T21 - blank screen on "boot up"

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kellyreddog · #1 Post by **kellyreddog** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 5:59 pm

Greetings all ...

We have 3 T21's (2647-47U) in the family.

#1 (mine) ... will no longer display a viewable screen on or after successful boot up (the display is visible if you view the screen from an extreme left or right angle) ... just way too dark to see anything clearly.

Been pouring over the great info this forum has available since recently joining ... and so far ... have been able to gleen the following info. viz-a-viz my problem

a. - possible toasted LCD backlight (assembly)
b. - possible damaged ( as in pinched, broken, loose LCD ribbon cable)
c. - image inverter malfunction

Previously, if I partially opened and closed the LCD screen, everything was fine. Next ... if I powered the Thinkpad up and down a few times (4-5) ... voila ... screen was normal.

Now no matter what I do ... no viewable screen ('cept from an extreme left/right angle ... not viewable for normal use)

#2 (my wife's T21) ... starting to show the same symptoms ... blank screen on boot up ... but ... partially closing and opening the LCD always brings up the bright viewable desktop.

#3 (the daughter's T21) ... so far so good ... no screen probs ... perhaps a little bit of preventative maintenance would be in order for this unit??

Called IBM Canada for service ... live in the Ottawa area, Ontario, Canada area ...(keep in mind these antiques are not under warranty) ... their best suggestion was to ship them to Toronto (at $35.00 CAD shipping both ways) + $95.00 CAD per hour labour + parts to sort things out.

So ... after my "long winded diatribe" if anyone could offer me any suggestions how to revive these antiques, at a more reasonable cost, I would be most grateful !!!

Also ... if anyone has information of the existence of a local (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) "certified" IBM laptop repair facility, I would be most appreciative of the details.

Thank you,

Frank G. Sample
Greely, Ontario, Canada

betabily · #2 Post by **betabily** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 7:28 pm

I'd change the inverter first.

LtTPfan · #3 Post by **LtTPfan** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 10:11 pm

betabily wrote:I'd change the inverter first.

Ditto, especially since you have 3. You can borrow the inverter from the good working one and try it in the others. Removing/replacing is pretty easy, just follow the instructions in the Hardware Maintenance Manual, available here.

kellyreddog · #4 Post by **kellyreddog** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 7:18 am

Thanks to both folks who replied ... actually I have a spare "inverter" as well as a printed T21 Hardware maintenance manual ... so "Wish me luck"

Cheers ...

LtTPfan · #5 Post by **LtTPfan** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 7:35 am

Good luck! Let us know how it turns out.

T21 - blank screen on "boot up"

T21 - blank screen on "boot up"

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