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(WANTED) A31P QUALITY CONDITION

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smf
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Location: Methuen, Ma. USA

(WANTED) A31P QUALITY CONDITION

#1 Post by smf » Sun Aug 18, 2019 1:51 pm

LIKE THE TITLE SAY LOOKING FOR AN A31P MACHINE TO BUY. SPECS ARE LESS IMPORTANT THAN PHYSICAL CONDITION. WHATEVER FORM OF PAYMENT NECESSARY; I'LL MAKE WORK... THANKS FOR THE HELP GUYS!

MooNWalker
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Re: (WANTED) A31P QUALITY CONDITION

#2 Post by MooNWalker » Sun Aug 18, 2019 4:06 pm

I can only wish you good luck - other than m-models, A-series machines appear to be extremely hard to find, especially the p-models, and even more so in good condition. A2Xp/m/e commonly suffer from power problems, and A3X(p) commonly suffer from desoldered RAM slots. After trying to collect A20p through A31p for the past half a year+ all I was able to find are:
- two A31p, one with bad mobo and another with bad hinges
- one A30p with missing lid close button, missing lid latches, missing WiFi card, bad hinges, and broken USB port
- two A22p, one with bad keyboard and one with bad mobo
- two A21p, again one with bad mobo, and another with cracked casing.
- one A20p, good physical condition but deader than dead.

None of the above machines are currently for sale, but, like I said, I wish you good luck in finding what you're looking for.
This message was created with 100% recycled electrons

kfzhu1229
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Re: (WANTED) A31P QUALITY CONDITION

#3 Post by kfzhu1229 » Sun Aug 18, 2019 9:34 pm

MooNWalker wrote:
Sun Aug 18, 2019 4:06 pm
A3X(p) commonly suffer from desoldered RAM slots.
Out of the A3x models, ONLY the A31p (perhaps A31 too) suffers from that issue, and even then it suffers from power delivery failures far more often than this due to the wear on the components that a Pentium 4 - M brings (especially the higher clocked models).
A30p suffers more from GPU overheating issues that lead to display artifacts. Been using thermal pads to make the GPU die make contact with the heatsink, about to replace that with copper block that I am sourcing from taobao.
Also, while it is incredibly difficult to source a A3xp in that condition, one can source a A3x non-p and upgrade it to p level. it is very easy to upgrade since the 14.1" and 15" use the same chassis.
Last edited by kfzhu1229 on Mon Aug 19, 2019 2:43 am, edited 1 time in total.
Dell Lat CP MMX-233 64mb 40gb W2k
600 PII-266 416mb 40gb WXP
T23 PIII 1.13ghz 1gb W7
Precision M4300 X9000 8gb 160gb WUXGA Ultrasharp fp W10
T530i 15.6" i7 16gb fp W10
UXGA:
A30p PIII 1.2 1gb W7 (IDTech)
T43p 2.26 2gb fp W10 (Sharp)
Lat C840 P4-2.5 2gb 60gb W7 (Ultrasharp)

ajkula66
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Re: (WANTED) A31P QUALITY CONDITION

#4 Post by ajkula66 » Sun Aug 18, 2019 10:43 pm

kfzhu1229 wrote:
Sun Aug 18, 2019 9:34 pm

ONLY the A31p suffers from that issue, and even then it suffers from power delivery failures far more often than this due to the wear on the components that a Pentium 4 - M brings (especially the higher clocked models).
Nope. T30 is far more liable to have this problem.

@ smf: Welcome to the forum!

While I don't have a machine to offer you, I will give you a piece of unsolicited advice: A31p is a dinosaur which is slowly but surely becoming a unicorn.

If you can find a system in working condition with a good LCD, grab it and don't sweat the looks. Exterior parts in good shape are not that difficult to find, but working motherboards and screens are.

