T43 boot problem

[gbr1918]

Hi, I'm trying to get a T43 (2668VW3) going after the system board apparently packed up. The owner (dunno how wise this was!) bought a secondhand board on ebay. After installing this, it boots to the 'IBM Thinkpad' screen and stops there. No sound from POST. No action if you press the blue 'access IBM' button, or f1 or f12 or anything apart from the pwr button, keyboard light and screen brightness (from which I guess the keyboard connector is ok). The system speaker beeps if the battery runs flat, so it is working.

Any suggestions, please?

Dave

[Harryc]

Make sure the CMOS battery has 3vdc and is connected.

[poshgeordie]

Dave, welcome to the forums.

A flat CMOS battery doesn't usually stop the board from posting - we test them all the time with no battery in (and add it once it has posted if we remember!).

This is often associated with an unsoldered Southbridge Chip. Try pressing on the palmrest on either side of the trackpad, or on the left hand corner and see if it now posts.

This has the effect of pressing down on the SB chip which is located directly under the trackpad at the front of the motherboard.

Unfortunately this is becoming an increasingly common problem with T43's and is due to some of the tiny solder balls under the SB chip becoming unsoldered and causes a variety of faults.

Fortunately I run Reflow Repairs in Newcastle upon Tyne where we specialise in repairing these faults, and our details are in the centre right blue advert at the top of the page.