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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October 7th, 2010 at 2:58 pm
hey..i have a pavillion dv9500 that when i power up the blue lights come on for 3-5 seconds and then go out..i do not hear any noises from system like it is running.how do you do the towel/bubble wrap treatment if it will not turn on to generate heat?? thanks, clyde
October 6th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
I just tried same method on another HP Pavilion dv6000 laptop. After one hour in bubble wrap the laptop started with video.
October 6th, 2010 at 10:36 am
Walliot,
I cannot believe it but looks like it worked!!!!!
I didn’t have paper towels at work so I wrapped the laptop (HP Pavilion tx1000 tablet PC) with bubble wrap.
Just in case removed the hard drive and battery.
After the laptop was sealed, I turned it on and let it run for about 1.5 hours. Almost forgot about it.
Before I went home, I turned it off. Touched the bottom and it didn’t feel that hot.
Next morning I unwrapped the laptop AND…. it started booting!!!!
Unbelievable. I’ll make some photos tonight and upload it on the website.
I guess, I’ll try this trick with another failed laptop.
October 5th, 2010 at 4:08 pm
Walliot,
Thank you for comment. I think I might try this trick. I have an HP Pavilion tx1000 tablet with supposedly bad NVIDIA graphics laying around.
I’ll try your fix on my laptop.
October 5th, 2010 at 3:41 pm
WRAP IT IN A TOWEL!!! You won’t need to disassemble the whole laptop… lets face it, most of us aren’t teck savvy…
Hello.. I just want to share my experience with all of you. I read somewhere that wrapping an xbox in towels fixes the rrod (red ring of death)… a video card failure just as explained here. Well, my HP dv6000 had the same problem. No video and would not boot, just kept flashing the led’s on top of the keyboard with black screen. I took out the hard drive and batttery, turned it on and wrapped it with towels so air would not enter the vents. I left it like that for an hour or so. Then I went back and pressed the power button until it turned completely off. The laptop was very hot. I didnt move it at all until it was cool again thinking that if there was molten solder inside, I might damage a connecton moving it. Well to my amazement, the computer booted up and WORKED without any problems.
Conclusion: Wrapping your computer in a towel will generate enough heat to reflow and fix the solder joints of a video card. Just remember to remove the battery and hard drive to avoid any heat damage to it.
September 22nd, 2010 at 8:43 pm
There are some videos on youtube explaining how to fix it with a heatgun.
September 16th, 2010 at 9:38 am
How cool is this
September 14th, 2010 at 12:31 pm
Charl,
I did this repair a few month ago and still walking. It was a fun project and I’m just sharing my experience.
By the way, soldering at home (without proper ventilation) is not good too.
Anyways, thank you for the note.
Just in case, I placed a warning right at the beginning of this post so people can think before doing that.
Thanks again.
September 14th, 2010 at 11:08 am
you gone a die few months after this, it’s extremely toxic, i prefer pay for that
September 14th, 2010 at 4:20 am
I have done the baking trick twice and after a few weeks of use it dies again. It is a short fix. If there is a better one please let me know, thanks
jose