T43 gets to 1st splash screen

[burns334]

Folks, T43 gets to first splash screen and stops, guesses, hard drive or motherboard/Southbridge? No noises or anything, can't get to bios.

Update, hard drive seems ok in another machine

[Neil]

Pull the HDD out and try again. If it still hangs, remove the wifi adapter and try. Then, if you have two stick of RAM try with only one at a time, swapping them around each stick in each slot. If it still hangs with everything removed, it's likely a motherboard issue.

[burns334]

Neil, I replaced the motherboard with a brand new one I purchased on *bay, it is from china and it is an R52 board. When I start up now the green lights flash normally and then I get 2 beeps, the screen is not jet black any longer but it never gets to a splash screen. The fan does run and cycle. If I strike a key I get a beep but nothing else. With a battery in machine the green light for the battery is on. I've tried a few hard drives but no difference, label down of course. I've removed the RAM, one stick at a time, no difference, I disconnected the wifi card, same thing. Not sure what to do next, looking for ideas.

burns

[RealBlackStuff]

Now I know why your username is burns334
Looks like you got burned with that R52 mobo...

[burns334]

Morning folks, I see RBS is throwing the motherboard under the bus pretty fast, I'm not that convinced yet. By the way, really brand spanking new motherboard, original box, sealed bag, certainly looks brand new.

Wondering if the CPU is bad, this T43 had a siezed fan and I wonder if it was really fried, anyone know symptoms of fried CPU?

[Neil]

Now that we have more info...could be a fried CPU. Even though a CPU is pretty durable, it is possible to overheat and damage one. Swap in another and see what happens.

[ajkula66]

A bad CPU will give absolutely no signs of life...no lights, no backlight...nothing at all. No beeps with RAM removed either.

[burns334]

A bad CPU will give absolutely no signs of life...no lights, no backlight...nothing at all. No beeps with RAM removed either.

Well since we have lights it does not sound like CPU but I will try anyway. What about the 2 short beeps? I tried a different keyboard.

[Neil]

From the Lenovo Beep and no beep symptoms page:

Two short beeps and a blank screen:
1. System board
2. DIMM

[burns334]

From the Lenovo Beep and no beep symptoms page:

Two short beeps and a blank screen:
1. System board
2. DIMM

Thanks Neil, I could not find that page, I am away now but will try other DIMM's on the weekend. A more basic question are all 14 inch R52 boards compatible with all T43's?

[ajkula66]

A more basic question are all 14 inch R52 boards compatible with all T43's?

What is the screen resolution of that T43?

An Intel board from R52 will not drive a 14" SXGA+ panel, otherwise everything is compatible.

[burns334]

A more basic question are all 14 inch R52 boards compatible with all T43's?

What is the screen resolution of that T43?

An Intel board from R52 will not drive a 14" SXGA+ panel, otherwise everything is compatible.

Ajk, trying to figure this out and not having much luck, I just got this T43, it is a 2669-W5E and the Motherboard is a 42T0037, do you have a special list to decipher compatability? Any help here is greatly appreciated. It looks like the motherboard is an Intel board so now if the T43 is sxga I am toast.

Thanks in advance
burns

[RealBlackStuff]

2669-W5E is a T43 with ATI X300 GPU.
Don't know that mobo 42T0037. Others can be found here: http://theboardroom.info/ibm_list.htm

[Neil]

Looks like George is better at this guessing game than I. It's not difficult to tell which GPU you have, no lists needed, just look at the board. If there is a ATI chip in the middle of it...well, if not defective it'll drive your panel, if not then it has the Intel graphics and will not drive your panel (which seems to be the case). Based on these specs:

Code: Select all

ThinkPad T43 (2669-W5E)	
Based 2669-CTO: P M 750(1.8GHz), 1GB RAM, 60GB 5400rpm HD, 14.1in 1400x1050 LCD, 64MB ATI Radeon X300, CDRW/DVD, Intel 802.11bg wireless, Bluetooth/Modem, 1Gb Ether, UltraNav, Sec Chip, FPR, WinXP Pro

[ajkula66]

Looks like George is better at this guessing game than I.

Not necessarily.

The beeps should NOT be there, regardless of Intel vs. SXGA+ issue.

In the end, RBS might have been the one to hit the nail on the head earlier on in this thread...

[burns334]

Guys, I am so confused but let me thicken the plot a little. I have another identical machine and identical board to try out. PS, I am away right now and have time to kill and no machine to work on until the weekend.

burns

PS, is there a way to identify the LCD panel without taking something apart. like the bezel or whatever, I don't see any FRU number on the outside

b

[Neil]

To answer your last question first...the only way to read the FRU number on an LCD panel is to completely remove it from the lid. The numbers are on a label on the back side of the panel.

Assuming that no one ever swapped panels, looking up the original configuration of the machine in question by entering the Type number into Lenovo's Quick Path (like I did above) will give the screen resolution. An alternative on a working laptop, would be to run analysis software, like Everest or similar, that can read the hardware info.

Since we already know (again assuming original config) the resolution of T43 #1, an "identical machine" should have the same panel. The only questions that remain are, which GPU does your replacement board have (you may be able to find the boards FRU number in the R52 Hardware Maintenance Manual to determine it's GPU, if you are not where you can physically look at it), and is the board functional?

Edit: I searched your system board number, and it doesn't appear to be in the HMM.

[burns334]

Neil, I think we are there, Intel motherboard + SXGA LCD = No go, well I did not pay much for the board(s) can always resell or hold on to for some future repair.

burns

[burns334]

A more basic question are all 14 inch R52 boards compatible with all T43's?

What is the screen resolution of that T43?

An Intel board from R52 will not drive a 14" SXGA+ panel, otherwise everything is compatible.

Will a R52 ATI board drive 14" XGA?

burns

[ajkula66]

Yes. Ati will drive any screen.

[burns334]

Thanks guys for all the help. I have starting moving some motherboards from one machine to the other ie xga machines with ATI boards moving into the SXGA machine and all seems good except for a new thread I will start.

burns