5700XT memory upgrade UPDATE POST

Hello all!

This is an update post to my much anticipated Liquid Devil 5700XT memory upgrade saga.
This post is to show the recent progress (as of 10.09.2024) of removing the old Micron 8gbit 14gbps memory chips (MT61K256M32JE-14:A) in preparation for the new Samsung 16gbit 18gbps GDDR6 (K4ZAF325BM-HC18).

My account of the upgrade so far:

PCB prepared with kitchen foil to protect Aluminium polymer caps and plastic connectors.
Memory chips came off with out any hitch. PCB preheated to 180c and removed with 400c hot air. I used Amtech flux (NC-559-ASM) and heated each chip for 15 seconds for all solder balls to be molten, each chip given a gentle nudge to ensure its free then lifted with a pair of dental tweezers.
No pads were ripped or traces damaged. I then used some solder braid (MG superwick #424-LF) with my iron set at 330c and carefully dragged the braid over the remaining solder balls on the PCB, flux drops were added as needed to keep all the solder flowing onto the braid. Unfortunately the cheap solder mask of the PCB was slightly scratched in places but fortunately not damaging any traces or pads.
Finally, 99.9% IPA and cotton swabs were used to clean the pads on the PCB and any flux residue. The PCB was left on the preheater however turned off to let the board temp slowly drop to about 60c to allow easier removal of the flux residue. I only did as much as to remove the old flux and collect the solder from the old memory chips.

I'm going to be on holiday for the next week so I will pick everything up again when I'm back. My UV solder mask kit should arrive by then to touch in the solder mask scratches. And (maybe) I can get the new chips fitted that day.

I will be making another update post with everything said and done, please feel free to comment any tips or techniques for soldering the new memory ICs.

If everything goes according to plan then I'll make an update post doing some BIOS modding with memory timings, clocks, voltage adjustments.

Thats all for now, stay tuned for an update!

Discussions on bios modding for higher memory capacity are on my previous post.