Repairing a laptop motherboard at home. Do-it-yourself computer repair - practical advice

All equipment can fail during operation. True, not all computer owners can understand the cause of a certain electronic failure. If the problem is with the motherboard, it is quite possible to repair it yourself. Moreover, even beginners can do it.


As practice shows, only a small percentage of computers that arrive at service centers actually require a complex recovery process. As for the rest of the troubles, they are resolved fairly quickly. In this case, complex repair equipment and specialized computer knowledge are not used. The article will be useful for those who want to try to repair the motherboard with their own hands, saving money and time.

What is necessary?

To repair motherboards yourself, you need a certain amount of patience and a little basic knowledge. The main thing is not to be afraid. To begin with, you should remember that the computer is connected to an electrical outlet, so you should follow all the well-known safety precautions. The repair tools you will need are a regular and a Phillips screwdriver. You also need to use a multimeter. During the work you should be extremely careful and use maximum caution.

As you can see, the rules are quite simple. However, it is worth noting one more point that definitely needs to be paid attention to. Exposure to static voltage can damage computer system components. Thus, the body needs to “discharge.” To do this, simply touch the unpainted part of the battery or touch another grounded object. When performing repair work on a computer, it is advisable to periodically repeat the “unloading scenario”.

Typical motherboard failures Often failures are observed in system connectors:

— COM;
- PS/2;
- USB.

If a user regularly connects a mobile device designed to transfer data or uses other peripheral devices, it is possible that a frequently used port will quickly become unusable. Power outages also have a negative impact. Typically, the fuses and passive electronic components will burn out first. For example, capacitors. When one of the coolers fails, when the device is turned on, as a rule, temperature protection is triggered. Thus, it is not possible to turn on the computer. Occasionally, failures in the BIOS firmware are also possible. In this case, the computer is able to respond to the power-on command, but its “live” state is limited to this.

What to do if one of the connectors on the board does not work?

First you need to make sure that the connected device is working properly. It is quite possible that due to mechanical stress the integrity of the soldering itself has been compromised. You should carefully use a soldering iron in the places where the socket parts are attached. Replacing the port will require a lot of effort. This is often associated with an increased risk of damaging the strapping elements that are adjacent to the part being dismantled. If you are afraid to take on the matter yourself or do not even have general knowledge on this issue, it is better to contact a specialist. There are situations when a certain connector is inactive in the BIOS program settings. In this case, you will need to go into the base system and check if this is the case.

How to get rid of “deadly” messages?

When the computer begins to systematically "fall" into obscurity, and the screen displays only blue color with incomprehensible white text, it is necessary to pay attention to the critical components of the system. It is likely that the central processor regularly overheats due to an insufficiently functioning cooling system. Sometimes the RAM does not match the computer's configuration or is physically damaged. Also, the hard drive may have reached its operating limit or requires software intervention.

All this can lead to negative consequences that will entail complex repairs to the motherboard. Every user should know that the main enemy of computing devices is overheating. Thus, the cooling system must always be in good condition, and the fans must have sufficient power to ensure the optimal temperature conditions necessary for the stable operation of the system’s hardware components.

BIOS hints

There is no need to panic if your computer makes strange noises during startup. This is a signal to the user from the BIOS about a certain malfunction. Taking into account the variety of modifications, as well as the typical disconnection of computing devices, each manufacturer uses an individual signal circuit. Thus, it is impossible to say definitively what a short “peak” or a long “pee-ee” means. Decoding of audio messages is contained on the official website of the manufacturer of a particular device. The user must act in accordance with the received data. Don't forget about changing the battery on the board. True, some cases require flashing the BIOS chip, and this may require special equipment called a programmer.

What to do when the computer does not respond at all when turned on?

It is worth considering this example and finding out how to repair the motherboard yourself if a similar situation occurs. It should be noted that with this behavior, which is described below, you need a multimeter to diagnose the device. First, the computer turns on and the user checks that the LED on the motherboard is lit. When it is in the active state, it means that there is standby voltage on the main board.

If this indicator is not present, you will need to connect a power supply that is definitely working. If the result is zero, you need to turn off all attachments. Thus, the CPU cooling cooler is dismantled, as well as the CPU itself, memory sticks are removed from special slots, the hard drive, discrete video card, and network adapters are turned off. It is necessary to inspect the system board very carefully. It may be oxidized or physically damaged.

If swollen capacitors or other elements that have failed are identified, they will need to be replaced. It is carried out in accordance with the marking of faulty parts. As you can see, repairing motherboards yourself is not at all difficult. This is a fairly easy process that does not take much time. However, there are also some difficulties.

