Is it my GPU?

[gemyou]

Hi i'm new here just seeking some advice. Today my laptop decided to crap out on me (toshiba l550)

Symptoms are: Will turn on but screen stays blank, no bios/post no nothing.
It will attempt to read a disc when i put one in, and when it first turns on i can hear the fan spin round for a second.

This morning i removed the battery and power plug and held power button down for 60 seconds and it worked but then i had to turn the laptop off and when i came back later to turn it on again it was back to staying blank and the previous method didn't work.

I've also connected it to external monitor to rule out the screen being dead.

So with everything i've read online today i'm thinking it's gpu related and a reflow of the gpu should work. If it is can someone points me to a guide for doing it.
I've not a newbie to reflowing i've done xbox reflow's before using a heat gun, griddle and i have two thermalcouple probes. But i imagine a laptop reflow is different to an xbox one.

Thanks in advance

 

[geekapproved]

Power supply?

 

[Rockdpm]

Welcome to the forums. First let me just say, its not the fan you hear i don't believe, i think its the Disk reader in the Optical drive you put the CD in. Now down to your problem. I can't find a good product page of your laptop so i am unsure what GPU is in your laptop.

 

[gemyou]

Geekaprroved - sorry meant power plug/cable

Rockdpm - It definitely was the fan a disc wasn't in the drive at the time and the noise was from the side that the fan's on - Since it was the fan and power lights come on does that mean it's definitely not a dead mother ?

Also here's the page for my laptop with all specs http/uk.computers.toshiba-europe.com/innovation/jsp/SUPPORTSECTION/discontinuedProductPage.do?service=UK&toshibaShop=false&com.broadvision.session.new=Yes&PRODUCT_ID=1076691

Thanks

 

[aicom]

I would absolutely not recommend going in with a heat gun to "fix" things. You risk causing serious heat damage to the densely packed components on the motherboard. Not only that, but I highly doubt it would actually fix your problem. If it is a heat issue, you'll need to remove the heat sink assembly, reapply some new thermal paste, then reattach the heat sink. Also definitely check your fan intakes and heat sinks for dust clogging them.

 

[gemyou]

I would absolutely not recommend going in with a heat gun to "fix" things. You risk causing serious heat damage to the densely packed components on the motherboard. Not only that, but I highly doubt it would actually fix your problem. If it is a heat issue, you'll need to remove the heat sink assembly, reapply some new thermal paste, then reattach the heat sink. Also definitely check your fan intakes and heat sinks for dust clogging them.

Well it's either try and repair it or buy a new one so might as well give it a go. I will insulate the board properly and i have kapton tape to cover plastic parts etc ... A few months ago i took apart the laptop and renewed thermal paste and cleared fans ... can't remember if i put new thermal paste on gpu though think i only done cpu.

 

[aicom]

Replacing thermal paste is not something you just do when you're cleaning out fans. It's a serious bit of work that you should only do if there's a problem, especially if you're not familiar with it. For all we know that could be the real cause. Your GPU could have been overheating ever since that until it finally failed.

 

[gemyou]

Do you think the gpu could be a goner ? I'll crack it open tomorrow and do thermal paste on gpu - what are chances that could solve it ? what are the signs of a gpu over heating ?

 

[smorizio]

first off do you know someone or can go someone that they can check the voltage output of the ac adaptore?? I seen a lot of people that say there laptop is dead. come to find out they had a bad ac adaptor. also check that the power pin not broken on the laptop and that the ac adaptor rubber spacers are fine.

 

[gemyou]

It powers on and lights come on it just doesn't show anything on the screen. I've google it loads today and everything is pointing towards gpu.