Thinkpads Forum

Hi,
my T61p is broken, it's the board with the graphic-chip.

I have this chip-problem:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=107641

I'm looking for a new board but I'm to stupid to find the Part-Number.

Or can I just change the chip?

Can somebody post the Partnumber?

Thank you!

stefu

ps: sorry for my english

Welcome to the forum!

You have to replace the entire board since the graphics chip is soldered to it and not replaceable by itself unless one has access to very expensive re-balling equipment.

The FRU part number is located by the RAM slots, you'll have to remove the palmresy in order to get to it.

Good luck.

Thanx for the welcome!

OK, but I'd like to search for the right board before I open the board, that's why I'd like to know the Part-Number (FRU).

Can anybody help me?

If your laptop was made in early 2008 it would have a 42t7877, if it was made in mid 2008 or later it will likely have 44c3931, however only the boards used in the last full month of production (august 2008) are free of this problem.

What you can expect to pay for a board.

From ibm/lenovo about $700 or more for a refurbished board that could very well fail the same way yours did.

I've seen boards online selling anywhere from $100-600+, but still with no assurance of a good GPU.

A Verified board from an August 2008 laptop (if you can find one) would generally sell for about $300 from a reliable source. A board from a prior date would be about half as much.

Most people opt for a board with Intel graphics so you'll never have to worry about the nVidia chip failing again unless you need the nVidia graphics. If you want a board with Intel graphics you'll want to get one that supports your Penryn CPU chip. Very few Intel systems had Penryn class cpu chips so they aren't common, but I can get them.

You cannot replace the video card it's integrated into the system board. The GPU chip can be replaced but it requires expensive equipment to do it and there are no new gpu chips available to the general public from nVidia.

ps. many nVidia boards being sold online have failed and had repairs attempted by reflowing or even baking the board in an oven. If you get one of these it will fail again, so be very careful where you purchase one of these boards.

Hi,

thanx a lot.

My serial number is L3-XXXXX, production date is 08/07 (I'm now not sure what is the month..., gues it's from august 07).
I think I can live with the Intelgraphics, what is the internal resolution?

Admin edit: Removed serial number for user's protection.

Your machine was built in 2008/July (08/07) with motherboard 44C3931.
Start date for warranty was 2008/07/27 in Switzerland.
The T61 Intel board can also handle your 1920x1200 display.

thank you very much!

one more question, where can get instructions, how to change the board?
is this here the best:
http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc ... 546_04.pdf ?

Yes

RealBlackStuff wrote:Yes

Thank you!

So it's fixed.

Board with 1 year warranty 100€ plus mounting ( OK, i gave it to a professional ... ) 150€.

But it's working. all fine. I'm thinking now about an SSD