1: Always use flux. 2: It's not about how long you apply heat, it's about whether or not you melt all the solder. If the solder doesn't melt, then you've not reflowed anything.
He already did. :o I haven't gotten around to using it though, because I already had an opened can of it, which has lasted me 20 years already so far (yeah, I'm a hobbyist). But he did make me fully realize how amazing it is. Correct temperature is fine. A sense of timing is good to have. Knowing what you're doing, definitely a plus. And adding fresh solder makes everything easier. But flux? That's what holds the universe together.
One MicroPaul of Flux is all it would need. Also by the looks of the chip, you'd want to run a soldering iron down the sides. Basically, watch a couple of Louis's vids. Don't delay!
This is your best 'trying to fix' video yet. I was willing you to find a solution and all the way to the end I thought you may find it. The change in the tone of your voice was heartbreaking - I've been there slogging it out for hours only to have exhausted everything you know of. Keep up the hard work Vince - very informative and fun to watch.
26:52 I work in the production area of a electronics company and I can tell that the marks you found on the back are wave soldering mark... flux residue from soldering frames... it looks like water damage but you can tell by the precise pattern... nice unboxing and teardown by the way
Hi Vince, I too love taking things apart & trying to fix them, have done from a real young age which made me pursue an electronics course & working as a TV engineer (pre lcd era) so I'm really enjoying these videos mate keep it up because this is how you learn & you will get better.
I can't believe how patient you are,you spent a whole day,possibly more going through all those problems and to not fix it would be infuriating for me,Well done for just going "oh well,I tried" 🤣🤣
If your reflowing things and are worried about other components use tin foil to cover them up and also always use flux makes solder flow easier good luck love the videos
Vince,I'd recommend going and watching a few of Louis Rossmann's videos to learn a bit about reflowing and replacing chips,also get some liquid flux and a magnifying glass so you can see when the solder starts to flow 👍 That being said..keep it up mate, I love watching your vids
Hi after watching your videos I was inspired to try and fix my little boys broken toys instead of just replacing them, so far I've fixed his light and sound gun by soldering the battery wire back on, took a remote control for his car apart and reseated the joysticks, next I'm going to try and change a battery clock mechanism with one from another clock😁
I love it! I'm the same way. I've been bitched at so many times for trying to fix things that were waaaay beyond repair....and spending countless hours on things that weren't even worth $5. It's all about the satisfaction of the fix.
You've gone this far, go for a new chip. Without it, you will not get an ethernet connection, wired, wireless, hdmi, usb, etc. All the connections are just that, interfaces to the realtek (or other compatible ethernet) chips. And use flux, lots of it.. What better way to learn to solder surface mounted I.C's? You're halfway there, you removed one, now replace one. Be brave young man.
It is the antenna, the analog part, codes don't get thrown for antenna. The antenna just affects signal, doesn't change hardware state which throws errors.
Something you should do is if you can, one camera pointed to the screen, and another one pointed at the console, or the thing your trying to fix. This is so I can see both at the same time without you having to pan the camera up to the screen and then back.
Great videos Vince, I thought I was alone taking things apart and 70% of the time not fixing them. Great to see there are others. Good sportsmanship taking it on the chin the fails. Keep up the good work
Few things quickly ( I am sure these are answered in the video but I cannot watch it all on break.) Wifi failure on these models is an easy fix, and the modules are cheap. The sync button is attached to the back of the silver thing you were pressing..so the reason there is no "click" is because the grating on that side is missing. If the smaller black plastic piece is also missing, you can use your forefinger and thumb to click it and that'll get your controller working. If that piece is there (couldn't tell on my end) then it may not be in the correct position. Just slide it out and back in. As for the system error...usually a hard drive problem. Check it with a program on your PC or Laptop to see if it's good to use. If it is just reset the OS and you're good to go. Had to stop watching 6 minutes in, but will check the rest out when I get home. Good luck! (Edit): Being that you're in the UK....check with Andrew Paul. He has a RUclips channel and is an ACE with electronics. He is like me...can pretty much fix anything you need to plug in. He is the best I know of in your neck of the woods. Cheers.
thank you. i bought an xbox one that was not turning on. after reflowing/replacing southbridge chip it still wasnt turning on. After watching your video i reflowed that chip that you took out and it FINALLY TURNED ON. Thanks a lot my mate vince.
I love these videos! If I had the money for it, I'd buy tons of these thing (metaphorically speaking) and fix them myself. I too love taking things apart and fixing them.
I was really rooting for you in this fight... I'm quite tired of seeing you losing to faulty things you bought on ebay... I hope the next one will be easier on you ! Keep going at it, you're awesome !
That cloudy stuff on the board is flux leftover from when the board was assembled. It's meant to get cleaned off, but there's usually a trace amount left over, and it goes cloudy over time as dust sticks to it.
Had exactly the same issue, fixed it by replacing the diode+couple resistors around the ic The diode blown ( the resistors where a bit " high" for their capacitance ) Edit: Please use flux, the hot air station ain't doing nothing otherwise
Do R/C! Actually, a leadless SMD chip is not an ideal chip for someone with very basic beginner level soldering skills as the pins to be soldered are underneath the chip so you have to actually know what your are doing to heat and flow the solder properly, compounded by a multilayer board with large ground and power planes that rapidly wick away the heat requiring preheating from the underside of the board to avoid cooking the chip.
Ethan Poole I didn't mean learn on that ic:) just practice and learn in general. That chip is a bit more challenging than a through hole resistor but it's certainly not reballing a giant bga package.
I was waiting for this! Even i don't have idea what's the problem with this. You should test if the Wifi board heats up when the system is on, it can help a bit
Sorry but i'm addicted to this stuff, need my regular fix, keep up the good work, i've done similar with mobile phones, found much more easy to fix than i thought, all parts available online.
Actually, in order to get a step further from "I don't know what I am doing here" as you often repeat, use the options you have. So may be you first go to ifixit and check their teardown. In step 9 you find some explanations on the small card you found on top of the shielding. They offer a photo with the RF shields removed and you see two marvel radio chips. They connect everything wireless, partly by the antennas on the PCB itself and one additional antenna connected by the micro-ipx cable. While one 88W8897M is an all mode wireless chip, supporting WiFi, Bluetooth and NFC, the other is a proprietary radio for the controllers. These chips are available in SDIO, USB or PCI-express interfaces. Cause of the amount of available pins on the mainboard interconnect, I would guess for USB. So as the second board out of the working Xbox doesn't work on the faulty one (and hopefully the pcb from the faulty one works on the good Xbox) you should compare the voltages on the pins first. Check for 5V or 3.3V on at least some of the pins of the interconnection. I could net find if the RTL8151GNM is PCI-x or USB. But if it is USB, it is likely that there one of two failures. There is a point of load converter bringing power to this networking section and it failed. Or there is a USB HUB chip, that got broken connections due to the crash of the box. Reflowing such a little chip is very very much easier compared to reflowing the southbridge chip. So I would give that a try first :) Good luck!
