Off to Visit EZ-Serve???

Message

JHEM · #1 Post by **JHEM** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 9:16 pm

My beloved T40 has developed a particularly annoying habit of freezing up when the unit is moved without closing the display first.

If I grab the unit by either front corner and pick it up one-handed with my thumb on the palmrest, the unit will lockup and the display will be scrambled.

If I grasp the upper left corner of the display and the lower right front corner of the unit and pick it up, it will lockup and the display will be scrambled.

All of these failure modes are repeatable and exasperating. Obviously something is loose internally and affecting the unit as the lower base is "wracked" by whatever torque is applied when picking it up. But it could just as easily be a bad trace on the MB.

Next thing to decide is whether to pop the bonnet and fiddle about or bite the bullet and send it in.

I just hate the thought of sending it in if a quick internal inspection with my MK-I eyeball would have immediately noticed a loose framistat that could have been put right in 20 seconds with a left handed, offset, cross-threaded doo-hickey.

Regards,

James

T23_Owner · #2 Post by **T23_Owner** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 10:18 pm

You need a new system board. had the exact same problem on my T23. I found the culprit though. THe keybard is supposed to latch onto the keyboard bezel on the left side but sometimes it doesn't. You see, the computer needs to have it latch to sustain its integrity. Just that little tab that holds the left side of the keyboard in was causing the front to flex dramatically when picked up and thus damaged the main board.

Send it in and get a new mainboard, then makes sure all tabs are secured around the flexing area.

JHEM · #3 Post by **JHEM** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 3:42 pm

Over the past two days the problem with my T40 had raised it's ugly head once more but this time even more pronounced.

I called EZServe this AM and opened a ticket after the rep had me perform the usual DFT and DrDOS tests. (I was very relieved when the 7K60 passed all the tests with flying colors as it isn't the original HD that came with the system.)

As long as I didn't touch the unit in any way DrDOS wll run just fine and without generating any errors. But as soon as I moved or picked up the unit it would lockup solid in BIOS, DrDOS and XP.

We've kind of come to the conclusion that it might be a broken trace on the MB.

Unit's boxed up and awaiting the arrival of Airborne/DHL as I type this, we'll see what Memphis has to say about it tomorrow.

Regards,

James

kjarrett · #4 Post by **kjarrett** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 4:35 pm

Good luck James. I predict you will have the unit back, and fixed, by Friday at the latest. I presume you have other systems to work with?

Also, BTW, what's the deal with the IBM website, the 2ghz Dothan's aren't listed anymore. Temporary production halt? I presume you can still get some?

-kj-

JHEM · #5 Post by **JHEM** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 10:17 am

kjarrett wrote:Good luck James. I predict you will have the unit back, and fixed, by Friday at the latest. I presume you have other systems to work with?

Yeah, got plenty of backups to use in its stead, that's not a problem.

As to getting it back by Friday, that possibility is approaching remote!

When I called Monday AM to open a ticket I specifically told them I didn't need a box shipped out and would be sending the unit in via Airborne/DHL that day.

The unit arrived safely in Memphis at 0956 Tuesday and I awaited a phone call from EZServ with an update on their findings. And waited. And waited some more.

In the interim, DHL arrived at the house and presented me with a shipping box! Oh well, I'll put it with the others and save it for a customer's machine.

I finally called EZServe that evening and asked for an update. Gave them the Case Number and waited for a reponse. And waited. And waited some more. The rep finally came back on the phone and informed me that the unit was scheduled to arrive the next day as I had only shipped it that day!

No, I said, I shipped it yesterday and you received it THIS morning.

No, she said, I'm looking at the Airbill for the box we sent you and the return Airbill hasn't entered the system yet.

That's because I didn't use that box, I said. I already HAD a shipping box and sent it off yesterday! Here's the Airbill number and it was delivered THIS morning!

Please hold, was the repsonse. When she came back she informed me that, yes, the machine was there but, no, no one had looked at it yet!

WTH!

At least when I called today I was told that someone had finally opened the box and scanned the machine into their system.

Further updates as they occur, film at 11!

Regards,

James

JHEM · #6 Post by **JHEM** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 4:11 pm

EZServe says the unit was repaired and is awaiting pickup for delivery tomorrow AM. Hope they get here before I head off to the airport.

Repair required a MB replacement, so apparently there was a broken trace somewhere on it.

Regards,

James

kjarrett · #7 Post by **kjarrett** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 5:42 pm

Excellent. Wish I were that lucky. My T30 has been @ IBM CMT in NC a week now and I have heard nothing. Time to kick it up a notch...

JHEM · #8 Post by **JHEM** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 11:29 am

Well, the good news is that my beloved T40 arrived last Thursday morning literally as I was leaving for the airport.

I ran back in the house, grabbed my case and all the T40 bits I had taken out before sending the unit in and headed for OK City.

Reassembled the unit while waiting for my flight to board and turned it on.

BSOD and report that XP had shut the unit down to prevent damage due to a video problem.

WTF!!!!

Spent the next several days trying to get the unit up and running in safe mode, but every time I attempted to startup regularly the result was a BSOD! Rolled back, rolled forward, reinstalled the latest ATI drivers from IBM, etc., etc., nothing!

