[antipesto93]

**I no longer update this thread, a Mod can clean it up/sort out the OP to make it a bit more formal if they like,

Ok, i got an 8800gtx of ebay, and it had artifacts all over the screen, like a chessboard
i reflashd the bios --- still nothing
then rememberd some cases of heat fixing xbox 360's and thourght of oven trick

i put it in the oven for around 5 mins AND NOW IT WORKS
i seriously thourght he was joking, but i got so angry because i couldnt fix the card, i just bunged it in the oven and it workeddd WOO IME SOO HAPPY AND FEEL LIKE I SHOULD TELL EVERYONE!!!
THANKS FOR ALL YOU HELP!!

( by the way if anyone is going to try it make sure u take all the heatsinks off first and make sure u use PREHEATED oven set to 385F ( gass mark 6) (solder melts around 364F) )
different people left it in there for different times, most people said 6-8 mins 14 is too much

wow ime so happy
****EDIT1****
GUIDE
1: remove heatsink and thermal paste
2: preheat oven to 385F to 400F( NO HIGHER!) ( gas mark 6)
3: lay foil over the oven rack
4: make 4 balls of foil, about 4cm high,
5L when the oven is heated to its corrent temperature, put the graphics card on the 4 balls, one on each corner )
6: leave for around 6-10 mins, NO MORE THAN 12 OR IT WILL MELT
7: ENOJOY!!!

****EDIT 2****
THIS FIX MAY NOT LAST FOREVER, SO PLEASE DO NOT PUT CARDS IN THE OVEN AND THEN SELL THEM its not nice!!


Testimonials:

RAVANELI: but desperate to get it back I tossed it in the oven too. MIRACLE!

haste 226: i was finally able to attempt this today and im amazed! it worked. wow...if i had only known when it died...

POLARYS425: Add one more 8800GTX to the success list. I just baked it for 12-15 minutes at 385F.

ME: Stuck it in the oven for 8 mins (exactly) AND NOW IT WORKS!!!!! aaaaaa im soo hapy

DANBROKE: Sweet lord! I just did it too my cellphone that wasnt working and Walla!! It work again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG! Great trick!!

might as well give it a shot. To my amazement it totally worked, card is now (apparently) all good with no video corruption or anything

zOZ: I threw it in the oven and it came out and also... now works

BADBONJI: he didn't believe me (I gave him some links of how people have done it) and now it works again, saves him from buying another gpu for a while!

WIKING: Thank you so much, this resurected my x800xl that didnt even POST

ANOTHERSMOKE: let cool new paste and wallah! been folding when not at computer for 3 weeks

PINKGOLD This is madness!! Yesturday I had an 8800gtx that wouldn't even let my comp start if it was connected! Today after 5 mins of light baking, I have a fully functioning gpu!!

Gods_oMekone: it works! booted into windows fine. going to install some games and make sure 3d works

AND ANOTHER 23 PAGES OF IT WROKING FOR PEOPLE http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1421792

anyone want to write a proper guide ?

remember to keep the card level in the oven
rememeber this is not allways permanent

[bchur83]

Damn, thats awesome. Similar to the Xbox RROD, Overheat it and it usually fixes the problem. I have heard of this trick before, but never tried it.

[Twigglish]

Where does everyone find these dead video cards?
I haven't seen a single one on ebay.

[antipesto93]

i was just lucky some dude was selling them in the UK ebay
ebay uk and .com are all out at the moment !

[{PGA}AfterShock]

how long is it suppose to be in the oven, I got 2 7950 gt cards collecting dust, 1 is dead and I'm going to kill the other card since they are worthless these days lol and it will be fun to try

[ChinStrap]

what did you set the oven for?!

[antipesto93]

well after realiseing it was nota bios problem ( as i flashed the bios)
the card looked in perfect working order
but apparently, the oven thing works, because it melts the solder joints,
( the tiny ones that the human eye cany see ) and then freezes them again
i did it at 385F ( gass mark 6/5.5) (solder melts around 364F) )
i kept it in there for around 5 mins ( i lost count )
but basically untill you eithert - smell solder melting - OR when you see that the larger solder joints have gone abit more shiny

i will get some pics up 2morrow of before and after

i still cant get over what happend!!!

