T21 SXGA+ panel upgrade

[kyletv05]

My T21's display has yellowed, so I was looking for a display replacement. My T21 currently has the 14.1" XGA 1024x768 panel (BOE-Hydis HT14X14). After looking I found there is an SXGA+ panel for the T21, so I decided to go big. But I'm having some issues. I ordered a new SXGA+ cable, and I can confirm they are completely different connectors.

Looking online for the correct SXGA+ panel is hard. The FRU according to IBM is 46L2495, and it's the LG-Philips LP141E2. But looking online, there's also the LP141E2-A1, the B1, and the A1M1. I found the A1M1 on eBay, but when I got it, I found out it seems to be physically incompatible, the inverter cable is too long to be routed correctly. And I don't know if this has to do with the LVDS cable or something else, but it seems there's some excess cable or something. I'm sure I connected the UltraPort/ThinkLight correctly (the UltraPort is a pain to get off, though).

I found someone in the U.K selling the LP141E2-A1, and it's a bit cheaper, but they say it won't work in an "IBM/Lenovo". I suppose this has to do with whitelisting, but I don't think that was a problem on older IBM ThinkPads? IIRC the T450 is the first ThinkPad to have a whitelist, and that was released in 2015. They also say they will send a "100% compatible panel", but whatever, I don't really care.

Is it even possible to upgrade an XGA T21 to SXGA+? I have the 14 inch model and since all the SXGA+ models were 14 inch, it seems like it should be at least physically possible. My fear is that the LVDS connector on the motherboard is in a different place on an SXGA+ T21 mobo.

[RealBlackStuff]

Time to get a proper maintenance manual. Check the HMM link above .

[kyletv05]

Time to get a proper maintenance manual. Check the HMM link above .

I've been using the April 2002 HMM for the T2x series. It's also on tim.id.au and it's 100% the same one on the thinkpads.com site.