GPU Medics Guinea Pig: T43 PERFECT Southbridge Reballing!!!!

[RealBlackStuff]

I just got a T43, 2668-46U, P M 750(1.86GHz), 14.1in 1400x1050 TFT LCD, 64MB ATI Radeon X300, Intel 802.11bg wireless(MPCI), Modem(CDC), 1Gb Ethernet(LOM), UltraNav, Secure Chip

The problem I have is the following:
When I press the Power button, the fan comes on and the IBM splash screen comes up, but it seems to be stuck there.
Pressing 'Access IBM', F1 or F12 has no effect whatsoever.
So I can't get into the BIOS.
The Caps-Lock doesn't make the LED come on. The Thinklight works, and I can adjust brightness.
I've taken out the drives, modem, wifi card and RAM, and it beeps normal: 1-3-3-1.
Tried different RAM modules, none of them gets me any further.
Pressed on the Southbridge at boot, no change.
Pressed on the GPU at boot, no change, I don't think it has a GPU issue.
Tried another keyboard, no change.
Tried another AC adapter. Tried with and without a battery, no change.
Put in a DVD/CDRW with PC Doctor, the drive starts up, but doesn't boot.
There are no signs of a liquid spill, no broken bits anywhere, a lovely laptop to look at.

Trying to switch it off, I have to hold the Power button down for at least 3-4 seconds before it shuts off.
What's the trick to get this machine going?

EDIT: trying to press some more on the Southbridge had success! I did get into the BIOS, but it got stuck again.

So, for the benefit of the forum, I am sending this mobo (39T0476) in to:
GPU Medics
39 Industrial Drive, Unit 3
Gilberts, IL 60136
to have the Southbridge reballed.

GPU Medics is/was also/formerly known as "Superior Reball", I guess they want to improve on their image/reputation...

Shipping date: 09/02/2009 at 4:00pm EST with Delivery Confirmation.

It's going to cost me $45.- which includes return shipping. There's a warranty of 12 months.
Reballing the GPU would cost the same.

Their turnover time is given as 5 business days after receipt.
I will report back if/when I have more info.

[killer]

Has the warranty expired?

It sounds like you have tried everything except hitting it with a hammer ... and that's not recommended. Clutching at straws maybe, but have you tried removing the HDD and putting it in another machine to see if it can be diagnosed that way?

[Tekken]

Yeah, my T43 running hot at portion on Southbridge.. Due to a Wifi card on top of southbridge, its hard to create heatsink to release heat. Anyone have idea?

[RealBlackStuff]

GPU Medics confirmed receipt of the mobo on 09/04/2009 at 2:01pm EST

[miketoro]

Where is the southbridge? Where are you pressing?

[RealBlackStuff]

Big black square with Intel on it, half-hidden under the wifi-card. You need to remove the front-part of the KB-bezel.
Press in the middle, and/or any corner combination.

[sjthinkpader]

I have one sent to Superior Reball for Southbridge repair too, USB issue. I would think the corner balls are the most likely to fail. Some chip packages have dummy corner balls to take the stress of thermal cycles.

[miketoro]

I have one sent to Superior Reball for Southbridge repair too, USB issue. I would think the corner balls are the most likely to fail. Some chip packages have dummy corner balls to take the stress of thermal cycles.

How long are they expecting the job to take?

[RealBlackStuff]

GPU Medics claim 5 days, which I am testing out.
Superior Reball never was accurate in the estimates, and ballsed up their reputation.

[floyyed]

GPU Medics claim 5 days, which I am testing out.
Superior Reball never was accurate in the estimates, and ballsed up their reputation.

They might take longer than you thought.

I sent some boards to there, takes about 4 weeks to finish job.

[t140568]

Hmm... Gilberts, IL... not tooooo terribly far from me.

I'm interested to see how this goes. I have an iBook and a T30 needing some reballing.

As one who will benefit from your experience... Thank you for being the guinea pig.

[miketoro]

As one who will benefit from your experience... Thank you for being the guinea pig.

