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Questions about GIGABYTE products => Graphic cards => Topic started by: VadeR on September 11, 2011, 06:35:07 am

Title: Gigabyte GTX 480 damaged during cooler removal
Post by: VadeR on September 11, 2011, 06:35:07 am
Hi guys. well I have went and damaged my pride and joy possibly beyond repair tryin to remove the referance cooler.  Wanted to fit the zalman cooler so i started unscrewin the screws on the referance cooler but 1 screw would not move.  I was extremly tired at this point and was just wantin this cooler off.  So i ended up wedgin it of using a screw driver, i know HUGE mistake.  The cooler finnaly came of at the cost of me scratchin the card and I have cut a cuple of traces. 

I then took a pair of pliers to the screw that was stuck on the referance cooler and it still would not move, the head ended up breakin away.

Well i was so angry with myself for lettin this happen I did not even try the card till yesterday.  And sure enough with both coolers, zalman and referance,  card wont display nothing. The PC beeps 4 times (1 long 3 short) then boots into windows

I have voided my warranty and Im wondering if this can be repaired.  Its only 3 or 4 tiny scratches thats causing this aswell.

I will post pictures later when iv had sum sleep. 

Thanks guys
Title: Re: Gigabyte GTX 480 damaged during cooler removal
Post by: Dark Mantis on September 11, 2011, 08:33:27 am
Hi

Yes stupid mistake but then we have all done stupid things at sopme time or othjer and usually lived to regret it.

If it is only the tracks that are damaged then it is certainly repairable. If you are good with a soldering iron then you should be able to do it yourself otherwise take it to an electronics repairer. If you are attempting it yourself just clean off the varnish from the damaged area and then you can make up some bridging wires to span the broken track areas.
Title: Re: Gigabyte GTX 480 damaged during cooler removal
Post by: VadeR on September 11, 2011, 03:15:41 pm
Here is the damage, sorry for quality of pics will get better res later from my mates camera.   what i can se is 3 traces posibly broken. Bad thing is there really close together dont know how this can be repaired. I have emailed Gigabyte hopefull of a possible repair job.
Title: Re: Gigabyte GTX 480 damaged during cooler removal
Post by: Dark Mantis on September 11, 2011, 03:26:10 pm
I am afraid that the quality of the photos is far too poor to enable any visual help. :-\ It doesn't make any difference how close together they are because you can bridge them.

I will be very surprised if Gigabyte wants to touch it at all to be honest! I think it is going to be down to you or a local repair man.
Title: Re: Gigabyte GTX 480 damaged during cooler removal
Post by: VadeR on September 11, 2011, 04:05:50 pm
Thanks for your time dark mantis.  I have now emailed my local electronics repair service, as it looks like im out of my depth here hopefully it can be saved
Title: Re: Gigabyte GTX 480 damaged during cooler removal
Post by: Dark Mantis on September 11, 2011, 08:35:49 pm
I think that is your best course of action to be fair. It is better to not mess with things that you are not sure of as you can just make things worse. Sometimes it pays to just bight the bullet and get someone to fix it for you. Good luck. ;)