A modern way to diagnose a malfunction

With an active power supply, you should consistently and extremely carefully touch the network, audio and chipset microcircuits with your finger. When you feel that one of the parts is very overheated, you need to seek help from specialists at a service workshop. Some motherboards may run without a CPU installed. Thus, it is possible to measure the voltage on the board's power bus to ensure that the converter is operating normally. You will need to set the multimeter to the “20 volt” position.

Then the negative probe is inserted into the power supply terminal of the power supply unit, and the positive one touches the lower leg of each inductor in turn. Next, you should look at the displayed value. If it is within 0.8, everything is normal. Otherwise, you need to find a broken transistor from the power supply or replace the faulty voltage regulator. Of course, all this is done after briefly touching the positive probe to the Power Bat trigger contact.

The article discussed the main points of how to repair motherboards. Considering the wide variety of causes of problems that lead to all sorts of system “glitches,” these methods of diagnosing and restoring the functionality of the motherboard may be ineffective. However, the information presented will not be superfluous. Perhaps it will be useful in various situations involving a computer breakdown.

What are the most common motherboard failures that you can repair yourself?

In the majority motherboard failures have the same causes and in this article, I will tell you in detail and show you how to repair everything with your own hands and at home, while saving quite a bit of money!

What are the most common motherboard failures?

When troubleshooting motherboard failures, you will need the following tools; soldering iron, a can of compressed air and a brush, a solution for removing oxides from the tracks, thermal paste and hot glue.

1. Swollen capacitors.

Swollen capacitors on the motherboard sometimes make a squeaking sound, the computer constantly turns off, and a blue screen of death appears.

Can be soldered from an old motherboard.

2.Oxidation of motherboard tracks.

Leads to a short circuit of some parts of the microcircuits.

Removing oxides with special solutions will help.

3. Dust and dirt can lead to short circuits and overheating.

This requires cleaning with a brush and a can of compressed air.

4. The battery is low, time is lost.

The battery is not expensive, replacing it is not difficult.

5. Failure of the sound card or microcircuit on the motherboard is the first sign of no sound.

Simply replaced with a separate module in the motherboard slot.

6. Quartz resonator, the computer turns on and off by itself.

Resoldering from an old motherboard.

7.Failure of transistors on the motherboard or power supply, the computer does not turn on or there is no image on the monitor.

Replacing a similar part from an old motherboard.

8. The BIOS chip fails, the computer does not turn on and does not boot.

Here you can reflash this microcircuit or replace it with an analogue from the old motherboard.

9. The north and south bridges are out of order, there is no image, USB and other inputs do not work.

Only warming up will help here; replacement is a very labor-intensive and troublesome procedure.

10. Break in the microcircuit track.

Such damage is caused by mechanical force or a short circuit on the motherboard; you can try connecting the tracks using a thin wire and a soldering iron.

More detailed video;

These are the types of motherboard failures that occur in computers.

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To create another workplace, it was necessary to restore the computer motherboard with damaged electrolytic capacitors for the processor power supply. In principle, the board is working, but with internal and external overheating it consistently froze with a characteristic faint chemical smell of capacitor electrolyte. Electrolyte leaks were clearly visible on the cracked capacitor caps. Even though I’m good with a soldering iron, I didn’t start the repair with full confidence of success, since I had the experience of unsuccessfully rebuilding a motherboard with a PIII processor with my own hands. A failure arose right at the start - it was not possible to remove the electrolytic capacitors. It seemed to me that they were simply pressed into the board with the legs; even with the help of a hundred-watt soldering iron, the already broken legs could not be removed. But the eyes are afraid, but the hands are busy - it was necessary to replace 5 capacitors with a nominal value of 3300 uF with 6.3V. In a radio store I bought the only offered computer electrolytes of the same rating. If you have a choice, DO NOT BUY capacitors marked GSC, these are the most unreliable capacitors. And of course, the capacitors must also be marked for heat resistance, for example LOW ESR and/or an operating temperature of 105°C is indicated. The size of the purchased capacitors was somewhat larger, but the dimensions of the board allowed them to be installed. So the sequence of my actions.

How to repair a motherboard yourself

1. If possible, remove all interfering elements from the board - memory, processor heatsink. Take this opportunity to clean all nooks and crannies from dust using a brush and vacuum cleaner. Before starting work, it is advisable to wear clothes made from natural fabrics to avoid the formation of static and damage to the board from static electricity.

2. To remove the capacitors, you will need a soldering iron with a power of 50-60 W. The soldering iron tip should be thin at the end and well tinned to quickly transfer heat to the touching area.

