Thinkpad t41p problem

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Yinepu · #1 Post by **Yinepu** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 8:45 am

I recently bought a Thinkpad T41p off eBay, it was fine for several weeks up until one day where the screen began to wobble. I had bought an old A21m a while ago which had severe GPU overheating problems, so I suspected it could be that. However, it's getting worse, to the point it rarely displays anything on POST, not even the backlight is coming on. I didn't think the backlight was controlled through the GPU, I could be mistaken, but it could be the display, not the GPU. Another thing that made me doubt it being the GPU is the fact after it coming on, the display faulting, and turning it off again, the GPU did not feel especially hot to the touch, so it's probably not an overheating problem if anything. However, I removed the keyboard, and it turns out when I power it into the POST, after it finds a bootable device, the fan stops, which I'm not sure is supposed to happen. But I'm not sure what's happening. Does anyone know a solution?

RecTech · #2 Post by **RecTech** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 10:27 am

Hi

Without seeing the laptop I would suggest the screen would need replacing, it could be worth checking the connections into the screen. The ultimate solution maybe to replace the whole screen unit which would be simpler

ajkula66 · #3 Post by **ajkula66** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 10:58 am

Connect the laptop to an external LCD and report back your findings...

Yinepu · #4 Post by **Yinepu** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 11:14 am

Well, I connected it to my CRT monitor before and it still had graphics problems, that's what made me think it was the GPU, but sometimes now when the backlight doesn't show there is a beep code which I think indicates it can't detect the display, so it could be the display and/or the GPU.

Neil · #5 Post by **Neil** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 11:25 am

Sounds like a failing GPU BGA. One long and two short beeps can indicate GPU failure. It's a rather common fault on T4x machines.

Yinepu · #6 Post by **Yinepu** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 11:27 am

Ah, that's the beep code I'm getting, it is the GPU then. It was fine up until a few days ago though, and it hadn't even been on for very long when it first happened...

Neil · #7 Post by **Neil** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 11:42 am

I have a T41 that I use every day that has a bad GPU ball grid array. If I leave it sitting on the table and don't move it, it is usually OK. But two or three time a week I get the 1 long 2 short beeps and the display stays blank. If I press down on the area of the keyboard below the space bar, and above the mouse keys, then press the power button it will usually start up and work OK. That's not a fix, or a cure for the problem. It's just the method I use to keep limping along with this crippled machine until I get the chance to replace the motherboard.

ajkula66 · #8 Post by **ajkula66** » Thu Oct 20, 2011 11:45 am

Count yourself lucky for residing in Scotland...contact Nick and he'll take good care of you:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=73945

Thinkpad t41p problem

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