How to fix GPU overheating: laptop, PC

It can be very dangerous if your laptop or computer regularly faces the problem of overheating. This needs to be tackled immediately as it can compromise your safety. Some laptops and computers are more affected than others when powering on and off regularly. This article will explain how you can help stop your computer from overheating.

What causes GPU overheating?

One of the most frequent reasons for overheating issues is related to a faulty chip on the graphics card. Airflow of the graphics chip can solve this crisis, but this process involves an expert procedure that needs to be done with the utmost care.

What are the signs that GPU is overheating?

Several symptoms could indicate a problem with your graphics card:

• The machine randomly powers itself on or off
• Problems displaying video
• The power strips light up, beep, and the computer shuts down
• Loss of power
• Intermittent loss of wireless signal
• The touchpad becomes slow or unresponsive

How to reflow the graphics card?

These issues can be fixed by reflowing the graphics chip.

• Disconnect the power of the machine and take it apart
• Remove the RAM
• Remove the CPU
• Remove the heat-sink and fan
• Insulate the motherboard:
  • Protect the CPU and RAM areas
  • Cover any plastic plug ports
  • Leave 1/4 inch area around the edge of the chip free of insulation.
  • You can use folded over the tin foil to insulate the motherboard
• Once your motherboard is insulated, make sure there is nothing flammable nearby
• You will also need some coins to place on top of the graphics chip - a stack of 10 should do. This ensures the heat transfer is slower and more even and applies the necessary pressure on top of the chip to press it down.

How to remove the red epoxy?

It is worth noting that sometimes computers have red epoxy around the edge of the chip to secure it. If there is a lot of it, you may need to use a razor to scrape off some of the epoxy. Be careful doing this as you can easily damage valuable computer components.

How to heat the chip?

For the next process step, you will require a heat gun.

• Hold the heat gun at a 45-degree angle, about six inches from the top of the stack of coins
• Aim at the edge of the chip
• As you heat the chip, rotate around the edge of it, gradually tightening the circle and closing in on the center.
  • As you do this, move the gun gradually closer to the chip, but never closer to the top of the stack of coins.

Repeat this step several times

• It takes a lot of heat to reattach the chip to the motherboard in this way
• The process should take around three minutes in total
  • Be careful not to overheat the chip, as this will cause permanent damage
  • It is better to underheat it and have to redo the procedure than cause irreparable damage
• Leave the stack of coins on top of the chip for another five minutes after switching off the heat gun
• Remove the coins
  • Be careful: they may still be hot
• Remove the insulation you installed and reassemble the machine
• Test it out to see if the procedure has worked