Could this graphic cards be repaired? (EVGA GTX 980) - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: starplayer
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2017, 08:29:17 pm
content: Hi guys.I'd like to know your opinion on if it would be feasible to repair this graphics card. Previous user had it watercooled, and water fell down on one of the mosfets of the VRM, so it blew up, and the copper around it seems to be quite deformed. Do you think the mosfet could be replaced? Other idea would be to remove it and populate one of the alternative phases, which has no components,so that the GPU could get the power the same.Of course, the question is if the pcb layers underneath the burn are damaged or not.Do you guys think it's worth a shot?

author: Rasz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 13, 2017, 08:53:33 pm
content: you need to dremel all the charred pcb material first

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 13, 2017, 09:08:52 pm
content: You would need to remove charred PCB material and could populate another phase. However, most likely, you would need to run a bodge wire for control from existing blown phase. In any case this job requires microscope to be done without extreme pain.

author: starplayer
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2017, 10:48:43 am
content: Thank you for your answers. So you guys think the layers beneath the blast zone likely haven't been damaged beyoind repair? By the way, does anyone seem to recognize the mosfet?

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 14, 2017, 10:57:07 am
content: Quote from: starplayer on May 14, 2017, 10:48:43 amLikely there is a short between layers. However probably there is no signal tracks underneath so you can just remove the damaged PCB material.http://www.onsemi.com/pub/Collateral/NTMFS4C05N-D.PDFhttp://www.onsemi.com/pub/Collateral/NTMFS4C10N-D.PDF

author: Rasz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2017, 06:59:05 am
content: not exactly under mosfet, but same principle:

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 15, 2017, 07:29:43 am
content: Quote from: Rasz on May 15, 2017, 06:59:05 amJust don't remove PCB material till the other side. Only as much layers as needed.

author: Kjelt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2017, 05:12:56 pm
content: The mosfets are only dcdc buck converters right? Perhaps build your own and place it on the empty place above the polymer caps. Oversize it or double it and solder the output to where the previous output was, of ourse remove the rest of the damaged circuit first.

author: RGB255_0_0
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2017, 05:31:31 pm
content: Quote from: Kjelt on May 15, 2017, 05:12:56 pmIt's what some overclockers do.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 15, 2017, 05:36:49 pm
content: Quote from: Kjelt on May 15, 2017, 05:12:56 pm"only", those are not separate buck converters, this is multi-phase buck converter. Good luck building diy buck converter supplying 200+ A.

author: Muxr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2017, 07:31:15 pm
content: Yeah they are multiphase and synchronous, with high and low side mosfets. You could possible replace the mosfets on the faulty phase, but there is also sense circuitry around there as well, also chances are your GPU could be damaged too. It's just a lot of work for a card that is not worth more than $230.Get yourself a new rx480/rx580 is what I would do.

author: Specmaster
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2017, 08:15:41 pm
content: I agree, I would just get yourself a new rx480/rx580, its just not worth the risk in my view.

author: Kjelt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2017, 09:43:11 pm
content: Quote from: wraper on May 15, 2017, 05:36:49 pmDuh not the entire powersupply just the part that was damaged, don,t think he can use that part of the pcb anymore. But then probably hard to get the parts.What manufacturer is u18 with the weird smd code?

author: RGB255_0_0
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2017, 10:02:35 pm
content: Quote from: Kjelt on May 15, 2017, 09:43:11 pmShouldn't worry too much as it's a driver. But what does U18 have to do with anything?

author: Rasz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2017, 03:01:28 am
content: Quote from: Specmaster on May 15, 2017, 08:15:41 pmrisk of what? fixing the thing?

author: Kjelt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2017, 05:29:31 am
content: Quote from: RGB255_0_0 on May 15, 2017, 10:02:35 pmPersonal interest, I have some dissected electronics on my bench i am trying to re which also has some weird code i can,t find with the xx = xx marking, probably same manufacturer i would think

author: Muxr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2017, 03:17:23 pm
content: Quote from: Rasz on May 16, 2017, 03:01:28 amInvesting in new components and wasting time.