Yeah I was also going to suggest some retro consoles as there's not so much that can go wrong with them. I've fixed a few Sega Saturn's myself. (usually a dirty CD drive) Although if they needed recapping he may struggle.
I have been watching your 'Trying to Fix It' videos for a time now, and I must say that your determination and confidence have actually inspired me to dive into component level diagnosis whenever there is a hardware or mechanical fault with a gadget. I really enjoy watching all of your videos. Thank you for the time devoted and the know how to do stuff like this. Keep up the good work!
I think it would be a cool idea if you were making those repairs live (basically streaming, on yt or on twitch), so if you would be stuck, ppl could give you hints in real time. But I dunno how many ppl would be on, though I think it's worth a try.
The seller said it could play dvd's you bought it to "play dvd's" it doesn't play them as the seller altered the account. Their for a full refund should be provided you was supplied an item not as described!
I think half of the bids are pushed up by sellers friends, half the time that's case because the seller wants more for what an item is worth. Good video.
MrGtagangster yeah look : rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F312192889660 When you buy from this seller in Japan they cost absolutely nothing and they take about 1 or 2 weeks to arrive here in Europe ( game boy consoles are not region locked you can play any games from any region on any console )
This is why "kids" shouldn't be allowed to have consoles. They're not careful, nor do they usually care how much it cost their parents to buy it for them. My little cousin was super spoiled. He had a PS2 that was overheating all the time because he covered it in stickers an painted it. I took all the stickers off, took it apart and cleaned it. Worked like a charm afterwards. Told him the worth of the machine and to not put anymore stickers on it. He listened well. If your kids want a games console, get them on a paper route or mowing grass to at least pay for half. This will teach them the value of working for something they want instead of just expecting it. Parents who spoil their kids and leave them to their own devices and then wonder why they don't listen to anything piss me off.............sorry for the rant, they could be great kids. Awesome video as always.
Please don't try to put the chip back in, it's completely destroyed. Next time you try to use the reflow station use some flux, heat the surrounding area slowly moving in closer to the target chip until you're right over it so you don't stress the board, use pennies or something similar to act as a heat-shield for any closer components. Get some solder wick, add some new solder to the pads when the chip is off, use the wick to remove it all, then add some flux and a small amount of solder to each pad (drag solder if you need to) and do the same thing you did to remove the chip but hold it down with tweezers while it's flowed back on. If any extra solder comes out use the wick or a micro-pencil tip to remove the excess and make sure you're pressing enough to get the central ground pad to be flush so all the pins touch. It's not hard and I hope this helps you with your future projects
Hello. Here is a few tips. Which you may already know. Watch videos of people doing these reflow's , find old boards that you can practice on, Have faith you Will get better Get a Microscope that hooks up to your Pc or Monitor , Flux the parts, Try to use a vacuum tool to pull the part straight up when removing and it aids in placement Clean all the old solder off the board flux and add new solder,Flux and heat the part ,install . Practice ,practice : ) Love the videos. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
My Xbox one s, shuts off sometimes a minute or two after startup. Microsoft told me to factory reset it. It still has the same issue. I’m writing this comment before watching the video, I hope it can help me. It won’t but good video
ive had this issue with some laptops and a ps3, for me it was the motherboard getting lifted up a bit from its regular position so i had to open the case up, unscrew everything then screw it back in with better more tight screws.
Wouldn't it give a hardware malfunction screen if it gets overheated? I'm optimistic there should be an app that monitors your hardware's temperature (I've never even touched an XBONE), anyways if you put it in a closed environment it sure is to overheat. It could be a faulty power supply (or cable), have you tried swapping one with one of your friends? Last but not least, it could very well be an improper attached flexcable or hardware chip (again don't know whether everything is hardwired or plugged in), but most likely that if it doesn't heat up too much, and changing the cable doesn't work, means some chip gets disconnected cause the board is slightly bend due to heat it cannot vent out due to improper ventilation (dust maybe). You could try placing it on top of a laptop cooler and see if that changes anything.
Hi Vince - Great vids, I like to do this sort of thing as a hobby. I do own a rework station myself (for work), but I use it for my hobbies as well. I suggest in the future to use flux, it's a little bit of cheap insurance to further reduce damage around other components. 300C on full fan speed can sometimes ruin the chips. Make sure you're constantly moving around the chip in an even pattern, up, down, side to side, circular...wherever the solder joints are. I find the sweet spot (Just me personally) is 285 - 6. If the solder is being stubborn, then i slowly move up in 5C increments. Keep u the entertaining vids!
hmm... as a computer and electronics technician i'm thinking Harddrive is filled with bad sectors and blocks. harddrives aren't made for droppin' you see, they will take a LOT of damage when they are dropped!
hmmm... as a guy who has no qualifications in computers or electronics, do you seriously think that HDD damage is the reason the hardware has shit itself? hard drive stores software, the software seemed to be working fine to me...
As a guy with PHD in Computer science and Masters in Nuclear Physics, I think you guys are wrong. The problem is with other dimension materials interfering with its main electron transposing property.
If both the wireless and ethernet does not work one would think the issue is with something that they both have in common like a power rail or some pullup/pulldown resistor or such since that PCB looked like there had been water or moist on it a short would not be too far fetched.
I was looking at this listing 😂. But then I ve seen broken side and said to myself... Naaaah I'll pass. Keep up great work Vince. Greetings from Highlands.
A faulty disc drive is actually harder to replace, since it and the motherboard are paired. However, you can also put your motherboard paired drive board in the new drive if it’s just a laser problem.
Yeah cause microsoft is too worried about "piracy"...... it was the same thing with the 360 drives too. The 360 wont even update without a disk drive thats paired with the board.even if u dissconnect it, still wont update. Its ok as I just use my old 360 as a media player in the living room.
DONT hold a heat gun to anything for a over 2 minutes. Also use a lot of flux. especially at 300c. it can heat up the board and unsolder other components. if you didn't try this yet(haven't finished the video) Try to swap the front board that the WiFi chip connects to. Its an Antenna connection.
