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T60p grim diagnosis :(

Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 8:38 pm
by Osaka
My laptop bluescreened with the memory parity error.

Upon reboot, the screen looks like this:
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb13 ... G_0164.jpg

I can still get video if I use an external monitor, so I ran the video diagnostic test from the BIOS diagnostic program:
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb13 ... G_0159.jpg

And it will only boot up into Win XP in safe mode with some funky artifacts:
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb13 ... G_0161.jpg


Only had it since April, so I know its still under warranty. Looks like a hardware failure to me. (thankfully I could copy all my development projects off in safe mode)

My question is what is the fastest way to get it fixed? I never had a single problem with my T40, so I am a support newbie. The only number I have found is 1-800-426-7378.

I can't function without my laptop! :(

Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 8:40 pm
by barrywohl
Call the number and they'll overnight you a box. Depot repair often fixes the boxes on the same day they arrive and ship that evening.

Not always. Depends on what it needs and what parts they have on hand. DHL takes one to four days to "overnight" things, depending on where you live.

Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:03 pm
by Osaka
Called the number.

Said they would overnight me a box and then it would probably take 1-2 weeks to get it back.

So I asked if there were any places I could bring it to in Houston and they gave me a website link which is down.

So I told them to send me the box anyway.... I don't really want to be without my laptop for two weeks.

Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:12 pm
by pianowizard

Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 11:29 pm
by Osaka
I ordered it online using the IBM employee discount.

Type: 2613
Model: CTO
Serial: --------

That's a long thread you linked to, I was about to goto bed so I'll check it out tomorrow. Is the gist that I got screwed on a low quality LCD or something?

Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 1:22 am
by RonS
I sent in a T60p at noon last Thursday (July 5th) and got it back this morning (Monday, July 9th). EZServe did their work in one business day. Amazing.

Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 8:44 am
by pianowizard
Osaka wrote:That's a long thread you linked to, I was about to goto bed so I'll check it out tomorrow.
Don't worry about it. You got a different model than the one referred to in that thread.

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 9:13 pm
by Osaka
  • AK 07/09/2007 19:19:00 C Airborne processing request to ship container
    AK 07/10/2007 01:48:00 C Airborne processing request to ship container
    OS 07/12/2007 10:46:00 C Machine being repaired
    BO 07/12/2007 15:28:00 C The last status applied was backed off
    HP 07/12/2007 15:28:00 C Hold for Parts - Service call is on hold until parts arrive, estimated at: None provided
    HP 07/12/2007 15:30:00 C Hold for Parts - Service call is on hold until parts arrive, estimated at: None provided

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:44 am
by Osaka
CX 07/16/2007 18:16:00 C Repair complete, shipped to customer
OS 07/16/2007 10:25:00 C Machine being repaired
HP 07/12/2007 15:30:00 C Hold for Parts - Service call is on hold until parts arrive, estimated at: None provided

Its fixed and on its way! Now I have a new problem! :(

My dad is sick so I am out of town taking care of him this week (and maybe more). They mailed it DHL overnight and I have the tracking number. Is there anyway I can get the shipment diverted to my father's house? Should I call DHL or IBM support to do it?

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 7:36 am
by DenTP4rm
Osaka wrote:... Now I have a new problem! :(

My dad is sick so I am out of town taking care of him this week (and maybe more). They mailed it DHL overnight and I have the tracking number. Is there anyway I can get the shipment diverted to my father's house? Should I call DHL or IBM support to do it?
Osaka,
I'd try DHL first. If they accept rerouting the shipment you're okay. If they say to call IBM support then you try to work it through them. I suspect you'll have less bureaucracy going through DHL than IBM.

If that doesn't work, if you have a neighbor who can receive it, see if somebody can attach a note to your door to deliver to their place or keep an eye out for DHL to receive it for you. Hope your dad gets better.
Good luck,
DenTPr4m

Pianowizard's query

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 7:38 am
by DenTP4rm
pianowizard wrote:Did you buy this when it was on sale on Lenovo's outlet site?
Hey Pianowizard,
Did you ask about that particular model because of other problems with it? I'm assuming it's the 2623DDU. I'm asking as I have a source for one but am trying to decide whether to go through on the purchase or not.
thanks for any advice,
DenTP4rm

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 9:31 am
by whizkid
Osaka, you should remove your serial number from postings. An evil-doer could report that serial number as stolen. You'd have to deal with proving it's your machine when sent in for service.

Re: Pianowizard's query

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 9:36 am
by pianowizard
DenTP4rm wrote:Did you ask about that particular model because of other problems with it? I'm assuming it's the 2623DDU.
That was not the reason I asked. I was just curious where the OP had gotten his/her T60p from. The 2623DDU is supposed to be a great unit.

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:43 pm
by Osaka
whizkid wrote:Osaka, you should remove your serial number from postings. An evil-doer could report that serial number as stolen. You'd have to deal with proving it's your machine when sent in for service.
Thanks, I removed it.

Re: Pianowizard's query

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:47 pm
by Osaka
pianowizard wrote:
DenTP4rm wrote:Did you ask about that particular model because of other problems with it? I'm assuming it's the 2623DDU.
That was not the reason I asked. I was just curious where the OP had gotten his/her T60p from. The 2623DDU is supposed to be a great unit.
I ordered it in April off the Lenovo.com website using my IBM employee discount. There is a special URL you goto and type in your employee serial number. Ended up saving about $350 extra off the price. It is a Type: 2613.

