Which of these is a graphics chip (HP DV6)?

[Dannyx]

Good day folks. My workmate and I had a debate today regarding the reflow of a HP Pavilion DV6. It displayed the common symptoms of GPU failure: blinking caps lock light and a blank screen. Having (successfully) done many reflows so far, with a success rate of around 80% (not accounting for how long the thing actually lasted, mind you), I took the thing apart and brought it down to its motherboard, which presented me with 3 chips (4 if you could the CPU itself): one I believe is the southbridge since it isn't covered by the heatsink at all, the northbridge and the GPU. I took pictures of the GPU and northbridge up close.

As I hopped to it and began peeling off the red fixing "gum" located in each corner of the smaller RADEON IGP chip, my buddy just walked in and told me "you're working on the wrong chip - the larger one is the GPU. That IGP is the northbridge". Although I've successfully reflown those IGPs before and IGP WOULD stand for Integrated Graphics Processor (I BELIEVE), I must admit his remark did put me off for a few minutes as I tried looking up those numbers on the dies trying to indeed work out the mystery once and for all. He backed up his argument by pointing out the two RAM chips near the larger chip which are commonly found on graphics cards in that configuration.

I didn't get too much info though, so I'm calling out to any laptop whizzes out there who can immediately straighten me out for sure. In the end I stuck with what I knew and did the IGP chip which brought the laptop back from the dead, but this wasn't a convincing enough result, since the heat could've very well transferred to the larger chip just enough to result in the laptop "waking up" again, which would mean my buddy is right, so which is it ? Cheers and thanks.

[spleenharvester]

Re: Which of these is a graphics chip (HP DV6)?

Yes I was thinking the same as I read that - the proximity to the VRAM chips means the larger one must be the GPU. To put the VRAM so far away from the GPU would be a bit of an absurd design choice.

Also the clustering of small components around the northbridge vs comparatively few around the GPU.

EDIT: This document: seems to suggest the smaller chip is an RS880 chipset with some sort of GPU. So maybe this *would* be the GPU if there was not a dGPU?

[piernov]

Re: Which of these is a graphics chip (HP DV6)?

Your collegue is right. However, thanks AMD, not only their GPU die but the northbridge die too.
In this case, you're very lucky: both the GPU (216-0809000) and the northbridge (216-0752001) are known to fail.
The GPU is especially renowned (along with its brothers 0810005, 0810001 and a few others) to have caused all the Macbook Pro 2011 to fail for example.
The northbridge is a bit less known but it has been proven to be defective many times (especially on various post on badcaps), its brother the 0674022 is known for causing problem too.

Those northbridge have a GPU integrated in them, but this is not what causes them to fail, because even laptops with dedicated GPU (like the one you have) die.

In fact, all of the RS780M and RS880M northbridge are subject to failure.
As for the GPU, all the mobile HD5000 and HD6000 are known to have issue as well.
The only way to fix this issue is to replace both chips with new (genuine) ones, but they are hard to find and may cost a lot. The only seller you can (sort of) trust for those is "see-ic", but he also sells refurbished ones or factory rejected ones so you must buy (and ask for) new chips. "ic-chipset" may have some good ones too, but usually they are more expensive and are out of stock for those commonly failing chips.

[fester]

Re: Which of these is a graphics chip (HP DV6)?

How many times CAPS LED blink? you have always some pattern,some blinks,then maybe 3s pause..

[Dannyx]

Re: Which of these is a graphics chip (HP DV6)?

How many times CAPS LED blink? you have always some pattern,some blinks,then maybe 3s pause..

It blinked once every second.

[bachir2004]

Re: Which of these is a graphics chip (HP DV6)?

it blinked once every second.

1 blink is related to the processor problem.you can try to heat the chip closest to to processor and see.

[fester]

Re: Which of these is a graphics chip (HP DV6)?

every time was it the IGP with this blinks,like piernov said,this chipset fails frequently. Reflow or reball is not permanent repair,every i early made was back in max 2-3 months later,sometimes earlier. Replace it with new chipset and will be ok

edit:try this motherboard with another processor only for sure

[Dannyx]

Re: Which of these is a graphics chip (HP DV6)?

every time was it the IGP with this blinks,like piernov said,this chipset fails frequently. Reflow or reball is not permanent repair,every i early made was back in max 2-3 months later,sometimes earlier. Replace it with new chipset and will be ok

edit:try this motherboard with another processor only for sure

I'm fully aware of the non-permanent nature of reflows, having done multiple ones so far. I don't have access to a reballing machine sadly, plus I reckon in most cases the cost of the chip would outweigh the cost of the whole machine, plus actually obtaining one would be a chore/expensive...just enough for the chap to use it at light loads to read the papers or edit a document or something.

[sasser]

Re: Which of these is a graphics chip (HP DV6)?

hye all i got same question. didnt know which one need to replce. own got display at the first power on then got bios error. next board port to window and screen got rainbow colour . the chip gpu i found is one chip code is 216-752001 & 216-0728014. which one need to be replace

[vtfe]

Re: Which of these is a graphics chip (HP DV6)?

Your collegue is right. However, thanks AMD, not only their GPU die but the northbridge die too.
In this case, you're very lucky: both the GPU (216-0809000) and the northbridge (216-0752001) are known to fail.
The GPU is especially renowned (along with its brothers 0810005, 0810001 and a few others) to have caused all the Macbook Pro 2011 to fail for example.
The northbridge is a bit less known but it has been proven to be defective many times (especially on various post on badcaps), its brother the 0674022 is known for causing problem too.

Those northbridge have a GPU integrated in them, but this is not what causes them to fail, because even laptops with dedicated GPU (like the one you have) die.

In fact, all of the RS780M and RS880M northbridge are subject to failure.
As for the GPU, all the mobile HD5000 and HD6000 are known to have issue as well.
The only way to fix this issue is to replace both chips with new (genuine) ones, but they are hard to find and may cost a lot. The only seller you can (sort of) trust for those is "see-ic", but he also sells refurbished ones or factory rejected ones so you must buy (and ask for) new chips. "ic-chipset" may have some good ones too, but usually they are more expensive and are out of stock for those commonly failing chips.

Very informative. Thank you for this chip failure report.

[lefos]

Re: Which of these is a graphics chip (HP DV6)?

@sasser I would bet on 216-752001.
On external output what is the picture?