Here’s how I fixed a Compaq Presario V6000 motherboard with “no video” issue. Not sure if this fix will last forever but it works and the laptop is back to life.
Also, this fix might work for the following HP/Compaq laptop motherboards: HP Pavilion dv2000/dv6000/dv9000, Compaq Presario V3000 and probably some other models.
WARNING!
This repair might be harmful for your health and baking motherboard in an oven could be a bad idea. It could be toxic. I don’t know if it is or not. I did this repair for myself, at my own risk. I’m just sharing my experience. If you decide to fix your motherboard the same way, please do it at your own risk.
Again, proceed at your own risk. Otherwise, close this page and take your laptop to the professional repair shop.
FIXING “NO VIDEO” ISSUE BY BAKING THE MOTHERBOARD.
Problem description: I had an abandoned Compaq Presario V6000 laptop. The laptop was turning on when I press on the power button but after a few seconds turning off by itself. There was no video on the laptop screen or external monitor. I tried another AC adapter, new memory modules but it didn’t help. I was pretty sure this is motherboard related failure.
Research: After I did some research on the Internet, I found that this is a known problem with Pavilion dv2000/dv6000/dv9000 and Presario V3000/V6000 motherboards and most likely related to the graphics chip failure. The graphics chip (aka GPU or video chip) is soldered to the motherboard. Apparently, there are bad solder joints between the graphics chip and motherboard. Overtime the graphics chip separates from the motherboard causing all kind of different video problems.
Possible solution: One guy suggested baking the failed motherboard in a conventional oven preheated to 385 degrees Fahrenheit for exactly 8 minutes. This process should reflow the graphics chip solder joints and give the motherboard a second life.
I had nothing to lose and decided to give it a try. Here’s how I did it step by step.
First of all, you’ll have to disassemble the laptop and remove the motherboard.
STEP 1.
Remove all peripheral components installed on the motherboard (memory, cooling module, CPU, etc…). Remove all protective films from the motherboard. The motherboard will be baking at a very high temperature and all that can burn has to be removed.
Tip: Make lots of pictures while stripping down the motherboard. They will help you to put all removed protective films back in proper locations.
STEP 2.
Here’s how the same side of the motherboard looks without protective plastic films.
You can see the problematic graphics chip, it’s on the right side from the CPU socket.
STEP 3.
Remove all protective plastic films from the other side of the motherboard. Disconnect the audio cable.
STEP 4.
The motherboard will be seating in the oven on the baking pan. In order to elevate the motherboard above the baking pan I’ll use a few screws.
STEP 5.
I installed screws in four corners of the motherboard. There are plenty holes for screws.
STEP 6.
You can see there is a 3/4 inch gap between the motherboard and desk surface. By the way, I positioned the motherboard so the graphics chip seats on the top.
STEP 7.
Place the motherboard on the baking pan. Make sure it’s not touching anything.
Preheat the conventional gas oven to 385 degrees Fahrenheit and place the motherboard in the middle of the oven for 8 minutes. You’ll smell some burning plastic in about 6 minutes. 
After that remove the baking pan with motherboard and let it cool down for about 30-40 minutes.
Install the motherboard back into the laptop, assemble the laptop back together and see if it works.
This fix worked for me! After I assembled the laptop, it started properly right away taking me to the BIOS setup menu. I didn’t have the hard drive, so I tested my laptop with a Knoppix live Linux CD. The laptop video works great!
RELATED POSTS:
In the next post I’ll show a much safer way to fix same problem using bubble wrap. Which requires no laptop disassembly.
Here’s another way to fix failed NVIDIA graphics card with a heat gun.
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November 28th, 2011 at 7:43 pm
I still can’t believe it but this actually worked. The oven is probably a better method than the last comment. Running it without proper air flow could damage other parts.
November 26th, 2011 at 6:19 pm
It worked! couldn’t believe it. nice job.. tried all of the possible cheap reflowing method but the oven method is the only one that worked.
November 24th, 2011 at 5:33 pm
@ Jason,
Fixed. Thanks.
November 23rd, 2011 at 11:27 pm
Please changing at the begaining of the page to baking a motherboard instead of “backing”, thanks good tut btw
, helped me out
November 20th, 2011 at 9:42 pm
@ Nestor,
First, I would try reseating both memory modules. It’s possible one of the modules has a bad contact with the memory slot.
If it doesn’t help, try removing memory modules one by one. Test the laptop with each memory module separately. It’s possible the laptop doesn’t start because one of the modules is bad.
November 19th, 2011 at 9:18 pm
i have this coputer presario v 6000, but my problem is with the power on all the unit. when i plug the charger on the laptop the blue light arround the plug is on but only in there when you press the on boton no light apear there or any sound like the fan or anything just the light on the charger area .
I relly appreciate any help
November 11th, 2011 at 3:48 am
I had a problem with my HP Touchsmart TX2 (and my TX before it). I tried the copper spacer trick and the heatlamp over the (NVIDIA) Northbridge chip of my TX several times but this didn’t work. Sold it on ebay for parts and bought a TX2 (yes I didn’t learn from the mistake that myself and thousands of other people have made).
Then I saw this post after the same thing happened with my TX2 a month after the warranty ended AAAARGH! Blinking caps lock and number lock lights, Blinking HP!
I stripped the motherboard of foam and the lithium battery only, then put the motherboard on three balls of aluminium foil (one of which was supporting the heatsink over the ATI Northbridge chip) on a flat tray and stuck it in the convection oven for 8 minutes preheated to 200 degrees Celcius. I then let the motherboard and oven cool with the door partially open for ten minutes then took the tray out to cool for another 15 minutes (the smell was not good, and the fan wires had melted). Otherwise the board looked fine.
I put the board in the computer and fired it up and WOW, crap in a bag and punch it… it worked!!!
Well, ok, it worked for 6 months of hard use then the black screen of death reappeared. I’ve just repeated the process again which takes about an hour and a half each time. I also take the opportunity to clean the dust the fan and heatsink.
If you’re considering selling a knackered HP laptop (that has the black screen of death) for parts I would have a go at the above. Remember to let the board cool slowly to avoid stressing the parts and soldered joints. What have you got to lose apart from an hour and a half of your time and a kitchen smelling of melted plastic?
)
October 27th, 2011 at 8:08 am
@ Graham,
I don’t think it’s possible.
October 27th, 2011 at 1:24 am
Well, same thing happened again, as someone earlier warned about. Re-did the oven job and it’s back to working …for now.
Just wondering, what’s a good tool for changing the GPU clock speed? Is this possible on a Presario F-series laptop? Would lowering the clock speed even lengthen the life of the ‘fix’, before the same thing happens again?
Any other fixes to improve cooling??
October 8th, 2011 at 6:17 am
Incredible! This worked on my Compaq Presario F500. Thanks a lot. I’d read about the design flaw with the nvidia chip overheating. Hopefully putting some thermal grease on it with make-shift heatsink (a coin) will prevent future problems!