Bake that Mother

[Harmsway!]

My laptop died last week. I could not get it to turn on. Never even enter the boot cycle. It would go into a three second loop, on, off, on, off.... After trying everything else I was ready to try anything. Searching the forums for any last hope I came across some voodoo magic that seem to be working for dozens if not hundreds of others. Bake the board. That's right they take there mother board out and put it in the oven for 8 minutes at 375 F. The very thing that probability kill my laptop would now save it. Only I didn't want my next frozen pizza to taste like toxic lead. So I decided to use a heat gun instead. I am now typing this post on my laptop. If you have a dead computer laying around give it a try. Hope it last.

[TarJak]

My laptop died last week. I could not get it to turn on. Never even enter the boot cycle. It would go into a three second loop, on, off, on, off.... After trying everything else I was ready to try anything. Searching the forums for any last hope I came across some voodoo magic that seem to be working for dozens if not hundreds of others. Bake the board. That's right they take there mother board out and put it in the oven for 8 minutes at 375 F. The very thing that probability kill my laptop would now save it. Only I didn't want my next frozen pizza to taste like toxic lead. So I decided to use a heat gun instead. I am now typing this post on my laptop. If you have a dead computer laying around give it a try. Hope it last.
WTF!:o Certainly a counter-intuative solution. Glad it worked for you mate.

[Platapus]

What do any of the techies here have to say about the "healing" powers of heat on a motherboard?

I am wondering what the baking actually does

[TarJak]

What do any of the techies here have to say about the "healing" powers of heat on a motherboard?

I am wondering what the baking actually does
To be honest it depends on what's wrong with the board. If you have a solder that has an air gap, then baking may melt and reset the solder. Other than that I can't see what it would do for you. I'd have thought that it might also cause problems with plastic fittings which are not high temp resistant.

If it was due to a liquid spill then I'd reccommend a low temp ~80-100degC baking would help dry it out. but again you need to be careful with plastics.

[FIREWALL]

:har: I have a $2200.00 HP LT and the last thing I'm gonna do is put it in the goddamn oven. :har:

[Aramike]

That is awesome, brother! I'll have to keep this in mind. I love odd remedies.

[TarJak]

:har: I have a $2200.00 HP LT and the last thing I'm gonna do is put it in the goddamn oven. :har:
It would have to be a last resort.:haha:

[Rockstar]

I've read after the first 3 months of operation to submerge the motherboard in methyl ethyl keytone, dry, then bake in oven @375 degrees f. Then every 6 months thereafter. I've done several times with acetone and a propane torch and haven't had problems.

A proven method I recommend to everyone.

[Platapus]

acetone and a propane torch? :o

[Harmsway!]

acetone and a propane torch? :o

Brake out the marshmallows.

As it turns out many laptops have this problem of hairline cracks developing in the solder. Maybe do to being mobile during the heating-cooling time. If you can get the solder to melt just enough to reconnect you may save a dead board. The same sort of thing happens with graphics cards. People who have artifacts in there graphics have bake them as well.

Do a Google search on the subject you'll be amazed. Yesterday I was skeptical but with nothing to lose. Today I'm a believer. However for some it was only a temporary fix. I'll have to wait and see.

[FIREWALL]

Here ya go :har: http://www.google.com/images?rlz=1T4ADRA_enUS336US357&q=melted+laptop+pics&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=bF62TJ-TFsLsnQeElPmADQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CB8QsAQwAA

[Betonov]

mmmmmm, acetone, snif snif....

crazy s*** baking a motherboard, but it makes sense with the solder.
Now I know how my grandmother keeps fixing that damn annoying radio I always sabotage, she puts it in the oven. Also explains the foul taste of potatoes

[Herr-Berbunch]

There was a feature on BBC's Watchdog program about Xbox 360 faults being cured by baking the boards, but it had to be done right.

Anyway, that's the last advice I take from this forum...

http://www.servprosmc.com/images/melted_computer.jpg

:rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2:

[Jimbuna]

Here ya go :har: http://www.google.com/images?rlz=1T4ADRA_enUS336US357&q=melted+laptop+pics&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=bF62TJ-TFsLsnQeElPmADQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CB8QsAQwAA

They obviously set it to the wrong temperature...376 degrees f :DL

[Herr-Berbunch]

And there was me thinking USB drives were 'hot-swappable'! :har:

[Betonov]

http://images.quickblogcast.com/72745-63839/070530_1.jpg

now a keyboard (working) looking like this would be an instant hit

[Oberon]

I wonder if putting it in the toaster would have the same effect... :hmmm:

Or there's this:

http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/directron/ces03cs03.jpg

http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/directron/ces03cs01.jpg

[SteamWake]

The most likely possibility of recovering a circuit by 'baking' is the changing of the values of components espically electrolytic capacitors.

You probably get the same results by letting them sit out in the sun for a while.

Trust me you arent melting any solder :03:

I have restored old radios by removing certain components, removing the faceplates and knobs and running them in a dishwasher :88)

A thorough drying in the sun for a day or two is in order.

[Betonov]

Oberon, there's an idea

[krashkart]

http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/directron/ces03cs03.jpg


I thought the idea was to keep the darn thing cooler... :hmmm::O:





Second pic is sheer awesomeness. :yep:

[FIREWALL]

Solder doesn't even get soft until 400F. Lead free solder in Europe even hotter.

Go ahead and put it in the oven. I'll laugh as hard as the guy who posted that on the internet and sat back. :haha:

[SteamWake]

Solder doesn't even get soft until 400F. Lead free solder in Europe even hotter.

Go ahead and put it in the oven. I'll laugh as hard as the guy who posted that on the internet and sat back. :haha:

Not its actually an old trick not a joke. But I dont recommend it unless you have nothing to loose. Often the 'fault' is cured simply by removing and re-assembling things and the oven thing had little to do with it.

Just so you know nearly all solder is lead free now commonly using copper and tin. Solder containing lead is extremly hard to find.

[frau kaleun]

Often the 'fault' is cured simply by removing and re-assembling things


:yep:

I have "fixed" many things simply by taking them apart to see if I can figure out what's wrong and, finding nothing obviously broken/disconnected/etc., putting them back together again. I think sometimes the technology just wants a little attention. It also helps to let it know you don't fear it and have no qualms about digging into its guts if it misbehaves. :O:

This is why whenever I buy a new computer, I set it up and get it running and then disassemble/cannibalize/trash the components of old rig right in front of it. Just so it knows what happens to machines I don't like any more. :D

[nikimcbee]

:har: I have a $2200.00 HP LT and the last thing I'm gonna do is put it in the goddamn oven. :har:

Chicken:haha:

[Herr-Berbunch]

:yep:

I have "fixed" many things simply by taking them apart to see if I can figure out what's wrong and, finding nothing obviously broken/disconnected/etc., putting them back together again. :O:


I'm just the opposite, many things I've broken by taking them apart to see if I can figure out how it works! :hmmm:

Oh, what's this screw left over - meh, can't be important! :nope:

[Jimbuna]

Chicken:haha:

Chicken?

20 minutes per pound plus a final 20 for finishing it off :DL