T43 dont start, none light on, neither sound

[rsardinha]

Hi, my friend left me the laptop to check why dont start, after poweron, no lights, no sound, nothing happens.
After test without memory,disk,cell battery. I checked the service manual and warn about backup battery, then I dig into the laptop pull the Panansoni CR-2032, check and show 0.3 V, no found yet the part (because I'm in Caracas, Venezuela have to ship) but I want to assure that it is the reason or maybe the motherboard is died?

Thanks for help,
Ricardo

[axur-delmeria]

Remove the RAM then turn on the laptop. If it turns on (indicator LEDs light up) but there's no display output and error beep, then it's a system board problem.

If it doesn't power up at all (no lights, fan doesn't spin), then check the main battery, DC input jack, and the charger. If all of them are OK, then it's a system board problem.

[kfzhu1229]

Well there are several possibilities for this (lucky to unlucky):
If battery light comes on when plugged in (if you don't have main battery, check if the battery indicator flashes once the second you plug in), but everything goes off after you press the power button (including battery indicator):
1. CPU not seated properly. Check that the socket secured the CPU properly.
2. Defective or wrong CPU (keep in mind that the same socket also physically fit Tualatin PIIIM, P4M, PM Banis and Dothan, and some Core Duos but only electrically work with Dothan Pentium M 7x0 while 7x5 will also work but at some costs that you don't want to live with)
3. Some short circuit or blown fuse in the systemboard
4. Bad Capacitors (system board)
5. Desoldered Northbridge (system board)
If no sign of life even plugged in without powering it on:
1. Bad power supply
2. Bad power connector/fuse. Check by plugging into a dock (luckily for T4x/R5x, the power connector is connected by detachable cable thus easy to replace)
3. Water damaged system board
Good luck

[ajkula66]

Remove the RAM then turn on the laptop. If it turns on (indicator LEDs light up) but there's no display output and error beep, then it's a system board problem.

Let's try not to confuse our newcomer OP.... ... Even a completely healthy machine will display nothing and beep 1-3-3-1 with the RAM removed. Now, if it doesn't beep once you turn it on with the RAM removed, you are likely looking at a motherboard problem.

[rsardinha]

none light on indicators without memory. Then I check the power pins who connects to main battery and shows 16,4 V, so how much a MB for this machine?

Thanks for help received.
Ricardo S.

[kfzhu1229]

Depends on which one you want. There are 3 GPU options for T43 matrix (worst to best):
Intel GMA 900 (does NOT support DX9 or DVI/HDMI thus does NOT work with Windows Aero or Windows 8 or later), also only works with 14.1/15" XGA and 15" SXGA+ (only in some cases)
The following two support DX9, DVI/HDMI and all screen panels made available for T4x/R5x matrix (XGA, SXGA+, UXGA, QXGA) and tested by myself to work with Windows 10:
ATI Radeon X300 with 64mb VRAM
ATI Radeon FireGL V3200 with 128mb VRAM (more than 2 times faster than X300 and holds up much better to modern tasks)
Of course the price for mb with GMA 900 is dirt cheap, or even free if a forum member here simply don't want it anymore
X300 is still affordable
FireGL V3200 is rare on eBay without having to spend hundreds of dollars.
I have 2 of which available as spare (bought in Taobao and took a hassle to find one that is still for real in stock)
I also have 2 X300 boards available, one with broken main hard drive port which I'm happy to sell for a low price, while still works with a ultrabay HDD that I have
I'm sure other forum members here will have great offerings too

[axur-delmeria]

ajkula66,

Sorry. Poor sentence construction on my part. It should be "no display output and no error beep".

[rsardinha]

I would like to know if there other tests to assure that replace the motherboard as the only solution.

Hi kfzhu1229What is your Price for ATI Radeon X300 with 64mb VRAM in excelent condition? understand is your availability for T43.
Do you have a site?

Thanks

[Hans Gruber]

I stick by what I have long said about the T43. It's a finicky thinkpad. I have two T43p's and one doesn't want to start up but I get a brief light of the power and then nothing. I have to take it apart and figure it out. That is low on my priority list because the other T43p works perfect.

[kfzhu1229]

I would like to know if there other tests to assure that replace the motherboard as the only solution.

Hi kfzhu1229What is your Price for ATI Radeon X300 with 64mb VRAM in excelent condition? understand is your availability for T43.
Do you have a site?

Thanks

Okay so here are my pricing (in USD but please send CAD plus shipping cost if you want to purchase):
X300 board: $30
V3200 board: $70
also combo option (in a fully working 14.1" casing as a full laptop) with 14.1" SXGA+, Pentium M 750 or 780, 2GB DDR2, 80GB IBM OEM Fujisu 5400rpm HDD and Intel 2915ABG wireless card available for an extra $40 (everything other than the palmrest/touchpad are in decently good condition).

[rsardinha]

HI, before buy, I just read topic
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=116200&hilit=backup ... y&start=30
and how to be sure if this is the root of issue?, I replace them on other brands but after see many topics here seems to be luck.

Best Regards

[kfzhu1229]

Well I have tried powering on with a cracked CPU and untightened socket (This was an accident as I found that out after assembling the whole machine that I did NOT tighten the socket screw ).
My cracked CPU resulted in everything coming up except for the LCD and halts right there
My T43 X300 board without CPU installed results in powering up for less than 1 second and goes off
Both cases it will charge the battery just fine (And you get the 1 blink of battery light too right after you plug the machine in)
If your case as described in the title is understood as nothing seems alive like NONE of the following:
fan activity, Ultrabay activity (try to press the eject button your working DVDROM if you have one 2 seconds after power on, if that doesn't work, you are likely dealing with a dead motherboard), HDD spinning up, high-pitched electric sound, indicator lights (Doesn't come up for even a fraction of a second), LCD, speaker activity
Then 99% likely you are dealing with a toast motherboard, broken fuses or water damaged motherboard (Sure the keyboard is spill resistant since A30 series with its own draining hole, but water can still go in through the latch holes and trackpad area which some of the most important chips lie in)