T40 Screen Goes Black

[thinkpad321]

My T40's Screen goes black and it happens very frequently to the point where I can't use it til replaced.

The only way I've found to fix is to disconnect the AC power and reconnect it. Then the screen comes back on... then goes out very soon again.

Does this sound like the infamous GPU failure when the video card starts detaching itself from motherboard, very common on T4x and R5x or could it be something else?

I'm not really that handy with repairs but if any know any quick fixes etc I could try, I would appreciate any suggestions.

Thanks

[ajkula66]

Welcome to the forum!

Has your screen been reddish/pinkish on initial boot lately?

Connect your T40 to an external monitor. Does it go blank along with the LCD?

[thinkpad321]

Hi Thanks for responding

It's gotten worse. The screen stays black no matter what I do. Restarting or disconnecting and reconnecting the power doesn't help.

In answer to your questions.

The screen did have a reddish/pinkish tint on initial boot or re-powering just before it went out black permanently.

When I connect an external LCD monitor it work perfectly, no red tint, no black out.
It does not go blank along with the LCD in the T40.

Thanks for any suggestions.

I'm about to buy a replacement on Ebay if there are no easy solutions.

[thinkpad321]

By the way. The problem just started yesterday and now the monitor is permanently black.

Thank again for any help

[ajkula66]

Reddish/pinkish hue is a dead giveaway for a failing backlight (CCFL) in the LCD.

Since the external monitor displays OK, you need a new screen, or better yet an entire lid since it's easier to swap.

I've got a couple of T4x screen assemblies, PM if interested.

[Bruce Guttman]

By the way. The problem just started yesterday and now the monitor is permanently black.

Thank again for any help

When you say "monitor" do you mean the external monitor? This could be a serious problem if so. Read the thread on GPU (it's a sticky). You may need to have the system board (Planar in IBM Speak) re-reflowed or reballed. Or you can replace the system board with one already repaired (if you are handy with a screwdriver).

If the problem is just the LCD that is part of the laptop, a new LCD would fix the problem fine. Lots of us may have ones left over from working on systems with the GPU problem.

Good luck.

[Norway Pad]

If the external monitor also went black, there are definitely some other issues, like suggested above. I hope you referred to the laptop monitor.

Just to give a clue regarding the CCFL, here is a link showing the process involved in changing the backlight:http://www.laptoprepair101.com/laptop/2 ... ccfl-lamp/ I have never done this my self, and I am not sure if the process described here would be identical on a LCD from a Thinkpad T4x. (To those of you who have done this: With soldering skills and some technical experience, is the CCFL replacement something that you are likely to succeed with on your own?)

Btw, I am not telling you that you should go ahead and do the CCFL replacement. For a laptop needed on a daily basis, and that you need to get running again as soon as possible, a complete LCD unit will probably be your best bet.

[Norway Pad]

Uhm, I planned to edit a little thing in my last post, and ended up quoting myself in a new post instead. And I can not delete this post.. Admin or moderator, please delete.

[thinkpad321]

I apologize for being unclear.

An external monitor works perfectly with this T40 but the T40's LCD in now permanently black. When It was working intermittently, the T40 LCD had a pinkish tint to it after a restart and then gradually return to normal...then eventually go black again.

Now it completely black and won't come on at all. An external monitor connected to the T40 works fine.

Thanks

[ajkula66]

Time for a new LCD, or an entire assembly...a lot cheaper than a motherboard repair/swap.

Good luck.