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Current version by mdsavellano,

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Totally awesome--I used Matthew's method--at first it only helped bring the computer (MBP A1226) to life for one session (after getting it back up and running, I put the computer to sleep, and it died again). I tried a second hot blanket session, and so far I have been able to get the computer turning on normally and running several times. I hope this fix takes this time. I'm blown away that this actually worked at all! Good work Matthew!!!! After several extended conversations with Apple repair people, it seems crazy to me that they are apparently so unwilling (or just plain oblivious) to acknowledge this seemingly common problem. BTW, I found another thread which started back in 2004, but there people were mostly using a heat gun method to fix this sort of thing in old ibooks... see http://forums.macnn.com/69/mac-notebooks/210232/diy-ibook-dual-usb-logic-board/
You'd think someone would come up with a more reliable way to keep BGAs (ball grid arrays--I googled and learned a lot) intact and for keeping expensive computers alive longer rather than having people wrap their computers in blankets as needed!!!!!
Additional follow-up (thought I'd add a few more cents worth):
It's a scary thought to think that BGAs are probably in tons of mission critical equipment. On the other hand, maybe it's a good thing that BGAs fail -- that should keep the Singularity in check (unless the Singularity figures out how to wrap itself in a blanket and overheat when necessary)!!! Here's a link describing the well known ways that BGAs fail:
http://www.eetimes.com/design/programmable-logic/4015216/How-to-detect-solder-joint-faults-in-operating-FPGAs-in-real-time
Here's another showing how a BGA can be fixed from 'scratch', if you have the skills (even if you don't have all the correct hi-tech equipment necessarily):
http://the-engineer.hubpages.com/hub/bga-soldering
Finally, a youtube video of an outfit that specifically fixes this problem (I have no affiliation with them):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gOUnddFXkQ

Status:

open

Edit by mdsavellano,

Text:

Totally awesome--I used Matthew's method--at first it only helped bring the computer (MBP A1226) to life for one session (after getting it back up and running, I put the computer to sleepsleep, and it died again). I tried a second hot blanket session, and so far I have been able to get the computer turning on normally and running several times. I hope this fix takes this time. I'm blown away that this actually worked at all! Good work Matthew!!!! After several extended conversations with Apple repair people, it seems crazy to me that they are apparently so unwilling (or just plain oblivious) to acknowledge this seemingly common problem. BTW, I found another thread which started back in 2004, but there people were mostly using a heat gun method to fix this sort of thing in old ibooks... see http://forums.macnn.com/69/mac-notebooks/210232/diy-ibook-dual-usb-logic-board/
Totally awesome--I used Matthew's method--at first it only helped bring the computer (MBP A1226) to life for one session (after getting it back up and running, I put the computer to sleepsleep, and it died again). I tried a second hot blanket session, and so far I have been able to get the computer turning on normally and running several times. I hope this fix takes this time. I'm blown away that this actually worked at all! Good work Matthew!!!! After several extended conversations with Apple repair people, it seems crazy to me that they are apparently so unwilling (or just plain oblivious) to acknowledge this seemingly common problem. BTW, I found another thread which started back in 2004, but there people were mostly using a heat gun method to fix this sort of thing in old ibooks... see http://forums.macnn.com/69/mac-notebooks/210232/diy-ibook-dual-usb-logic-board/
You'd think someone would come up with a more reliable way to keep BGAs (ball grid arrays--I googled and learned a lot) intact and for keeping expensive computers alive longer rather than having people wrap their computer'scomputers in blankets as needed!!!!!

Additional follow-up (thought I'd add a few more cents worth):
It's a scary thought to think that BGAs are probably in tons of mission critical equipment. On the other hand, maybe it's a good thing that BGAs fail -- that should keep the Singularity in check (unless the Singularity figures out how to wrap itself in a blanket and overheat when necessary)!!! Here's a link describing the well known ways that BGAs fail:
http://www.eetimes.com/design/programmable-logic/4015216/How-to-detect-solder-joint-faults-in-operating-FPGAs-in-real-time

Here's another showing how a BGA can be fixed from 'scratch', if you have the skills (even if you don't have all the correct hi-tech equipment necessarily):
http://the-engineer.hubpages.com/hub/bga-soldering
You'd think someone would come up with a more reliable way to keep BGAs (ball grid arrays--I googled and learned a lot) intact and for keeping expensive computers alive longer rather than having people wrap their computer'scomputers in blankets as needed!!!!!

Additional follow-up (thought I'd add a few more cents worth):
It's a scary thought to think that BGAs are probably in tons of mission critical equipment. On the other hand, maybe it's a good thing that BGAs fail -- that should keep the Singularity in check (unless the Singularity figures out how to wrap itself in a blanket and overheat when necessary)!!! Here's a link describing the well known ways that BGAs fail:
http://www.eetimes.com/design/programmable-logic/4015216/How-to-detect-solder-joint-faults-in-operating-FPGAs-in-real-time

Here's another showing how a BGA can be fixed from 'scratch', if you have the skills (even if you don't have all the correct hi-tech equipment necessarily):
http://the-engineer.hubpages.com/hub/bga-soldering

Status:

open

Original post by mdsavellano,

Text:

Totally awesome--I used Matthew's method--at first it only helped bring the computer (MBP A1226) to life for one session (after getting it back up and running, I put the computer to sleep and it died again). I tried a second hot blanket session, and so far I have been able to get the computer turning on normally and running several times. I hope this fix takes this time. I'm blown away that this actually worked at all! Good work Matthew!!!! After several extended conversations with Apple repair people, it seems crazy to me that they are apparently so unwilling (or just plain oblivious) to acknowledge this seemingly common problem. BTW, I found another thread which started back in 2004, but there people were mostly using a heat gun method to fix this sort of thing in old ibooks... see http://forums.macnn.com/69/mac-notebooks/210232/diy-ibook-dual-usb-logic-board/

You'd think someone would come up with a more reliable way to keep BGAs (ball grid arrays--I googled and learned a lot) intact and for keeping expensive computers alive longer rather than having people wrap their computer's in blankets as needed!!!!!

Status:

open