T40p to UXGA - not possible

[fasterbybike]

I have an option to buy a T42P (15" UXGA screen) with a broken mobo.

Would it be possible to transplant the mobo from my T40p (14") into the T42P casing ? Will the 64MB FireGL9000 on my T40p drive UXGA ?

(I reckon it should - as my A31P has 64MB FireGL7800 driving a UXGA display. Also the T40p will drive an external WUXGA monitor via a docking station).

Should I attempt this upgrade? What other things should I be concerned about ?

Thanks

Edited title to reflect that this mod is not possible.

[ajkula66]

Personally, I'd fix or replace the board, although I'm certain that your mobo would be able to drive the display.

My $0.02 only.

[Johan]

There is a true repository of information in the IBM Announcement Letters. If searching there with ”Type of content” = "Announcement letter” and ”Contents” = ”T40p” then hit nr. 9 is IBM ThinkPad T40p Notebook Computers Feature New High-Speed 60 GB HDD which amongst other things says:

Video Modes

ATI Mobility FIRE GL 9000 (64 MB) with 1400 x 1050 resolution display

TFT LCD
Resolution Color Depth

640 x 480 256 64K 16M
800 x 600 256 64K 16M
1024 x 768 256 64K 16M
1280 x 1024 256 64K 16M
1400 x 1050 256 64K 16M
1600 x 1200 256(12) 64K(12) 16M(12)
2048 x 1536 256(12) 64K(12) 16M(12)

So, your 64MB FireGL9000 will support UXGA. If going this path, and if being very picky about your LCD (such as I am!), you should consider asking the seller for the UXGA LCD's condition; does it have any dead or stuck pixels, what is it's backlight (CCFL) condition, does it have any light or dark areas, any pressure marks, any dust (!!) or hair(s) inside the LCD, and scratches or other blemishes and/or backlight-leakage?

If using a 14.1" mobo in a 15" base unit, an "interposer card" is necessary (see System service parts - ThinkPad T40, T40p, T41, T41p, T42, T42p; item 23), but if you get the entire broken T42p, then (as far as I know?), you can use the card from that in your "T402p"

There may be more things to consider, but I just wanted to share the above information with you. Good luck with this upgrade, if you continue along this path!

Johan

[fasterbybike]

Thanks guys. I will check with the vendor as to the condition of the screen, and let you know what I end up doing. I like the sound of a Thinkpad T402p Sounds impressive.

[fasterbybike]

OK, bought the LCD. Now for an interesting time next weekend.

[fasterbybike]

OK, a progress report and a request for some help please.

I swapped over the mobo's so now I have:
- a T40p casing with a t42p mobo. This mobo has video issues so I will have to decide whether to get it repaired/replaced or just part out the T40p.

- a T42P 15" casing with UXGA display with the T40p mobo. However I'm having trouble getting the T42p UXGA display to work with the T40p mobo. The screen was working before I dismantled the T42p.

I think I've found the problem. My T40p, which I bought new from IBM, according to the T40 series hardware manual should have a 93P3304 systemboard. Doing a parts lookup says it was shipped with a 91P7722 systemboard, which I assume was a varaint of the 93P3304.
However, the FRU number on the actual systemboard is 91P7719. This part is shown in the HMM as a 32MB systemboard. My T40p machine has never been in for a service, and never been loaned out.

Do you think a systemboard with 32MB of video RAM could drive the UXGA screen? I'm confused because it does drive my WUXGA external display via the VGA connector.

Any suggestions are welcome.

[ajkula66]

It can drive the UXGA, someone has done that on this forum.

Your issue is someplace else.

[fasterbybike]

Thanks George

Yes, my issue must be someplace else, as I've just checked in the Windows display properties/Advanced/Adapters dialog and it reports ATI Fire GL9000 AGP with 64MB of video RAM (even though the FRU on the planar would have me believe it was a 32MB part). Confusing !!

So now, back to the workbench ! Just as well it is a rainy day here.

[fasterbybike]

OK, I've pulled the display unit apart. There were no obvious problems such as disconnected cables so it's now reassembled.

When I press Fn+F7 to show the LCD display in a dark room, you can see a small amount of light leakage along the bottom of the LCD. I gather from this that the CCFL backlight and inverter must be working.

I've also tried pressing F8 upon bootup (with the external monitor) and then choosing safe mode in case it was a driver issue. I still don't get anything on the LCD

Are there any other things I should be checking ?

Thanks

[fasterbybike]

Thanks for all the advice so far - I'm still working on this project

I unhooked the T42p UXGA display unit from the T40p and reattached it to the T42p mobo. When I booted up I got the thinkpad bios splash screen, until the GPU chip heated up and the display showed horizontal lines and then dropped out after a minute. (A bit of pressure on the GPU brought the display back to life - so the mobo has the well known GPU problem).

So I can confirm that the T42p display unit (LCD + cable + inverter) works well.

But, if I plug the display unit back into my T40p mobo, I get a black display (You can see the backlight is on - and the status LEDs are on for power and battery).

I have scanned this forum for other UXGA transplants and found success stories.And as the T42p mobo can drive the T40p display OK, the mobo/cable interface is the same for both machines.

But, I'm getting close to concluding that my configuration will not work - unless there is something else I should try.

My next move: either get the T42p mobo fixed/replaced or part out the T42p. Any other suggestions (or offers of a working T42p mobo).

[sjthinkpader]

I checked with a T40/ATI7500 MB and an UXGA panel. Got a black screen also. Looks like the T40 stops at SXGA+ resolution.

[fasterbybike]

Thanks sjt

I now agree that the T40 line will not drive an internal UXGA panel
The strange thing is that my T40p with a FireGL 9000 is quite happy to drive a WUXGA external panel via a DVI dock connection.

Time now to put the 2 machines back in their own cases and ponder the future of the T42p. I did get a good deal though as it came complete with PM755, 1GB RAM and was only missing the battery, HDD and adapter.