My heart was breaking watching you trying so hard to fix this overpriced paperweight :-( I'm really sorry mate, but I personally think that you have been scammed with this Xbox One? I honestly think that the seller was telling a whopping big fib when he described what had happened to it? I also think that he or someone else has already tried to fix it too?... the security sticker was far too loose on one side. Fantastic video though! Thanks so much for posting. You really had me on the edge of my seat so many times. Better luck next time fella, I really hope that your next fix it job will be a winner for you.
you should get your money back. he said it plays dvd movies. since he erased everything before selling it, it no longer will play movies. so i would contact paypal and ebay.
It was sold as "for parts" and said that wifi/ethernet aren't working. He wasn't scammed, it DID play DVD's, but it wasn't sold as a DVD player, it was very being sold for parts, which is what it's going to be used as.
It being eBay I’d bet my life that it’s been messed with. Especially looking like that. Being in the classic computer/audio gear market I won’t touch anything where people say what the problem is, especially when parts are not together. The worse it looks and more vague about what is wrong with it the better. It’s much more likely they didn’t mess with it (the same holds true for cars). This is a typical con, dump it on some other sucker when you find out it’s either not possible or difficult to repair. Thankfully when I was had it wasn’t anything that expensive, but still it sucks when you’re not dishonest like the original seller.
I love tinkering ! Ain't tinkering wonderful ? you learn so much just by fiddle fingering stuff some say its useless information but to us tinkerers its wonderful knowledge !
Only just come across your videos, but one bit of advice I would give you ..... If you are starting out with SMD and a hot air gun just find local people that are giving away broken electronics. Don't worry about fixing them but you can use them to test your skills by removing and replacing components at no cost to yourself. Just a thought.
Smart phones will piss you off. Not unlike an ex who calls or texts you every 3 months just to argue......then hangs up after she has gotten you all pissed off. They are one in the same.
It is entertaining and I can tell you are no expert, but your enthusiasm is epic! Keep on doing what you're doing! IMHO eBay item descriptions can never be trusted, unless you can get the item for a seriously reduced price I wouldn't be tempted, too many fake & dodgy items on there!
Part of the word ‘reflow’ is flow. The shots you did of the chips didn’t show any solder changing state to liquid. A hard drop could cause a reflow joint to break, so you may have been on the right path. The water marks on the board could be a cheap or poor cleaning by the manufacturer. I once had a computer board so contaminated that I had to scrub it with distilled water to get the contamination off. Don’t know if it’s still true, but some fluxes are conductive, which can also cause flaky performance. Enjoyed your video, thanks.
Hi there Vince! Have you considered livestreaming the filming of these "FIX it" videos on Twitch? If you become an affiliate on there you can get donations from viewers that will help towards your "faulty gadgets" budget. A livestream would of course be uncut and longer than the usual video, but I'd love to see these attempts to fix stuff in real time. You would also be able to communicate with your viewers in real-time and answer questions your fanbase may have. -Pivot
It is a very good idea and maybe as I get a bit (or a lot better) then it could definitely be an option. The problem at the moment is that although the video is under 1 hour the real time spent is probably around 3 or 4 hours so it would probably be boring to watch. The thing I really like about this idea is that viewers could help me out so the success rate might be better. Something to think about maybe in a 6 months :-)
Thats also me trying to fix gpus, mobos and things like that mostly had no succes but worth the try as it gives you knowledge about repairing electronics everytime I try to fix one
Vince get yourself some kapton tape and liquid flux the tape you an stick around what you're heating up and stops the components heating up and holds them in place
I bought an RC transmitter on E-Bay used,thinking I would save some money. Sadly the unit went bad shortly after I got it. After doing a teardown, I found someone had already been into the unit. I could see dirty fingerprints on the motherboard and some weird fuzz stuck to it. It ended up in the parts bin and I ended up buying a new in box. Now that one is acting up. The sound chip is acting up so I may reset the unit, clear it and redown load the sound program because I suspect the issue is just in the sound program, not the actual chip. You did everything I did with that Transmitter including reflowing the motherboard. Sending it in for repair would have doubled my cost. At least you tryed. My guess is there was more wrong with that than they told you. Anytime someone puts their paws into an electronic unit, its usually bad news.
I remember when I bought a PS3 off ebay awhile ago. previous owner said it was broken and couldn't be bothered to fix it. Bought it for £30 and all that was wrong with it was a disc stuck in the drive lol
I wouldn't blow the center of a chip with a heat gun, it simply shortens the lifespan of a chip, blow it only on the solder terminals of the chip and that is more than enough to solve the problem of dry/failed/cracked solder joints, also use a decent flux to facilitate proper flow of the melted solder. .
Alex Vapes, Do you think the issue is with Ethernet controller? It seems ominous that both Wifi and Ethernet aren't working. I was thinking that the issue might be the connection on the south bridge chip.
bill chilliechangabill it's not. That are the chemicals used in factory when the board goes through the wave solder. Many manufacturers are lazy to clean it or it's cuz they wish cut the costs. You can see such things on brand new video cards aswell.
hi did you do a hard reset push the eject and the side button then switch on thats how i fixed mine same thing no connect to internet by wireless card cheers
Pity u didn't fix it, i kept thinking... this time will be it lol but £72 total rip off, almost 2 yrs ago i paid £50 for a fully working xbox one, with controller and kinect....
lol not lying.... i got it off a lady on facebook... i already had an xbox one, but at that price i couldn't turn it down... i just used the joypad and kinect and kept the console as a spare, which still is a spare 2 yrs later lol as my own xbox one is running fine.... oh and i saw a mint ps4 with controller in a local charity shop the other week which i could have had for £60, but turned it down as i really didn't wanna go down the route of yet another console lol yes i could have made a quick buck at cex but thought i'd let it go to someone who really wanted it....
horror36 I've had a few Xbox off eBay with either startup errors or "faulty HDMI" for about £48 each or less which have only had a failed HDD or badly corrupted HDD. Annoyingly I bought HDMI ports and replaced one before checking the HDDs and finding the actual fault. Replacing the HDD with the aid of the rebuild instructions and scripts from XFix bought them back to life.
Hi. I have a little solution. Try to solder back that RTL chip (Just place it carefully and align the pins) use flux and reflow again, if you have a tiny tip soldering iron try to gently resolder each pim. Test the console and if it gets back to life then this time reflow the chipset (the largest IC chip on the motherboard) use a bit of flux and try to flow the flux under the chip heat it up for around 2 minutes on a moderately low flow level and 320C temp. Goodluck
Lol you kind of got ripped off. I got an original Xbox One at a pawn shop with an xb1 s controller and not scratched for 71 USD which is 51.49 pounds. It still works perfectly to this day.
