GPU Medics

[billp117]

Just got my T43p motherboard back with no issues to report. They honored the $30 (with return shipping) price...but I understand they may have increased to $45 for new repairs.

I do believe they used to be known as Superior Reball. I wanted to report that the repair went without a hitch. Just my two cents if you are looking to repair a T4x series ATI motherboard.

[RealBlackStuff]

Old hat.
See BEWARE of Superior Reball and Rework for GPU reballing / fix

[billp117]

Yes...did read it and felt it would be beneficial to share my experience.

Thanks

[sktn77a]

Thanks for the report. How long did they have your computer for?

[billp117]

I sent the motherboard only...no processor, no memory, etc. I sent it just before christmas but they were closed for the holidays. As soon as they returned the had it repaired and tested. They returned it in my padded box Prioity Mail and paid for the return shipping. You can send them your ThinkPad and they will repair it for a higher fee. I don't work for them...simply answering your question.

My guess is they can repair most of the problem laptops...but not all as they state.

[matt_w]

FWIW, my experience was a -6 on a scale of 1 to 10.

After a few weeks of waiting for my laptop to be returned after repairs, nothing but excuses.
I drove to the guy's place to retrieve my T41. I live about 45 minutes from his location.
When I arrived, the unit wouldn't start. This is after the guy told me the unit had been running all morning.
The proprietor, Dale, had busted the internal fan to pieces, causing a fan error at boot.
It couldn't have started up in that condition.
Once the fan was replaced, it was uncovered that the Southbridge issue still existed.
The guy stuttered & fussed, but that didn't change anything. He hadn't repaired the unit, just hacked it up a bit.
Took four weeks from that time to get my prepaid repair money back.

That business now has another name, Global GPU Repair Solutions, at http://ggrs.biz.p8.hostingprod.com/home

His 'shop' is a 30' workbench in a helicopter repair place - about 1/2 mile from his previous location.
Laptops and motherboards laid out all over the floor, and shipping boxes with work requests from customers on racks dated back to 2009.

Bummer.

[underclocker]

Results seem totally random. Some people get their fixed machines back immediately, some never.

Knowing that going in, I'd say it's worth the $30 price of admission just for the thrill of it! It's like a roll of the dice in Vegas - win big or not at all. I wouldn't even think of it as computer repair, it's more of an adventure! Caveat Emptor.

[RealBlackStuff]

Dale Miedema (also calling himself 'Robert M') is at it again. See also: http://whois.domaintools.com/ggrs.biz
In case that link gets changed, here is the relevant info:

Domain Name: GGRS.BIZ
Domain ID: D40364633-BIZ
Sponsoring Registrar: MELBOURNE IT LTD
Sponsoring Registrar IANA ID: 13
Registrar URL (registration services): whois.inww.com
Domain Status: clientTransferProhibited
Registrant ID: A127861486109431
Registrant Name: Dale Miedema
Registrant Organization: Private Registration US
Registrant Address1: PO Box 61359
Registrant City: Sunnyvale
Registrant State/Province: CA
Registrant Postal Code: 94088
Registrant Country: United States
Registrant Country Code: US
Registrant Phone Number: +1.5105952002
Registrant Email:
Administrative Contact ID: A127861486109427
Administrative Contact Name: PrivateRegContact Admin
Administrative Contact Organization: Private Reg US
etc.

This is supposed to be a PRIVATE registration, where something went wrong (?). It shouldn't show the registrant's name!

In case anybody visiting here doesn't know yet about The Board Room, check out the links in my signature!

[poshgeordie]

Mmm interesting I've just had a look through some of the pictures of the gear he uses, and especially the Nicolet X-Ray machine. There's a remarkably similar picture on a sale site for current second hand equipment; I'm sure it's coincidental.

[RealBlackStuff]

Another coincidence? Or just blatant copying pictures?
http://ggrs.biz.p8.hostingprod.com/bgagpu_rework
and
http://www.focalspot.com/rd500sh.htm

[robhill]

I have sent 3 boards to them over the years with no problems with the company.

I like the suggested hypothesis that the business grew faster than they expected. I have a couple more that need fixed-one of which may have been repaired by them years ago. Is it their fault that my one of my GPUs is acting up? Not likely. I have put them through a lot of use.

The other I think may be a possible scenario is a technically savvy person with terrible organization skills. It is not uncommon. I am near completion on PhD in physics working with physical chemists. I have to say that there is an interesting, but wide range of "organizational skills." People who are OCD with every detail and professors on the extreme whose office looks like a hurricane hit. Really, it is good to have a business with a balance of personalities-people who can handle technology and people who can handle people. Some can do both, but it is wise to know your limitations and compensate for them.

I think the bigger question in my mind is the following: The GPUs on these invariably fail. I like my T40Xs and really have no other reason to upgrade since this suits my uses. Does anyone here have give thought on how the chassis might be re-engineered for greater mechanical stability? I don't like that the magnesium reinforcement frame is only on the left side of the key board and the right appears to be weaker. Maybe this deserves its own topic. With access to a CNC mill, it begs the question. Any Mech-E's out there?

