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A rodent shitted on my GFX Card. What to do?

32 posts · originally from https://geek.digit.in/community/threads/a-rodent-shitted-on-my-gfx-card-what-to-do.121923/

Cool G5
Cool G5 Original post #1
Oct 21, 2009 at 10:14 PM
The unfortunate incident happened recently as my PC was lying in idle condition for a month or two since my monitor was conked off. I got a new LCD yesterday but when I attached it to my PC it show some garbled colour boxes & thats it. I switched off the computer & opened the cabinet, removed the graphics card only to find a rodent shitting inside my cabinet. It shitted on the back PCB of the graphic card. Though not much but still not the card got greasy. I cleaned the card gently with a soft hanky & then have kept it outside. I will now keep it in sunlight tomorrow to dry up.

What else should I do guys? Is spraying WD-40 recommended?
saqib_khan
Oct 21, 2009 at 10:36 PM
LOL..I had to do a image search for that "rodent" word. Yes, keep that card in Sunlight. I think that should solve the problemo.
Cool G5
Cool G5 #3
Oct 21, 2009 at 10:43 PM
Ohh sorry for that. Well let's see what happens ahead.

What do you think of WD-40 spray guys?
Krow
Krow #4
Oct 22, 2009 at 1:06 AM
No clue about the spray. If the card is in warranty, then NO, else, err... be careful with it.
rhitwick
Oct 22, 2009 at 1:43 AM
If possible try to get some spirit and wash the places with it.

AFAIK, spirits don't cause problems with circuit boards...
The board will be cleaned and no moisture will be on it.
Ethan_Hunt
Oct 22, 2009 at 4:42 AM
Be extremely careful while using liquid products on the card. If you had to RMA it and they detect a physical damage, then kiss your warranty good bye.

I'm curios as to how a rodent actually got in there, not to mention pooping on the graphic card's PCB? :neutral:
Cool G5
Cool G5 #7
Oct 22, 2009 at 10:23 AM
Be extremely careful while using liquid products on the card. If you had to RMA it and they detect a physical damage, then kiss your warranty good bye.

I'm curios as to how a rodent actually got in there, not to mention pooping on the graphic card's PCB? :neutral:

The rodent got inside the cabinet from the opening of the floppy drive on front of the panel I guess since there is no way in apart from that.

My card is not under warranty, so no option but to try recovery on my own. I have medical spirit bottle at home, will it do? No harm to the PCB right?
rhitwick
Oct 22, 2009 at 11:05 AM
I have medical spirit bottle at home, will it do? No harm to the PCB right?

AFAIK, spirit is used to clean circuit boards. I've seen people cleaning borads with it (in repair centers)

Don't directly put it there.
Rinse cloth in it, or put a few drops in a particular spot on the cloth and wipe the spot with it.
Ethan_Hunt
Oct 22, 2009 at 12:46 PM
The rodent got inside the cabinet from the opening of the floppy drive on front of the panel I guess since there is no way in apart from that.

My card is not under warranty, so no option but to try recovery on my own. I have medical spirit bottle at home, will it do? No harm to the PCB right?
If it's on the back of the card then you can scrub it very gently and make sure the concentration of spirit is very low.
Cool G5
Cool G5 #10
Oct 22, 2009 at 1:11 PM
Yup its on the back of the card. Will try cleaning it gently with a cloth in the afternoon.
Will report later guys. :)
Cool G5
Cool G5 #11
Oct 22, 2009 at 5:58 PM
No improvement guys. The card fails to show up anything at all. :(
What to do next?
abyss88
abyss88 #12
Oct 22, 2009 at 7:11 PM
if the card is still in warranty period, then take it to the place where u bought it and tell them to fix(replace) it..well, u dont need to say that a rodent shitted on it , do u?:wink:
you know...i was doing some work on my computer and suddenly the screen went blank and then i restarted and the whole problem


if not, ur doomed

at least keep your place rodent free..btw was that a mouse?
Krow
Krow #13
Oct 22, 2009 at 7:47 PM
Yes, the warranty period on his card is over abyss. Well, all I can say is, try getting the card repaired. AFAIK, AGP cards are costly, so buying a new one is not really economical.
Cool G5
Cool G5 #14
Oct 22, 2009 at 10:42 PM
Buying an AGO card is pointless now. It was pointless even when I bought this. I bought this card so that I can use my outdated computer for another year or so but now all my plans have gone down the drain. I can't even upgrade now.
rohan_mhtr
Oct 22, 2009 at 11:34 PM
Your card's problem may not be due to the shitting of the rodent :)). Once when i used my pc which had an agp ati 9550 card after about 2 months and there were some lines on the screen . I got it repaired for abut 400 bucks and the technician said that since i used it after a long time some chip on the card refused to work .