Yeah I think you were right in the beginning, the person tried taking it apart and messed up a cable relating to wifi. It happened to me on my PS3 when I was in middle school trying to clean my blu-ray eye. Think it happens when you pop the case open from the side possibly tearing off a ribbon cable or something?
I've had some experience with stuff like this and I can help you with a few things, first off the kapton tape that was already explained is needed probably more than the flux when doing a re-flow without using fresh solder, you see each one of the pins on that chip, well you are applying heat and as you do that the solder is globulating and when it does gravity forces the solder down and outwards and unfortunately it tends to touch the other pins which can cause a short when it dries, essentially making the problem worse or cause more problems as a result, you need to put tape on it and use a pineapple stick to get it to stick between the sockets of the chip as the channels are so small these days, then heat it let it dry and remove the tape, to attempt this with no tape is fruitless and will just make the problems worse. The wireless and Ethernet and if it has Bluetooth (not sure about xbox's), they typically all run off the same chip these days, which is essentially once comms chip array with split chip-set layout inside, so if the wireless doesn't work because of a faulty chip then the chances are neither will the wired connection, this is definitely the case with a PS3 not sure about XBOX but I would imagine it's the same as a cost saving space saving feature. You stated the unit was dropped as a description from the buyer, there is a chance that there was never a problem with any solder of the chips, if the unit had been dropped multiple times then a micro fracture could have developed across any section of the main board or even a separate control board and it would be very hard to eyeball with the naked eye, micro-fractures are exactly that microscopic and can be caused by dropping or even from ESD. Equally the unit could have had poor ventilation as you said it was quite dirty inside and hadn't been cleaned so this could have led to any number of control chips on the main board failing due to poor ventilation and excessive heat during use. Unfortunately gone are the days when components were on separate interface cards that could be replaced, now everything is throw away as the company loves to sell you another one, even big companies like Microsoft will not attempt to repair a main board they will simply swap it out with a fresh one and send the faulty board to the recycling plant to have it's gold and chemicals recycled to go into a new one. If you really want to go down to the board level of repairing things then the first thing you need to look at getting is circuit diagrams off the net and learning how to solder, the circuit diagram is a must otherwise you are just guessing at what is what and where it goes and what else could be connected to it regulating it, using solder is like a dark art it takes a real steady hand to get it right a friend of mine use to solder CB rig boards, TV's, Radios you name it years ago and he always said it's a skill that requires an extremely steady hand and method to making it right, otherwise you end up with shorts, dry joints, ESD build up and god knows what else occurring. I always wanted to do stuff like this but my hands shake to much if I try and hold them still and I've also burnt myself numerous times on the solder iron. Good luck bud.
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1: Always use flux.
2: It's not about how long you apply heat, it's about whether or not you melt all the solder. If the solder doesn't melt, then you've not reflowed anything.
what if he installs a Flux Capacitor ?
reflow what? it aint BGA so whatsthe point?
46:22 Always use flux. When in doubt, drown everything in the stuff. Seriously.
I;m sure Louis Rossman will sell you some :)
He already did. :o
I haven't gotten around to using it though, because I already had an opened can of it, which has lasted me 20 years already so far (yeah, I'm a hobbyist). But he did make me fully realize how amazing it is. Correct temperature is fine. A sense of timing is good to have. Knowing what you're doing, definitely a plus. And adding fresh solder makes everything easier. But flux? That's what holds the universe together.
Don't delay, buy today.
STOREdotROSSMANNGROUPdotCOM
One MicroPaul of Flux is all it would need.
Also by the looks of the chip, you'd want to run a soldering iron down the sides.
Basically, watch a couple of Louis's vids. Don't delay!
This is your best 'trying to fix' video yet. I was willing you to find a solution and all the way to the end I thought you may find it. The change in the tone of your voice was heartbreaking - I've been there slogging it out for hours only to have exhausted everything you know of. Keep up the hard work Vince - very informative and fun to watch.
Thanks, I really like this comment. Thank you very much :-)
Great video, one of many I hope.
To watch your old videos and thinking about where your at now amazes me. Reflowing a chip is child's play for you now Vince
26:52 I work in the production area of a electronics company and I can tell that the marks you found on the back are wave soldering mark... flux residue from soldering frames... it looks like water damage but you can tell by the precise pattern... nice unboxing and teardown by the way
Hi Vince, I too love taking things apart & trying to fix them, have done from a real young age which made me pursue an electronics course & working as a TV engineer (pre lcd era) so I'm really enjoying these videos mate keep it up because this is how you learn & you will get better.
I can't believe how patient you are,you spent a whole day,possibly more going through all those problems and to not fix it would be infuriating for me,Well done for just going "oh well,I tried" 🤣🤣
Love how honest this video is. The end doesn't have to be perfect for the video to be enjoyable 😄
If your reflowing things and are worried about other components use tin foil to cover them up and also always use flux makes solder flow easier good luck love the videos
Vince,I'd recommend going and watching a few of Louis Rossmann's videos to learn a bit about reflowing and replacing chips,also get some liquid flux and a magnifying glass so you can see when the solder starts to flow 👍
That being said..keep it up mate, I love watching your vids
I just added a comment with a link to Rossmangroup YT channel! :) GMTA...
Don't delay, buy today
Any chance you retry this? You have the skills now.
Greetings
Hi after watching your videos I was inspired to try and fix my little boys broken toys instead of just replacing them, so far I've fixed his light and sound gun by soldering the battery wire back on, took a remote control for his car apart and reseated the joysticks, next I'm going to try and change a battery clock mechanism with one from another clock😁
You would be great in the emergency services because you would never give up on someone who died!!😂
After hours of him trying to get his head round the human circulatory system lol
I love it! I'm the same way. I've been bitched at so many times for trying to fix things that were waaaay beyond repair....and spending countless hours on things that weren't even worth $5. It's all about the satisfaction of the fix.
Alex edycbydyrtdydyxun
Cj Oakman duffer Fred vgisy. Fzgdhvrjd
That was rude
You've gone this far, go for a new chip. Without it, you will not get an ethernet connection, wired, wireless, hdmi, usb, etc. All the connections are just that, interfaces to the realtek (or other compatible ethernet) chips. And use flux, lots of it.. What better way to learn to solder surface mounted I.C's? You're halfway there, you removed one, now replace one. Be brave young man.
