Question about a dead thinkpad...

[AbsolutXTR]

Hey everyone,

So, I tried to reflow my T41p. I got a little impatient and thought I fried my MB... maybe the reflow went ok, but I wanted to check right away if it would boot, and I think I shorted something.

Anyway, I bought a new MB, swapped everything out... and - nothing. No LED's, no power... no nothing. So, maybe when I shorted something I shorted something other than my MB? My keyboard? I'm thinking the keyboard since that's where the power button is obviously...

If it was just my keyboard then I should still see the power LED flash when I plug it in? Or not? And it should charge my battery? Or does that that all go down if a non-working keyboard is plugged in? What else could it be?

There is the off chance that this MB died in transit I guess, or I was duped. It was sposed to be a working board, but I did buy it on ebay.

Thanks.

[lukee]

Hi AbsolutXTR,

try to test new mobo outside of ThinkPad's housing, connect just every "live-important" component, such as mobo itself with CPU and heatsink, RAM, keyboard, LCD, power cord. HDD is not neccessary, optical drive as well. Then try turn it on and test, if you will see IBM logo, BIOS etc. Be aware of short any circuit, follow ESD recommendations!

[irus]

i thought u had plenty of tps lying around... swap parts and check

[AbsolutXTR]

@irus: I don't know if you have me confused with someone else. I don't have plenty of Thinkpads lying around. In fact, I am in S. Korea right now, so even though my brother has a T40 I could swap the keyboard from and check, I have to wait a few months until I'm home to do so.

Around the forum, some other people mention some sort of "hard reset"... i.e. one person said they thought their MB was dead, but then they did something (i.e. held the power button for 20 seconds???) and it wasn't... he said he wasn't sure of the exact process. Someon else mentions pressing the button 20 times for 1 sec, then holding for 30 seconds and then plugging the laptop in and trying boot. Is anyone aware of the actual process for this?

Thanks!
Peter

[AbsolutXTR]

Hi AbsolutXTR,

try to test new mobo outside of ThinkPad's housing, connect just every "live-important" component, such as mobo itself with CPU and heatsink, RAM, keyboard, LCD, power cord. HDD is not neccessary, optical drive as well. Then try turn it on and test, if you will see IBM logo, BIOS etc. Be aware of short any circuit, follow ESD recommendations!

How will taking out of the housing change things? I think that's exactly how I fried my first MB... I did that to test it before I put it together after my reflow attempt. I shorted something I believe, because being the idiot that I am, I left a piece of aluminum foil under the bare MB and tried to power it on. Yes, I'm THAT stupid. In my defense I was on ~3hrs sleep and in a rush to fix my computer. LESSON LEARNED: BE PATIENT!

Anyway, I will try stripping non-essential parts and we'll see if that helps, but I don't know why taking it out of the housing would change things?

[AbsolutXTR]

I found the supposed static release button sequence:

Remove battery and AC adapter.

Power button 10 times for 1 sec.
Then hold power button for 30 sec.

Connect AC adapter or battery and try to turn on.

That didn't help me.

I now see that when I first slide the ac adpater plug into the laptop, the battery light blinks orange for a split second. Is that normal or is it supposed to blink green? I forget now. The light also blinks orange for a second if I try to boot with the battery (only on first attempt).

Something is fried... but what?

[RealBlackStuff]

Try checking the fuses with a multimeter: http://nickpaton.fireflyinternet.co.uk/ ... 0Fuses.pdf

[AbsolutXTR]

Will do - I have to buy one first (a multimeter).... As I said I'm in Korea and I didn't bring any of that stuff with me.

I'm just checking the fuses for continuity obviously?

[irus]

i'm not confused you started this thread right http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=87459

you had a backup plan already as mentioned in that thread... that is buying another mobo incase there is some problem when you reflow it. but maybe you want to tinker more and waste your time? that mobo is dead. u can use it as a frisbee now.

if ure in korea i hope ebay delivers/ someone in the marketplace here delivers... save some time/money and order the motherboard... unless u want to open a repair shop.

[AbsolutXTR]

If you re-read my initial post in this thread - I said that this mobo I am talking about IS the one I bought on ebay. I bought one that had a GPU problem and tried to reflow that one, since I shorted out my original board. Instead of spending the money and doing it right, I decided not to give up and to try and do it myself (again.)

So I guess now I have two frisbees? Thanks for the words of encouragement.

MOBO 1) Nothing - no lights, anywhere, ever. DEAD
MOBO 2) Power light flashes orange for a split second when AC is initially plugged in (or power button is pressed for the first time with the battery inserted). No other response.

I will check the fuses when I get my hands on a multimeter and see what else I can muck up. So much time wasted, but I feel like I'm learning something. And I think by now I can change out a T4x MOBO in 20 minutes flat. So yes, maybe I will open that repair shop - send me your laptop... I'll f%*# it up even more for you