Rob

[RealBlackStuff]

I would suggest to use an R50/R51 case/lid for a T40/T41/T42 or an R52 case/lid for the T43.
They are a little bulkier, but much more solid.
You will need to use R5x LCD cables, as these differ from T4x, but all other parts will 'move over'.

[billp117]

Turns out the repair they did for me did not work on my T43P motherboard. I sent the board back and never saw it again.

[misfit]

I would suggest to use an R50/R51 case/lid for a T40/T41/T42 or an R52 case/lid for the T43.
They are a little bulkier, but much more solid.
You will need to use R5x LCD cables, as these differ from T4x, but all other parts will 'move over'.

Hi Dom,

Does this include the fans? I'm considering putting my T43p into an R52 case.

Cheers,

[RealBlackStuff]

The T4x fan can relocate into a R5x machine.
But not an R5x fan into a T4x. R5x fans are thicker/higher.
I would suggest in misfit's case to get the (better and quieter) R52 ATI-fan 26R8296.

[misfit]

The T4x fan can relocate into a R5x machine.
But not an R5x fan into a T4x. R5x fans are thicker/higher.
I would suggest in misfit's case to get the (better and quieter) R52 ATI-fan 26R8296.

Thanks Dom. I have an X300-equipped R52 here that has a long fan (the number's on the bottom I assume, I can't see it on the top.) and, the bit I like, a bracket that holds the GPU part of the heatsink down against the GPU . So, T43p planar, 'Shim-modded cooler' held down with a bracket, AS5 with a superior cooler/fan? Yeah! The makings of a fine Frankenpad. The problem is the R52's a 'fixer'. not consigned to the parts pile just yet.

It came to me with an R50 lid and XGA screen fitted (something not mentioned in the auction but I got it for peanuts ). Do you know if it would even handle a UXGA FlexView? You said I'd need to use the R5x LCD cable, I'm assuming that this one is an R52 cable. That would be fine for UXGA?

Best,

[RealBlackStuff]

I have a 15" R52 (ATI-X300) with the complete UXGA lid from an R50p.
Works fine.
I didn't open the R50p lid to check what LCD-cable is in there, just hooked it up and it worked.

[misfit]

I have a 15" R52 (ATI-X300) with the complete UXGA lid from an R50p.
Works fine.
I didn't open the R50p lid to check what LCD-cable is in there, just hooked it up and it worked.

Ok. Yep, I'd expect that as the cable came with the (UXGA) LCD so was designed for it. However the cable in mine is from an R50 XGA LCD and I don't know if it'll handle the UXGA LCD.

I guess I'll find out if I try the Franken-build. However it's a bit of time involved putting everything back how it was if the cable I have doesn't work (and the T43p cable's no good for the job, as you stated).

Cheers,

[RealBlackStuff]

For UXGA in R52 you need:
LCD cable 91P6836 (from R50p)
Inverter 91P7336 (same for SXGA+ and UXGA, also from R50/R50p)

[misfit]

For UXGA in R52 you need:
LCD cable 91P6836 (from R50p)
Inverter 91P7336 (same for SXGA+ and UXGA, also from R50/R50p)

Thanks Dom, I really appreciate the freeness with which you share your knowledge.

Unfortunately parts like that are neither in my collection or readily available here in NZ. That means trying to find a seller who will ship here, and at a price that I can afford. Rather a tall order. I'll keep watching the local auction site but I've never seen a T50p listed there (an auction for the first-ever X32 I've seen there finishes in ~6 hours and I'm tempted to use the last bit of leeway on my credit card to buy it, it's one of my 'really want' TPs, but it's come at a time when I'm extra-broke and I don't know how high the auction will go, there's quite a bit of interest).

That said I'm really liking the idea of a Frankenpad with the T43p in an X300 R52 case. That bracket that holds the cooler tightly against the GPU offers the chance of excellent GPU cooling. Also, as I found out yesterday, unlike the T43s that I've opened, the R52 cooler is dismantle-able. There are four tabs that fold back so you can split it, unlike the 'riveted' construction of T43 coolers.

I opened it yesterday, cleaned all of the dust-bunnies out, swabbed the surfaces with meths and cotton-buds, then with WD40 (and wiped it completely dry. Normally I wouldn't do that but the steel part was showing signs of corrosion as the laptop had been stored for a few years before I got it). Finally a drop of light gear-oil on the spindle of the fan and it's near-silent at full chat, unlike a T43 fan.

Oh, the numbers on my fan are; IBM P/N 91P8756 and FRU P/N 26R8198. When I did a Google image search for the number mentioned up-thread 90%+ of the results showed a fan that didn't have a GPU cooler pad at all, instead a thin heatpipe that went to a northbridge cooler. They were also specced for R50, 51 and 52 so I assume they are for the machines with lesser ATI graphics.

In fact I'd like another of these R52 fans that I have to fit to my ATI 9000 equipped SXGA+ FV R51. (I've checked and it looks like it would fit fine.) I've under-volted the CPU but the fan still runs a lot as the GPU gets hot, even with ATI Powerplay on the lowest setting. LOL, so that's three things I'm unlikely to find in NZ.

Thanks again for your help, it's invaluable.