preventing GPU BGA issue

[RealBlackStuff]

Welcome to the forum.
I've seen that epoxy in different colors, red being the least problematic.
There's black/green and orange, as well as the meanest of them all: clear epoxy.
Check out my website www.theboardroom.info, as well as my partner's website www.reflowrepairs.co.uk, who does the actual reballing.
I'd be interested to exchange experiences.
Please PM me with an email address, thanx.

[poshgeordie]

Welcome!
Like RBS I'm interested in what you say, though I haven't found the same correlation re epoxy vs failures.
The epoxy dots seemed to come along at the same time that lead-free solder balls had to be used (ROHS Directive July 2006), and as I see it, the epoxy achieved absolutely nothing in terms of chip stability /prevention of micro oxidisation of the lead free balls which I believe causes most solder ball joint failures.

With the exception of the clear epoxy the other coloured dots are as you say very easy to remove - the orange ones can be a bit tough and I think may be a similar to clear epoxy in a coloured form.
If you check through this forum archives I've corresponded a lot with Chemists and other technical members on the way to remove this filthy stuff and despite some quite obnoxious solvents / heat etc, nothing seems to touch it.
In fact for a while on T42 / 43 models I used to grind off the Southbridge chips and renew the chip - a long process with potentially carcenogenic substances flying around!

I'm very friendly with RBS and maybe if you're PM'ing with him you'd like to include me in that - let me know RBS if not OK.

I'm quite keen to pass on what I've tried in the past to save you some work and also to hear of any ideas you have especially with clear epoxy.

You may also be interested in my latest YouTube video on the Reflow Repairs site which shows how we reball from beginning to end.