Oven Trick

wakadoo · 21 May 2018 at 15:50

Daughter has a lenovo ideacentre 27 (its an all in one come giant tablet)

it would not start and after checking the lenovo forums it seems lots of folk have had this problem, lights flash on the front and fans spin, thats all we got.

seems a new motherboard is where everyone ended up, so it was time to try the oven.

i put the motherboard on some standoffs and in a tray, got the oven to 200 and put it in for 12 mins, it now works a treat and we have punished it for 3 days now without a hitch.

so my question really is, have you done it and has anything you have done lasted any length of time.

thank you.

topgun06 · 21 May 2018 at 15:54

You put a PC into an oven? :eek:

Am I missing something?

TheMightyTen · 21 May 2018 at 15:55

Did it with 2 Xbox 360s back the RRoD days. They worked until the day I got rid of them (which wasn't the next day before somebody says

)

Chris Wilson · 21 May 2018 at 15:55

It just gives failing electrolytic caps a "dose of steroids" and (temporarily) rejuvenates them, I would imagine. Can't see it lasting.

PlacidCasual · 21 May 2018 at 15:56

Go on put us out of our misery, what is the rationale behind why this works?

wakadoo · 21 May 2018 at 15:57

PlacidCasual said:
Go on put us out of our misery, what is the rationale behind why this works?

i think it just reflows the solder to make contact again

Pho · 21 May 2018 at 15:58

I remember doing this with some old nVidia cards a few times, worked pretty well.

PlacidCasual said:
Go on put us out of our misery, what is the rationale behind why this works?

It heats up the solder and causes it to reflow to fix any dry / dodgy joints. It's basically using your home oven as a reflow oven.

NoNameNoNumber · 21 May 2018 at 15:58

Reflows the solder into any dry joints Thus making the connections again.

Kronos · 21 May 2018 at 15:58

Did it with a GPU many years ago, lasted another few years following the process and I have no real idea why.

NoNameNoNumber · 21 May 2018 at 15:59

Must type faster

wakadoo · 21 May 2018 at 15:59

topgun06 said:
You put a PC into an oven?

Am I missing something?

i took the motherboard out and put that in the oven lol,

wakadoo · 21 May 2018 at 16:01

Kronos said:
Did it with a GPU many years ago, lasted another few years following the process and I have no real idea why.

it cost £1200 so anther 2 years would be awesome, it will be far to slow in 2 years anyway so fingers crossed.

PlacidCasual · 21 May 2018 at 16:01

Thx for the answers, how accurate do you have to be with temperature? I can imagine a little too high and you shag the board.

wakadoo · 21 May 2018 at 16:04

PlacidCasual said:
Thx for the answers, how accurate do you have to be with temperature? I can imagine a little too high and you shag the board.

i put it with the components facing up hoping that would stop them falling off, i have been lucky i suppose but nothing to lose really.

the tablet has an hdmi in so if it does die the thing still works as a 27 inch monitor.

Chris Wilson · 21 May 2018 at 16:04

PlacidCasual said:
Thx for the answers, how accurate do you have to be with temperature? I can imagine a little too high and you shag the board.

YouTube has plenty of videos of using toaster ovens for reflow work, if reflowing actually occurred to effect a fix.

jsmoke · 21 May 2018 at 16:04

I worked as a PC tech for a couple of years and tried this a couple of times, it worked but didn't last long maybe a few days. I would bet yours will do the same, just depends though.

It's called reflowing. They actually use this method in the making of the motherboards although as you can imagine it's all clinically done.

topgun06 · 21 May 2018 at 16:07

Oh wow, never knew this was a thing!

peterwalkley · 21 May 2018 at 16:08

EDIT: too slow. Already answered above !

wakadoo · 21 May 2018 at 16:10

jsmoke said:
I worked as a PC tech for a couple of years and tried this a couple of times, it worked but didn't last long maybe a few days. I would bet yours will do the same, just depends though.

It's called reflowing. They actually use this method in the making of the motherboards although as you can imagine it's all clinically done.

to be honest it was a fun thing to do,

when i put it back together and it worked i was really overwhelmed, its a moment i will fondly remember for a long time.

Minusorange · 21 May 2018 at 16:13

I put my phone in the oven on about 100 degree for 30 minutes after giving it a good rinse when I drop it in the toilet, phone still works so the oven is a great medic for electrical parts