New to T43p, a couple of questions...

[Saucey]

Greetings everyone!
As the title says, new T43p owner here!
MPN 2668-VQ7
Based on 2668-CTO: P M 780(2.26GHz), 2GB RAM, 80GB 7200rpm HD, 15in 1600x1200 LCD, 128MB ATI FireGL V3200, CDRW/DVDRW, Wireless upgradeable, Modem, 1Gb Ethernet, UltraNav, Secure chip, Fingerprint reader, 9c Li-Ion batt, WinXP Pro
Anyways I got a couple of questions...

1. Proper handling care when unit is on/off? Afraid of flexing the frame which damages the mobo. Is this true?
2. Slight yellowing on the edges of the unit. CCFL going out? Not much yellowing near the CCFL itself.
3. Bottom of the laptop has some warping around the CPU and GPU, is this normal?
4. Proper Wifi card Linux? (Linux n00b here, trying Elementary OS on this)
5. May I use this 15" T43p to test out displays from 14" LCDs or will it fry the motherboard?

My main concern about this unit is that I've heard this T43 has a frame flex issue where it snaps something in the motherboard.
Is this true? I tried searching the forums, but failed from what I researched this week, but I read something like this while lurking sometime last year.

IIRC it is due to improper handling from the unit.
So I'm grabbing this lappy with both hands whenever I move it.
Held it once by the battery and forearm supporting underneath it, between the GPU and HDD.
I think if I grab it with one hand by the heat sink thats how a T43 gets ruined.

Anyways loving this IPS screen, beautiful UXGA res on this, an upgrade from the SXGA+ IPS T60 LCD I have.
As I stated in the question, there is some yellowing/tan color on the sides of the unit. I think the CCFL is going out.
I've based this upon the A31P that had a red boot up display. But I can't tell when the T43p boots during start up.
My next guess is that it is cigarette tar, but the unit doesn't smell, so I'm unsure...
Smokers please don't take offense, I'm basing this from some used car horror stories.

For the third question, it seems that there is a bulge below where the CPU is located.
I wonder if they had an oversized heat sink fan holder on this machine, or that the cushions/spacers for this unit had too much resistance to the bottom of the laptop frame and it warped it due to time/heat.
I replaced the thermal paste with Artic Silver 5, I didn't know these machines had a special hardened putty connecting the HSF to the GPU.
When I removed it, the HSF assembly to the GPU warped a bit. I think I bended it back correctly, had a couple of tries before there was no play.
Added a very small amount of AS5 to it after reading about this. I don't happen to have any copper spacers at the moment.
I'll have to be checking temps, any recommendations for what application to use for that?
eOS is based of Ubuntu so I'll get something that'll work.

I'm sure this wifi card isn't working under Elementary OS. I've only used the X61 w/ Ubuntu before this and it wifi worked minus that time I switched to a cooler wifi card.
My guess this is because of eOS, I didn't install it with the wifi card plugged in initially, wifi works with my USB wifi card.
During boot-up I got the 2010 error for the HDD, but does that override the error code for the wifi card under the palmrest?
I connected the grey cable to main and black cable to aux. Switched them an no juice either.
First card has a Dell P/N 0k3444, second has an FRU 93P4235. I think the second one was pulled from the A31P I have, works fine in Windows.
This isn't a big deal at the moment, I'm going to try WinXP or Win7 later with it. I wanted to give linux a try again, I'll have to learn it eventually.
If it still doesn't work, I'm guessing its because I'm not using the wifi card IBM wants you to own.
I'll post a LF/WTB in the next couple of weeks if this doesn't work.

Also I've got some 14" T4x LCDs I'm going to replace the CCFLs.
I mean for the most part I'm sure they will work when replacing the bulb, but I wouldn't know of dead pixels if I can't test them...
I do know that XGA equipped 14" T4x cannot take a screen upgrade, it fries the mobo, but can I use this UXGA 15" T43p for testing those LCDs?
I'm not going to test out a unit yet... I'll get a SXGA+ 14" T4x/R5x unit from ebay to be the LCD mule if I have to.

Otherwise this is a pretty solid machine! This display is amazing!
This unit is well built as well, sturdy as a A31P, but light like a T60.
I'll try a QXGA display next, heck I might even try an LED backlight if I find CCFLs a breeze to install.
Haven't tested the battery yet, eOS shows that the unit has a 2 hour battery life, the battery LED has stayed green for the 40 minutes I let it stay on battery power.

[ajkula66]

1. Proper handling care when unit is on/off? Afraid of flexing the frame which damages the mobo. Is this true?

Just keep it on 24/7/365 and always lift it with both hands. No sleep or hibernation and you're good.

2. Slight yellowing on the edges of the unit. CCFL going out? Not much yellowing near the CCFL itself.

Normal. That machine is seven years old, and likely an ex-government unit. U.S. built tag on the bottom, I presume?