The wireless card connects to the front panel which i think is the antenna. Try swapping those front boards and seeing if that fixes it.
Was just about to say the same thing xD
Yep that sounds like a plan
correct. it acts partially as an antenna
It is the antenna, the analog part, codes don't get thrown for antenna. The antenna just affects signal, doesn't change hardware state which throws errors.
He couldn't get Ethernet either which suggests the network controller chip not Wi-Fi specifically.
I think you have to invest your time in learning electronics and soldering. Your diagnosis are good. It will save you a lot of money.
Something you should do is if you can, one camera pointed to the screen, and another one pointed at the console, or the thing your trying to fix. This is so I can see both at the same time without you having to pan the camera up to the screen and then back.
Great videos Vince, I thought I was alone taking things apart and 70% of the time not fixing them. Great to see there are others. Good sportsmanship taking it on the chin the fails. Keep up the good work
Few things quickly ( I am sure these are answered in the video but I cannot watch it all on break.) Wifi failure on these models is an easy fix, and the modules are cheap. The sync button is attached to the back of the silver thing you were pressing..so the reason there is no "click" is because the grating on that side is missing. If the smaller black plastic piece is also missing, you can use your forefinger and thumb to click it and that'll get your controller working. If that piece is there (couldn't tell on my end) then it may not be in the correct position. Just slide it out and back in. As for the system error...usually a hard drive problem. Check it with a program on your PC or Laptop to see if it's good to use. If it is just reset the OS and you're good to go. Had to stop watching 6 minutes in, but will check the rest out when I get home. Good luck!
(Edit): Being that you're in the UK....check with Andrew Paul. He has a RUclips channel and is an ACE with electronics. He is like me...can pretty much fix anything you need to plug in. He is the best I know of in your neck of the woods. Cheers.
Muzicadepetrecere
thank you. i bought an xbox one that was not turning on. after reflowing/replacing southbridge chip it still wasnt turning on. After watching your video i reflowed that chip that you took out and it FINALLY TURNED ON. Thanks a lot my mate vince.
I love these videos! If I had the money for it, I'd buy tons of these thing (metaphorically speaking) and fix them myself. I too love taking things apart and fixing them.
same, it's so much fun
I was really rooting for you in this fight... I'm quite tired of seeing you losing to faulty things you bought on ebay... I hope the next one will be easier on you ! Keep going at it, you're awesome !
oh man..another fail faulty fix..well keep it up..here to cheer you man...
Thanks mate :-)
That cloudy stuff on the board is flux leftover from when the board was assembled. It's meant to get cleaned off, but there's usually a trace amount left over, and it goes cloudy over time as dust sticks to it.
Had exactly the same issue, fixed it by replacing the diode+couple resistors around the ic
The diode blown ( the resistors where a bit " high" for their capacitance )
Edit: Please use flux, the hot air station ain't doing nothing otherwise
Thanks for the info :-)
What a great channel - I can see myself power-watching these till three in the morning...
Definitely learn to solder. A chip like that isnt too hard to do.
Do R/C! Actually, a leadless SMD chip is not an ideal chip for someone with very basic beginner level soldering skills as the pins to be soldered are underneath the chip so you have to actually know what your are doing to heat and flow the solder properly, compounded by a multilayer board with large ground and power planes that rapidly wick away the heat requiring preheating from the underside of the board to avoid cooking the chip.
Ethan Poole I didn't mean learn on that ic:) just practice and learn in general. That chip is a bit more challenging than a through hole resistor but it's certainly not reballing a giant bga package.
These fix it videos are so entertaining. Love it.
Thank you :-)
I was waiting for this! Even i don't have idea what's the problem with this. You should test if the Wifi board heats up when the system is on, it can help a bit
This is awesome! Almost a new daily series of my favorite hobby! Please keep it up, I love it!
The white point on the back of the motherboard are flux, which didnt got removed in the factory. Its normal and should not damage anything.
Julius Zietlow no its not
Sorry but i'm addicted to this stuff, need my regular fix, keep up the good work, i've done similar with mobile phones, found much more easy to fix than i thought, all parts available online.
Actually, in order to get a step further from "I don't know what I am doing here" as you often repeat, use the options you have. So may be you first go to ifixit and check their teardown. In step 9 you find some explanations on the small card you found on top of the shielding. They offer a photo with the RF shields removed and you see two marvel radio chips. They connect everything wireless, partly by the antennas on the PCB itself and one additional antenna connected by the micro-ipx cable. While one 88W8897M is an all mode wireless chip, supporting WiFi, Bluetooth and NFC, the other is a proprietary radio for the controllers. These chips are available in SDIO, USB or PCI-express interfaces. Cause of the amount of available pins on the mainboard interconnect, I would guess for USB. So as the second board out of the working Xbox doesn't work on the faulty one (and hopefully the pcb from the faulty one works on the good Xbox) you should compare the voltages on the pins first. Check for 5V or 3.3V on at least some of the pins of the interconnection. I could net find if the RTL8151GNM is PCI-x or USB. But if it is USB, it is likely that there one of two failures. There is a point of load converter bringing power to this networking section and it failed. Or there is a USB HUB chip, that got broken connections due to the crash of the box. Reflowing such a little chip is very very much easier compared to reflowing the southbridge chip. So I would give that a try first :) Good luck!
Your patience is commendable mate . I’d have bounced it off the wall by now lol
Buy some faulty gamecubes there pretty easy to fix
Yeah I was also going to suggest some retro consoles as there's not so much that can go wrong with them.
I've fixed a few Sega Saturn's myself. (usually a dirty CD drive) Although if they needed recapping he may struggle.
bill chilliechangabill They're worthless though. Even if you plan on playing it you're better off getting a Wii or something.
that's because the Gamecube is made of Nintendium
@iVirtualPlays all those consoles use to have way more components inside not 2 cips and some ram like xbox one
I have been watching your 'Trying to Fix It' videos for a time now, and I must say that your determination and confidence have actually inspired me to dive into component level diagnosis whenever there is a hardware or mechanical fault with a gadget. I really enjoy watching all of your videos. Thank you for the time devoted and the know how to do stuff like this. Keep up the good work!
I think it would be a cool idea if you were making those repairs live
(basically streaming, on yt or on twitch), so if you would be stuck, ppl could give you hints in real time. But I dunno how many ppl would be on, though I think it's worth a try.
I would like to learn more about short/open circuits and the testing device that you use. Thank you for another entertaining video and thumbs up!
