T61p (8891-CTO) No Trackpoint or Trackpad...Help!

[olex126]

This issue just popped up on my T61p (8891-CTO).

(T9300/8 gb RAM/ 14" 4:3 SXGA+ Samsung 240 SSD/ Win 7 x64. Has the original Nvidia NVS 570 video chip which has given NO problems and is still functioning perfectly.)

No trackpoint or Trackpad movement at all...System recognizes a USB mouse only.

Tried a Linux live boot disk, same problem.

Checked BIOS settings, all normal, in fact I reverted to default settings, but no change.

NOT a keyboard or trackpad hardware problem...Both work when I plug the keyboard and trackpad into a 15.4" 6457-5KU model, so I'm assuming the problem is motherboard-related.

Any ideas on where to start looking? Are these Northbridge/Southbridge - related problems?

Any ideas/suggestions greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Regards. Dave

[ajkula66]

Leave the trackpad off, plug just the keyboard in. See what happens.

Good luck, seems that you'll need it.

[olex126]

Hi George!

After literally decades of repairing computers and most other electronics, you would think I would remember what is blindingly obvious:

ONLY TEST ONE COMPONENT AT A TIME Ouch...That hurts!

The Trackpad is farked. I neglected to fully seat the connector into the 15.4" Thinkpad when I tested both it and the keyboard....and only tested the keyboard Trackpoint, which worked on that machine.

I installed the Trackpad circuit board from the 15.4" Thinkpad into the 14" palmrest....Problem Solved! Both the 14" Trackpad and Trackpoint are now operational again.

(Simple fix ... the pad, circuit board and bracket are a drop-in fix and only secured with four tiny screws and a bit of tape .)

The 15.4" is a spare unit awaiting a backlight replacement... and now I guess a Trackpad replacement too! One small niggling item from the switcheroo... the 15.4" Trackpad has a fingerprint reader, and so the flat ribbon cable has a 4" "tail" that has to be taped to the underside of the palmrest on the 14" machine (which is sans the FPR.)

Thanks George ....sometimes I just need a slap upside the head to clear the fog!

Regards. Dave

P.S. This 8891-CTO is one I bought from you a couple of years ago...I replaced the screen backlight four months ago, and other than the ever-perennial loose hinges, the laptop is still chugging along quite well, especially with the 8 Gb and SSD upgrades...although I do miss the UXGA resolution of the T43p when I'm using the T61p....maybe time for a T61p Frankie??

[RealBlackStuff]

YGPM

[TuuS]

You can remove the cable from the trackpad, but it's hard to be sure which is bad, but anyway, if you need a track pad or a complete palmrest I have them, but I'm guessing RBS already offered you one.