Thinking about buying a non-functional T43 (1872-CGJ)

[MrMaguire]

I'm considering buying a non-functional ThinkPad T43 that I think has integrated graphics. According to the seller, "it does not turn on".

What do you suppose could be wrong with it?

Here's the seller's photo of it: http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTAyNFg3Njg=/ ... 1/$_86.JPG

I know, it looks to be in rough shape. But if I can get it for the right price, I'll be happy.

[ajkula66]

I'm considering buying a non-functional ThinkPad T43 that I think has integrated graphics. According to the seller, "it does not turn on".

What do you suppose could be wrong with it?

Anything and everything.

But if I can get it for the right price, I'll be happy.

Even if you were to get it for free, the chances are that you'll spend more time and money fixing it than a functional system would cost you in the first place.

My advice would be to stay away - as in very far away - from it.

[shawross]

Yes "ajkula66" gives you very good advise. Save your blood, sweat, tears and more importantly money for another project. There is nothing to see here.
Other better projects will present themselves in the future. This is a no-brainer.

[rkawakami]

Took a brief glance through all of the T43 systems currently listed on eBay and that looked like they were parts/repair systems. Lowest price, at least for shipping in the US, started at around $35. I'd have to agree with George. Unless you can get it for next to nothing, you may be looking at a motherboard swap (worst case). And then there could be something wrong with the LCD (more $$$). Of course, if you like to gamble, it could be something as simple as a broken power jack ($5 on eBay) or maybe a defective MiniPCI card is keeping the system from turning on (seen this before on T2x systems). If you can shoot me the eBay item number in a PM I'll take a closer look at it.

[MrMaguire]

Yeah, I think I'll give this one a miss...

Thanks for the advice guys.

[MrMaguire]

Well, back when I opened this thread I made a low-ball offer to the seller. Here we are a couple of weeks later, and they've messaged me to say that they would accept my offer if I was still interested.

My offer was £10, not including the transport costs to go pick it up, since this is a classified ad on a site similar to Craigslist. Not bad considering that nothing is priced that way on eBay. The closest I could find was a listing for 5 T43s with Intel graphics (and similar specs in general, but looking to be in better condition), for £24.99 each with free postage, but they have BIOS passwords, which if I understand correctly can only be removed with special hardware on ThinkPads.

I should mention that I'm specifically looking for a 14.1" T43 with integrated Intel graphics. A) because I prefer that size, and B) because I've had enough of impressive dedicated graphics failing and leaving me with a cool-looking paperweight.

But, this particular T43 "does not turn on". I've been wondering why that might be. According to the MTM, it came with 512MB of RAM, which it may still have and is most likely a single SODIMM. If the contacts are dirty, if could be failing to POST because of that.

The photo is also quite deceiving. It could be quite worn out (like the blank "Designed for Windows XP" sticker is suggesting) and the photo won't show it.

The specifications according to the MTM here don't list wireless hardware. I assumed from the Pentium M sticker on the palmrest that it had non-Intel wireless, but now I'm not sure. Surely a business-grade laptop from 2005/06 would come with built-in Wi-Fi?

[Dekks]

.......maybe a defective MiniPCI card is keeping the system from turning on (seen this before on T2x systems). \.

Could that apply to any TP of that time T20/30 X20/30?

[rkawakami]

Getting a little OT... The MiniPCI problem I've personally seen mostly was on T2x systems. Either the laptop would look like it had a power problem (didn't turn on or if it did turn on then it won't fully boot) or when installing an OS (typically XP), it would fail about mid-way through. I believe that I had A2x and X2x systems that did that as well, but can't swear to it. Removing the MiniPCI card when a laptop of around that age fails to power up is one of the usual things I suggest. It goes along with the common troubleshooting advice of removing all of the hardware that can easily be gotten to when faced with a problem system.

Not sure about the X3x or T4x if this MiniPCI card failure could affect those systems but it's a "no-cost" attempt at a fix so that's why I recommend trying it.

ref: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 86#p197586 (XP will not load; 2006)
ref: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 32#p344332 (T22 XP installation hangs; 2007)
ref: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 44#p390344 (XP Home Edition freeze on installation; 2008)
ref: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 50#p529850 (X40 intermittent boot problems - fix!; 2009)
ref: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 39#p548739 (T30 froze, restarted and wont go past IBM Thinkpad startup; 2009)
ref: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 05#p634505 (Problem installing XP on IBM X21 without recovery disk; 2011)

[rkawakami]

Surely a business-grade laptop from 2005/06 would come with built-in Wi-Fi?