The seller said it could play dvd's you bought it to "play dvd's" it doesn't play them as the seller altered the account. Their for a full refund should be provided you was supplied an item not as described!
agelec99, I would absolutely agree with you right until the point he opened it up
I think half of the bids are pushed up by sellers friends, half the time that's case because the seller wants more for what an item is worth. Good video.
Respect Earthling !
Yeah he smart
Your dedication is your saviour that was a brilliant video.
That XBOX can be fixed, re-flowing is always a temporary fix.
Can you fix mine then lol. Doesn’t play games. Digital or disc. But plays and runs every app on the damn console 😂😂😂
Idk if a reflow is always a temporary fix when done right. I guess it's better than people putting there stuff in the oven.
Tough luck. No one can fault your effort. Interesting to watch. Thanks.
You could buy broken game boys they are really easy to fix and quite cheap
really?
MrGtagangster yeah look : rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F312192889660
When you buy from this seller in Japan they cost absolutely nothing and they take about 1 or 2 weeks to arrive here in Europe ( game boy consoles are not region locked you can play any games from any region on any console )
Yes also 10th like
This is why "kids" shouldn't be allowed to have consoles. They're not careful, nor do they usually care how much it cost their parents to buy it for them. My little cousin was super spoiled. He had a PS2 that was overheating all the time because he covered it in stickers an painted it. I took all the stickers off, took it apart and cleaned it. Worked like a charm afterwards. Told him the worth of the machine and to not put anymore stickers on it. He listened well. If your kids want a games console, get them on a paper route or mowing grass to at least pay for half. This will teach them the value of working for something they want instead of just expecting it. Parents who spoil their kids and leave them to their own devices and then wonder why they don't listen to anything piss me off.............sorry for the rant, they could be great kids. Awesome video as always.
Please don't try to put the chip back in, it's completely destroyed. Next time you try to use the reflow station use some flux, heat the surrounding area slowly moving in closer to the target chip until you're right over it so you don't stress the board, use pennies or something similar to act as a heat-shield for any closer components. Get some solder wick, add some new solder to the pads when the chip is off, use the wick to remove it all, then add some flux and a small amount of solder to each pad (drag solder if you need to) and do the same thing you did to remove the chip but hold it down with tweezers while it's flowed back on. If any extra solder comes out use the wick or a micro-pencil tip to remove the excess and make sure you're pressing enough to get the central ground pad to be flush so all the pins touch. It's not hard and I hope this helps you with your future projects
Great help, I didn't think about applying pressure when a chip goes back on for the central ground. Thanks for the tips :-)
My Mate VINCE Louis rossman has tutorials that cover things like this
Hello. Here is a few tips. Which you may already know. Watch videos of people doing these reflow's , find old boards that you can practice on, Have faith you Will get better Get a Microscope that hooks up to your Pc or Monitor , Flux the parts, Try to use a vacuum tool to pull the part straight up when removing and it aids in placement Clean all the old solder off the board flux and add new solder,Flux and heat the part ,install . Practice ,practice : ) Love the videos. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
My Xbox one s, shuts off sometimes a minute or two after startup. Microsoft told me to factory reset it. It still has the same issue. I’m writing this comment before watching the video, I hope it can help me.
It won’t but good video
ive had this issue with some laptops and a ps3, for me it was the motherboard getting lifted up a bit from its regular position so i had to open the case up, unscrew everything then screw it back in with better more tight screws.
Falco Gaming I don’t believe it is overheating but I’ll try. Thank you
I had the same issue with my Xbox one s and I fix it by cleaning out the power supply with air to get dust out of it.
Wouldn't it give a hardware malfunction screen if it gets overheated? I'm optimistic there should be an app that monitors your hardware's temperature (I've never even touched an XBONE), anyways if you put it in a closed environment it sure is to overheat. It could be a faulty power supply (or cable), have you tried swapping one with one of your friends? Last but not least, it could very well be an improper attached flexcable or hardware chip (again don't know whether everything is hardwired or plugged in), but most likely that if it doesn't heat up too much, and changing the cable doesn't work, means some chip gets disconnected cause the board is slightly bend due to heat it cannot vent out due to improper ventilation (dust maybe). You could try placing it on top of a laptop cooler and see if that changes anything.
thehaxfactory nah doesn’t happen to me but thanks
Hi Vince - Great vids, I like to do this sort of thing as a hobby. I do own a rework station myself (for work), but I use it for my hobbies as well. I suggest in the future to use flux, it's a little bit of cheap insurance to further reduce damage around other components. 300C on full fan speed can sometimes ruin the chips. Make sure you're constantly moving around the chip in an even pattern, up, down, side to side, circular...wherever the solder joints are. I find the sweet spot (Just me personally) is 285 - 6. If the solder is being stubborn, then i slowly move up in 5C increments. Keep u the entertaining vids!
Thanks for the info :-)
I love this series!!
Thank you :-)
This is my all time favorite RUclips channel
Thank so much :-)
hmm... as a computer and electronics technician i'm thinking Harddrive is filled with bad sectors and blocks. harddrives aren't made for droppin' you see, they will take a LOT of damage when they are dropped!
hmmm... as a guy who has no qualifications in computers or electronics, do you seriously think that HDD damage is the reason the hardware has shit itself? hard drive stores software, the software seemed to be working fine to me...
As a computer engineer, a hard drive having bad sectors would cause other problems. This most likely has to so with a bad chip.
As a guy with PHD in Computer science and Masters in Nuclear Physics, I think you guys are wrong. The problem is with other dimension materials interfering with its main electron transposing property.
@@UniverseGOD2525 haha. You're funny 😆
Damn respect you worked whole day and still be happy because you learned something respect bro🙏
If both the wireless and ethernet does not work one would think the issue is with something that they both have in common like a power rail or some pullup/pulldown resistor or such since that PCB looked like there had been water or moist on it a short would not be too far fetched.
I was looking at this listing 😂. But then I ve seen broken side and said to myself... Naaaah I'll pass. Keep up great work Vince. Greetings from Highlands.
Your unboxing is amazing
Let's upgrade objects I agree
I'm dead hahahaha
He's good at thinking out loud, lol
A faulty disc drive is actually harder to replace, since it and the motherboard are paired. However, you can also put your motherboard paired drive board in the new drive if it’s just a laser problem.
Yeah cause microsoft is too worried about "piracy"...... it was the same thing with the 360 drives too. The 360 wont even update without a disk drive thats paired with the board.even if u dissconnect it, still wont update. Its ok as I just use my old 360 as a media player in the living room.
