ASUS ROG Zephytus Duo 15 GX550LXS show graphic characters

[mferna14]

Hi, today working on a ASUS ROG Zephytus Duo 15 GX550LXS. It's works & boots up fine but on the screen it shows graphic characters all over. While trouble shooting I put in a brand new screen, no difference. The characters still appeared. Then I thought a re-flow of the NVidia chip, as it was getting hot quickly & did it very carefully. But the problem still there. Where could be the problem? maybe with the Video DRAMs chip, one of them might have gone defective & should I go a step further & re-flow all of these chips. Pls. veiw the attached photos. Hoping for some help or tips. Thanks

[Sephir0th]

Re: ASUS ROG Zephytus Duo 15 GX550LXS show graphic characters

This looks like a dying GPU. With the reflow you made the issue probably even worse and accelerated the degeneration this way.

Maybe someone of the GPU professionals here have another hint for you, with some luck into the direction of the VRAM, but actually I don't think so and it would also mean, the "reflow" was done for nothing.

[mferna14]

Re: ASUS ROG Zephytus Duo 15 GX550LXS show graphic characters

Thanks @Sephir0th for the reply. The problem with the laptop was 100% identical before & after the GPU re-flow, no change at all. I have photos of before & after as I usually click them. Not even a abnormal character or lines moved, they come up in the start, the way it was coming before & you see in the setup, same place where it was before or after re-flow. So you think it a dying NVidia Chip???

[mcplslg123]

Re: ASUS ROG Zephytus Duo 15 GX550LXS show graphic characters

Either VRAM or even onboard memory or anything rotten in that area. I feel more likely to be a onbaord ram issue as garbage is coming up right at the beginning.

[mferna14]

Re: ASUS ROG Zephytus Duo 15 GX550LXS show graphic characters

Thanks @mcplslg123 for the reply.. Should I re-flow all the VRAM chips. Maybe some dry solder under them???

[myth77]

Re: ASUS ROG Zephytus Duo 15 GX550LXS show graphic characters

Its vram 95%, test it with software this guy uses https://youtube.com/watch?v=zi7OpNxFMio&feature=share8 to see which one vram chips failed. Or use some similar...
But i advise you not to reflow it, it needs to be replaced with new one...and if you are not expirienced you will probably rip the pads and destroy the board...
And never reflow bga chips in the future...you will only destroy it...if it is already dead...only thing you will get is that it will work for two or three weeks more...and that if you are lucky.

[mferna14]

Re: ASUS ROG Zephytus Duo 15 GX550LXS show graphic characters

Thank @myth77, I looked into this great find Youtube video. They explain the problem very well. I will download the software & inform you guys if all done well & whihc VRAM Chips were bad., & yes I will replace the VRAM rather than reflowing it.

[mcplslg123]

Re: ASUS ROG Zephytus Duo 15 GX550LXS show graphic characters

I agree with @myth77's observations. Reflowing any bga chip is waste of time as its not the permanent solution. However, i do reflow bga chips sometime(with bga machine only to avoid damage)just to be sure its the bga chip which is the culprit and then replace it.

[mferna14]

Re: ASUS ROG Zephytus Duo 15 GX550LXS show graphic characters

Hi all I replaced all the 8 VRAMs with Brand New ones., not even a difference in the picture quality. The graphics are still the same as they were before. I am assuming it's the GPU now. Do you'll think whether the on board ram (memory) can cause this video problem? I think every case is different & @ "myth77" told me to watch the video seems to be the same error but the defective ICs might be different.

[mcplslg123]

Re: ASUS ROG Zephytus Duo 15 GX550LXS show graphic characters

No one can answer with certainity.Its ether Dgpu or onboard ram. See if there is any option to disable onboard ram.