Motherboard dead after 2 years - what to do with my laptop?

S

Stressed

Silver Level Poster
Hi All,

So my motherboard is now pretty much dead. Apparently it transmits too much energy to the CPU and/or GPU making them overheat and shut down in about 30 seconds of starting the pc. This laptop is out of warranty from PCSpecialist now.

My question is.. what can I do now? The CPU and GPU are soldered on from my knowledge.. I have a gtx 970m and an i7 on it.
Been to a repair shop here in the Netherlands but they couldn't help me other than telling me what is wrong.

Any advice is welcomed!
Cheers
 
ubuysa

ubuysa

The BSOD Doctor
The motherboard will not be transmitting heat to the CPU/GPU, rather it will be the other way around! It's the CPU and GPU that generate most of the heat. Your problems could be that they need a repaste and/or the laptops needs a good clean inside. How has the laptop been used? Has it been on firm flat surface (like a desk) with lots of space around it, or has it been used on a soft surface (like a bed) with little space around it?
 
S

Stressed

Silver Level Poster
I repasted the components thinking it needed that, but that was not the issue. I took care of my laptop and have been cleaning it regurarely. It's been mostly used on clear surface and I paid attention to when the temps were too high.

The repair shop I went to told me that the voltage (thanks Oussebon) is too high for some reason, so cpu and gpu overheats.
My PC broke after having to shut it down because a videogame was stuck and the PC was unresponsive for long. After that each time I turn it on, it boots for 30 seconds time in which fans run full speed and sometimes there are loud beeping sounds after which it turns itself off.

The clear thing is that the motherboard is faulty, but if I replace it - is there a way to salvage the soldered on cpu and gpu?
 
ubuysa

ubuysa

The BSOD Doctor
I'm a naturally suspicious person who rarely accepts anything at face value, but I wouldn't take the repair shop's diagnosis as gospel. If you've done a repaste in the past are you certain you did a good job? A poor repaste will very quickly overheat both the CPU and the GPU. It might be worth pulling the heatsinks off again and talking a good look at the paste residue. If you see any holes (bubbles) then they will likely be your overheating problem.

However, it's not impossible that the motherboard has failed, in which case a repair of the laptop wouldn't make economic sense. And why would you want to salvage the CPU and GPU? You know they have been subject to overheating so probably have a considerably shortened lifespan and in any case they are already two years old.
 
S

Stressed

Silver Level Poster
I have not re-pasted the original PCspecialist pasting in the past 2 years because the computer has always done so well temperature wise, and normal dust and fan cleaning did just fine for maintenance.

After it stopped working I did a repaste thinking it would fix it. When I took out the heatsinks, the 2 years old paste was still pretty much gooey and uniform, but I still had a go at repasting it. Alas, the computer still overheats within seconds of starting up and shuts off.

I am a bit chuffed.. I paid quite a bit for this laptop and I absolutely loved it and how well it run my games. It also traveled with me while living in three different countries. Kinda soon to let it go considering that my last Toshiba entry level gaming laptop lasted me 5 years and was still working fine.
 
Oussebon

Oussebon

Multiverse Poster
In addition to the above, have you contacted PCS about the issue yet?

They may be able to help at least troubleshoot the issue and, if nothing else, confirm or disprove the diagnosis. They might also be able to provide a quote for a repair, so you can make a decision about how to proceed. The laptop may not be covered for parts, but the labour is still covered if it's within 3 years.
 
S

Stressed

Silver Level Poster
I just spoke to PCS and they said that it sounds as if the motherboard is faulty and because the CPU and GPU are soldered on - they cannot be saved. It would cost me GBP 617 to get a new one with my original components - which is a no go for me at this point.

However, they said that they are willing to send it back to the manufacturer - and if they can repair it, they will or send a replacement if the motherboard itself is still under warranty (different components have different warranties apparently). Chances are low but eh.. at this point I guess I am out of options.
 
ubuysa

ubuysa

The BSOD Doctor
Stressed said:
I just spoke to PCS and they said that it sounds as if the motherboard is faulty and because the CPU and GPU are soldered on - they cannot be saved. It would cost me GBP 617 to get a new one with my original components - which is a no go for me at this point.

However, they said that they are willing to send it back to the manufacturer - and if they can repair it, they will or send a replacement if the motherboard itself is still under warranty (different components have different warranties apparently). Chances are low but eh.. at this point I guess I am out of options.
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Well done! Fingers crossed for you then. :)
 
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