T42 - multiple problems: LCD, USB, high temp, etc...

[GrantH]

Greetings Everyone,

I recently discovered this website while searching for solutions to assist with problems going on with my ThinkPad. I haven't been here long, but what an excellent resource of information there is here. Thanks very much to those that created with site.
OK, now onto the problems with my T42 - - -

1. In the last few months, the screen will occasionally become just a garbled mess; display random black boxes; or just turn off completely, but yet the computer is still running. After reading some of the posts here, I’m inclined to think it’s the loose GPU problem that people have been experiencing. The problem I am having is very intermittent though. Sometimes it will occur a few times in one day, but it also can operate normally for a week or two with no problems whatsoever. It also doesn’t matter where I am using the computer either – whether it’s on my desk, my lap, the seatback tray on an airplane, etc. – the problems have occurred using it in multiple areas/situations. The power source also would seem to have no effect either as the problems have been happening when using AC or the battery.

2. The USB ports are also giving me a bit of trouble as well. I don’t believe that I have lost the USB 2.0 functionality which seems to be common. Rather, they just randomly turn off and back on again. I usually will use a trackball plugged into the USB port and sometimes it will just quit working – as if someone has physically unplugged the cable and plugged it right back in again. This might happen a dozen times within 30 minutes, but then just like the LCD problem, it can be several days when it doesn’t happen at all.

3. The hard drive seems to be getting exceptionally hot. I installed Active SMART recently to monitor the drive and find that the average temperature in normal use is between 49 to 52c. The drive I’m using is a Hitachi Travelstar, 80gb, 7200rpm. I’m also using one of those cooling pads with a triple fan configuration under my computer and it still gets a bit too hot for my liking. From what I can tell, the fan within the computer seems to be working properly though.

4. This next problem doesn’t make sense to me at all. When on the ground, my battery will typically last for about 3 hours. This is when using the Max Battery setting of the Notebook Hardware Control program. However, when I’m using the computer on an airplane, I’ll be lucky if I can get even 1 hour of use from the same battery. The battery is fully charged every time before I fly, I’ve tried turning off all unnecessary processes, and reduce the LCD brightness to the lowest level I can tolerate. Nonetheless, I normally only get approximately 50 minutes of use out of the battery. This is with very little drive access too. Generally I’ll just be writing a document with Word or composing replies to emails. When I’m back on the ground though and have charged the battery again, I’ll have no trouble at all to get a good 3 hours of use before it’s depleted.

I still have about 8 months to go on my warranty and I’ll most certainly be sending it in for repair/diagnosis. However, since some of these problems are so intermittent, could they possibly keep the computer for 2 or 3 weeks while they determine what might be wrong? If that’s the case, I’d need to purchase another computer just to use as a spare while they have mine. Unless they’re willing to cross ship a loaner, but I rather doubt it.

So, that’s it everyone. If anyone has any ideas I or suggestions I might try to any of the above problems before sending it in, I’d appreciate hearing about them.

Thanks Everyone.

[ajkula66]

Welcome to the forum!

Call IBM and have them take care of your machine, the motherboard is shot. Read the sticky "My T42 shuts down when I move it". Problem with USB ports is of the same origin.

As for the HDD, if it's the original one, leave it in the machine when you send it out for repair to be tested. If it's not the original one, don send it in, wait and see what happens with a new mobo installed, and run all the fitness and other tests on it...

As for the battery, I'm clueless, someone else will have to tackle that matter.

Good luck and let us know.

[richk]

If you tell them the screen gets garbled, they will replace the motherboard, assuming that you have the common graphics problem. In most cases, if you ship the machine to EZServe, they will repair it in one day, plus a day each way for shipping. Battery warranties are one year.

[sjthinkpader]

...

2. The USB ports are also giving me a bit of trouble as well. I don’t believe that I have lost the USB 2.0 functionality which seems to be common. Rather, they just randomly turn off and back on again. I usually will use a trackball plugged into the USB port and sometimes it will just quit working – as if someone has physically unplugged the cable and plugged it right back in again. This might happen a dozen times within 30 minutes, but then just like the LCD problem, it can be several days when it doesn’t happen at all.

Try a different mouse. The USB port has a resettable fuse which may be overloaded by your trackball.

3. The hard drive seems to be getting exceptionally hot. I installed Active SMART recently to monitor the drive and find that the average temperature in normal use is between 49 to 52c. The drive I’m using is a Hitachi Travelstar, 80gb, 7200rpm. I’m also using one of those cooling pads with a triple fan configuration under my computer and it still gets a bit too hot for my liking. From what I can tell, the fan within the computer seems to be working properly though.

These 7200RPM drives do run hotter. A newer 5400 drive may be just as fast and run cooler.

4. This next problem doesn’t make sense to me at all. When on the ground, my battery will typically last for about 3 hours. This is when using the Max Battery setting of the Notebook Hardware Control program. However, when I’m using the computer on an airplane, I’ll be lucky if I can get even 1 hour of use from the same battery. The battery is fully charged every time before I fly, I’ve tried turning off all unnecessary processes, and reduce the LCD brightness to the lowest level I can tolerate. Nonetheless, I normally only get approximately 50 minutes of use out of the battery. This is with very little drive access too. Generally I’ll just be writing a document with Word or composing replies to emails. When I’m back on the ground though and have charged the battery again, I’ll have no trouble at all to get a good 3 hours of use before it’s depleted.

Thinner air at altitude doesn't cool as well as at sea level. Airplanes are pressurized but still thinner. So the fan runs longer.