[censored]!

Got home Wednesday and the first thing I did was throw in the PC Dr. for DOS CD I had and ran all the tests. Everything was fine until it got to "ATI RageMobility Display & MEM" test, at which point the unit would lock up solidly.

Called EZServ and the unit is back for the weekend with "a second tier tech" according to the YL on the phone. We shall see what the outcome is.

Regards,

James

kjarrett · #9 Post by **kjarrett** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 12:07 pm

WTF is right.

Is that the second time they tried to fix it?

Escalate, escalate, escalate...

JHEM · #10 Post by **JHEM** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 12:42 pm

kjarrett wrote:Is that the second time they tried to fix it?

No, last week was the first time in house and they changed the MB.

kjarrett wrote:Escalate, escalate, escalate...

Have no fear! I'm not bashful about making a fuss.

Regards,

James

hiengu · #11 Post by **hiengu** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 2:02 am

JHEM, how old was your T40 ?

I am hoping to not have any problems with my T41 for a couple years at least.

ychandrani · #12 Post by **ychandrani** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 7:10 am

James, Sorry to hear about the repeated visitations to EZ-Serve. Well, I might be joining the club with my new x31 and its battery woes. Seems like something is dying a slow death inside.

Will post details in the regular Xseries forum.
Yogesh

JHEM · #13 Post by **JHEM** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 9:18 am

hiengu wrote:JHEM, how old was your T40 ?

It was one year old on 29SEP.

Regards,

James

JHEM · #14 Post by **JHEM** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 12:02 pm

While I am usually one of the first to sing the praises of IBM in general and EZServ in particular, in the interests of full disclosure of both the good and the bad, I offer the following.

After a three day wait for parts in Memphis, I received word last night that my beloved T40 had been repaired (another motherboard swap!) and was enroute home.

I made [censored] sure I would be awake and aware between 0830 and 0930 this morning when DHL would be delivering my pride and joy. At 0855 the doorbell (and the dog) went off and DHL handed me my prize. I wasted no time running downstairs to my office and opened the box.

In what turned out to be a portent of things to come, my baby was lying upside down in the box with no plastic bag over it, no foam spacer and a few papers thrown in on top.

I pulled it out, walked over to my desk and plugged it in.

No power light!

Hit the power button. Nothing!

Unplugged it, put my 6 cell battery in and plugged it in again.

No charge light!

Hit the power button again. Nothing!

Unplugged it, put my 9 cell battery in and plugged it in again.

No charge light!

Hit the power button. Again, nothing!

Plugged the power cord into my A30p and one of my T21s just to check the brick was working.

Yep, both started charging and BOOTed fine.

Let the T40 sit plugged in for a half hour, nothing.

Called EZServ again! and, after updating the person who initially answered with my tale of woe, I was quickly escalated to a 2nd tier tech. I gave him a quick update on my background and skill level and we proceeded to pop the hood/bonnet in an attempt to track down loose RAM, CPU, etc., etc.

Nothing. My baby remains well and truly dead and has joined the choir invisible!

[censored]!!!

Another box has been shipped so I can send it in back AGAIN and this is their final chance. Should this next repair go awry, I'll be looking for IBM to cough up a replacement machine!

While I was under the hood removing and replacing everything, I noticed that BOTH antenna leads for my WiFi card had sections that were obviously crushed and the outer insulation was broken. Apparently, during one of these repair attempts, proper care wasn't taken during reassembly and the antenna leads were crushed under one of the keyboard standoffs when the screws were tightened.

I've informed EZServ that I expect this to be repaired also and NOT by simply swapping the display as mine is perfect with NO dead pixels.

I'll let you all know what happens when, and if, I get it back next week.

Regards,

James

kjarrett · #15 Post by **kjarrett** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 12:57 pm

Unreal.

I see a brand new T42p in your future.

Free, courtesy IBM.

-kj-

JHEM · #16 Post by **JHEM** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 1:50 pm

kjarrett wrote:I see a brand new T42p in your future.

Free, courtesy IBM.

From your lips to IBM's ears!

Regards,

James

hiengu · #17 Post by **hiengu** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 10:20 pm

Wow, I'm stunned. I heard IBM was supposed to have the best support.

Next time I get a new laptop, I'm going to get onsite support.

JHEM · #18 Post by **JHEM** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 11:52 pm

hiengu wrote:Wow, I'm stunned. I heard IBM was supposed to have the best support.

IBM does still have the best support, my adventures are a hiccup in the system.

However, those of us who remember when EasyServ was still an IBM in-house function can easily regale the Forums with tales of sending in boxes of parts and getting completely rebuilt Thinkpads back 2 days later.

Regards,

James

anz2007 · #19 Post by **anz2007** » Fri Nov 05, 2004 9:54 am

IBM just doesn't know how to fix this problem. I've had 4 repair attempts for the same issue. It certainly is on the system board, but it seems thta there is also another component that contributes to this failure

PS-Check to see if your system flexes in the lower left corner, by the IR port. If I flex it there, then place it on a flat surface, I can get it to work for 10 minutes or so.

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