A31 with GPU issue. Options?

[TheForgottenKing]

I have an A31 that displays the classic "garbled/blank screen" issue at boot. What are my options to repair this? I plan to try to resolder the board.

[ajkula66]

I have an A31 that displays the classic "garbled/blank screen" issue at boot. What are my options to repair this? I plan to try to resolder the board.

You may buy some time by heating it up, but a replacement board is the only real cure and these are very difficult to find nowadays.

[TheForgottenKing]

One being bidded on eBay for cheap, guess that's my option

[ajkula66]

One being bidded on eBay for cheap, guess that's my option

Good luck.

[kfzhu1229]

One being bidded on eBay for cheap, guess that's my option

After you have already got your replacement, you can try the heat gun method and see if you can reflow the solder by heat gun (since you have nothing to lose anyways), and you can also stick thermal pads on top of the GPU die so that the GPU heat can touch the heatsink, reduce shock and prolong the lifespan of the GPU.

[TheForgottenKing]

One being bidded on eBay for cheap, guess that's my option

After you have already got your replacement, you can try the heat gun method and see if you can reflow the solder by heat gun (since you have nothing to lose anyways), and you can also stick thermal pads on top of the GPU die so that the GPU heat can touch the heatsink, reduce shock and prolong the lifespan of the GPU.

Planning on doing that tomorrow.

[Thinkpad4by3]

If you can find someone with a reflow oven, I'd recommend doing that before heatgunning it.

[ajkula66]

If you can find someone with a reflow oven, I'd recommend doing that before heatgunning it.

It doesn't really make a difference in this case. The only proper way of doing it is re-balling, and hardly anyone is offering that type of service for ThinkPads nowadays.

[Thinkpad4by3]

If you can find someone with a reflow oven, I'd recommend doing that before heatgunning it.

It doesn't really make a difference in this case. The only proper way of doing it is re-balling, and hardly anyone is offering that type of service for ThinkPads nowadays.

I know someone(not personally) who is in NYC who does Mac repair but is also a TP fan so if I asked enough and gave him what he charged for it I'm pretty sure he would do the reballing for it.

[TheForgottenKing]

It doesn't really make a difference in this case. The only proper way of doing it is re-balling, and hardly anyone is offering that type of service for ThinkPads nowadays.

I know someone(not personally) who is in NYC who does Mac repair but is also a TP fan so if I asked enough and gave him what he charged for it I'm pretty sure he would do the reballing for it.

Would that be Louis Rossman?

[Thinkpad4by3]

I know someone(not personally) who is in NYC who does Mac repair but is also a TP fan so if I asked enough and gave him what he charged for it I'm pretty sure he would do the reballing for it.

Would that be Louis Rossman?

Yep. I could see him doing a one off reball if I asked him..
Right?