[BobbyBubblehead]

antipesto93 #Laughs#
you lucky lucky lad!

well done on the bravery front #Chuckles#

im impressed

£20 GPU fixer upper... amazing, really was starting to think you were out of luck with that card.

[imposter]

subscribed for further questioning

[antipesto93]

dam i think my 600w psu cant take it! its making some freaky noise when i stress test
i hope it dosent blow up on me!

[downer]

Did you put the card directly on the rack or what?

[BobbyBubblehead]

hows about just running it for a while before you go stressing it.
wait out for any anomalies before you go thrashing the pants off everything

expect the psu has found new work to do, depends how loud and un-associated a noise were talking here?

[downer]

Are you sure it's the PSU making the noise? Sometimes it's the video card itself that can make a buzzing type of sound from the coils.

[jason4207]

Freakin' awesome!

So glad I could help!

I've never done it, but if I did I'd put the card in a Pyrex dish or similar. And instead of removing the card form the oven while hot, let it cool in the oven (you can open the door), so that none of the solder joints gets jostled about while melted.

Basically the solder joints can get brittle over time and develop micro-fractures. These can stop or weaken an electrical signal. Typically the tiny solder joints on the bottom of RAM chips are the earliest victims. The PCB has a bit of flex to it, but the chips do not, and that can exasperate the issue. So, the idea here is to melt all those tiny joints and let them re-harden into a like-new state.

I thought there might be an issue w/ some plastic melting on the board. Things like the PCIe 6-pin power plug, and fan header come to mind. But apparently it isn't as big of a deal as I thought.

It's probably a good idea to open some windows if you do this. The solder should be lead-free, but there may be other noxious fumes present.

[hokiealumnus]

Put the PSU in the oven!!



(kidding. )

[antipesto93]

i am pretty sure its the psu, i have uploaded a sound file
http://www.2shared.com/file/5857586/...itled__3_.html
( u need to put ur volume pretty high)
it kinda sounds like when you open a coke can just a tiny bit

[MonkeyMhz]

Wow,

You mentioned it fixed the microfractures. Im not 100% sure, but I beleive the failing Mobile Nvidia GPU's are caused from the same problem. My old laptop died because of it. Maybe I should put my laptop in the oven. lol. Or just take out the mobo and stuff and give that a go. lol. I probably won't though, but I wonder.

Lol watch this catch on and have pizzareas doing computer repairs. Just slide it in the oven! Free medium and large pizza with every repair.

[Neuromancer]

Originally Posted by antipesto93

Ok , i got an 8800gtx of ebay, and it had artifacts all over the screen, like a chessboard
i reflashd the bios --- still nothing
then 'Jason4207' recomended the oven trick, i guessed this meant putting your graphics card into the oven

i put it in the oven for around 5 mins
AND NOW IT WORKS
i seriously thourght he was joking, but i got so angry because i couldnt fix the card, i just bunged it in the oven and it workeddd WOO IME SOO HAPPY AND FEEL LIKE I SHOULD TELL EVERYONE!!!
THANKS FOR ALL YOU HELP!!

( by the way if anyone is going to try it make sure u take all the heatsinks off first and make sure u use aPREHEATED oven set to 385F ( gass mark 6) (solder melts around 364F) )

wow ime so happy - i got an 8800gtx for 20 pounds!!!!!

Wow some wierd fluke that you got a leaded solder card. Solder for the last ~5 years is ROHS compliant and you would probably melt the PCB before the solder is well over 400F and we had to turn our pots from 600 to 800F to keep it fluid.

[Hardin]

I'm not comfortable with putting anything in the oven that isn't edible.

[jediobi1]

Originally Posted by Neur0mancer

Wow some wierd fluke that you got a leaded solder card. Solder for the last ~5 years is ROHS compliant and you would probably melt the PCB before the solder is well over 400F and we had to turn our pots from 600 to 800F to keep it fluid.

i bought some solder recently thinking it was lead free but guess what it wasnt, and the store i got it from didnt have any without lead