GPU reflow guide - Revision history

StarX: /* Tips to prolong the lifespan of your reflowed GPU */

2026-03-06T00:47:34Z

Tips to prolong the lifespan of your reflowed GPU

Romanio0089 at 14:48, 21 October 2025

2025-10-21T14:48:09Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:48, 21 October 2025
Line 20:		Line 20:

	=== Less common, but has been reported to happen: ===		=== Less common, but has been reported to happen: ===
	VGN-SZ equipped with 7400 Go		VGN-SZ equipped with Go 7400

	SVE** equipped with Radeon GPU		SVE** equipped with Radeon GPU

Romanio0089 at 14:47, 21 October 2025

2025-10-21T14:47:20Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:47, 21 October 2025
Line 20:		Line 20:

	=== Less common, but has been reported to happen: ===		=== Less common, but has been reported to happen: ===
			VGN-SZ equipped with 7400 Go

	SVE** equipped with Radeon GPU		SVE** equipped with Radeon GPU

StarX: /* Affected models */

2025-09-04T22:24:57Z

Affected models

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:24, 5 September 2025
Line 18:		Line 18:

	VPCEE/VPCEF (AMD RS880M chipset failure)		VPCEE/VPCEF (AMD RS880M chipset failure)

			=== Less common, but has been reported to happen: ===
			SVE** equipped with Radeon GPU

			VPCCA/CB equipped with Radeon GPU

			VPCEA/EB/EC equipped with Radeon GPU

	== Symptoms of GPU failure ==		== Symptoms of GPU failure ==

StarX: /* Affected models */

2025-04-05T18:50:17Z

Affected models

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:50, 5 April 2025
Line 8:		Line 8:
	== Affected models ==		== Affected models ==
	VGN-AR equipped with 8400M/8600M GT		VGN-AR equipped with 8400M/8600M GT

	VGN-FZ equipped with NVIDIA GPU		VGN-FZ equipped with NVIDIA GPU

	VGN-NR equipped with NVIDIA GPU		VGN-NR equipped with NVIDIA GPU

	VGN-SZ equipped with 8400M GS		VGN-SZ equipped with 8400M GS

	VGX-TP		VGX-TP

	VPCEE/VPCEF (AMD RS880M chipset failure)		VPCEE/VPCEF (AMD RS880M chipset failure)

StarX at 18:49, 5 April 2025

2025-04-05T18:49:52Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:49, 5 April 2025
Line 1:		Line 1:
	[[File:Bga diagram.png\|thumb\|Diagram of a BGA chip, the underfill shown is the faulty part of the NVIDIA GPU, which breaks the connection of the solder bumps to the substrate.]]		[[File:Bga diagram.png\|thumb\|Diagram of a BGA chip, the underfill shown is the faulty part of the NVIDIA GPU, which breaks the connection of the solder bumps to the substrate.]]
	All VAIOs equipped with a NVIDIA 8000 series GPU suffer from a very unfortunate issue, called Bumpgate. This is caused by the tiny bumps connecting the GPU die to the substrate breaking due to a faulty underfill material used by NVIDIA during that time. This is also the same issue that affects every other laptop equipped with these chips, as well as the fat PS3 consoles. Some ATI/AMD GPU/chipset equipped VAIOs also suffer from GPU failures, although these are less common.		All VAIOs equipped with a NVIDIA 8000 series GPU suffer from a very unfortunate issue, called Bumpgate. This is caused by the tiny bumps connecting the GPU die to the substrate breaking due to a faulty underfill material used by NVIDIA during that time. This is also the same issue that affects every other laptop equipped with these chips, as well as the fat PS3 consoles. Some ATI/AMD GPU/chipset equipped VAIOs (such as the VPCEE) also suffer from GPU failures, although these are less common.

	There are 2 ways to fix this issue; the most ideal and longest lasting repair being a chip replacement, as the chip is the problem. However, if you do not get a fixed revision of the chip, there is a possibility of the failure occurring again, and you might not want to spend the money or have the expertise to remove and replace the GPU.		There are 2 ways to fix this issue; the most ideal and longest lasting repair being a chip replacement, as the chip is the problem. However, if you do not get a fixed revision of the chip, there is a possibility of the failure occurring again, and you might not want to spend the money or have the expertise to remove and replace the GPU.

