T61p video problem, not quite dead...

[palerider]

I've got a t61p, 6458-CTO 08/09, that's been a faithful friend for some years now, running ubuntu. recently, the video has frozen a few times while playing youtube videos, and then twice, it froze with an artifact pattern along with the video, and wouldn't unfreeze with a mouse wiggle.

after the second time, I get no video on the laptop screen when booting. if I plug in an external monitor, I get the bios screen with a faint grid of dots behind it, then when text starts to scroll, I get a lot of ? marks scattered through things.

the system logs indicate that the video drivers aren't loading because they're not finding a screen for X.

does this sound like the classic 'dead nvidia chip' syndrome, or might there be something else wrong?

[TPFanatic]

It doesn't sound like classic Nvidia GPU failure, but it does sound like a GPU failure. At eight years old it's normal for things to fail.

[danikayser84]

Check the temperatures of the GPU and CPU for overheating (over about 85C), did you try repasting both of them? Typically post-August 2008 T61/R61 were not affected by the defect (unless the motherboard was changed out), check the FRU of the motherboard and post back

[palerider]

Check the temperatures of the GPU and CPU for overheating (over about 85C), did you try repasting both of them? Typically post-August 2008 T61/R61 were not affected by the defect (unless the motherboard was changed out), check the FRU of the motherboard and post back

I tried repasting last night. I don't even get bios on the notebook screen. I didn't hook it up to an external monitor last night. I don't see a fru on the mobo under the memory, the spot on the silkscreen that says "FRU LABEL" is blank, the sticker under it has this code: 11S44C3930ZVF1Z889H14C

the nvidia chip itself has this on it:
nvivia U088B024 0831A2
S tiawan
PA0857 M1W
G84-950-A2 (guessing at the 2, partially smudged off).

[ajkula66]

I don't even get bios on the notebook screen.

To me this - when read in the context of the entire thread - sounds like the digital output from the GPU has gone south and that your system needs a replacement planar.

[axur-delmeria]

Solder failure? If Reballing is cheap where you live, you can have a go at it..

[ajkula66]

Solder failure? If Reballing is cheap where you live, you can have a go at it..

Re-balling solves absolutely nothing when nVidia chips of the *61 generation are concerned, unlike the ATi problems of A3x through T4x series.

These GPUs fail because the chip itself is defective, not because of a soldering issue. Yes, it can be revived for a bit in many cases with a well-known-method that I don't recommend. A couple of months and then you're back to square one in most scenarios.

[axur-delmeria]

These GPUs fail because the chip itself is defective, not because of a soldering issue.

Well, that's true in general for GPUs affected by the nVidia plague. But I'm not sure about this particular case, which is why I suggested reballing.

[ajkula66]

But I'm not sure about this particular case, which is why I suggested reballing.

I don't believe that anyone can be certain about what *exactly* failed when it comes to stuff like this.

Having said that, chances are that re-balling the existing GPU - which may or may not solve the problem - will likely cost more than sourcing another "safe date" board...

[danikayser84]

44C3930 appears to be a post-2008 Nvidia board, so if it's not the Nvidia plague it could be a desoldering issue (kinda like T3x/A3x/T4x models)... was the machine mistreated/etc. by a previous owner?

Does the backlight turn on with no picture? I came across a T61 with that issue (backlight worked but no output to the internal display, external worked) Conversely, does the backlight not work but the display appears if you hold up a flashlight? Try another cable or reseating the connectors

[palerider]

Solder failure? If Reballing is cheap where you live, you can have a go at it..

Re-balling solves absolutely nothing when nVidia chips of the *61 generation are concerned, unlike the ATi problems of A3x through T4x series.

These GPUs fail because the chip itself is defective, not because of a soldering issue. Yes, it can be revived for a bit in many cases with a well-known-method that I don't recommend. A couple of months and then you're back to square one in most scenarios.

According to the date on the machine, and on the chip (see above) this is supposed to be a post defective chip era gpu.

[palerider]

44C3930 appears to be a post-2008 Nvidia board, so if it's not the Nvidia plague it could be a desoldering issue (kinda like T3x/A3x/T4x models)... was the machine mistreated/etc. by a previous owner?

Does the backlight turn on with no picture? I came across a T61 with that issue (backlight worked but no output to the internal display, external worked) Conversely, does the backlight not work but the display appears if you hold up a flashlight? Try another cable or reseating the connectors

the backlight does come on. if I plug in an external monitor, I get video, but it's got ? marks all over showing up as the machine boots.

I don't know if it was mistreated by a previous owner, I've had it for a few years now, and haven't mistreated it.

[ajkula66]

the backlight does come on. if I plug in an external monitor, I get video, but it's got ? marks all over showing up as the machine boots.

That's a tell-tale sign of corrupted video RAM. You need a new motherboard.