Chip fallen off, help needed!

[Guest Sridout92]

Hi I posted this in the Hudl original section but really need help!!!, I'm looking for help with my Hudl, earlier today I was using it when it slipped and fell on the floor, instantly it froze, I couldn't use the touchscreen or any buttons. I noticed there was a rattling sound so I took the back off and found that a chip had fallen off! Now I'm wondering if there's a home fix for this instead of paying £59.99 for tesco to fix it. Thank you (ps photos are available if needed)

[Guest mrrog]

have tesco actually quoted you 60 quid, seems remarkably cheap, and somehow i just don't believe thay have the technology in house to re-solder a chip?

EDIT, now i come to think about it they are more likely to replace the entire board the chip came of, in which case it is probably do-able, but still seems cheap for parts and labour

Edited April 30, 2015 by mrrog

[Guest Sridout92]

Yeah they quoted it as standard repair cost, but it needs to be sent off. Is there no way of a home fix?

[Guest pudpoh]

Without the correct surface mount soldering equipment your unlikely to be able to resolder that chip to the board. It's not impossible but surface mount stuff is not that easy to solder without all the proper tools.

[Guest Sridout92]

Ok thank you for the reply, alternatively how easy are the whole motherboard to replace? I've found one cheapish?

[Guest DynaMight]

How big is the chip? How many solder points did it have?

 

In my head I'm guessing its about 2x1mm style chip with two solder points, one at each end. I've personally resoldered chips like these back on, just need a soldering iron with a good tip. I use a 15w iron. As long as you're careful its usually a pretty easy job, but obviously you need the right equipment first.

[Guest Sridout92]

I'm afraid it more 20mm by 15mm and has a strange pattern on the back with loads of dots?

[Guest DynaMight]

Upload a picture, but that does sound like one of the more complex chips. I'm surprised it fell off with a drop.

[Guest QLF]

You can get one with a smashed screen or busted charging port from eBay for less than that, and easily swap the board / port to make a working one. Honestly, easiest job I've ever done....

[Guest seanspotatobusiness]

Some people reflow circuit boards in a domestic oven. There's a lot of information returned for Google search string "motherboard oven". Example: http://www.computerrepairtips.net/how-to-reflow-a-laptop-motherboard/

[Guest state-it]

Some people reflow circuit boards in a domestic oven. There's a lot of information returned for Google search string "motherboard oven". Example: http://www.computerrepairtips.net/how-to-reflow-a-laptop-motherboard/

Blimey. "I'm cooking tonight dear. Oven chips for dinner".

[Guest gormans]

I thought a refurb hudl2 is around 80 now, and with all the deals you find around the internet, pretty sure there is a way to get one for less then 60quid.

 

Not sure if you can still manually back stuff up since if its only a chip, it might still be able to read all your storage stuff via usb

 

just a thought...

[Guest crusader58]

I'm afraid it more 20mm by 15mm and has a strange pattern on the back with loads of dots?

That seems to describe the CPU or Graphics Chip. Having not looked at the Hudl2 Mainboard I am not sure how it is mounted, but I'm pretty sure you'll be hard pressed to solder it. On a PC Mainboard these chips have solderless mounts, usually in the form of clips, brackets or screws. You didn't notice a clip floating loose inside did you?

Edited May 13, 2015 by crusader58