Non-booting Thinkpads

[deltron82]

Ok so I had myself a full T42 laptop that i acquired, I turn it on and I get nothing but a blank screen and the cpu fan is spinning, power light is on- running of ac adapter. I try pressing on GPU to see if it will come on to no avail. I tested the external moniter output as well- only black screen also.

So after reading on the site i decided that i would try the R51 motherboard fix. I purchased an R51 board that was listed as tested and known to be working.

After disassembling t42 and adding r51 motherboard- reassembling with some of the t42 parts (wifi, modem card, memory) I powered it on and same thing- black screen just the cpu fan is running. This R51 has an intel graphics chip by the way.

I couldnt believe that this board was bad too so i began dissassembling and taking one part out at a time to test. No success yet. I am left with the original T42 lcd, keyboard, and speaker bar still connected.

Even running the machine with no memory no longer produces error beep, (it seems like it doesnt even get that far).

Sorry for the long post.

[ryan1212]

I would recommend checking your A/C Adaptor, and the CPU. Make sure you have nothing shorting out, etc.

You may have just gotten unlucky twice though, What GPU does the ebay board have?

[deltron82]

Ebay board has intel Intel 855GME chipset with integrated graphics, (the R51). I am wondering if a bad keyboard could somehow cause this to happen, however spending another ~40 bucks to find out is not my first option.

I am going to strip it all the way down and try to run with just external monitor keyboard and memory.

If it does the same thing then I am leaning towards two bad boards, or the keyboard since it is the last thing left.

By the way, the R51 board came with the same cpu as the T42 that i had- so i have two cpus as well.

[deltron82]

Also i would just like to add that i am using an IBM labled ac adapter that i used with a IBM 600e. It still works with that machine, and whenever i look to purchase another they always list these adapters as being compatible with a whole bunch of Thinkpads.

Also I have run the machine off the battery with the same results.

[deltron82]

I had a hunch that it wasn't likely that all these motherboards were going to be bad and they all exibited the same symptoms.

I purchased another keyboard on ebay. Tried the known working keyboard and machine now boots and everything works -EXCEPT lcd panel. I can only use the external display!!!

Now i am wondering if it is because I have a SXGA display and the r51 board cant drive it?

Problem is I have no idea what the orginal model of my t42 was on the bottom of the case there is only number 2378. The other three numbers are nowhere to be found which designate the model number.


So is it true that if this is an SXGA display i would not get anything on my display on boot? (External is fine, LCD just a backlight glow).

And how can I figure out what the orginal model of this machine was to know if i actually have an SXGA display on it.

[Harryc]

Put the T42 board back in. It sounds like it might be good ...