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How to Remove GPU from Motherboard: In 6 Easy Steps [Video]

Fixing computers is usually left for professionals, but there are some simple fixes. After we show you how to remove GPU from Motherboard, you should handle a GPU problem if you suspect it is causing issues for your computer.

A GPU or Graphics Processing Unit is a technology that was initially developed to accelerate 3D graphics rendering but has now evolved also to perform tasks such as rendering games and videos much faster.

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It can also be called the Graphics card; the name used to describe the add-in board used to incorporate the GPU to the board. Hence when people say Graphics card, they also refer to the GPU.

It generally functions to take some of the workloads off the CPU or Central Processing Unit to make computing much more efficient.

This piece of hardware may come as a discrete or standalone unit, or it can be integrated with the CPU and Motherboard.

Integrated GPU results in thinner, slimmer, and lighter systems, costs less, and reduces power consumption significantly. It is therefore considered to be the more effective of the two options.

But it also means a faulty GPU may cause inherited problems for both the CPU and Motherboard. But by learning how to remove GPU from Motherboard, you can quickly remove a defective GPU and prevent your Motherboard from getting affected.

Table of Contents

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How to Remove GPU from Motherboard

How to Remove GPU from Motherboard
How to Remove GPU from Motherboard

The steps below will guide you on how to remove GPU from Motherboard whether you want to do that because the GPU is bad or because you want to upgrade it.

The process is straightforward since you are only going to remove one component, and it is not time-consuming, so you should be done in a few minutes.

Step 1: Prepare the computer.

The first thing to do when you want to take out any important component from a computer is to make the proper arrangements.

Get all the tools you will need for the process; these include the right screwdrivers and the new GPU, amongst other things. You will also require new drivers from the makers of the latest GPU you will be installing.

Then wear an anti-static wrist strap to prevent static current from flowing into other parts of the Motherboard. The accumulation and distribution of static electricity around certain parts of the computer can cause damages to those parts.

Once that is done, start the computer and remove or transfer any existing drivers and software. This will make sure you do not lose anything in the process.

Next, turn the computer off and wait for about 20 seconds to disconnect any attached cable, especially the power cord.

Step 2: Open the computer

Use the screwdriver to unscrew the few thumbscrew or clamps at the side panel where the GPU is attached to the computer.

Then locate the GPU and unclip it from the power source. It is often attached using a six-pin or eight-pin PCIe cable that gives it power.

You only need to push the clips down to disconnect the GPU cables gently.

Step 3: Remove the GPU

Once you have unclipped the PCIe pins, your next task is to remove the GPU from the Motherboard. The GPU is often attached to the Motherboard using tiny screws in most cases. You may have to turn the Motherboard over to find the screws holding the GPU beneath the plastic panel.

Once you have loosened all the screws, you will feel the Graphics card become less attached or hanging loosely to the Motherboard.

At this stage, the GPU will now sit in the PCIe slot waiting to be removed, but it could still be attached via a six-pin or eight-pin clip.

You will need to press the release tab gently to remove the card. It is advisable to go as slowly as possible to prevent possible damages.

To get it out of the case, use one hand to hold the GPU and use the other hand to press down on the tab until you hear a releasing click.

This is a sign that your GPU is free and ready to be taken out of the PCIe slot.

Step 4: Install the new GPU

Once you have gotten the current Graphics card out of the slot, you can now replace it with a functional or bigger one by placing it in the space in the PCIe.

Then use the pins to hold the new card in place while being as careful as you were during the step above.

Next, reattach the GPU to the Motherboard using the same screw if they still fit properly, or you can use a new screw.

Connect the power source to the new card once you have secured it in place.

Step 5: Close your computer

Once you have reattached everything to the Motherboard, as it were, you can mount the panel back and put the thumbscrews back in their place.

Reconnect the power cord and turn on the computer when you are finished. Please wait for it to boot properly and proceed to the final step.

Step 6: Install the new drivers

Once your system is up and running, the final thing to do is install new drivers to the new card. This is the only way your card will be able to function.

You can plug in the flash drive with the drivers and run it straight from there, or you can download and install it quickly. The process is simple, but you would have to ensure the makers of both the GPU and drivers are the same.

What Can Cause A GPU to Fail?

How to Remove GPU from Motherboard
How to Remove GPU from Motherboard

Like we said, one reason why people go out of their way to learn how to remove GPU from Motherboard is that their current GPU failed and needs replacement.

Below are five common reasons why your GPU could fail:

Weak Power Supply

A weak power supply can ruin any component of your computer, especially the GPU. In most cases, Graphic cards come with specifications of the recommended power, and failure to supply this can cause it to fail.

Weak power supplies usually emanate from using cheap PSUs, which not only lack the capacity to supply the GPU with the necessary power but can also fail to protect the card against a power surge.

Static Electricity

Still discussing power, we know the transfer of static current to some components that temporarily or permanently damage them.

When static electricity passes from your body to parts like the GPU, it can immediately lead to problems for your system.

This can occur accidentally during cleaning or when the computer is dropped against a hard surface.