I really want to see you successfully repair a big console
DONT hold a heat gun to anything for a over 2 minutes. Also use a lot of flux. especially at 300c. it can heat up the board and unsolder other components. if you didn't try this yet(haven't finished the video) Try to swap the front board that the WiFi chip connects to. Its an Antenna connection.
My heart was breaking watching you trying so hard to fix this overpriced paperweight :-( I'm really sorry mate, but I personally think that you have been scammed with this Xbox One? I honestly think that the seller was telling a whopping big fib when he described what had happened to it? I also think that he or someone else has already tried to fix it too?... the security sticker was far too loose on one side. Fantastic video though! Thanks so much for posting. You really had me on the edge of my seat so many times. Better luck next time fella, I really hope that your next fix it job will be a winner for you.
Thanks mate :-)
you should get your money back. he said it plays dvd movies. since he erased everything before selling it, it no longer will play movies. so i would contact paypal and ebay.
It was sold as "for parts" and said that wifi/ethernet aren't working. He wasn't scammed, it DID play DVD's, but it wasn't sold as a DVD player, it was very being sold for parts, which is what it's going to be used as.
i agree
It being eBay I’d bet my life that it’s been messed with. Especially looking like that. Being in the classic computer/audio gear market I won’t touch anything where people say what the problem is, especially when parts are not together. The worse it looks and more vague about what is wrong with it the better. It’s much more likely they didn’t mess with it (the same holds true for cars). This is a typical con, dump it on some other sucker when you find out it’s either not possible or difficult to repair. Thankfully when I was had it wasn’t anything that expensive, but still it sucks when you’re not dishonest like the original seller.
I love tinkering ! Ain't tinkering wonderful ? you learn so much just by fiddle fingering stuff some say its useless information but to us tinkerers its wonderful knowledge !
Still feeling the pain from the dead Switch, sorry Vince!
Only just come across your videos, but one bit of advice I would give you ..... If you are starting out with SMD and a hot air gun just find local people that are giving away broken electronics. Don't worry about fixing them but you can use them to test your skills by removing and replacing components at no cost to yourself. Just a thought.
I feel like the next thing for a repair type video should be a smart phone of some sort. Very tedious but interesting
True, but very small....
Patryk Piotrowski You can get the screwdrivers in an Amazon basics kit for like 15 USD.
Smart phones will piss you off. Not unlike an ex who calls or texts you every 3 months just to argue......then hangs up after she has gotten you all pissed off. They are one in the same.
.. your attitude is amazing .. I would have thrown the thing against the wall about a half hr into the process :)
Thanks mate :-)
For FLUX sake boy, use some flux it helps the solder flow better when re-flowing
Or you could just replace the motherboard for 27 dollars wouldn't that have been smart
It is entertaining and I can tell you are no expert, but your enthusiasm is epic! Keep on doing what you're doing!
IMHO eBay item descriptions can never be trusted, unless you can get the item for a seriously reduced price I wouldn't be tempted, too many fake & dodgy items on there!
I hate wireless, Hardline all the way.
Wireless was a red herring, it was not connecting when wired up.
You guys like wireless then you guys must buy an OTG for tour smartphone then buy a Ethernet to sun then put plug all them toghether
Part of the word ‘reflow’ is flow. The shots you did of the chips didn’t show any solder changing state to liquid. A hard drop could cause a reflow joint to break, so you may have been on the right path.
The water marks on the board could be a cheap or poor cleaning by the manufacturer. I once had a computer board so contaminated that I had to scrub it with distilled water to get the contamination off. Don’t know if it’s still true, but some fluxes are conductive, which can also cause flaky performance. Enjoyed your video, thanks.
Probably cracked solder joints on the main board.
Gutted for you! Watched the vid all the way through and was rooting for you to fix it 😁
Hi there Vince! Have you considered livestreaming the filming of these "FIX it" videos on Twitch? If you become an affiliate on there you can get donations from viewers that will help towards your "faulty gadgets" budget. A livestream would of course be uncut and longer than the usual video, but I'd love to see these attempts to fix stuff in real time. You would also be able to communicate with your viewers in real-time and answer questions your fanbase may have. -Pivot
It is a very good idea and maybe as I get a bit (or a lot better) then it could definitely be an option. The problem at the moment is that although the video is under 1 hour the real time spent is probably around 3 or 4 hours so it would probably be boring to watch. The thing I really like about this idea is that viewers could help me out so the success rate might be better. Something to think about maybe in a 6 months :-)
Thats also me trying to fix gpus, mobos and things like that mostly had no succes but worth the try as it gives you knowledge about repairing electronics everytime I try to fix one
Vince get yourself some kapton tape and liquid flux the tape you an stick around what you're heating up and stops the components heating up and holds them in place
Hi, I will definitely get some of that tape. It sounds good and lots of viewers have recommended it :-)
44:56. Is that corrosion I am seeing on the connections to the chip
The new consoles are a pain to fix on your own. There’s too much technology under the hood that could go wrong.
I bought an RC transmitter on E-Bay used,thinking I would save some money. Sadly the unit went bad shortly after I got it. After doing a teardown, I found someone had already been into the unit. I could see dirty fingerprints on the motherboard and some weird fuzz stuck to it. It ended up in the parts bin and I ended up buying a new in box. Now that one is acting up. The sound chip is acting up so I may reset the unit, clear it and redown load the sound program because I suspect the issue is just in the sound program, not the actual chip. You did everything I did with that Transmitter including reflowing the motherboard. Sending it in for repair would have doubled my cost. At least you tryed. My guess is there was more wrong with that than they told you. Anytime someone puts their paws into an electronic unit, its usually bad news.
Aww, too bad You couldn't fix it after all this effort. But at least you got the chip off nicely this time, Progress! :D
The discoloration seems to be only around the thru-hole leads. Could be from their pallets if they use wave-soldering.
I remember when I bought a PS3 off ebay awhile ago. previous owner said it was broken and couldn't be bothered to fix it. Bought it for £30 and all that was wrong with it was a disc stuck in the drive lol
J.H.K Gaming well... some people are fucking stupid
I wouldn't blow the center of a chip with a heat gun, it simply shortens the lifespan of a chip, blow it only on the solder terminals of the chip and that is more than enough to solve the problem of dry/failed/cracked solder joints, also use a decent flux to facilitate proper flow of the melted solder. .
I rework xbox boards on a daily if you send me it i'll replace the ethernet IC for free (y)
you should do a video of it for him too
Incredibly kind. Really appreciate the offer but I will use this Xbox One as spares for future faulty Xbox Ones. Thanks again for the offer :-)
Alex send me 50quid and I'll replace the IC you used to replace to his IC, for free!