Honestly I think this was just one of those hardware flukes.

I am on the phone with IBM EZServ now getting them to re-route my laptop to my father's house. I called DHL first and they said 'You will have to call Dell and tell them to do a change of address'.

Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 7:35 pm
by DenTP4rm
Osaka,
Let us know how it works out on the re-routing through EZServe. Always helps to know what is and is not a possibility.
DenTP4rm

Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 10:42 pm
by Osaka
OK, so the IBM guy called DHL with me on the line, and got the phone number of the local Houston office so he could fax them the re-route form. The DHL lady also said she updated it in the computer.

They continued to try to deliver it to my house the next two days. So I called DHL and told them to hold it at their office and I would have someone come pick it up. (I was not very cheerful with them at this point). Needless to say, re-routing does not seem to work. DHL said they had no record of any kind of re-route.

So anyway, I now have the laptop in my hands. The form in the box lists the following parts: (which I assume means they replaced them)
-LCD Cable
-Planar Card
-Bios updates

Laptop boots up and appears to run fine. But now I have two new issues....

1) There is a constant popping sound coming out of the speakers. Min/Max volume doesnt affect it, mute doesnt affect it. So I am betting they didnt put the thing back together properly and something isnt shielded like it is supposed to be from the speakers. The pops are about 1/2 second apart.

2) There is a freaking part just laying loose in the box. It boggles the mind how the form says "your Thinkpad was diagnosed and extensively tested", yet the speakers are popping and I see the following piece in the box:

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb13 ... /piece.jpg

I am feeling very frustrated at this point. Does anyone know what that part is? And can anyone offer some advice on how I can fix that popping myself?

Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 9:21 am
by Osaka
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=45423

Does planar card == motherboard?

Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 1:42 pm
by hoya
was that hard drive cover from your machine?

in November 2006 I sent my machine to EZ Serv and it came back terribly scratched with the same issue (shorting motherboard). they finally issued a refund check.

Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 5:46 pm
by carbon_unit
Naw, that is a T4x hard drive cover, not a T6x cover.

Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 7:07 pm
by mitchellst
They gave you a bad motherboard. I don't know how they missed the popping, but you need to send it back.

As far as the piece in the box goes, that's just sad.

In the mean time, unplugging the speakers is easy, and will eliminate the popping noise. You just have to remove the palmrest (the 4 labeled screws closest to the front), and the speaker plug is underneath.

Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 7:15 pm
by Osaka
At this point, I am going to request a brand new T60. Why would I want to send the laptop back to the same place that couldn't fix it before?

If they refuse, I guess I will just chargeback on my credit card. Hopefully it won't come to that. But this is a little ridiculous, I mean I work for IBM and have been using IBM laptops since the Axx. I have never had a single problem until now.

Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 1:15 pm
by Osaka
Thought I might try to find a local place in Houston to get it repaired first...

After 15 min call with Ibm Tech Support guy....

I told him first three places listed on the IBM web site told me they don't do warranty work anyway. He told me most places don't do it anymore because they weren't being compensated enough by IBM. Imagine that.

He also told me I would have to go through Sales to get it replaced with a new T60.

Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 1:24 pm
by Osaka
Oh yeah, the tech guy told me the speaker cable might not be seated properly.

I looked in the hardware manual and it says you have to remove the modem, fan assembly, and LCD assembly to get at the speaker...

Is it really necessary to do that just to get at where the speaker cable is plugged in? (only ever built desktop computers before)

Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 2:38 pm
by whizkid
It might not be necessary to seat the cable, but it is to remove the cable, or to install a new one properly.

Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 2:49 pm
by Harryc
Osaka wrote:Oh yeah, the tech guy told me the speaker cable might not be seated properly.

I looked in the hardware manual and it says you have to remove the modem, fan assembly, and LCD assembly to get at the speaker...

Is it really necessary to do that just to get at where the speaker cable is plugged in? (only ever built desktop computers before)
Listen to what Mitchellst said, he would know, believe me..."You just have to remove the palm rest (the 4 labeled screws closest to the front), and the speaker plug is underneath."

Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 4:26 pm
by Osaka
Cool, I will try that in a minute.

The reason I think it may fix it is because I was playing with Winamp and noticed that the right speaker works fine and the the left speaker is just static when playing a MP3.

Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 5:11 pm
by Osaka
I was able to reach the speaker plug after removing the palm rest and keyboard.

Unplugged and plugged it back in.

Still same problem, so unfortunately its not that easy. :(

I just use the laptop with headphones plugged for now...

Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 12:04 pm
by Osaka
DHL just dropped off my laptop.

Everything seems to be working now.

Total time without a working laptop: 21 days.
Laptop trips to repair depot: 2

I must say though, everyone I dealt with on the phone was very professional, even when they were telling me what I didn't want to hear.

I was a little [censored] to get a broken laptop shipped back to me the first time, but I am over it now.

Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 12:15 pm
by jlachesk
My laptop (T41) actually just started doing the same thing last monday.

I called Lenovo help on Wednesday morning, got the box Thursday morning, sent in the laptop and it's scheduled to be delivered today.

Hopefully it won't have to go back a second time.