Some systems were offered as "wireless upgradeable". Meaning it came with the built-in antennas but no actual wireless card. Your 1872-CG1 model lookup refers to it being based on a 1872-4AU. That system came with Intel 802.11g wireless. If true, and both systems came with an Intel wireless card, then somebody could have removed it in the past.

[ajkula66]

Based 1872-4AU: P M 750(1.86GHz), 512 MB RAM, 40GB 5400rpm HDD, 14.1 XGA(1024x768) TFT LCD, Intel 900, 24x24x24x/8x CD-RW/DVD, option, Bluetooth/Modem, 1Gb Ether, UltraNav, Sec Chip, 6c Li-Ion batt, WinXP Pro

The key word here is "option". On certain T4x system descriptions it equals "wireless upgradeable" so no, there was no card in the system when it left the factory.

I would've given it a pass even for a tenner, but those were not my quids to spend...

Consider that I've had a fully working - sans hard drive - system of this nature posted on the forum for weeks asking $60 and had zero takers, with 2GB RAM and what not...

Good luck.

[rkawakami]

Thanks for that confirmation George! I saw that "option" description but thought there was something else missing, possibly due to the way that the original Lenovo database was read before it went offline. I don't think I've seen that term used to describe a system as "wireless upgradeable" but it does appear in the system description where the WiFi summary usually is.

[ajkula66]

Thanks for that confirmation George! I saw that "option" description but thought there was something else missing, possibly due to the way that the original Lenovo database was read before it went offline. I don't think I've seen that term used to describe a system as "wireless upgradeable" but it does appear in the system description where the WiFi summary usually is.

I'm baffled myself with their use of two different terms to describe the same fact. But that's how they (IBM?Lenovo?Both?) went about it.

The only thing that comes to my rusty memory is that the word "option" was used - to the best of my recollection - on the systems that were BlueTooth equipped, while "wireless upgradeable" was reserved for the other ones...

[Khipata]

Save your money and get T60, T61 or T500. These are the machines you can still use today for ANYTHING average user needs from PC. T43 just does not worth it: specs are not that impressive and it is not a collectors item just yet, unless you are like me and HAVE to have EVERY single Thinkpad model ever produced

[rkawakami]

<snip>... unless you are like me and HAVE to have EVERY single Thinkpad model ever produced

From a quick glance at your .sig I can easily see that you're FAR from having every single Thinkpad produced (missing the entire A2x, X2x and X30x series, a T22 and T23, T410, T420; just to name a few) .

[Khipata]

Of course, I am very far from that I said "have to have", not "have". But I am working on it. However, space there does not allow me to put any more characters... 2 days ago I received s30 Piano, s30 Matte, another PC110, 2x2620-s and mint (another) 750P with box and all accessories. Currently I am looking for 710T

[ajkula66]

Of course, I am very far from that I said "have to have", not "have".

Between Ray's signature and your own I can just say

Tasurinchi's right behind you, though, as far as I can tell.

As for myself - I left the collecting game a long time ago and am happy to have done so...

I do, however, agree with you that an Intel-based T6*/R6* is a better pick than a 14" T43 in just about every respect. The only thing that the latter have going for them is their good looks - the prettiest ThinkPad ever (14") in my opinion - and the fact that you could have one without a touchpad, unlike their 15" siblings...other than that, they're good as glorified typewriters and Linux boxes.

My $0.02 only...

[MrMaguire]

I know, I know. At this point my money is much better spent on something with a Core 2 Duo or newer. I'm after a T43 because I really want a T4x ThinkPad. The T43 specifically because it uses DDR2 (which I have plenty of), and also because I'm pretty sure it was the only model offered with integrated graphics. The T43 is also more IBM than say a T60, which I definitely appreciate.

OK, so it doesn't have built-in Wi-Fi. That seems unusual if you ask me, especially since it has Bluetooth. I messaged the seller and asked them if it came with the charger; it doesn't. If only it was in working condition.

All considered, I'm probably just gonna forget the whole thing...

[ajkula66]

All considered, I'm probably just gonna forget the whole thing...

A wise decision IMO...and I'm a T43 buff...for a lack of stronger term...