Overclocking

To increase system efficiency during video adapting, some users like to improve the system performance to about 5 or 10%.

This, in itself, is not a bad idea as long as you also supply the corresponding cooling. The problem only arises when users overclock but don’t give the system enough cooling.

An overclocked system needs greater cooling to ensure that all components remain intact. But failure to do this can cause even the video card to melt due to overheating.

Insufficient Ventilation

Every mechanical instrument that generates heat needs ventilation for air to flow around and prevent overheating.

This is even truer for the GPU, which literally performs different processing levels. This processing generates a large amount of heat which needs to be immediately evacuated from the system to prevent problems.

Suppose there is insufficient ventilation either because the fan cannot cool it fast enough or because there is dust clogging the system or some damage from a crack on the system. In that case, the GPU can become permanently damaged and fail to function.

Breaks or Cracks on the System

The inside of your system is delicate and fragile, and even the slightest fall can cause unprecedented damages.

When your system cracks on the outside after a fall, chances are items such as resistors, board capacitors, and GPU has already received significant damages on the inside.

How Do I Know If My GPU or PSU Is Failing?

How to Remove GPU from Motherboard
How to Remove GPU from Motherboard

Before you even set out to learn how to remove GPU from Motherboard, you must have known that your GPU is bad.

But in the event that you do not know that yet, below are some of the symptoms of a failing GPU:

Underperformance

If you have been using your system for tasks such as video or game rendering for some time, you very well know when the performance is below you know.

When you observe this underperformance successively as you use your device, you should know that the GPU may be damaged and could be failing gradually.

Crashing

There are different types of system crashing, ranging from blue screens to frozen screens or “lockup” to even random power off and on.

And to be honest, not every system crash is a result of a failing GPU. However, you can easily enable memory dumps to tell you when a crash is due to a faulty Graphic card.

Drivers Crashes

Another type of crash that can occur when your GPU is bad is driver crashes. This happens very randomly and unannounced and can be observed as a black screen in the middle of a task.

Your system could go blank like that for a few minutes then resume back to inform you that your video drivers have crashed.

You will then need to restart the system to use it again, which is all due to a faulty Graphics card.

Noisy Sounds from the Fan

This symptom is often easy to spot as it is quite noisy. You can hear a noise that sounds like a small airplane taking off coming from the area where the fans on your computer are located.

The noise may be coming from a fan different from the one on your Graphics card, but once combined with any of the above symptoms, you can correctly tell when your GPU is getting tired and ready to fail.

Black Screens

A faulty Graphic card can also result in black screens where the computer simply goes completely black in the middle of a task and refuses to come back on until you turn it off and turn it on again.

This happens very often and may not stop until the GPU is checked and fixed.

How Do You Fix a Dead Graphics Card

How to Remove GPU from Motherboard
How to Remove GPU from Motherboard

After about 5 to 10 years of steady operation, most Graphics cards give out and stop working. And while you can use the steps of how to remove GPU from Motherboard to remove a faulty GPU quickly, you may not be ready to get a new one just yet.

In that case, you can also temporarily fix and restore the faulty card using the steps described below.

Step 1: Remove the GPU

Use the steps in the first section of this guide to remove the GPU, following every step carefully and gently.

Step 2: Prepare the oven.

Fixing a dead Graphics involves using some form of heat, and experts recommend using an oven for this process.

First, preheat the oven to about 195 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes. Then prepare an oven plate by laying some aluminum foil on the plate. Then make two balls out of the same aluminum foil and place them under the spread foil to raise it slightly above the bottom of the oven plate.

Step 3: Place the GPU on the plate

Next, place the GPU on the oven plate and then put the dish in the oven with most of the chips facing up and allow for between 5 to 10 minutes.

The time you would leave the GPU in the oven often depends on the GPU you are trying to fix. For instance, experts recommend 3-6 minutes for PS, 4-6 minutes for Xbox, 12 minutes for desktop boards, 8-12 minutes for laptop boards, and 5-15 minutes for GFX.

Set a timer and wait to remove the card as soon as the time is done. This will help you prevent losing time and permanently damaging the Graphics card.

Step 4: Remove the card

Once the time is complete, remove the GPU from the oven and allow cooling for about 20 minutes under normal air, do not use a fan for cooling.

Step 5: Apply thermal paste

Once the GPU is cool enough, carefully apply thermal paste or heat-sink on its main chips or connectors. You can also apply to the thermal pads if necessary.

Step 6: Put the GPU back together

Reattach the GPU to the Motherboard the same way you have removed it and test to see that it is running correctly.

Once you have coupled everything back together, go to device manager, click on the GPU, and then uninstall the device and delete the software.

Next, restart the computer and check to ensure the card is working properly before installing new drivers.

Conclusion

We have shown you how to remove GPU from Motherboard and how to fix it temporally. But we will still like to close by saying that all these processes should be done as carefully as possible as you will be dealing with very delicate computer components.

If this is your first time attempting this, expect it to feel a little strange, but with dedication and commitment to this guide, you should easily get the faulty GPU out in no time.

 

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