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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June 3rd, 2010 at 4:51 am
BTW: On the video driver chip, I found a nice packing of dust/lint against the side facing the fan when I removed the fan/heat-sink assembly. The packing was 3/16 thick on the fan side and wrapped around the lower side. It was quite dense.
The fan shroud on my V6305 has a slot in it that faces towards the chip/heat-sink. Dust had been blowing through this slot and collecting on the chip. I sure this contributed to the overheating.
The video chip is between the processor and the fan along the brass heat-sink strap. I’m sure the heat from the uP is affecting the video chip too. (Poor HP design? Not sure how I would cool it though.
)
Bruce
June 3rd, 2010 at 12:42 am
Oh my gosh! I did not expect the “kitchen oven re-flower” to adequately heat the board.
IT WORKED! And I am using it to write this comment!
My laptop missed the enhanced warranty period by 35 days. HP offered to replace the motherboard for $250. Ouch! Needless to say, I found you.
Thank you for an excellent source of troubleshooting directions, ideas and pictures. Paypal it is…
Regards,
Bruce
May 28th, 2010 at 11:45 am
hi
i run a small console/laptop repair company in the uk
i get these hp pavilion dv series in al the time with the same problem the gpu the only good fix is to strip down the laptop and reflow it i have a reflow oven and have a 98% succes rate on these laptops using a normal oven can dammage your motherboard if chips get a amount of heath for a to long time you damage the chip(s)
May 21st, 2010 at 7:06 pm
Thanks to the author and all those people in the discuss.
I tried both oven and hair dryer.
It comes alive!!!
I suppose it’s because of the oven.
It is compaq F500.
I will report later.
May 20th, 2010 at 10:43 am
Thanks man, this totally worked on my gf’s broken gateway w430ua. She had a blank screen, all that lit up when powered on was power light and cd light flashed couple times. I thought it was hopeless to try, but it definatelly worked.
May 15th, 2010 at 7:53 am
Thanks for this detailed guide helped me out on this one.
May 13th, 2010 at 2:10 am
I have been measuring the AC adapter with analog multitester, there indicate approximately 21vdc while behind the laptop shows 19vdc. is it normal?
Besides the AC adapter, what I should check next ..?
thanks Cj
May 12th, 2010 at 7:18 pm
Angga,
Can you test the AC adapter and make sure it outputs correct voltage? Could be just a bad adapter.
May 12th, 2010 at 7:14 pm
Hi, Cj2600
I have a laptop HP 520, when I plug it into the adapter, the laptop only shows the orange LED and then die forever. when i unplug my adapter and plug it again, results were also similar. I try to turn on the laptop on the power button has no power at all. actually what happened with my laptop. What have the faulty component on the mainboard or something? and how to check them.
thank for your attention
May 7th, 2010 at 9:59 pm
Hello this worked on my HP Pavillion dv6000 also. I got this computer from customer whom said that it is broken. There was a problem that when computer got warm, I mean after 15 seconds, the video failed. After baking motherboard the video is working for now. I’ll report later if the motherboard fails in couple days.
My failure on baking was that i put screws on wrong positions. My opinion is to use more screws because my motherboard bended a little. Also I backed it on normal oven so temperature is not so accurate. As a result of that SD card reader on bottom side of motherboard popped off but it is easy to but it back again. I’m not sure if it popped off before removing motherboard from oven. Maybe motherboard should cool longer time in oven but I decided to remove it because motherboard was bending. Temperature which I used was a 200 celsius, cooled 20 minutes outside (I checked temperature of motherboard before putting it back on pc).
I recommend this as last option.