[Asdf Fdas]

yes but do you know a website or BOOK or some archive about how to do it?

 

[hunter315]

You need an aptitude for troubleshooting, you cannot teach someone how to become a good general problem solver you can only teach people how to solve certain classes of problems.


First you need to identify what is wrong with your GPU, until you know that any attempts to "fix" it are far more likely to do additional harm than actually repair the issue. Once you know what your issue is you can find a youtube video that will walk you through how to fix it.

 

[Asdf Fdas]

How would I find what is wrong with it? Should I use a multimeter? And how would I use it?
(I found a tutorial about how to use a multimeter: https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/how-to-use-a-multimeter )

I have seen pictures of GPUs with missing capacitors and resistors, but then how'd you know that a capacitor was missing from one spot and not some other kind of electronic?

And then there is soldering which I have also heard about.

 

[USAFRet]

How would I find what is wrong with it? Should I use a multimeter? And how would I use it?

I have seen pictures of GPUs with missing capacitors and resistors, but then how'd you know that a capacitor was missing from one spot and not some other kind of electronic?

And then there is soldering which I have also heard about.

If the extent of your knowledge of 'soldering' is "I have also heard about"....you are years away from being able to diagnose and fix a broken GPU.
Not trying to be funny, but you are trying to run before you can crawl.

 

[Usman Sajid]

If board is broken , NO . If joints on board are broken , could be soldered. If fans are not working , Yes . Display issues , possible. Try it in another pc.

 

[Asdf Fdas]

Well, do you guys at least know where I could get free broken down gpu's so I could practice soldering them?

Where did you guys learn about how to solder solder electronics?

Please, I am new, so any links to tutorials would be very helpful

 

[USAFRet]

Where did I learn about soldering? about 45 years ago as a preteen, building a shortwave radio from a kit.

Soldering 101 - http://www.instructables.com/id/Soldering-101%3A-Lesson-1%3A-Tin-the-Tip/
or here: http://www.rctech.net/forum/radio-electronics/336870-how-solder-correctly-not-so-brief-lesson.html
or here: http://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/basic-soldering-lessons-from-pace/


google for 'soldering lesson'

As far as broken parts? It does not have to be a "GPU". Any broken piece of electronics would work.
Where? Depends on where you are. In the US....Goodwill, Salvation Army, in the trash....

 

[getochkn]

Try soldering big things like leds and stuff. Thinking you are going to just replace some parts on a gpu with a solder iron isn't going to happen. Soldering takes years to master especially micro soldering. Fixing things like bad soldering on a gpu you need a bga rework station and hot air and other tools and a good soldering iron. I spent about $3000 total for reworking and recalling chips.