Defect motherboard, BSOD! - Lenovo T61 (765912G), HLP!

[029kid]

My T61 just suddenly froze and I see some coloured lines on my screen. I reboot and now gets lots of different BSODs!
To many different to mention.

I tried to reinstall but the same thing happens during the installation, freeze and color lines, then BSOD.

Is my motherboard defect?
Ive had no recent hardware change. Tried another drive, same thing. Inplugged memory, wifi, screen and reinserted, but with no effect. Ive also removed the ultra bay, still bsod.

I sometimes succesfully log on to Windows and it all seem good, but after 2 min = BSOD.
MEMORY MANAGEMENT
BAD POOL HEADER

Thats a couple of the BSOD i get.

If its the motherboard, what FRU can I use?
I just want the same board or similar, cheap as possible. Not going to upgrade cpu.

Thanks!

[richk]

Please recheck the model number - 765912G looks invalid to me.

[Neil]

ThinkPad T61 (7659-12G)
T7300(2GHz), 1GB RAM, 80GB 5400rpm HD, 14.1in 1280x800, Intel X3100, CDRW/DVD, Intel 802.11agn(n-disabled), Bluetooth, Modem, 1Gb Ethernet, UltraNav, Secure chip, Fingerprint reader, 4c Li-Ion, WinVista Business 32

[029kid]

Thanks Neil.

Here is screenshot of 2 BSOD.
http://img27.imageshack.us/i/imagegyz.jpg
http://img26.imageshack.us/i/imagexhx.jpg

[richk]

I cut and pasted the product into the Lenovo screen and it said it couldn't find the product. Now it is there. I guess "stuff happens". The symptoms sound like the classic nVIDIA graphics problem, but you don't have an nVIDIA board. (assuming it wasn't swapped). I suggest running an externded memory test. There are several free ones that come as a .iso file.

[029kid]

Thanks for your reply.
Is the memtest86+ a decent one?

http://www.memtest.org

Its not swapped.

[RealBlackStuff]

Yes, that's the one we recommend.
Run it first with only 1 RAM slot filled. Then run it with the same RAM in the other slot.
Repeat with the second RAM module.
Then try both, then swap elements.
If no errors, then you may have a faulty motherboard.
But first try to boot from a LINUX Life-cd, such as Mint: http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php
You may have Windows problems.

[TuuS]

I agree it does sound like nvidia failure, but unless someone swapped the boards, that can't be the case. The Intel GPU is very stable, but even they can fail.

I definitely agree you need to sort out if this is hardware or software related before you take any action. I always install a backup windows version on all my systems, so a simple reboot will eliminate any question of software corruption.

If you do need a system board, they are available, either from myself or other members in this forum, so you won't have far to look.

As for the problems on looking up systems on lenovo's database, it's been working on/off for weeks now. Hopefully these errors will be corrected because it's very annoying.

Testing with a live linux CD is also a very good suggestion, if you don't want to make any changes to your system that can't be easily reversed, but I have seen on one occaision where a similar problem didn't present in linux, so we assumed it was a windows problem, but two attempts to reformat/reinstall presented with the same problem. We were stumped, and concluded that something about the windows driver caused the hardware error to present, but the linux drivers didn't (or at least not yet).

Another method that can be used would require a similar/identical system. You could swap harddrives and see if the problem follows the drive, or stays with the system. It can be really handy having a shop full of T61 models when it comes to diagnosis, but for an end-user with only one system, it would require a bit more work to track down the cause.

Good luck, and hopefully it's something that can be fixed by repairing/reinstalling windows.

[029kid]

Yes, that's the one we recommend.
Run it first with only 1 RAM slot filled. Then run it with the same RAM in the other slot.
Repeat with the second RAM module.
Then try both, then swap elements.
If no errors, then you may have a faulty motherboard.
But first try to boot from a LINUX Life-cd, such as Mint: http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php
You may have Windows problems.

Ok, ive tried the RAM test.
I did succesfully run the test with one slot filled (the bottom one), no errors.
When only trying the upper slot I only get error, beep...beep...beep.
I think this is normal, as I need to use the bottom slot when only using one?

Anway, the computer freeze while testing the second RAM at the bottom slot.
Could it be defect RAM?
Ive been running ok for 15 min now, no BSOD yet.

Havent tried linux yet, dont have a working DVD burner atm, will try booting from USB.

Se new BSOD (when using both RAM slots):
http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/1/1321923988094.jpg

[RealBlackStuff]

If your mobo is OK, RAM should work in either slot.
Get a can with compressed air, and clean out both RAM slots.
Use a pencil eraser to clean both sides of contacts on both RAM modules, so the gold is really shiny.
Blow off the debris before reinserting the RAM.
Try the RAM test again.