Reballing a BGA Intel HX chipset - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Nexxen
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 22, 2024, 02:38:04 pm
content: Hello!!I tried to reflow this chip but still no luck, board wouldn't POST.I desoldered the thing and it became obvious why it didn't (see pics).My porblem is to use the correct solder balls to do the reballing, I'll go for leaded.Pads are 0.6mm on both parts, but I once read that you need to use 0.05 higher for a flawless result.I ordered both 0.6 and 0.65mm for what they cost, but I'd like some advice on what's really best.This is the chip I'm talking about (see p.31):https://theretroweb.com/chip/documentation/29746702-64e22ae9de476813416608.pdfI'll also need to do some trace reconstruction but that's not the hard par, just plain boring half-paced do it good no hurryThanks for any help!!

author: Nexxen
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 23, 2024, 02:44:14 pm
content: up

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 23, 2024, 02:50:08 pm
content: Why would you even reflow/reball that? Chances that it's a soldering problem are very small, so either the issue was chip itself or somewhere else. Not to say you torn off several pads while removing it (pulled up the chip before solder has fully melt), so you need to buy another one or salvage from a donor board.

author: Nexxen
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2024, 10:27:06 am
content: 1. I want to do it, period. It's healthy exercise but I want to do it right to learn a skill.2. Missing pads are in consequence of some mechanical stress that resulted in the visible damage (lifted corner),before I got it.3. I can rebuild the traces/pads, not a concern.4. You are not helping by telling me to desist. What is your point?I'm asking if 0.6 or 0.65 is better. Where is the answer to that?I know that sourcing a working spare would be optimal, but that's not my point.Dude, this is a restoration project. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't: I don't care that much.But I want to do it right.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 24, 2024, 10:42:11 am
content: Quote from: Nexxen on June 24, 2024, 10:27:06 amAnd how do you know that? Mechanical stress that can rip off the pads is very unlikely on desktop motherboard. On other hand ripping them off while desoldering is very easy.QuoteReflowing it was certainly not "doing it right" if you ask any half-decent technician who does computer hardware component level repair. Going straight to doing something with BGA with no proper diagnostics is pretty dumb.

author: Nexxen
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2024, 10:55:28 am
content: Quote from: wraper on June 24, 2024, 10:42:11 amBecause I bought it broken, that's how I know. The corner was lifted "already".Thanks for the insult. You are useless and aggressive.GO AWAY.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 24, 2024, 11:23:48 am
content: You did not say that corner was lifted already, and after you said that now I notice multiple cracks on the corner. So it was probably someone destroying the chip while removing a heatsink or something like that. This chip is dead anyway, even if you restore torn pads and broken traces as it has internal damage too. As of initial question, precise ball size is not important for a chip with ball pitch this large. It becomes critical only with very fine pitch and tiny balls.

author: Nexxen
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2024, 11:56:37 am
content: Quote from: wraper on June 24, 2024, 11:23:48 amGO AWAYNot reading your answers. Thanks for poisoning the thread.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 24, 2024, 12:57:57 pm
content: Don't use internet if you're a little crybaby that gets offended by a tiny critique that wasn't even about you but an action of doing something. You don't own the forum.

author: Nexxen
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 25, 2024, 09:58:26 am
content: Quote from: wraper on June 24, 2024, 12:57:57 pmYou are a sorry excuse for a human being.Not only you don't help but you insult all over. You were wrong and kept going to show that you are right.GO AWAY!! YOU ARE NOT WELCOME AND YOUR ABUSE IS DISGUSTING!!

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 25, 2024, 10:04:50 am
content: Almost everyone is welcome, apart from spammers, scammers and dickheads.No one "owns" a thread. It's a community discussion. Out of many thousands of active members, not everyone is going to get along with everyone. If you have an issue with someone and you feel you need to take it up with them, use the PM function, otherwise, consider everyone else reading these threads.Please try not to get into pissing contests. This isn't aimed at anyone in particular, but offered as general advice.Also note: I'm cranky this week, tolerance for nonsense is low. Consider this forewarning.

author: Nexxen
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 25, 2024, 11:19:21 am
content: If you want to take action delete all comments from #2 to yours. This to allow the thread to start fresh.I asked a specific technical question and I got nothing but spite and off topic comments.His wasn't help at all.Ok, I can see that others read this. Again, this is allowing him to get his supply.The answers I got give 0% help and became his hijacked thread of torment.As an admin elsewhere I'd have deleted the comments and sent 2 PMs explaining why and issue a warning for a suspension if it happened again.Going back to square 1 is the best solution to restore some order and this is my request.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 25, 2024, 11:50:00 am
content: Quote from: Nexxen on June 25, 2024, 11:19:21 amI should've been be more polite and I apologize for that, and in retrospect criticism was unwarranted but it was because you did not say why you removed the chip, as on the first glance it looked like typical damage done during BGA removal. However your reaction to that was just unhinged, to put it mildly. I ignored that and gave an answer to your initial question which you refused to read apparently, had gone even more unhinged, and got a reply which you pretty much deserved.EDIT: And re-reading your question, it's not a fixed 0.05mm but percentage, and you need about 0.8mm balls for 0.6mm pad. But generally you use ball size according to stencil for the chip, if you have one. But as I said before, it's pointless to reball/repair the pads except as a training exercise because it's irreversibly dead.