3. Bottom of the laptop has some warping around the CPU and GPU, is this normal?

I don't understand.

4. Proper Wifi card Linux? (Linux n00b here, trying Elementary OS on this)

IBM (Atheros) b/g II or a/b/g II. I've got a couple sitting around if you're interested.

5. May I use this 15" T43p to test out displays from 14" LCDs or will it fry the motherboard?

You can test any display from a ThinkPad with a matching cable.

My main concern about this unit is that I've heard this T43 has a frame flex issue where it snaps something in the motherboard. Is this true? I tried searching the forums, but failed from what I researched this week, but I read something like this while lurking sometime last year. IIRC it is due to improper handling from the unit. So I'm grabbing this lappy with both hands whenever I move it.

Don't sweat it. The fact that it's up and running after 7 years says a lot.

I'll try a QXGA display next,

You'll need a proper cable for that. Good luck finding one.

heck I might even try an LED backlight if I find CCFLs a breeze to install.

Please don't...

[Saucey]

Sorry I meant that there is warping on the bottom of the unit below the CPU
Here's photo 1 and photo 2

Normal. That machine is seven years old, and likely an ex-government unit. U.S. built tag on the bottom, I presume?

Yes, it says, "Assembled in the US of the US and non-US components for Lenovo."

True, I am glad that there is no dead pixels either! Well taken care of unit or refurbished by the seller.

Oh and give me a week and half and I'll PM you about those cards.

Thanks ajkula66 again for your information.

[ajkula66]

Sorry I meant that there is warping on the bottom of the unit below the CPU
Here's photo 1 and photo 2

That hump should NOT be there. No clue on what happened but am not liking it.

[Saucey]

That hump should NOT be there. No clue on what happened but am not liking it.

I see, hmmm...
I'm going to think positive and hope the previous user did this to make the machine last longer.

[Medessec]

That's a pretty insane hump... if I were me, I'd be getting in there to see what the heck is going on. Sure, maybe it could be some poor fix the previous owner tried to remedy an overheating problem, but now that you own it, you owe it to this Thinkpad(especially a 2.26 GHz UXGA T43p) to do it right.

The yellowing on the screen probably means the bulb is about ready to give it's life up. I have a T43p right now, same as yours, just with a 2.0 GHz P-M instead if a 2.26 GHz(me jealous... ) and the screen starts up in a deep shade of red in the middle until warming up, then it works with somewhat accurate coloring with yellowing on the sides. But it'll just cut off while I'm using it(bulb crack/leak), so I always had to have an external monitor plugged in with the BIOS setting on Thinkpad LCD+VGA out to install Windows. Oiled the fan a bit and cleaned up the thermal pad over the V3200 chip, and this thing runs beautifully, it just has a bum UXGA screen bulb. Very, very sad time when such a fantastic piece of hardware is caught in it's last moments of life.

You enjoy that T43p. It's too bad you didn't get the best UXGA, because the panels you see in this and the A31p are absolutely pretty when they're in their prime. But good luck with it! It's a fantastic piece.

[Saucey]

Well I was going to change the bulb of an A31P tonight but I slacked around on the web after I got off work.
The CCFL I've had a problem with came from an X61s, small screen = small work area. Its assembly was weird too.
The fan is constantly running on this thing, the fan itself isn't loud, just the air it is pushing it is.
When it kicked in to a higher speed, made me chuckle, it was surprising.

Hmmmm. I guess I'll have to open it up and see what it is... Eventually I'll get to it.
I'll replace the bulb when that time comes.

I think the bulge is just too much padding from the CPU screw holder from the quick peek I had with the HSF out.

Oh and don't be jealous over the CPU, I've read that it kills battery performance.
Still get some slight hiccups in performance here and there from eOS, but maybe that'll change if its under Windows.

[RealBlackStuff]

Folks, the yellowing of that screen has NOTHING to do with the CCFL.
It's just one of the polarizers that's turning yellow due to old age and UV light exposure.

When a CCFL is on the way out, THEN you will see pink light showing up at a cold boot, getting more intense pink/red as it gets nearer its death.

As for testing LCDs on a T43: ONLY those with ATI graphics can be used for testing all screens.
A T43 with Intel graphics can only display XGA.
Also be aware that XGA, SXGA+, UXGA and QXGA each require a different LCD cable!

And that bump is highly unusual and highly suspect.
Take that machine apart to find out which Government secret is lurking there...

[Medessec]

When a CCFL is on the way out, THEN you will see pink light showing up at a cold boot, getting more intense pink/red as it gets nearer its death.

Oh. So... my T43p's CCFL is going out, but his is fine. Dangit...

I think the bulge is just too much padding from the CPU screw holder from the quick peek I had with the HSF out.