Happy hunting.
...Knowledge is a deadly friend when no one sets the rules...(King Crimson)

Cheers,

George (your grouchy retired FlexView farmer)

One FlexView to rule them all: A31p

Abused daily: T520, X200s


PMs requesting personal tech support will be ignored.

wujstefan
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Re: (WANTED) A31P QUALITY CONDITION

#5 Post by wujstefan » Mon Aug 19, 2019 2:03 am

Sent you a PM with the offer (pristine A31p modded with Hydis LED panel). My beloved unit, but building a house increased my lust for money :)

T30 suffer from desoldering RAM slots. Partially fixed with RAM cover revision, and generally pre-fixable.
A2x suffered power issues.
A31p's most common problem was VRAM issues. Most common, but not only. Still, one day I will put something modern inside for sure. Be it a smartphone or raspberry, I will rebuild it someday ;)
Too many thinkpads not enough time!
(stable under reduction)

kfzhu1229
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Re: (WANTED) A31P QUALITY CONDITION

#6 Post by kfzhu1229 » Mon Aug 19, 2019 7:53 am

Well I did find one on Xianyu (2nd hand marketplace of Taobao) for approximately USD$27 (A female seller whom doesn't have any idea about the p status thus the low price). But to get that thing to you would be a pretty good amount of hassle since you'll have to wait till I get to Canada to post it and it needs some serious restoration.
https://2.taobao.com/item.htm?id=600961 ... 1566218054
Dell Lat CP MMX-233 64mb 40gb W2k
600 PII-266 416mb 40gb WXP
T23 PIII 1.13ghz 1gb W7
Precision M4300 X9000 8gb 160gb WUXGA Ultrasharp fp W10
T530i 15.6" i7 16gb fp W10
UXGA:
A30p PIII 1.2 1gb W7 (IDTech)
T43p 2.26 2gb fp W10 (Sharp)
Lat C840 P4-2.5 2gb 60gb W7 (Ultrasharp)

wujstefan
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Re: (WANTED) A31P QUALITY CONDITION

#7 Post by wujstefan » Tue Aug 20, 2019 12:26 am

kfzhu1229 wrote:
Mon Aug 19, 2019 7:53 am
Well I did find one on Xianyu (2nd hand marketplace of Taobao) for approximately USD$27 (A female seller whom doesn't have any idea about the p status thus the low price). But to get that thing to you would be a pretty good amount of hassle since you'll have to wait till I get to Canada to post it and it needs some serious restoration.
https://2.taobao.com/item.htm?id=600961 ... 1566218054
I don't think she is not aware what she sells. 2652 type stands for A30 and A31 (no-p); I'd be closer to presume it have had either the whole lid exchanged, or the display frame.
Too many thinkpads not enough time!
(stable under reduction)

kfzhu1229
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Re: (WANTED) A31P QUALITY CONDITION

#8 Post by kfzhu1229 » Tue Aug 20, 2019 12:46 am

wujstefan wrote:
Tue Aug 20, 2019 12:26 am

I don't think she is not aware what she sells. 2652 type stands for A30 and A31 (no-p); I'd be closer to presume it have had either the whole lid exchanged, or the display frame.
Um if you look at the type number in the bottom (blurry image), it seems like 2653-R1J, which IS an A31p laptop. I guess only way to know is to ask the seller to turn on the machine and go to the bios settings and take one image straight and one image tilted (so that you know whether you are dealing with an IPS panel) if it doesnt boot to windows
Though I guess one thing that's fishy is that the warranty stickers are broken so it might mean the owner got it repaired at some sketchy places (formerly known as Zhongguancun) that may be known for swapping your parts without consent
Dell Lat CP MMX-233 64mb 40gb W2k
600 PII-266 416mb 40gb WXP
T23 PIII 1.13ghz 1gb W7
Precision M4300 X9000 8gb 160gb WUXGA Ultrasharp fp W10
T530i 15.6" i7 16gb fp W10
UXGA:
A30p PIII 1.2 1gb W7 (IDTech)
T43p 2.26 2gb fp W10 (Sharp)
Lat C840 P4-2.5 2gb 60gb W7 (Ultrasharp)

Thinkpad4by3
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Re: (WANTED) A31P QUALITY CONDITION

