Cracked PCB RTX 5090 undergoes emergent repair by technical whiz: Reballing its core, replacing two memory chips, and adding more wires across its traces than the CIA.
In a recent repair case, a PNY RTX 5090 graphics card with a cracked PCB was brought to Northwest Repairs, a specialist in semiconductor work, particularly GPUs that need to be brought back from the dead. The owner, Tony, is also the face of their chaotic YouTube channel.
Upon inspection, the team at Northwest Repairs identified a specific memory chip as the problem. Further investigation revealed that the solder joints on that chip had likely gone bad. After replacing the faulty chip again, a dead short was found, likely due to thermal expansion.
The original PCB crack likely worsened during heat cycles, fully severing internal connections. To address this, repairs involved what is described as "urgent surgery" or restoration work on the dead RTX 5090 card. This process included careful cleaning, reflowing or replacing damaged traces, and possibly re-soldering or replacing components around the crack.
In addition, another jumper was added to bridge a missing PCIe enable signal, and a third wire was run to supply 3.3V directly to the memory enable signal to fix the issue. The enable signal for PEX, sourced from the 3.3V PCIe slot rail, was no longer reaching its destination.
Further investigation revealed a VRAM issue, as shown by memory diagnostics. The memory contact plate on the RTX 5090 was not properly touching the vapor chamber, resulting in poor thermal transfer to the memory. This was addressed by ensuring proper contact between the memory contact plate and the vapor chamber.
The repairs pushed right up against the limits of what can be done on a multilayer board without a factory. Despite the challenges, the RTX 5090 passed a full round of stress testing consisting of both benchmarks and games, indicating a successful repair.
It's worth noting that cracked PCBs on RTX 5090 GPUs are not reported as a widespread epidemic, but they do occur. Cracks in the PCB can interrupt signal traces and lead to seemingly random failures. While protective measures like conformal coatings on the PCB are used by manufacturers to enhance durability and reduce the risk of shorts from moisture or debris, these do not fully prevent mechanical stress damage like PCB cracking.
In conclusion, while cracked PCBs on RTX 5090 GPUs are not common, they are challenging but feasible to repair with advanced PCB repair techniques handled by skilled technicians. These repairs can bring otherwise dead GPUs back to life, suggesting a community and market for such services among high-end GPU users.
During their investigation, Northwest Repairs considered the possibility of using advanced gadgets, such as smartphones equipped with specialized software, to diagnose and analyze the issues more efficiently. After successfully repairing the RTX 5090 graphics card, they could share their experiences and techniques using technology on their YouTube channel, giving insights to the community and expanding their services' market among enthusiastic high-end smartphone and GPU users.
