Big problem with T43

[Ilovechardamom]

It doesn't turn on; but first:
I'm not a thinkpad user, and i repulse the idea of even using windows, in fact I am writing from a macbook. Problem is, I'm going to croatia in 5 days and I need a "steal-me-dummy"/backup laptop, because I don't want my 1200€ calculator to be stolen by some maid/burgler/wizard, and I need the laptop to be functioning even if it's going to be a dummy, but it won't turn on. So, here's the stuff: up until 2 months ago it was in perfect working order, then the power jack went wobbly to the point it couldn't even be charged up; no big deal, i opened it up, fixed it and put it back together, then i turned it on: success, but i discovered in disappointment that I had left some speaker piece out, so I disassembled and reassembled the whole thing again and it wouldn't turn on. Just the status lights blinking yellow for a while and nothing more. Since it wasn't that much of a deal i put it away and went back to my normal life, this until now. I have done the static discharge thing several times, but all I can get is an orange battery light and the same blinking bullcrap as before when I push the power button. I don't know what to do now, maybe should I take it apart once again?

[Neil]

Try to power it up with just the AC adapter connected, and the battery removed, and see what happens.

[Ilovechardamom]

tried, but it doesn't even do that blinking thing

[RealBlackStuff]

How did you "fix" the wobbly power jack?
Tighten the jack-screw underneath the chassis-bar?
Replace the jack and reconnect it properly?
Reconnect CMOS/fan/modem-BT card + cables/modem-cable (both ends)/speakers/wifi card/antennas properly?
Put the HD in correctly (label to the table)?
If you removed the fan, did you replace the thermal paste properly?

[kfzhu1229]

I had the same problem with my T43 when I try to upgrade the CPU and all it turned out was I forgot to secure the CPU socket screw that the CPU isn't connected properly. Also try to remove the daughter card and see if the antenna went below the card and short-circuit the motherboard

[Ilovechardamom]

How did you "fix" the wobbly power jack?
Tighten the jack-screw underneath the chassis-bar?
Replace the jack and reconnect it properly?
Reconnect CMOS/fan/modem-BT card + cables/modem-cable (both ends)/speakers/wifi card/antennas properly?
Put the HD in correctly (label to the table)?
If you removed the fan, did you replace the thermal paste properly?

It doesn't have a wifi card, but some of your points could be likely the source of the problem, I'm taking it apart and reporting when I'm done, thanks
---edit---
I have the whole thing opened on my table, and noticed that the heatsink was wobbly as well (wobbliness seems to be a rather common thing for this bastard) and discovered that the thermal paste has completely dried out. Now, I now this isn't good at all, but could this be the culprit for the computer not even booting?

[danikayser84]

Was the battery defective at all? I once put a defective/shorted battery in my T43 and it ended up being dead to the world until I completely disassembled and removed the CMOS battery/etc.

And yes, you should definitely use new thermal paste on the CPU and GPU (I recommend Arctic Silver 5), it can't hurt

[Ilovechardamom]

Was the battery defective at all? I once put a defective/shorted battery in my T43 and it ended up being dead to the world until I completely disassembled and removed the CMOS battery/etc.

And yes, you should definitely use new thermal paste on the CPU and GPU (I recommend Arctic Silver 5), it can't hurt

Thinking about it, i once got a bios like screen telling me that that some battery was critically low

[danikayser84]

Was the battery defective at all? I once put a defective/shorted battery in my T43 and it ended up being dead to the world until I completely disassembled and removed the CMOS battery/etc.

And yes, you should definitely use new thermal paste on the CPU and GPU (I recommend Arctic Silver 5), it can't hurt

Thinking about it, i once got a bios like screen telling me that that some battery was critically low

Ah, "error 0190" right? Although in my case the machine was totally dead (power button worked but no LEDs, hard drive/fan/etc. spun but it just hung there not doing anything else)

0190 refers to the main battery (that is, not enough charge to boot but can also occur for other reasons; can usually be cleared by putting a good battery or removing/replugging CMOS battery); 0271/0251 means that the little CMOS battery (yellow battery with two leads and a plug on it, underneath the keyboard/palmest) is dead, which error was it?

[Ilovechardamom]

Ah, "error 0190" right? Although in my case the machine was totally dead (power button worked but no LEDs, hard drive/fan/etc. spun but it just hung there not doing anything else)

0190 refers to the main battery (that is, not enough charge to boot but can also occur for other reasons; can usually be cleared by putting a good battery or removing/replugging CMOS battery); 0271/0251 means that the little CMOS battery (yellow battery with two leads and a plug on it, underneath the keyboard/palmest) is dead, which error was it?

I don't remember, but I assume it was the main battery, since it booted right up after I left it plugged for some time. Plus, I just replaced the CMOS battery and nothing changed. I am completely blinded, but it's came into my mind which pice i had left out the firs time: it was the speaker bar. Don't ask me why but after i put it back in it stopped working.

[kfzhu1229]

It is possible for the metal part of the speaker shorts the circuit or something. Something you can do is to remove the speakers and see if it boots.

[jaspen-meyer]

Is there ram in the machine?
Try removing the ram and then replacing it.

Did you put the screws into the machine in the correct places?

Remove all of the unnecessary parts: cd drive, hard drive, battery pack, non-thinkpad devices, etc. and try powering on.

I don't think you could kill the cpu by having dried up cpu paste.

[kfzhu1229]

I tried to power the exact same model up without RAM, the power LED remains.
I think either the CPU is not properly attached, or some fuse is dead.