3. The procedure for removing capacitors is as follows. Fine With a heated soldering iron from the bottom of the board, touch the place where the capacitor leg is soldered, melt the solder and use your second hand small We try to tilt the capacitor towards the second leg, at some point during heating the capacitor should give in and bend over to remove the soldered leg. The entire operation takes no more than 5-7 seconds. Next, we also remove the second leg. If this is the first time, it is better to practice on a broken board or computer power supply. There are two dangers here: the first is that if excessive force is applied, the leg will break, and the second is that if it overheats, the printed circuit board may be damaged, and with its multilayer design, repair will be practically impossible. The difficulties are caused, it seems to me, by the removal of heat from the soldering zone by the numerous copper tracks of the multilayer board structure. When working with computer boards, it is always better to temporarily disconnect the soldering iron from the mains before soldering, also for the purpose of protection from static.

4. So we sequentially remove all damaged capacitors. But it’s too early to solder new ones right away.

New capacitors Tilt removal

5. To facilitate the installation of new capacitors, we will make a device from a sewing needle and a toothbrush handle. We select a sewing needle with a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the leg of the new capacitor. Using a lighter, heat the needle 20-30mm from the sharp tip to red and cool in air. This will allow us to bite off the tip of the needle with the pliers without damaging the pliers. Once again we warm up the needle at the cut site and quickly push the heated end into the plastic handle. The needle should firmly hold in the handle.

6. Use a soldering iron to heat the mounting hole, insert the needle and, using rotational translational movements, expand the hole to the desired diameter. This is how we process all the holes. We check the quality of the work again.

7. Now you need to prepare the capacitor legs for installation. I recommend doing this this way: lightly bite the leg in a circle with nippers until a correct round and neat cut is formed. Such preparation will only facilitate subsequent installation.

Preparing the legs

Any computer necessarily has a motherboard in one form or another. This is its foundation to which all system components are attached.

Of course, in the diagnostic process, professional repairmen use much more equipment and various techniques, for example, an oscilloscope. But the basic methods are checking the voltage and the presence of a short circuit along with a visual inspection.

The main structural elements of the motherboard are as follows:

  1. Chipset is a microcircuit (one or two, depending on the board model) that provides complex connections between the central processor, RAM, video card, other expansion cards and peripheral devices. In the double version it is divided into north and south bridges.
  2. Multicontroller- a relatively small circuit that is responsible for the correct startup of the board and performs a lot of other functions.
  3. Integrated (soldered) expansion cards– network, sound and, in some cases, video card.
  4. The chip in which the BIOS is written– low-level operating system. By analogy with a person, these are his instincts.
  5. Battery for autonomous power supply of the BIOS chip.
  6. And many other less significant components associated with multiple power circuits and additional functions.

Diagnostic features

The process of detecting motherboard faults and the reasons that cause them is full of nuances. But the basis of all diagnostics are two methods - checking the power circuits using a multimeter and visual inspection.

Traditionally, technicians first check the current parameters in the key elements of the board. This allows you to localize the damaged area. Sometimes you don’t need more - it’s enough to replace a damaged transistor or microcircuit.

The second method is visual inspection with the naked eye, using a magnifying glass and under a special microscope for troubleshooting electronics. This method allows you to detect damage to the structural elements of the board, swollen capacitors, breaks in the conductor tracks, oxide deposits and other defects.

The design of such a board is complex and includes hundreds of elements of varying degrees of complexity - from simple resistors to chips on crystals.

About breakdowns and their repair

Unfortunately, not all damage to the board can be repaired. For example, a short circuit in one of the USB connectors can lead to burnout of half the power circuits. Such a “patient” will have no chance of recovery. In such a situation, it is easier to buy a new board.

The most repairable breakdowns are those associated with:

  • with failed capacitors, transistors and PWM controllers, which just need to be replaced with new ones;
  • software problems with the circuit on which the BIOS is written;
  • short circuit or other problems of the multicontroller;
  • Built-in expansion cards for audio, network and video.

Sometimes all problems can be solved by simply replacing the battery. Some motherboards simply do not turn on when the voltage drops below 2V.

With mechanical damage the situation is somewhat different. The success of repairs directly depends on their nature and scale. A small scratch on the conductor tracks near the cooler mounts is easy to remove. The main thing is to detect such damage. On the other hand, extensive mechanical damage to the textolite base means a death sentence for the motherboard. That is, the success of the repair (if it is justified) largely depends on the nature of the breakdown.

When is motherboard repair needed? Checking the operation of the cpu and BIOS settings. Determining the causes and repairing malfunctions of device elements.