author: RGB255_0_0
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2017, 03:32:46 pm
content: Quote from: Muxr on May 16, 2017, 03:17:23 pm980 is about as fast as the AMD RX580. Still selling for ~$175USD on Ebay. Risk vs reward of spending a few dollars is worth it.

author: starplayer
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2017, 01:36:04 pm
content: Thanks a lot for the advice and resources guys. I'll give it a go, as I'm a bit of a masochist! I'll let you guys know if I manage to revive the dead.

author: Specmaster
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2017, 08:30:25 am
content: Quote from: starplayer on May 22, 2017, 01:36:04 pmGood luck, just hope you don't import a problem to the motherboard in the process, keep us informed please?

author: Rasz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2017, 09:13:21 am
content: Quote from: Specmaster on May 25, 2017, 08:30:25 amPCIE goes straight to CPU, so he will kill CPU first if something goes bad+ I very much doubt starplayer will be able to go straight from "is this thing repairable" to fixing it. He didnt even bother to do the very first thing needed (clearing the area and checking for shorts).

author: RGB255_0_0
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2017, 09:31:58 am
content: Quote from: Rasz on May 25, 2017, 09:13:21 amDepends which slot and how it's wired and which board. Generally you're right as the top x16 slot is perhaps exclusively to CPU (barring multiplexing), I'm just being pedantic.

author: dimkasta
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2017, 01:27:20 pm
content: Watch some Louis Rossman for inspiration while you are at itJust try to control yourself from using as much flux

author: RGB255_0_0
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2017, 02:13:33 pm
content: Quote from: dimkasta on May 25, 2017, 01:27:20 pmNot the flux again.

author: dimkasta
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2017, 02:34:59 pm
content: Quote from: RGB255_0_0 on May 25, 2017, 02:13:33 pmYeah, I have to apologizeI was going for "playful semi-off-topic"`I love Louis' stuff and I have never worked on such components under a microscope, so I shouldn't have an opinion. It just looks... too much

author: starplayer
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2017, 07:17:33 pm
content: Hi again guys.Finally got my hands on the card. Still haven't dremeled the board (too sleepy today), but found another problem. There's one chip which's top seems to have blown off. Fortunately, there seems to be an equal one next to it, which's marking can be read.It seems to read:V3605G472GGAnyone have any idea what it might been? I found thishttps://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Free-shipping-10pcs-lot-V3605-QFN8-new-original/1968540_32700772154.html, but the marking isn't quite the same.Also found this datasheet, could it be it?http://www.moscn.com/Down/pdf/MDV3605.pdfThe second image is a zoom of the two chips with arrows near the capacitor bank on the right of the card..

author: RGB255_0_0
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2017, 07:22:15 pm
content: http://www.magnachip.com/product/down.php?filename=MDV3605.pdf

author: aamirshakir98
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 06, 2019, 07:46:34 pm
content: Though its been 2 years since the OP posted but nonetheless i thought it might help someone having similar problem. I had the same problem with EVGA GTX 980 SC it had 3 blown mosfets and the power and ground layers were shorted. I used dremel to remove the tracks which were shorted and re routed 2 phases to the empty slots. It did work and i was able to boot into OS but when i ran furmark stress test, after 2-3 seconds one of the other mosfet got shorted somehow and i am going to fix it again. Ill update here if i am able to repair it again.

author: aamirshakir98
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 10, 2021, 07:32:04 am
content: Update: Apologies for the delay but I was having hard luck finding the gate drivers. It turned out that another phase had high side mosfet shorted out. Luckily the PSU tripped and turned off the supply before it could burn the tracks. It must've been faulty gate drivers so I replaced all of them and reinstalled new mosfet on that phase. Its been two months now and I am having no issues with it so far. Working great under load, usually game for 8 hrs a day. I have restricted power limits via MSI after burner though because one of the phases now is only working at half capacity.It took me a while to search for part numbers on those smd DFN8 gate drivers. Markings on them wasn't really helpful (literally the top marking on it was 02=CL, ikr makes no sense and good luck searching it on google).Anyways, here are the part numbers if you're into same repair work:RT9611AGQW Gate driversNTMFS4C10N High side mosfetNTMFS4C06N Low side mosfet