Bake graphics card - how to repair your hardware
If you get image errors or a black screen despite the monitor being intact, bake your graphics card instead of discarding it. What sounds like a bad joke actually works. How exactly we explain to you in this practical tip.
Baking with a difference: graphics card revival
If individual tin conductor tracks on the circuit board of the graphics card are corroded, the material conducts poorly. Therefore, the picture may be disturbed or your graphics card may become unusable. If you heat the board in the oven, the material conducts again and your graphics card may be able to function again. Caution! This tip is only intended for professionals who have experience with hardware!
- The first step is to remove the cooler and all plastic parts from your graphics card. Also remove the thermal grease from the GPU and make sure you have enough thermal grease.
- Preheat your oven to approx. 120 ° C circulating air. Preheated, place your board on a baking sheet in the oven (see picture).
- Now leave your graphics card in the oven for 20-30 minutes. Optionally, you can also wrap the card in a layer of aluminum foil so that the heat is optimally distributed.
- When the time is up, take your board out of the oven very carefully and let it cool down for half an hour.
- Now rebuild the cooler and don't forget the thermal grease!
- Reconnect the graphics card to your computer and test whether it works.
- If not, repeat everything at 30 ° C more.
- Tip: Don't forget to clean the oven thoroughly afterwards. We'll show you how it's done.
Note: Test this practical tip only with a graphics card that is really defective. This can void the manufacturer's warranty. We accept no liability for any damage.
The same also works with defective USB sticks! Here we show you how it's done.