USB troubles in a T43!

[dcouzin]

Three years ago, I was among the many here reporting USB 2.0 troubles with a T42. Mine was definitely a hardware problem and solved by system board replacement. To avoid repeating that I made my next Thinkpad a T43. Now we and the computers are older and my T43 is beginning to have USB troubles. Two different USB memory sticks sometimes drop out of Windows Explorer, and the T43 must be rebooted for them to be recognized. Also a USB external hard drive once produced the ominous "this device can perform faster ..." message. I'm pretty sure this is a hardware, not a software, problem since it persists when I swap system hard drives between my two nearly identical T43's.
The problem is intermittant. USB-controller diagnostics in Micro-Scope v.14 find nothing wrong. Is system board replacement a practical option at this late date, or are available boards too old to be reliable? Can the hardware defect be pinpointed and repaired?
Thanks in advance for advice.

[poshgeordie]

Hi Dennis

This is becoming a more common problem with T43's and is usually an unsoldered Southbridge chip. We can reball it for you if that helps - see either the Blue banner at the top of the page or my signature.

PM or email me at nick@reflowrepairs.com if I can help.

[dcouzin]

Thanks Nick. Is it possible to confirm loose southbridge on the fully assembled laptop such as by applying an external force while USB symptom is occurring?
Dennis

[poshgeordie]

Hi Dennis

Sorry I should have mentioned this but it doesn't always work. Remove the palmrest and refit the keyboard, and power up the laptop.

Press down on the SB chip and see if USB works properly.

[milo]

Hello,

I have the same problem like Dennis.

My question is can I put an USB Express-Card (and disable the T43 usb host controller) to bypass the problem ?

Cheers,

Milo

[dcouzin]

Milo, yes, a cheap USB 2.0 PC card worked nicely in my T42 when it had similar problems. Dennis

[milo]

Thanx Dennis, so I will do that.

Bye!