Aspire A515-55 Laptop Motherboard - Location of GPU

EFENIYANOS123
EFENIYANOS123 Member Posts: 5 New User
edited March 2022 in Aspire Laptops
Hello , I was looking to see if someone could tell me where the GPU is located on the motherboard of my Acer Aspire A515-55 (See image below) ? I had an issue where my screen went black despite turning on and was hoping to reflow the GPU with a heat gun. 
Thanks.

(Thread was edited to add model name to the title)




Answers

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,870 Trailblazer
    The Intel UHD GPU is integrated with the CPU as a single chip. You also seriously risk damaging the CPU with a reflow.

    Before doing any drastic reflows, did you first try to turn the screen on with the FN+F6 toggle key? Did you second test to see if HDMI out to a TV screen works?  Could be as simple as a $20 LCD video cable from wear and tear of opening/closing the lid too much.





    .

    Jack E/NJ

  • EFENIYANOS123
    EFENIYANOS123 Member Posts: 5 New User
    edited March 2022
    Thanks for replying Jack,
    I did attempt your first two options, I did try both (1) the fn+f6 option and (2) hooking up an external monitor to the laptop to see if the aforementioned video cable may have been damaged but it failed both of those tests sadly. 

    Despite those two tests failing, do you think it may still be a damaged video cord ? Or I suppose the second test would have ruled out that option.
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,870 Trailblazer
    The external monitor test --- which includes pressing the FN+F5 external monitor toggle key combo to try to turn the external screen on --- should still only suggest if the iGPU or the LCD video cable is at fault.

    However, there is also  a good possibility of BIOS firmware corruption if either (1) you tried to update the BIOS firmware or (2) you routinely/coasually accept Windows suggested optional update which can inlcude BIOS firmware. BIOS firmware corruption can knock out the video even though the iGPU hardware is still OK.

    Bottom line, solder reflow is absolutely the last thing you want to try before exhausting all other less-drastic remedies.

    Jack E/NJ

  • It could be a problem with the ram too. The problem is more serious if it is a problem with the onboard ram!

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  • EFENIYANOS123
    EFENIYANOS123 Member Posts: 5 New User
    Thanks for both the replies, I suppose I could go out and purchase a new video cable and test it, despite it failing the external monitor test. I haven't manually updated the BIOS, however it is possible that it had been corrupted via a windows automatic update, I did try to access the BIOS via a combination of pressing F2, F10, F12 during and/or after pressing the power button, yet was met still by a black screen. I'll have to look into how to repair a corrupt BIOS firmware. (Noted on the solder reflow as a last option - I've had the motherboard removed for 3 days and have been hesitant to literally cook it.)

    I did check to see if the RAM was dislodged due to chip creep already, and did readjust it to no success in removing the black screen, however I could take the RAM card from an old laptop that I have and check to see if the RAM card itself is broken. 
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,870 Trailblazer
    >>>I've had the motherboard removed for 3 days and have been hesitant to literally cook it.>>>

    Hesitate some more.  :)

    Did this happen suddenly for no apparent reason? Like you shut it down normally one night and the next day you turned it on to be greeted with a black screen?

    Jack E/NJ

  • EFENIYANOS123
    EFENIYANOS123 Member Posts: 5 New User
    Every now and then it had started to shut off randomly (perhaps due to overheating) over a period of a couple months and then one day I closed the lid on it and the next day when I tried to open it, I’ve been greeted to the black screen despite it turning on, fan running etc. 
    I was able to insert a ram card from a separate laptop and that did not do anything so it appears it is not a ram issue. 
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,870 Trailblazer
    >>>Every now and then it had started to shut off randomly (perhaps due to overheating) over a period of a couple months and then one day I closed the lid on it and the next day when I tried to open it,>>>

    How hot do you think the CPU got? Does this also mean when it failed that you closed the lid into sleep mode for a day?

    Jack E/NJ

  • Is your laptop still within the one-year warranty period?

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  • EFENIYANOS123
    EFENIYANOS123 Member Posts: 5 New User
    That is a good question, it’s my sisters laptop (usually meticulous in terms of laptop safety) but often times would keep a pillow underneath it which I’m assuming would trap the heat as the laptop isn’t well ventilated as it is.  I just asked her again what happened exactly, she says she thinks the last time she used it, she shut the cover (triggered sleep mode) and when she woke it the next day the screen remained black.  

    Sadly it is 6 months post warranty.
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,870 Trailblazer
    >>> often times would keep a pillow underneath it which I’m assuming would trap the heat >>>

    Aye! :o You probably assumed correctly. If  base cover vents shown below are on a pillow, the cpu/gpu temp will quickly rise to near 100°C and a breaker will cut power to the mainboard and fan. In the first second or so after the fan turns off, the CPU temp will likely continue rise by thermal inertia with no airflow at all inside the case and none from outside the case either. The same would happen by closing the lid in sleep mode only made worse since some of the circuits are still powered and producing heat that can't escape.

    The processors can't take this kind of thermal abuse too many times. The junctions inside the chip will eventually fail and most likely at a time when the laptop was idling on a pillow in sleep mode.

    So I guess at this point, trying a reflow can't make things any worse than they already appear to be. Even though the solder joints are probably OK. Sort of like trying a homeopathic repair. If heat made the CPU sick, more heat should cure it. Go for it.   :)  


      





    Jack E/NJ