1man1van great idea
Alex Vapes, Do you think the issue is with Ethernet controller? It seems ominous that both Wifi and Ethernet aren't working. I was thinking that the issue might be the connection on the south bridge chip.
I admire your tenacity
Those white cloudy marks are starting of corrision.
bill chilliechangabill it's not. That are the chemicals used in factory when the board goes through the wave solder. Many manufacturers are lazy to clean it or it's cuz they wish cut the costs. You can see such things on brand new video cards aswell.
hi did you do a hard reset push the eject and the side button then switch on thats how i fixed mine same thing no connect to internet by wireless card cheers
Yeah, unfortunately it didn't work on this one :-)
Pity u didn't fix it, i kept thinking... this time will be it lol but £72 total rip off, almost 2 yrs ago i paid £50 for a fully working xbox one, with controller and kinect....
liar
lol not lying.... i got it off a lady on facebook... i already had an xbox one, but at that price i couldn't turn it down... i just used the joypad and kinect and kept the console as a spare, which still is a spare 2 yrs later lol as my own xbox one is running fine.... oh and i saw a mint ps4 with controller in a local charity shop the other week which i could have had for £60, but turned it down as i really didn't wanna go down the route of yet another console lol yes i could have made a quick buck at cex but thought i'd let it go to someone who really wanted it....
horror36 I've had a few Xbox off eBay with either startup errors or "faulty HDMI" for about £48 each or less which have only had a failed HDD or badly corrupted HDD. Annoyingly I bought HDMI ports and replaced one before checking the HDDs and finding the actual fault. Replacing the HDD with the aid of the rebuild instructions and scripts from XFix bought them back to life.
Hi. I have a little solution. Try to solder back that RTL chip (Just place it carefully and align the pins) use flux and reflow again, if you have a tiny tip soldering iron try to gently resolder each pim. Test the console and if it gets back to life then this time reflow the chipset (the largest IC chip on the motherboard) use a bit of flux and try to flow the flux under the chip heat it up for around 2 minutes on a moderately low flow level and 320C temp.
Goodluck
i fell asleep at 36:43 while watching this and i woke up 3 hours later very confused.
Lol i did that with another one of Vince's videos
Amazing how patient you are if I did it it would be target practice.
Lol you kind of got ripped off. I got an original Xbox One at a pawn shop with an xb1 s controller and not scratched for 71 USD which is 51.49 pounds. It still works perfectly to this day.
he didnt get ripped off pawn shops dont sell anything broken and the whole point of the video is trying to fix a faulty xbox one
still a rip off, if you can buy a used xb1 from a pawnshop for 51pounds why the fuck would a broke one cost 90pounds? thats a rip off
Things are more expensive in uk than USA what point are you trying to make?
Love these series, keep'em comming.
From the looks of things, that eBay purchase came from a smoke factory. People don't realize smoke and dust kills electronics. Just my opinion.
If it was easy to clean for everybody... To properly clean Xbox you must open it first and it's not easy task for most people.
FoxyKing93 ® Oh, I know. I didn't say it was easy.
They shouldn't need to make things easier to clean. Only tramps smoke indoors.
@@TehOneAndOnlyDuckyyy my house my rules, but yeah I don't smoke around others for the most part, kinda a dick move
thats because it doesn't!
Even tho i dont have an Xbox or any Gaming Console besides a my Gaming PC, Its very entertaining to watch.
I was hoping for a happy ending, I guess I wasted 55 minutes of my day 😢
He tried.
I only waisted 27 because something told me he wasn't going to accomplish what he set out to do! I mean other than the title of the video🤣
Did you ever try to use a different wire connecting the front panel and the "wireless chip"?
Another great video.
Thanks :-)
I move that despite your frustration you were never whiny (or you edited that out).
Yeah I think you were right in the beginning, the person tried taking it apart and messed up a cable relating to wifi. It happened to me on my PS3 when I was in middle school trying to clean my blu-ray eye. Think it happens when you pop the case open from the side possibly tearing off a ribbon cable or something?
nice but can i get my 55mins bk
You can learn a lot even though it is still broken.
I've had some experience with stuff like this and I can help you with a few things, first off the kapton tape that was already explained is needed probably more than the flux when doing a re-flow without using fresh solder, you see each one of the pins on that chip, well you are applying heat and as you do that the solder is globulating and when it does gravity forces the solder down and outwards and unfortunately it tends to touch the other pins which can cause a short when it dries, essentially making the problem worse or cause more problems as a result, you need to put tape on it and use a pineapple stick to get it to stick between the sockets of the chip as the channels are so small these days, then heat it let it dry and remove the tape, to attempt this with no tape is fruitless and will just make the problems worse.
The wireless and Ethernet and if it has Bluetooth (not sure about xbox's), they typically all run off the same chip these days, which is essentially once comms chip array with split chip-set layout inside, so if the wireless doesn't work because of a faulty chip then the chances are neither will the wired connection, this is definitely the case with a PS3 not sure about XBOX but I would imagine it's the same as a cost saving space saving feature.
You stated the unit was dropped as a description from the buyer, there is a chance that there was never a problem with any solder of the chips, if the unit had been dropped multiple times then a micro fracture could have developed across any section of the main board or even a separate control board and it would be very hard to eyeball with the naked eye, micro-fractures are exactly that microscopic and can be caused by dropping or even from ESD. Equally the unit could have had poor ventilation as you said it was quite dirty inside and hadn't been cleaned so this could have led to any number of control chips on the main board failing due to poor ventilation and excessive heat during use.
Unfortunately gone are the days when components were on separate interface cards that could be replaced, now everything is throw away as the company loves to sell you another one, even big companies like Microsoft will not attempt to repair a main board they will simply swap it out with a fresh one and send the faulty board to the recycling plant to have it's gold and chemicals recycled to go into a new one.
If you really want to go down to the board level of repairing things then the first thing you need to look at getting is circuit diagrams off the net and learning how to solder, the circuit diagram is a must otherwise you are just guessing at what is what and where it goes and what else could be connected to it regulating it, using solder is like a dark art it takes a real steady hand to get it right a friend of mine use to solder CB rig boards, TV's, Radios you name it years ago and he always said it's a skill that requires an extremely steady hand and method to making it right, otherwise you end up with shorts, dry joints, ESD build up and god knows what else occurring.
I always wanted to do stuff like this but my hands shake to much if I try and hold them still and I've also burnt myself numerous times on the solder iron.
Good luck bud.