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The basic component of every PC is the motherboard. Physically, it has the form of a multilayer printed circuit board on which all the leading parts of the system are mounted: RAM, central processor, video adapter, sound card, and a number of additional equipment.

It contains special connectors designed for connecting peripheral devices and additional components, for which PCI, PCI-Express and USB buses are usually used. Most modern versions of motherboards are capable of working with remote devices that are connected via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or infrared.

The most important component of the motherboard remains the chipset.

It is a set of specific chips: Memory Controller Hub, as well as I/O Controller Hub, otherwise referred to as the north and south bridge.

  • Today, options with bridges connected in a single chip are also used, but such solutions are rare. North Bridge
  • allows you to establish joint operation of the central processor with the graphic elements of the computer, as well as with RAM. Sometimes there are options in which the video subsystem is built directly into the northbridge. As for south bridge

, then it is necessary for the correct operation of the central processor with PCI devices, hard drives, ports for connecting equipment, and others. Most often, it is these two elements that determine the basic properties of the board and the ability to connect this or that equipment to it.

Our company repairs motherboards regardless of manufacturer, modifications and characteristics. Highly qualified specialists, the latest equipment and extremely reliable components allow us to carry out a full range of work on motherboard repair, from micro-soldering of SMD parts to reballing of Ball grid array chips.

The most common repair procedures are the following:

  • installation of new bridges;
  • updating the firmware of BIOS chips, installing panels;
  • installation of new SMD and BGA parts;
  • Troubleshooting board tracks;
  • installation of new sockets and slots for RAM;
  • replacing motherboard batteries.

The price for repair work is calculated taking into account additional procedures such as diagnostics and testing. The cost also depends on the spare parts used during operation. It is recommended to bring the motherboard for repair complete with memory and processor.

Main causes of motherboard failure

Malfunctions in the functioning of the motherboard can be expressed by such “symptoms” as a refusal to turn on or, after turning on, very unstable operation is noted. In this case, the computer can continue to function in the same mode, but after a reboot there is a significant deterioration in its performance.

Motherboard malfunctions significantly affect the speed at which the processor processes various operations.

The main reasons for board failures can be divided according to the following principle:

  • visible reasons(voltage surges and instability, faulty elements on the board, overheating);
  • manufacturing defects, which also cannot be excluded.

In some cases, it happens that not the entire motherboard breaks, but only a certain component. To find out for sure, professional diagnostics are needed, as a result of which the type of malfunction, its nature will be determined, and a further action plan will be developed.

Since the motherboard plays an extremely important role in the functioning of the entire computer, and its condition largely determines how fully the entire system will work, the issue of its repair must be resolved extremely carefully. Only an experienced technician can give you a 100% guarantee that the repaired device will work without failures and in full operation.

Solving the problem on your own is fraught with serious consequences, which will only aggravate the problem and make a trip to the service center inevitable.

Repairing a computer motherboard is a rather complex and time-consuming process, so doing it yourself without the proper knowledge and skills will not be easy. To return the device to functionality and correct functioning again, it is best to entrust its repair to professional craftsmen.

Our specialists are ready to provide you with a high level of service and professional performance of services. We try to fulfill orders with high quality in the shortest possible time.

Despite the fact that the cost of each individual procedure is determined individually, depending on the specifics of the repair, on average, the cost of the order is quite affordable and acceptable.

When working with the motherboard, certain points should be taken into account, on which the success of the repair work depends.

Before activating the board, you must inspect it very carefully. Particular attention should be paid to the CPU power point. If there is a problem with the VRM CPU, there is a risk of damage to the central processor. If a single transistor or microcircuit fails, you are no longer allowed to use the motherboard. If you suspect these elements of incorrect operation, you need to measure the resistance of the transistors using special equipment.

Both the upper and lower transistors should have resistance values ​​at the same level. If there are problems with the VRM, the ohmmeter readings will differ (the discrepancies can be either minimal or serious).

It can be noted that this type of problem occurs infrequently and professionals rarely have to solve such problems.

If the VRMs are functioning correctly, you can install the CPU, POST cards and turn on the board. It is important to note that some versions of Intel motherboards have a specific resistor that does not allow the Celeron D or Prescott to start.

The power supply turns on only when the CPU is installed. If it is started by the motherboard, it is necessary to measure the voltage on the transistors. Another important point is overheating of individual elements of the device. This problem is especially relevant for the south bridge.

It is likely that the motherboard will start when the power connector is unplugged. Therefore, you need to check whether it will work if you short-circuit the black and green wires of the power supply. If it still works, you need to make sure again that the south bridge is not overheating.

