Thinkpads Forum

For Sale:

Lenovo SL500 with a mystery backlight problem.

SL500 (2746-MJU) (actual specs)
T5870(2GHz), 2x1GB RAM, NO HD (but HD cover included), 15.4in 1280x800 LCD (glossy), Intel 4500MHD, NO optical drive, Intel 802.11agn (5100) wireless, Modem, SD card reader, 1394 Firewire, PCMCIA Express slot, 1Gb Ethernet, UltraNav, NO battery, Win Vista Bus

The machine is in rather good condition, with no shine on the keyboard, no cracks anywhere.
I'd give it at least an 8.5 on a 1-10 scale.
Latest BIOS 1.30 has been installed.
The same batteries (like 41+ and 41++) as in a T60/T61 can be used.

The mystery:
at bootup the LCD lights up normally, boots into Windows (or BIOS, or onto a Linux Live CD) and stays on for a short while.
But then the LCD backlight starts dimming all by itself, after which the backlight goes out completely.
An external monitor remains functioning perfectly.
This SL500 also has HDMI, but I don't know if that also works (no cable to test), presumably yes.
If you switch off (not warm restart) and start again, the procedure (LCD on, dims, then off) repeats itself.
This happens with or without a hard drive installed, same when booting from a Live Linux CD.

For people who would like a nice laptop base as a workhorse and an external monitor, this would be a perfect solution.
Just remove the complete lid to arrange that setup.
UNLESS... YOU can fix the backlight problem, I can't.

Also, contrary to popular belief, I tried 8GB RAM in this SL500 and it works fine.

This machine, as described above, can be yours for $55 shipped (CONUS only).
Payment via USPS Money Order, Personal Check (needs to clear first), or as "send money to friends or family" via PayPal.
If that option is not available, please add 4%.

Price reduced.

You probably have a capacitor failing. Easily fixed if you have a VOM that will check capacitance. Fluke and other brands have this function on their higher end meters.

Unfortunately my VOM (Craftsman 82344) only measures capacitance of a disconnected cap, not its ESR (which you can measure with an ESR-meter while cap = on-board).
And these SMD pieces are so small that it's hard to see if it's a resistor, capacitor or whatever.
So for anybody with the right equipment, this should be an easy and cheap fix.

I was actually thinking of an electrolytic drying out, not so much SMD component.

There isn't a single electrolytic cap on that whole mobo, only SMD ones.

That sucks because SMD components are a PITA to work with.