	However, an alternate fix is to reflow/reball the chip (this guide will only cover the reflow process). Reflowing is when the chip is heated up to "reflow" or remelt the solder balls, ensuring a solid connection with the motherboard. Consequently, this heating up also shifts the bumps on the die back into position, allowing the GPU to work again. "Reballing" will do the same thing, although instead of heating up the solder balls, you are removing the chip from the motherboard, cleaning it and applying new solder balls to it, then reinstalling the chip back on. This fix is only temporary, and you shouldn't expect the laptop to last more than 1 or 2 months before requiring another reflow and eventually a chip replacement.		However, an alternate fix is to reflow/reball the chip (this guide will only cover the reflow process). Reflowing is when the chip is heated up to "reflow" or remelt the solder balls, ensuring a solid connection with the motherboard. Consequently, this heating up also shifts the bumps on the die back into position, allowing the GPU to work again. "Reballing" will do the same thing, although instead of heating up the solder balls, you are removing the chip from the motherboard, cleaning it and applying new solder balls to it, then reinstalling the chip back on. This fix is only temporary, and you shouldn't expect the laptop to last more than 1 or 2 months before requiring another reflow and eventually a chip replacement.

			== Affected models ==
			VGN-AR equipped with 8400M/8600M GT
			VGN-FZ equipped with NVIDIA GPU
			VGN-NR equipped with NVIDIA GPU
			VGN-SZ equipped with 8400M GS
			VGX-TP
			VPCEE/VPCEF (AMD RS880M chipset failure)

	== Symptoms of GPU failure ==		== Symptoms of GPU failure ==

StarX at 14:41, 1 August 2024

2024-08-01T14:41:35Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:41, 1 August 2024
Line 1:		Line 1:
	[[File:Bga diagram.png\|thumb\|Diagram of a BGA chip, the underfill shown is the faulty part of the NVIDIA GPU, which breaks the connection of the solder bumps to the substrate.]]		[[File:Bga diagram.png\|thumb\|Diagram of a BGA chip, the underfill shown is the faulty part of the NVIDIA GPU, which breaks the connection of the solder bumps to the substrate.]]
	All VAIOs equipped with a NVIDIA 8000 series GPU suffer from a very unfortunate issue, called Bumpgate. This is caused by the tiny bumps connecting the GPU die to the substrate breaking due to a faulty underfill material used by NVIDIA during that time. This is also the same issue that affects every other laptop equipped with these chips, as well as the fat PS3 consoles. Some ATI/AMD GPU equipped VAIOs also suffer from GPU failures, although ~~for a different reason unrelated to bumpgate~~.		All VAIOs equipped with a NVIDIA 8000 series GPU suffer from a very unfortunate issue, called Bumpgate. This is caused by the tiny bumps connecting the GPU die to the substrate breaking due to a faulty underfill material used by NVIDIA during that time. This is also the same issue that affects every other laptop equipped with these chips, as well as the fat PS3 consoles. Some ATI/AMD GPU/chipset equipped VAIOs also suffer from GPU failures, although these are less common.

	There are 2 ways to fix this issue; the most ideal and longest lasting repair being a chip replacement, as the chip is the problem. However, if you do not get a fixed revision of the chip, there is a possibility of the failure occurring again, and you might not want to spend the money or have the expertise to remove and replace the GPU.		There are 2 ways to fix this issue; the most ideal and longest lasting repair being a chip replacement, as the chip is the problem. However, if you do not get a fixed revision of the chip, there is a possibility of the failure occurring again, and you might not want to spend the money or have the expertise to remove and replace the GPU.
Line 45:		Line 45:
	== Tips to prolong the lifespan of your reflowed GPU ==		== Tips to prolong the lifespan of your reflowed GPU ==

	* Make sure to apply a good quality thermal paste to the laptop, PTM7950 is a very good option as it completely eliminates pump-out on laptops. It is also a cheap option if you order from sites such as AliExpress. You want a thermal paste that is very viscous to prevent pump out, such as Gelid GC-Extreme		* Make sure to apply a good quality thermal paste to the laptop, PTM7950 is a very good option as it completely eliminates pump-out on laptops. It is also a cheap option if you order from sites such as AliExpress. You want a thermal paste that is very viscous to prevent pump out, such as Gelid GC-Extreme.
	* Slightly bend the screw points on the heatsink up slightly, this puts more pressure on the chips enabling better contact.		* Slightly bend the screw points on the heatsink up slightly, this puts more pressure on the chips enabling better contact.
	* Clean the cooling system of your laptop regularly, at least once a year so that it stays running cool.		* Clean the cooling system of your laptop regularly, at least once a year so that it stays running cool.