  • If the motherboard, when turned on, does not display absolutely any codes on the POST card or is in RESET, then in this case it is necessary to check the voltage on a number of electronic elements. This especially applies to the CPU, the substrate, all pins, contacts, etc.
  • Further repair of the motherboard involves inspection of the board. Particular attention here is paid to the area of ​​​​wires that connect to the bridges and connect them to the CPU. You need to make sure that there are no shorted contacts in the connectors. After that, the CPU is reinstalled, as well as the board is checked for startup with the CPU, BIOS, and other minor bends of the motherboard clamped.
  • Followed by make sure that the device recognizes the RAM. In this case, two channels are tested at once. If the result is negative, you will hear a corresponding sound signal. If everything is fine, the download will continue. Problems with this element are indicated by errors D3 and D4; both slots need to be tested. If problems with the RAM are detected, a number of electronic elements under the DDR connectors are measured. In addition to voltage, the resistance of the contacts associated with the power supply is also measured. Ideally, it should be completely absent. Also, the causes of malfunctions may lie in the legs of the sockets for RAM cards and connections to the north bridge.
  • Quite often there are problems such as failure to recognize the video adapter by the motherboard. Most often, problems lie in the lower or upper right contact, where measurements reveal an incorrect voltage value. Also, the breakdown may lie in the left leg; it is diagnosed using resistance measurements. Other malfunctions, as a rule, appear as a result of careless handling of the device. In particular, these may be problems with the connector, with the absence of any leg or damage to the cable leading to the north bridge. Perhaps the problem will be solved by re-installing the video card into the socket.
  • In all other cases, when the motherboard executes certain codes, but does not directly load the operating system, then BIOS is being flashed. It should also be flashed for working motherboards, as this allows you to achieve guaranteed confidence in the absence of glitches from the BIOS in the future.
    The main signs indicating the need for firmware are codes 03 and E9. This suggests that the old BIOS does not understand the inserted CPU. Especially often, such codes arise due to poor or completely absent contact in the jumper.

Since flashing BIOS is a rather complex process, it is highly not recommended to do it yourself, especially to those users who do not have the appropriate skills and experience. In order not to aggravate the situation when a minor malfunction develops into a serious problem, it is best to seek professional help.

Our specialists are ready to provide you with their qualified services promptly and at the highest level of performance.

Himself The BIOS flashing process begins by writing a file with the image of this board onto a clean formatted medium. The motherboard performs all actions to rewrite the BIOS independently, and then turns off. This process does not last long and is accompanied by certain sounds.

Having decided to repair the motherboard, the right and correct decision would be to flash the BIOS, regardless of the specifics of the repair work. This will ensure the correct and full functioning of the device in the future.

The next action in line is launching the OS. The functionality of the peripherals is checked and the stability of operation is checked. If the OS loading was successful, then this is an almost 100% guarantee of the continued correct functioning of the motherboard.

In most cases, the main causes of various types of failures are swelling of the CPU power supply or its overheating. Also, over the years, the cooler fasteners may become loose, which leads to it “walking” in the motherboard without sufficient rigidity. Regulation, in this case, is carried out manually. The fan is attracted to the mount and moved away from the CPU, thanks to which it remains relatively cool. At the same time, the CPU can become very hot, which can cause new problems. You can measure its temperature in three ways:

  1. manually;
  2. via BIOS;
  3. on the back of the board.

If the CPU overheats, there are two ways to solve this problem: change the thermal paste or attach the fan to new fasteners.

If the cause of the motherboard malfunction was some small defect that was eliminated, 3Dmark testing can be carried out much faster. If the device performs poorly, it is better to increase the number of tests, spending a little more time.

If the failures continue, you need to disable as many peripheral elements as possible in the BIOS(sound, USB and others) and try to test without them - this will probably reveal problems.

It also makes sense to note how often they appear, how spontaneously this happens, and also measure the supply voltage of the CPU and pins again. In addition, an ohmmeter will again be useful to re-measure the resistance of the left leg.

Motherboard testing. This process consists of checking a whole list of devices:


We will help you repair motherboards!

If your motherboard does not want to work for one reason or another, the Expert company specialists are ready to help you solve this problem. Highly qualified specialists, excellent equipment of the service center and the ability to obtain any necessary components and radio parts allow us to solve most of the problems that arise with this element.

You fill out an application online or by phone

The technician arrives at the address within 1 hour

The technician identifies the problem and fixes it

You accept the work of the master and pay

Do you intend to save money for a new board? Don't rush to do this! The Expert company is a fast and reliable repair of motherboards at the best prices.

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