+1

[RealBlackStuff]

Latest news: email from 09/08/2009

I just wanted to give you an status update on your motherboard repair. As you know we usually just remove, reball and replace the ATI Gpu's on IBM motherboards. We started working on your motherboard last Saturday. We removed the existing south bridge from your motherboard. removed/cleaned the remaining solder off of the souther pads and removed/cleaned the solder off of the motherboard pads. We then went to reball the south bridge. It was at that point that we found out that the pitch on the south bridge isn't a standard pitch. The standard pitch on 99% of all BGA's/GPU's in our industry is either .80 mm, 1.00 mm or 1.27mm. The pitch on your GPU is 1.118.The pitch is found by measuring the center ball to center ball distance between any two solder balls on the south bridge. Of course you have to have a reballing stencil with the same pitch for the stencil holes to line up with the souther pads. I have attached the data sheet for your GPU to this email. Look at page 778 of the data sheet. You will see the pitch of 1.118 marked on the page. I immediately ordered a new stencil from my stencil vendor. Of course they where closed yesterday. However they do same day service and are local. They will be able to make the new reballing stencil sometime today. I will pick the new stencil up and have your motherboard completed and shipped by tomorrow. Wensday 9/9/09.Of course there is no extra charge for the new stencil or anything else. The flat rate is still $45.00.We will still be able to make our 1 to 5 business day turn time. We where closed on Sunday and Monday.

Note: he mentions the pitch of the GPU but correctly points to the page with the pitch of the Southbridge!
The [intel] data sheet in PDF format mentioned was attached.
Very positive so far!

[craigmontHunter]

That was something I noticed - he made a fair number of typos "Ibook t41", IBM ibook... He does know what he is doing.

Good luck

I wonder if the warrenty for supperior reball (90 days) will be extended to the 12 months of gpumedics.

[RealBlackStuff]

Got an email last night, the board is ready.

Your IBM motherboard has been repaired. We only removed, reballed and replaced the South bridge per your request. We didn't do anything to the GPU per your instructions. We ran a functional test on the motherboard to make sure that the problem was indeed the Southbridge.The IBM motherboard is working great!! The connections on the GPU seem to be fine at this time.....instructions for payment....

So I made the payment of $45.- (using PayPal).
Way to go GPU Medics, that was fast!

[emeraldgirl08]

[tfflivemb2]

Hey RBS,

PLEASE post as soon as you get it back. I am really hoping that this might be the cure that I need, for 3 T4x machines...

[RealBlackStuff]

Got an email last night that the mobo has been shipped back to me on 9/10/2009 via Priority Mail.
The anticipation is killing me!

[RealBlackStuff]

I was away most of the day, but when I got home I found the mobo had arrived!
I'm too tired to do anything today, but tomorrow, between Formula 1 and Fedex Cup Playoff, I'll try to squeeze it in.

[Harryc]

"Superior Reball", I guess they want to improve on their image/reputation

If the board works, it seems to me that you got excellent service.

[RealBlackStuff]

Guys and gals, we have a WINNER!
Got my board back yesterday, put it back in this morning, and then ran the full PC-Doctor test.
Everything passed with flying colors!
Thank you, GPU Medics, for a job well done, and in an extremely timely manner!

PS: it has the long fan 26R9066/26R9074, with a thermal pad that fits over the ATI X300 GPU.
Do I replace this pad, does it need thermal paste (which one, I have AS5), or do I leave it dry as-is?

[emeraldgirl08]

Congrats!

[sktn77a]

PS: it has the long fan 26R9066/26R9074, with a thermal pad that fits over the ATI X300 GPU.
Do I replace this pad, does it need thermal paste (which one, I have AS5), or do I leave it dry as-is?

Thermal pads are weird - they are meant to touch the hot element directly. I would try it as-is (unless its destroyed) but check the GPU temps for the first day or so.

[mr.motoring]

Glad the reball worked. Southbridge failure seems to be prevalent with only T43/R52, whereas GPU failure is more common with prior Thinkpads. I wonder why.

[tfflivemb2]

I might just send two board to them, and see how it goes....

[Tekken]

Seem likes i need to remove WiFi card and place a heatsink on top of southbridge to prevent fail. It run heat on buttom of portion of touchpad

[RealBlackStuff]

If it is failing already, a heatsink won't help.
You'd need to send it in for reballing.

[sktn77a]

Seem likes i need to remove WiFi card and place a heatsink on top of southbridge to prevent fail. It run heat on buttom of portion of touchpad

If this is your overclocked 725, that could be contributing to heat buildup, also.

[ajkula66]

Tekken wrote:

Seem likes i need to remove WiFi card and place a heatsink on top of southbridge to prevent fail. It run heat on buttom of portion of touchpad

I've had Southbridge failures on T43/p units and no excessive heat was noted. The root of your problem is likely elsewhere, not to say that southbridge chip is 100% healthy...

Good luck.

[scr71822]

I just dropped off a t43 mobo with what appears to be the Southbridge issue/hard drive not recognized. I hope I am as fortunate as you!