Help identifying the faulty component on a laptop motherboard

[xavier60]

Good to hear about the success so far. I have never seen that mounting method for MLCCs. Ill do some searching.

[LateLesley]

  I'm glad it's working. And I've learned something out of these last pics too, I've never seen SMD caps raised on tabs like that before. That's a new one on me!

I hope your new caps arrive soon, and you have your machine put back together and working, along with the satisfaction that you fixed it yourself! Well done.

Edit : @Xavier60 I'm glad i'm not the only one who's not come across that method of mounting. The only reason I could see for it, would be for more airflow to cool the component, but then that tells me they're running it on the edge. And I'd think it would get better cooling mounted to the board, as the power planes wick away the heat.

[xavier60]

It is a countermeasure for cracking, https://au.mouser.com/new/tdk/tdk-flex-crack-countermeasure-MLCCs/
Not a totally successful one it seems.

[philipjfry]

interesting! nope, didn't help on my acer board 

i'm glad you guys and gals also got a little bit out of it other than the warm and fuzzy feeling of having helped a guy out.

yeah, fixing something and restoring value to it is most satisfying indeed! i often do it even when it's not economical, for various reasons (environment, being used to a particular device, no good alternative...). this acer laptop is a particularly troublesome device: even though i am treating it like a raw egg, i have had to fix it many times already (display backlight under warranty, hinges, 1 fan, battery) but i am refusing to let it die young because it was somewhat expensive, is relatively lightweight, has the best ips display i have ever seen in any device, great speakers, great performance and it almost passes for a business machine (not the usual brightly colored kid's toy). also, it was a trial balloon if acer still make highly unreliable devices and if i should consider them for any of my clients (yes they do and no i won't  ).