That forum post claiming you can fix any laptop by just reflowing the GPU

I was browsing a hardware forum yesterday and someone was saying you can fix any dead gaming laptop by just baking the motherboard in the oven. I mean, sure, that might work for a specific solder joint issue but it's not a magic fix for everything. It got me thinking about how many people probably wreck their boards trying this after watching a single YouTube video. Has anyone else here had to clean up after a botched oven reflow attempt?

2 comments

2 Comments

casey_harris5d ago

That part about "baking the motherboard in the oven" always gets me. Reflowing can work for certain problems but treating it like a one-size-fits-all fix is just asking for trouble, especially with lead-free solder that might not even melt properly in a home oven. I've seen more than a few laptops come in with melted plastic and burnt caps after someone tried the oven trick.

riley_taylor4d ago

Heard someone say they used a toaster oven once, still can't believe people actually do that.