Thinkpads Forum

Hi all, I am new here and I have a not very 'tecchy' . I bought a reconditioned thinkpad lenevo T60 from Ebay, I am not sure of its age, but in the last coouple of months I have had a really annoying problem. My computer boots up ok, and then after a few seconds the screen goes off (well very very faint) I have this connected to an external moniter at the moment, the weird thing is if you press function F7 it comes back on, sometimes for 15 minutes or longer, sometimes for just a few seconds.. I see no pattern to it, although it seems to be a bit better when running on the battery, but that maybe just a coincidence, what I did notice was my daughter who has the exact same laptop ( I bought from the same ebay seller) her power lead is different to mine, we swapped them to see if it makes any difference, hers says Lenevo 65W and mine is Lenevo 90W, I am not sure if this makes any difference. I cant afford to take this to a shop and I have just started a business and so need little disruption as possible, any ideas welcome . Thanks

On the bottom is a label with TYPE, S/N and PRODUCTID.
What are the TYPE and PRODUCTID of your own and your daughter's laptop? (don't publish the S/N part).
T60 TYPE starting with 19xx-xxx has integrated Intel graphics, and only needs 65W, but can also use a 90W adapter.
T60 TYPE starting with 20xx-xxx has discrete ATI graphics, and requires the 90W adapter.
From your description, it sounds like a faulty CCFL-tube (backlight).
The easiest remedy is replacing the complete lid, more involved is replacing the LCD itself (requires opening/dismantling of the lid), and hardest to do would be replacing the CCFL.

How are your power settings set? The feature that dims your screen is some sort of energy saving feature IIRC. If you are annoyed by the default time for when the screen dims you can try adjusting this feature.

1) If you have the green battery icon on your taskbar click on it. A menu called the Lenovo Power Manager will appear.
2) Click on Advanced settings. Go to 'Idle Timers' and click on it.
3) there are the controls for fine tuning the dimming feature when on battery or on AC

When you find a setting you wish to test out. Do not forget to click on 'apply' before exiting the Power Manager program to save your settings.

Try this and post the results

Thank you both for your replies:

Real black stuff , I have checked the number on the bottom and it appears they are the ones that can take either power lead,so thats ok.
.
From your description, it sounds like a faulty CCFL-tube (backlight).
The easiest remedy is replacing the complete lid, more involved is replacing the LCD itself (requires opening/dismantling of the lid), and hardest to do would be replacing the CCFL.

(can I ask how easy this would be - sounds expensive ! - I only paid £140 for the computer in the first place. - Also, would it still be a faulty backlight, even if when you press function f7 it comes on? (in fact if you had the patience and enough fingers! and could sit with your fingers on them the whole time and it would be ok)

Emerald Girl , thank you, I have read your post: but I cannot even find the green Icon on my taskbar.. I have the battery/power sign, which when clicks, seems to be something to do with my epson printer... is there any other way of getting into that setting..

Thank you both for your help


How are your power settings set? The feature that dims your screen is some sort of energy saving feature IIRC. If you are annoyed by the default time for when the screen dims you can try adjusting this feature. [/color]

1) If you have the green battery icon on your taskbar click on it. A menu called the Lenovo Power Manager will appear.
2) Click on Advanced settings. Go to 'Idle Timers' and click on it.
3) there are the controls for fine tuning the dimming feature when on battery or on AC

When you find a setting you wish to test out. Do not forget to click on 'apply' before exiting the Power Manager program to save your settings.

Try this and post the results

With the help of the illustrated HMM you can take your laptop apart (select Sept. 2008 version).
Download it here: http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/detail. ... MIGR-62733
You COULD have a bad connection between LCD-cable and motherboard, or between LCD-cabel and LCD-panel (on the back of the panel). Try to reseat both ends of that cable.
But my money is still on a faulty CCFL.

If you had given me the TYPE numbers I asked for, I could have told you if you have a 14.1" Standard, 14.1" widescreen, 15" Standard or 15.4" Widescreen laptop, what screen resolution it has, what CPU, and all sorts of other useful info (we don't ask this TYPE just for fun...).

I don't know your laptop skills. A quick gander on eBay-UK showed there are no complete lids for sale for your (presumed Standard 14.1" or 15") TYPE.
LCD screens from £35.- upwards (need that TYPE...)
CCFL from about £10.- upwards, but if you have no experience, you will almost certainly botch this.

Hi , once again thanks for your help

The computer TYPE is 1951-44G I hope that this sheds some light, I have been typing on it now for about 15 minutes and the screen is still on. So annoying, then another time, it wont stay on more than 10 seconds !
As for my computer skills, zilch really, I am ok with accounts, word packages, but anything else, and youve got me... I am not really understanding all the abbreviations even, but I am happy to try anything. This all happened when I dusted my keyboard, with a duster (not polish) its never been the same since ! I wish I had l left it dirty

Thanks again

Ex-factory your laptop looked like this:
T60 (1951-44G)
T2400(1.83GHz), 512MB RAM, 60GB 5400rpm HD, 14.1in 1024x768 LCD, Intel 950, CDRW/DVD, Intel 802.11abg wireless, Modem, 1Gb Ethernet, UltraNav, Secure chip, Fingerprint reader, 6c Li-Ion batt, WinXP Pro

I bet that duster was 'loaded' with static electricity, which has killed something in the laptop's electronics.
If you need someone in the UK to help you fix it, send a PM to forum member poshgeordie in Newcastle.
He may be able to sort out the problem for you.