PS : did you actually see the rodent shitting on the card or was the poop lying there from before !!:))
Krow
Krow #16
Oct 23, 2009 at 12:48 AM
^Mega LOL!

Well, G5 try getting it repaired or try getting a good deal for a second hand AGP card. What's your config?
max_demon
max_demon #17
Oct 23, 2009 at 1:40 AM
LOL, I've faced a similar problem, But I let rodent's sh*t dry for months and then removing it is very easily! :grin:
infra_red_dude
Oct 23, 2009 at 5:29 AM
I'd advise against spirit. You don't know how concentrated it is. I'd run to the local store and get a bottle of iso-propyl alcohol. Thats the standard liquid used to clean PCBs and chips.

You never know what conductive elements are in the "sh!t" So when you turned your computer on, something nasty may have happened.

[Offtopic] Btw, I'm really curious to see the rodent that can get through the floppy drive slot! :)) [/Offtopic]
azzu
azzu #19
Oct 23, 2009 at 6:15 AM
how about cleaning it with acetone(white PETROL) that wat these computer guys tell here. i hav seen many cleaning boards and mobiles using that liquid.
BTW: sorry for the Loss gaurav
Cool G5
Cool G5 #20
Oct 23, 2009 at 9:49 AM
I'd advise against spirit. You don't know how concentrated it is. I'd run to the local store and get a bottle of iso-propyl alcohol. Thats the standard liquid used to clean PCBs and chips.

You never know what conductive elements are in the "sh!t" So when you turned your computer on, something nasty may have happened.

[Offtopic] Btw, I'm really curious to see the rodent that can get through the floppy drive slot! :)) [/Offtopic]

I have already cleaned the PCB with Spirit which had 70% Isopropyl Alcohol content. The rodent go inside through the floppy drive bay which doesn't hold floppy drive anymore(Removed the drive due to non-use).

Azeem, I'm sure it was a rodent ****.

I will try posting a image of the graphic card PCB soon. Currently don't have my digicam with me. I even suspect some minute components to burst or burn but still not sure.
Cool G5
Cool G5 #22
Oct 23, 2009 at 8:54 PM
Here are the pics of the Graphic card. Click on thumbnails to view the original image.

*img223.imageshack.us/img223/2135/graphiccardbackpcb.th.jpg

*img25.imageshack.us/img25/4858/graphiccardfrontpcb.th.jpg
Krow
Krow #23
Oct 23, 2009 at 9:48 PM
4MB each????? Post in smaller res too please!
Cool G5
Cool G5 #24
Oct 24, 2009 at 11:35 AM
Ok, I will do it.
I posted the original one so that you guys can notice each & every small component on the PCB.
Cool G5
Cool G5 #25
Oct 24, 2009 at 11:46 AM
Pics resized to 2MP. I hope this much is enough to see the minute card details.

*img23.imageshack.us/img23/5582/graphiccardfrontpcbresi.th.jpg

*img7.imageshack.us/img7/5100/graphiccardbackpcbresiz.th.jpg
Cool G5
Cool G5 #26
Oct 24, 2009 at 2:13 PM
Update : Now the monitor is not even working on onboard graphics. My HDD is unformatted. Even the POST is not getting displayed. It was working fine till yesterday.
Krow
Krow #27
Oct 24, 2009 at 2:23 PM
Looks like it is not the gfx card at fault. Dust clean the system after removing all connections. Reconnect and then reboot. Btw, be careful with the HDD connection as if it is non-SATA, then the cables tend to not plug in tight after you remove them after a long in time.
rohan_mhtr
Oct 24, 2009 at 4:16 PM
Are you sure that your pc is booting ? can u hear the b beap , try booting with only hdd connected and also check your psu .
Cool G5
Cool G5 #29
Oct 24, 2009 at 6:16 PM
Are you sure that your pc is booting ? can u hear the b beap , try booting with only hdd connected and also check your psu .

My PC doesn't beeps while booting. Neither it used to beep when it was working fine before.
R
rishabh_s #30
Oct 26, 2009 at 10:14 PM
I was about to remove my floppy drive too but i guess...its not a good idea. LOL.
Cool G5
Cool G5 #31
Oct 26, 2009 at 10:57 PM
I was about to remove my floppy drive too but i guess...its not a good idea. LOL.

Remove the floppy drive & then insert a blank panel over the area. I think I should have done it too. :( Still the PC is lying unattended now, I hope nothing goes bonkers again.
asingh
asingh #32
Oct 27, 2009 at 1:15 AM
Test your GPU on another system.

Clean it nicely with Isopropyl Alcohol.

Clean it with a lint free cloth, and keep blowing air where ever you wipe.
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Posted again:
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Test your GPU on another system.

Clean it nicely with Isopropyl Alcohol.

Clean it with a lint free cloth, and keep blowing air where ever you wipe.