Gaming Reflow or reball laptop GPU chip?

[Harsky]

I gave a TX1000 laptop to my friend last year. Unfortunately it fell victim to the overheating GPU problem and it refuses to display anything on screen. He's giving it back to me but since this is a repair that's WAY beyond what I can do, I'm sending it off to a repair service. Two services are offering different services where one says they can reball while the other reflows. Is there difference between the two services?

Also, I know this laptop was part of a massive recall due to a lawsuit but since I'm located in the UK, and the laptop was bought overseas, I can't qualify for a replacement.

 

[Originality]

First, is the laptop a HP laptop?

Second, I've recently heard that reballing is better than reflowing (in the PS3 forum), although I don't really know the difference between them. They're both basically methods of resoldering the chip.

Also, if I'm right and it's a HP Pavillion tx1000, Wiki says the following:

Within a few months of release of the tx1000 series, numerous technical failures were reported on internet blogs, review sites and HP's own support websites. These problems included webcam, audio, speaker, BIOS, power management, overheating, booting, and wireless adapter problems. Although some of these problems were addressed in a timely manner with driver updates, other users were still left having to turn the notebook on and off repeatedly, until it booted up and some were left with a non-working "bricked" unit. HP released an updated model, the HP Pavilion tx2, which in turn was followed by the HP TouchSmart tm2, HP never issued a recall for its tx1 model.

EDIT: I have a HP Pavillion tx2550ea. It's got overheating and WiFi issues too, although clever tweaking of the OS does wonders to keep the temperatures down.

 

[Harsky]

First, is the laptop a HP laptop?

Second, I've recently heard that reballing is better than reflowing (in the PS3 forum), although I don't really know the difference between them. They're both basically methods of resoldering the chip.

Also, if I'm right and it's a HP Pavillion tx1000, Wiki says the following:

Within a few months of release of the tx1000 series, numerous technical failures were reported on internet blogs, review sites and HP's own support websites. These problems included webcam, audio, speaker, BIOS, power management, overheating, booting, and wireless adapter problems. Although some of these problems were addressed in a timely manner with driver updates, other users were still left having to turn the notebook on and off repeatedly, until it booted up and some were left with a non-working "bricked" unit. HP released an updated model, the HP Pavilion tx2, which in turn was followed by the HP TouchSmart tm2, HP never issued a recall for its tx1 model.

Ah. My mistake then.

 

[Armadillo]

Reball= GPU is lifted from the board and the old solder balls are removed and replaced with new ones. You can see plenty of examples of reballing on youtube if you search for xbox 360 reball.

Reflow= GPU is simply reflowed. Left on the board and heated to get the solder under to reflow, repairing any cracks or similar in the joints.

 

[raulpica]

Obviously, with reflowing the problem might just arise again.

If you reball instead, and use good quality solder balls, you should be fine.

 

[FAST6191]

The reballing* vs reflowing has already been taken care of but if you are so inclined and I agree the overseas bit might trouble things but for future reference there is a part of the sale of goods act that says something must last a given amount of time (nonspecific) and on laptops you can usually call about 6 years- I have done it quite often for business machines.


*it takes some gear to do properly (assuming IR machines and everything else- there are hand methods though) so if you have a UK shop capable of doing it then do share.

 

[westend]

The reballing* vs reflowing has already been taken care of but if you are so inclined and I agree the overseas bit might trouble things but for future reference there is a part of the sale of goods act that says something must last a given amount of time (nonspecific) and on laptops you can usually call about 6 years- I have done it quite often for business machines.


*it takes some gear to do properly (assuming IR machines and everything else- there are hand methods though) so if you have a UK shop capable of doing it then do share.

I reballed my Laptop (DV9000) at PCRC Nottingham for £80. www.pcrc.co.uk