Thinkpads Forum

I have pick up a T61 nvidia nvs140m with 08/08 ( bottom of laptop). Is there any other labels on the laptop to confirm the production date?

I have install the nvidia driver and it look great on the WSXGA+ (1680×1050) screen.

Thanks.

Does the MTM type number on the label on the bottom match that in BIOS? If so there's a good chance the MB have not been replaced. You could check the FRU on the MB and see if it's a Peryn board. Having said that, these machines are over 8 years old and still runs good. They've more than out live their expected life expectancy and can be had for a song. Use it, enjoy it and don't worry to much about it.

Cigarguy wrote: You could check the FRU on the MB and see if it's a Peryn board.

MB FRU 44c3928, native penryn support, running T8300.

With the MTM and serial # you should be able to go on Lenovo and check the production date. I think the check warranty status is the best way. You can also verify the installed screen type this way by drilling down to replacement parts.

Or check the production-date on the nVidia GPU-chip.
Check the picture on my website: http://theboardroom.info/t61motherboard.html
The 1021A2 indicates: Year 2010, week 21

Finally got time to open up the T61.The production date of the nvidia gpu chip is 0815A2

That 0815 is 2008, week 15 (7-11 April).
AFAIK not yet a good production date.

No failing yet. Finger cross.

You can help minimize potential failure risk by applying the undervolted (and overclocked!) GPU BIOS mod which helps reduce heat output - and also running a slightly more aggressive fan setting in TPFanControl.

My FrankenPad has a GPU date code of mid-late 2007 and is obviously within the defect period, but it has shown no signs of failure under any conditions. I've seen some make a remark, which I honestly agree with. In general, the gist is that with these machines now approaching 10 years old, those with nVidia chips which were "destined" to fail - safe date or not (and yes, I've seen safe date chipped systems die a GPU death as well) - essentially already have, and that the greatest likelihood of failure now stems from the sheer age of the units rather than a specific design flaw.

I ran my stock as a rock NVS140M mobo that wasn't Penryn compatible every day for like 5 or 6 years, when I managed to score a NIB reissue motherboard. So it's got the 'upgraded' NVS140M, upgraded in that it doesn't use the faulty solder.

Replace the stock thermal gunk, insure you keep the fan dust free(I dust mine at least once a month), and don't put it on surfaces that are bad for cooling(aka blankets, etc.)

RealBlackStuff wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 22, 2017 6:46 am

That 0815 is 2008, week 15 (7-11 April).
AFAIK not yet a good production date.

Yeah, older thread But:

This means that Somebody switched the bottom plastics / planar/ something else and did not disclose it.

Bottom line the BIOS MTM and Serial # should match the label on the bottom, AND the Warrant lookup should match the date as well.

Checking the chip itself Should not be necessary if the above all match, but I would because you never know.

Not necessarily, the factory just had a pile of mobos, which they used up as they built laptops.
In other words, they were just using their 'old' parts.
The GPU date has never been mentioned/recorded in BIOS or warranty or wherever...
That GPU date only became relevant as nVidia problems arose.

cadillacmike68 wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 17, 2020 10:22 pm

Yeah, older thread But:

This means that Somebody switched the bottom plastics / planar/ something else and did not disclose it.

Bottom line the BIOS MTM and Serial # should match the label on the bottom, AND the Warrant lookup should match the date as well.

Checking the chip itself Should not be necessary if the above all match, but I would because you never know.

Warranty lookup for *61 series has been dead for years now...

It's easy to match the serial in BIOS with the number on the base, BTW. Takes less than 5 minutes.

But in all truth and fairness, we're in A.D. 2020 and *all* of these machines are beyond old at this point in the game. They can drop dead from just about anything, not just a GPU failure.

The 08/08 production date cut-off refers to the thinkpad production date which can be seen on the base sticker -- NVIDIA started addressing the GPU problem in early 2008 but not uniformly at all it's production facilities and did so quietly, at first not acknowledging the problem then blaming everyone except themselves; the magic date is when IBM/Lenovo destroyed the planars containing the faulty GPUs and only used those chips where the problem had been addressed.
If you don't have the entire machine but only the planar then the GPU production date is the only indicator, it is a stronger condition and follows from the first.