Check if the burnt resistor is still safe to use or replace it to avoid further damage.
Check if the burnt resistor is still safe to use or replace it to avoid further damage.
About two weeks ago, a resistor near the audio chip on my laptop’s motherboard got damaged, leaving a dark spot. Everything else works fine, but the audio jack and Type C port aren’t functioning. The burnt spot gets very hot, and you can sense it through the plastic casing. I considered using an external fan to cool it down, but a friend warned me against it, saying it could cause a short circuit and harm important parts like the SSD and RAM. Most local repair shops refused to help. What should I do?
The white/cream blocks act as capacitors—when they fail, they may create a direct path between terminals, leading to unintended shorts. The dark squares likely function as resistors or inductors; if damaged, they tend to blow open, similar to a fuse blowing. Generally, using a soldering iron and desoldering tools is recommended. If you're handling this yourself, try using a small screwdriver or needle to separate the capacitor that appears shorted—avoid any direct connection between its ends. The dark resistors probably serve inputs or outputs of the audio card; removing them should help if the sound chip is disabled. You might also consider swapping in a USB sound card and checking if power is cut via the bios settings, which could prevent overheating. For the USB port, the issue may stem from the capacitor causing excessive current draw, so desoldering it could resolve the problem indirectly. If you need to work with traces, carefully remove or cut them as indicated by the colored markings.
You own a basic soldering iron unsuitable for delicate tasks. For precise desoldering, consider using a fine tip desoldering pump or a small soldering tool designed for tiny components.
Prepare the soldering iron by warming it up. Ideally apply some liquid flux drops onto the component, though it's not necessary. Add solder at each end of the part or spread a large amount of solder across the component covering both terminals, keeping the iron on the solder until it melts. Use the iron to shift the part outward, away from the pads. Once done, remove any surplus solder. With a quality iron, you can place solder at both ends and glide the tip back and forth, alternating sides until both areas are adequately heated. With a less precise tool, simply pour a blob of solder over the part.
I removed the capacitors and resistors (highlighted in yellow). Even after lowering the heat, you can still sense the warmth inside the plastic casing. Should I also detach those resistors? (highlighted in blue). They seem a bit worn out.
The bios setting merely signals the chip to enter sleep or standby mode while keeping it powered on. These parts generate a connection between low voltage (around 2.5v or 3.3v) and ground, leading to heat buildup. You might try lightly brushing the carbonized area with a toothbrush or similar tool—this could reveal conductive paths that still cause shorts. A multimeter can test for ongoing shorts using continuity or diode mode. Additionally, observe which component heats up more; you could dab a few drops of isopropyl alcohol on it to see where the evaporation happens fastest, indicating a possible hidden short.