HELP!! something fell off my X800XL

[earth4x]

I was cleaning up my X800XL 256mb heatsink this morning and I noticed something was wrong with one of the transistors (I think that's the name for it.. don't know though). It was all bent towards me.. and I know I didn't do it.. since I was really careful and while trying to put it back into place.. it fell off

I didn't even put a slight amount of pressure on my finger that it fell off.. it was pretty much going to fall off on his own.

http://tim.cstj.net/etudiant/2004/0371030/front2.jpg this is the 512mb version I believe but the transistor is pretty much located around the same place on my card...

Is it an important piece? cause right now the card is working fine.. everything works and I can play games and everything

help me :/

 

[Ika]

I believe that's a capacitor...

anyway, if you have access to a soldering iron and some solder, try putting it back. I'm not sure if it's an important piece or not but usually every piece on a graphics card serves its own purpose...

 

[fbrdphreak]

That is a capacitor. These are rather important, but sometimes you can get away with a broken one. Capacitors help regular the power going through the card, so I wouldn't try overclocking personally.

 

[earth4x]

So should I just solder it back on? is there a certain way I need to put it back on?? like I can see they are 2 small pins on it.. do the pins need to be aligned somewhere??

damnit

 

[CCityInstaller]

Originally posted by: earth4x
So should I just solder it back on? is there a certain way I need to put it back on?? like I can see they are 2 small pins on it.. do the pins need to be aligned somewhere??

damnit

It shouldn't matter, just reattach each pin to a point on the card where it fell off the first time.

 

[Steelski]

i would get a professional to do it if they can . if you dont have experience then please dont trust yourself.

 

[Powermoloch]

A pro can help you out re-attachign it.If you still have a warranty.,..I would suggest RMAing to save the headaches.

 

[CraigRT]

I wouldn't worry, re-solder and you're good to go.

 

[hans007]

usually capacitors are redundant so there will be more than 1 for any power plane. usually its ok not to have one or something,.... its usually the same with cpus, if you knock out a pwoer plane pin, its usually ok, though obviously there that much less redundancy on the power circuits.

 

[DetroitSportsFan]

Originally posted by: CCityInstaller

Originally posted by: earth4x
So should I just solder it back on? is there a certain way I need to put it back on?? like I can see they are 2 small pins on it.. do the pins need to be aligned somewhere??

damnit

It shouldn't matter, just reattach each pin to a point on the card where it fell off the first time.

STOP RIGHT THERE. It certainly does matter which way the capacitor goes on. They're polarized ... a positive and a negative. It must go on the same way it came off.

A better solution if the RMA plan doesn't work is to take the broken capacitor and match it up with one from Radio Shack. Then, using a good quality soldering iron, melt the solder out very carefully so you can remove the old wires from the board. Then, being careful to match polarity, thread the new capacitor's through your now clean holes. Resolder, and mission accomplished.

 

[DetroitSportsFan]

Originally posted by: hans007
usually capacitors are redundant so there will be more than 1 for any power plane. usually its ok not to have one or something,.... its usually the same with cpus, if you knock out a pwoer plane pin, its usually ok, though obviously there that much less redundancy on the power circuits.

This is true. And would be safer than reversing polarity in a soldering mishap.