Chip off
Contents
Background information
This page will cover Chip off, how it functions, how to communicate with a device over it, and where to find the correct chips themselves.
Chip off refers to the process of taking a chip (usual NAND module or device controller) off a PCB, typically with soldering flux and a hot air gun
then either resoldering to another PCB (typically in the case of controllers (see HDD controller swap page) or placing in a reader for data extraction purposes
typically after the chip has been either cleaned (how to clean a chip page) or reballed (link to reballing page)
Step-by-step guide with images
Insert step-by-step walkthrough with images and summary text here
Dissemble device (refer to safe dissembly of devices page)
identify the chip
clear area of any metal shielding or parts that could get in the way of removal
surround the components with heat-resistant tape such as kapton tape
to limit any heat related damage to these components
apply a thin line of flux around the outer perimeter of the chip
set hot air gun to around xxx degrees/centigrade and air flow of xxxx LPM (dials typically range from 10 to 100 LPM)
bring up hot air gun directly above the chip as close as safely possible (link using a hot airgun page)
In order to check if the solder joints have melted gently poke the chip with something to see if it moves(e.g. tweezers, xacto knife, chip lifter)
lift chip up and on to heatproof surface gently.
Inspect the chip for any leftover solder or damage, in the case of BGA the ball pins on the underside of the chip, and SMB chips the chips surrounding the chip
for how to reball a chip, please refer to the appropriate page (link to reballing page)
Flow chart of order of operations
Insert a flow chart of steps and actions for each task (create using diagram)
Troubleshooting/tips and tricks
Fixes to any common issues that were encountered or could be easily encountered
Related Topics
Topics such as desoldering to chip off or firmware dumping for disk PCB repairs
Further reading
External references in wiki references can just be cited through the keyword link
- Reference 1: Source details
- Reference 2: Source details