#9 Post by Thinkpad4by3 » Tue Aug 20, 2019 12:52 am

kfzhu1229 wrote:
Tue Aug 20, 2019 12:46 am
wujstefan wrote:
Tue Aug 20, 2019 12:26 am

I don't think she is not aware what she sells. 2652 type stands for A30 and A31 (no-p); I'd be closer to presume it have had either the whole lid exchanged, or the display frame.
Um if you look at the type number in the bottom (blurry image), it seems like 2653-R1J, which IS an A31p laptop. I guess only way to know is to ask the seller to turn on the machine and go to the bios settings and take one image straight and one image tilted (so that you know whether you are dealing with an IPS panel) if it doesnt boot to windows
Though I guess one thing that's fishy is that the warranty stickers are broken so it might mean the owner got it repaired at some sketchy places (formerly known as Zhongguancun) that may be known for swapping your parts without consent
Actually without the AC adapter you can have the seller put a flashlight up to the screen. A TN screen will have a greenish halo around the flashlight. A IPS display will remain completely black.

This link shows my phone light held up to a TN(T430) and IPS(X230). The camera picks up the tint as white but it is more green but regardless the test shows the TN panel has the halo.
https://imgur.com/a/p1UhtVy
Thinkpad4by3's Law of the Universe.

The efficiency of two screens equally sized with equal numbers if pixels are equal. The time spent by a 4:3 user complaining about 16:9 is proportional to the inefficiency working with a 16:9 display, therefore the amount of useful work extracted is equal.

kfzhu1229
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Re: (WANTED) A31P QUALITY CONDITION

#10 Post by kfzhu1229 » Tue Aug 20, 2019 12:58 am

Thinkpad4by3 wrote:
Tue Aug 20, 2019 12:52 am
Actually without the AC adapter you can have the seller put a flashlight up to the screen. A TN screen will have a greenish halo around the flashlight. A IPS display will remain completely black.
Actually the even easier way to tell an UXGA model (not necessarily IPS panel or p model laptop if it is aftermarket) is to see whether the port on the top of the lid is present, and whether the antennae on both sides are present (2653-R1J has wifi built in). By factory only the p models with UXGA resolution has that port built into the display cable.
Dell Lat CP MMX-233 64mb 40gb W2k
600 PII-266 416mb 40gb WXP
T23 PIII 1.13ghz 1gb W7
Precision M4300 X9000 8gb 160gb WUXGA Ultrasharp fp W10
T530i 15.6" i7 16gb fp W10
UXGA:
A30p PIII 1.2 1gb W7 (IDTech)
T43p 2.26 2gb fp W10 (Sharp)
Lat C840 P4-2.5 2gb 60gb W7 (Ultrasharp)

wujstefan
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Re: (WANTED) A31P QUALITY CONDITION

#11 Post by wujstefan » Tue Aug 20, 2019 1:24 am

Thinkpad4by3 wrote:
Tue Aug 20, 2019 12:52 am
Actually without the AC adapter you can have the seller put a flashlight up to the screen. A TN screen will have a greenish halo around the flashlight. A IPS display will remain completely black.
Hey! I didn't know that! :D

Getting A31 is not such a big problem - I personally have 2 or 3 working units in decen shape I'd happily sell. It's the "p" that makes the difference. Not to mention IPS panel.
Too many thinkpads not enough time!
(stable under reduction)

TuuS
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Re: (WANTED) A31P QUALITY CONDITION

#12 Post by TuuS » Tue Aug 20, 2019 3:09 pm

I have several of these some in very nice condition. Both a 31p and a 31. I'm going to be selling them probably this fall or maybe in the spring. Some of them need work but I know at least one worked great and was in excellent condition except for the reddish backlight when cold. Typical old age backlight syndrome.

SultaNygus
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Re: (WANTED) A31P QUALITY CONDITION

#13 Post by SultaNygus » Wed Sep 11, 2019 7:01 am

Good Day Sir,

What do You say about this beuty ?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/i1TA2gZo3Z15iU1G8

Best Regards
sultanygus@gmail.com

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