StarX: /* Resources */

2024-02-05T20:30:51Z

Resources

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:30, 5 February 2024
Line 51:		Line 51:

	== Resources ==		== Resources ==
	[[https://www.badcaps.net/forum/troubleshooting-hardware-devices-and-electronics-theory/troubleshooting-laptops-tablets-and-mobile-devices/83833-nvidia-bumpgate\|More information on the NVIDIA bumpgate issue, as well as specific GPU models affected]]		[https://www.badcaps.net/forum/troubleshooting-hardware-devices-and-electronics-theory/troubleshooting-laptops-tablets-and-mobile-devices/83833-nvidia-bumpgate\|More information on the NVIDIA bumpgate issue, as well as specific GPU models affected]

StarX: /* Resources */

2024-02-05T20:30:43Z

Resources

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:30, 5 February 2024
Line 51:		Line 51:

	== Resources ==		== Resources ==
	https://www.badcaps.net/forum/troubleshooting-hardware-devices-and-electronics-theory/troubleshooting-laptops-tablets-and-mobile-devices/83833-nvidia-bumpgate		[[https://www.badcaps.net/forum/troubleshooting-hardware-devices-and-electronics-theory/troubleshooting-laptops-tablets-and-mobile-devices/83833-nvidia-bumpgate\|More information on the NVIDIA bumpgate issue, as well as specific GPU models affected]]

StarX at 20:04, 5 February 2024

2024-02-05T20:04:00Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:04, 5 February 2024
Line 1:		Line 1:
	[[File:Bga diagram.png\|thumb\|Diagram of a BGA chip, the underfill shown is the faulty part of the NVIDIA GPU, which breaks the connection of the solder bumps.]]		[[File:Bga diagram.png\|thumb\|Diagram of a BGA chip, the underfill shown is the faulty part of the NVIDIA GPU, which breaks the connection of the solder bumps to the substrate.]]
	All VAIOs equipped with a NVIDIA 8000 series GPU suffer from a very unfortunate issue, called Bumpgate. This is caused by the tiny bumps connecting the GPU die to the substrate breaking due to a faulty underfill material used by NVIDIA during that time. This is also the same issue that affects every other laptop equipped with these chips, as well as the fat PS3 consoles. Some ATI/AMD GPU equipped VAIOs also suffer from GPU failures, although for a different reason unrelated to bumpgate.		All VAIOs equipped with a NVIDIA 8000 series GPU suffer from a very unfortunate issue, called Bumpgate. This is caused by the tiny bumps connecting the GPU die to the substrate breaking due to a faulty underfill material used by NVIDIA during that time. This is also the same issue that affects every other laptop equipped with these chips, as well as the fat PS3 consoles. Some ATI/AMD GPU equipped VAIOs also suffer from GPU failures, although for a different reason unrelated to bumpgate.

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:47, 6 March 2026
Line 4:		Line 4:
	There are 2 ways to fix this issue; the most ideal and longest lasting repair being a chip replacement, as the chip is the problem. However, if you do not get a fixed revision of the chip, there is a possibility of the failure occurring again, and you might not want to spend the money or have the expertise to remove and replace the GPU.		There are 2 ways to fix this issue; the most ideal and longest lasting repair being a chip replacement, as the chip is the problem. However, if you do not get a fixed revision of the chip, there is a possibility of the failure occurring again, and you might not want to spend the money or have the expertise to remove and replace the GPU.

	However, an alternate fix is to reflow/reball the chip (this guide will only cover the reflow process). Reflowing is when the chip is heated up to "reflow" or ~~remelt~~ the solder balls, ensuring a solid connection with the motherboard. Consequently, this heating up also shifts the bumps on the die back into position, allowing the GPU to work again. "Reballing" will do the same thing, although instead of heating up the solder balls, you are removing the chip from the motherboard, cleaning it and applying new solder balls to it, then reinstalling the chip back on. This fix is only temporary, and you shouldn't expect the laptop to last more than 1 or 2 months before requiring another reflow and eventually a chip replacement.		However, an alternate fix is to reflow/reball the chip (this guide will only cover the reflow process). Reflowing is when the chip is heated up to "reflow" or re-melt the solder balls, ensuring a solid connection with the motherboard. Consequently, this heating up also shifts the bumps on the die back into position, allowing the GPU to work again. "Reballing" will do the same thing, although instead of heating up the solder balls, you are removing the chip from the motherboard, cleaning it and applying new solder balls to it, then reinstalling the chip back on, which still does not fix the root cause of the problem which is the bad underfill on the chip. This fix is only temporary, and you shouldn't expect the laptop to last more than 1 or 2 months before requiring another reflow and eventually a chip replacement.