...padding? The wrong sort of padding underneath the CPU-area of a PCB can be unhealthy for it... the fan will adequately cool the 2.26, you just need to make sure the Thermal Paste is ship-shape and that the screws are tightly in there.

[Saucey]

Take that machine apart to find out which Government secret is lurking there...

Aye aye sir! I will find whats under this Area 54 based laptop! Also thank you for clarifying that I'll need the correct cable for each screen resolution.

@Medessec, it seems you'd have to just replace the CCFL to fix your unit.
I would have to submerge the LCD panel in hydrogen peroxide/oxi clean solution and 'bake' it underneath the sun or UV light for it to go back to its un-yellow glory. It works on PC plastics, but I'm not sure about the clear ones. Heh and I wouldn't know if it'll ruin my screen. Looks like I found another project for a different day.

[Medessec]

@Medessec, it seems you'd have to just replace the CCFL to fix your unit.

Hah! "Just." Replacing the CCFL couldn't be called easy... I've tried doing it with an SXGA+ IPS panel from a T60p, you can see this same panel in operation(after I've tried it) in my W500 experiment topic. It works, but there's marks and dust everywhere inside it now.

It takes a lot of patience to replace a bulb. I could try again with this one, as I have plenty of 15" screens with busted matrixes, but bright bulbs!

Be sure to report back with whatever you find under the CPU. It'll be interesting to hear what it was.

[Saucey]

I'll see if I can get it started today.

I haven't had a problem with dust inside the display with CCFL, but I figure it'll come in time.
I have one display that does have dust inside it already.
Beginning operation now.

[ajkula66]

@Medessec, it seems you'd have to just replace the CCFL to fix your unit.

Hah! "Just." Replacing the CCFL couldn't be called easy... I've tried doing it with an SXGA+ IPS panel from a T60p, you can see this same panel in operation(after I've tried it) in my W500 experiment topic. It works, but there's marks and dust everywhere inside it now.

Pretty much mirrors my own experience, albeit with a different panel...

Be sure to report back with whatever you find under the CPU. It'll be interesting to hear what it was.

Maybe it was simply used for coercing a confession...

[Saucey]

Ah no big secrets today, the three screws that hold the CPU were just the wrong size, they were too long.
My guess is that the fan was reinstalled with them or they were accidentally installed at the factory this way.

After taking them out, I've noticed that the bottom of the T43p lost its bulge.
There is a little bit of it due to it being like that over time, but it should be fine.
Worst case scenario if I hadn't done this is the screw threads would of been stripped, the CPU and GPU woulda burned...

Thanks guys for pushing me to check this out!!

[Nameless]

When a CCFL is on the way out, THEN you will see pink light showing up at a cold boot, getting more intense pink/red as it gets nearer its death.

Oh. So... my T43p's CCFL is going out, but his is fine. Dangit...

Forum member jamiphar (james@arndtcomputer.com) does great work on CCFL's. I recently had a CCFL repair done by him and been very happy with the result.

EDIT: mine was really bad too, it would turn off completely, you could get it back on by cycling through the Fn+F7 but then it would cut out again after a few seconds. Ad infinitum. Ad nauseum. VERY annoying. It's rock solid now tho. I'm not affiliated with him in any way other than as a satisfied customer.

[RealBlackStuff]

Nothing against jamiphar, but did you ever see this post? http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=88991

[Johan]

Forum member jamiphar (james@arndtcomputer.com) does great work on CCFL's. I recently had a CCFL repair done by him and been very happy with the result.

I absolutely support this suggestion; send your ThinkPad to James, and let him refurbish the CCFL. You may have a look in the the thread LCD CCFL Backlight Repair/GPU Rework - I'll fix it for you! and note the very, very fine feedback that James has received from many, many customers. James has helped me on several occations, and I can only say: I would never hesitate to ask him again for his help; I have always been very, very satisfied with (and grateful for, actually) his help.

While it is possible to replace a CCFL by yourself, this require both skills and experience... so many people have warned about attempting to do this yourself, like e.g. George:

I know how to replace a backlight and I've done it, could repeat it if you had a machine gun pointed at my kids...

James (jamiphar) does that for me these days, and I prefer paying in USD than in my own aggravation and loss of sleep...

My $0.02 only..

Johan

[Nameless]

Nothing against jamiphar, but did you ever see this post? http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=88991

Actually I did, but to be honest even though I've been a computer hobbyist/engineer for 25+ years now, I've always been sort of hesitant to work on displays, whether they be CRT's, LCD's, or laptop displays. Mostly afraid to screw things up, because I'm VERY picky about my display, and any hairs/dust specks/whatever that got inside during the procedure would drive me insane. Some things I just prefer to leave to folks with more experience than me.

Plus, James's price was reasonable, ergo a no brainer for me.