Thinkpads Forum

Folks, Hi everyone!

I am really desperate for a answer to this riddle. I hope you guys can respond even if you have suggestions "only"...doesn't matter. I've solved many problems for friends and myself that way! I feel like I'm standing in front of the solution, but can't see it. (((

Alright, so I have a Thinkpad T60p with the stats in the signature. I put the T7600 and the Atheros 802.11n mini-PCIe card in myself, and everything worked like a charm.

However, the ATI card is embedded on the motherboard I believe, and I have no idea as to how I would clean it, fix it, take whatever to it. I am at a loss at this point.

Basically, the card does work, but whenever I put it through some kind of "tougher" test, such as the Vista Experience Index (VEI), it will ALWAYS shut down the laptop, which is what my CPU did when it became overly hot before I recently replenished the silver paste. The CPU is now back to appropriate temps now.

I tried it with Vista x64, Windows 7 x64, as well as Windows 7 x86 (32-bit). The result is the same across the board. Once "pushed", the ATI card conks out. Hmm...

Now, what is it that I can do to fix this?? Again, the card works, I wish I could take it out and replace it with a powerful one like I did with the CPU and the wireless-N card. Any ideas on how I might get a more powerful card in there??

I've had some ideas: I have a PCMCIA, as well as an Express Card slot, as well as one mini-PCIe internal slot open (where a WWAN card was which I no longer needed). Can I use any of the above to put a different (with higher specs)?? I would look at that as killing two birds with one stone. lol...

I hope I'm not leaving something important out. PLEASE ask me if I am leaving something out...I just don't get it. It does everything I want during normal operation, but when the card is being "pushed to its limits", so to speak, the entire computer will shut down.
One more thing that is likely essential for any problem-solving:

***This all started when I put more Arctic Silver 5 paste to the CPU (T7600) and the heatsink the day before I started having the problems with the ATI card. Did I get something else mixed up when I went in to get that done. This is NOT likely a co-incidence!??!?! *** ...is it?

Thank you SO much for your help!!!!!

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ATI's also got their own standard for upgradeable graphics, and Alienware and Dell each have their own. The beauty of standards is you can pick and choose which ones you want to use.

Anyway, also look at this thread: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=54334

It discusses modifying the T60/p heatsink for better graphics cooling. I've seen 90 C on a brand new heatsink on my V5200, so... (And, I've seen 126 C, with it shutting down at presumably 127, on an integrated graphics heatsink, on the same system. Good job, Solectron, replacing that one circa 2007. )

download tpfancontrol and monitor your GPU temps to see if that's the problem. I imagine you bent the GPU heatpipes when you removed the heatsink.

Ursus wrote:download tpfancontrol and monitor your GPU temps to see if that's the problem. I imagine you bent the GPU heatpipes when you removed the heatsink.

Thanks everyone! That thread is awesome!! Thanks!!

And yes, I think I did bend the GPU heat pipes. I didn't know at the time that this was the part of the heatsink for the gfx chip. You think I can repair it? Is there anything else I can do to better cool everything??

I have a cooler that you set your Thinkpad on top of and it works great but looks, well, let's say it's not the classiest setup. Do any of you use external (or add'l internal) cooling devices?

Thanks again!