	== Affected models ==		== Affected models ==
Line 32:		Line 32:

	* Artifacts on the screen		* Artifacts on the screen
	* Power but no display		* Power but no display (This is a common symptom with failing RS880M chipsets on the VPCEE/VPCEF)
	* 1 long 2 short beep code - GPU error		* 1 long 2 short beep code - GPU error
	* Crashing when loading in to Windows (when the GPU drivers are loaded, may work in safe mode)		* Crashing when loading in to Windows (when the GPU drivers are loaded, may work in safe mode)
Line 42:		Line 42:

	* Laptop that is being worked on		* Laptop that is being worked on
	* Hot air rework station, you could use a heat gun but a rework station will allow for precise temperature control. Chinese ones such as the 858D can be picked up for ~~about £20-30~~ on AliExpress and are adequate for the job.		* Hot air rework station, you could use a heat gun but a rework station will allow for precise temperature control. Chinese ones such as the 858D can be picked up for very cheap on AliExpress and are adequate for the job.
	* Soldering flux (nothing particular), I used fake Amtech flux for the reflow procedure which is very cheap on online platforms such as eBay. You preferably want a syringe as it makes putting the flux on a lot easier compared to without.		* Soldering flux (nothing particular), I used fake Amtech flux for the reflow procedure which is very cheap on online platforms such as eBay. You preferably want a syringe as it makes putting the flux on a lot easier compared to without.

Line 55:		Line 55:

	# Disassemble your device so that you only have the main board left. This varies depending on the machine.		# Disassemble your device so that you only have the main board left. This varies depending on the machine.
	# Clean off all thermal paste on the GPU using isopropyl alcohol and a small brush to ~~get~~ the paste around the capacitors, also clean around the GPU as well		# Clean off all thermal paste on the GPU using isopropyl alcohol and a small brush to remove the paste around the capacitors, also clean around the GPU as well
	# Remove all tape/insulating material located around or near the GPU. It can be left on, however when the GPU is reflowed the material may melt or curl up.		# Remove all tape/insulating material/stickers located around or near the GPU. It can be left on, however when the GPU is reflowed the material may melt or curl up.
	# (if you have it) Cut out a square the size of the GPU on the aluminum foil, or apply kapton tape around the GPU to protect the other components.		# (if you have it) Cut out a square the size of the GPU on the aluminum foil, or apply kapton tape around the GPU to protect the other components.
	# Apply flux around the edges of the chip		# Apply flux around the edges of the chip
	# Set the corners of the motherboard on top of something, so that there is air on the top and bottom of the board		# Set the corners of the motherboard on top of something, so that there is air on the top and bottom of the board.
	# Turn on your heat gun and set it to 400C		# Turn on your heat gun and set it to 400C
	# Apply heat to the GPU for about 2-3 minutes, making sure to move the heat gun around the GPU to avoid putting too much heat in 1 location.		# Apply heat to the GPU for about 2-3 minutes, making sure to move the heat gun around the GPU to avoid putting too much heat in 1 location.
Line 67:		Line 67:
	== Tips to prolong the lifespan of your reflowed GPU ==		== Tips to prolong the lifespan of your reflowed GPU ==

	* Make sure to apply a good quality thermal paste to the laptop, PTM7950 is a very good option as it completely eliminates pump-out on laptops. It is also a cheap option if you order from sites such as AliExpress. You want a thermal paste that is very viscous to prevent pump out, such as Gelid GC-Extreme.		* Make sure to apply a good quality thermal paste to the laptop, PTM7950 is a very good option as it completely eliminates pump-out on laptops. It is also a cheap option if you order from sites such as AliExpress. You want a thermal paste that is very viscous to prevent pump out, such as Gelid GC-Extreme. Liquid metal is also an option however it is expensive and not really worth doing.
	* Slightly bend the screw points on the heatsink up slightly, this puts more pressure on the chips enabling better contact.		* Slightly bend the screw points on the heatsink up slightly, this puts more pressure on the chips enabling better contact.
	* Clean the cooling system of your laptop regularly, at least once a year so that it stays running cool.		* Clean the cooling system of your laptop regularly, at least once a year so that it stays running cool.
	* If there is no copper touching the GPU, consider getting a copper shim, this will conduct heat much better than the non-copper heatsink.		* If there is no copper touching the GPU, consider getting a copper shim, this will conduct heat much better than the non-copper heatsink and allow for quicker heat transfer away from the GPU.

	== Resources ==		== Resources ==
	[https://www.badcaps.net/forum/troubleshooting-hardware-devices-and-electronics-theory/troubleshooting-laptops-tablets-and-mobile-devices/83833-nvidia-bumpgate\|More information on the NVIDIA bumpgate issue, as well as specific GPU models affected]		[https://www.badcaps.net/forum/troubleshooting-hardware-devices-and-electronics-theory/troubleshooting-laptops-tablets-and-mobile-devices/83833-nvidia-bumpgate\|More information on the NVIDIA bumpgate issue, as well as specific GPU models affected]