Thinkpads Forum

I am just curious to know if the GPU issue that the T4x had has been solved with the :
T60 ?
T61 ?
T400 ?
T410 ?
T500 ?
T510 ?

Thanks

There were no prevalent GPU issues in any of the models you mentioned with the exception of the T61 with the nVidia 128M and 570M GPU's.

Harryc wrote:There were no prevalent GPU issues in any of the models you mentioned with the exception of the T61 with the nVidia 128M and 570M GPU's.

nVidia NVS 140M and 570M (not 128).

Also, T60 is suffered from a problem of reporting GPU temperature by 15-20 deg. higher than actual.

Someone on Lenovo said that T61 manufactured after certain date in 2008 does not have GPU issue, but I am wondering, what is the exact date ?

I am looking at a T61P with the nVIDIA Quadro FX 570m 256Mb Integrated GPU on eBay.

What issues might I expect with that chipset?

There is a change the GPU may fail down the road. I can't quote percentages because I have never seen any. It's an opinion based on seeing numerous problems reported here and elsewhere on the Internet with T61's and nVidia GPUs. So, for what it's worth ... there you go.

Well, forewarned is forearmed.

thanks!

Binh wrote:
nVidia NVS 140M and 570M (not 128).

Also, T60 is suffered from a problem of reporting GPU temperature by 15-20 deg. higher than actual.

Someone on Lenovo said that T61 manufactured after certain date in 2008 does not have GPU issue, but I am wondering, what is the exact date ?

Where can I find the information that the 128Mb 570M chipset does not have the nVidia manufacturing problem? I have two machines with this chipset (14" T61p) and I'd like to confirm this, if possible. The post-2008 issue was different - this was a power limitation in the motherboard components (not the GPU) which caused a computer with 2 memory DIMMS to crash on 3D apps. There is some debate as to whether this issue was, indeed, fixed.

sktn77a wrote:

Where can I find the information that the 128Mb 570M chipset does not have the nVidia manufacturing problem? I

Even if you find the source stating that, the information per se will be very doubtful at the very least. These machines fail as much as the rest of nVidia-equipped batch.

In my not-so-modest opinion, every single T61/p with nVidia GPU is a time bomb. No one can tell you when the timer had been set for, though.

Good luck.

ajkula66 wrote: In my not-so-modest opinion, every single T61/p with nVidia GPU is a time bomb. No one can tell you when the timer had been set for, though.

I tend to agree with this opinion, especially since NVIDIA all but came out and admitted that all of the chips of that generation were -- pardon the expression -- toast. Apple, Dell, HP, and others all got stung by this, and if the accounts of their machine's failures are anything to go by it's really not a question of if your GPU will fail, but when.

Well, this has been my feeling all along as the 128mb video RAM and 128 bit memory bus are not core chip architecture. But it would be nice if that was true!

sktn77a wrote:
Where can I find the information that the 128Mb 570M chipset does not have the nVidia manufacturing problem? I have two machines with this chipset (14" T61p) and I'd like to confirm this, if possible. The post-2008 issue was different - this was a power limitation in the motherboard components (not the GPU) which caused a computer with 2 memory DIMMS to crash on 3D apps. There is some debate as to whether this issue was, indeed, fixed.

I have seen two posts in two different forums with indirect reference to Mark_Lenovo (Mark Hopkins on Lenovoblogs.com ?) who probably said that some T61s have much lower rate of GPU failure. Here is one of those posts

I also found on Chinese nb51.com forums some statistics about T61p's GPU failure:

As far as I know, T61P graphics card is divided into A1 and A2 process, after 2008 most of the manufacturing process are A2, there graphics relatively small chance of the door, A1 processes are generally used in the T61p general screen machines

Post cards door to see countless individuals to conclude S TAIWAN Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing plant is said to be the second half of the early group of 2007 or the other whether it is 00W because of the non-card door April 2008 and if it is not the 01R and 03R A TAIWAN the door because of the risk of still graphics. Do not know my view is not correct.

In this post, the word "door" means failure, AFAIK (I don't know Chinese language so I am not sure).

I was unaware that NVIDIA revised their design. Last I heard (from some Apple engineers), once they learned of the problem, NVIDIA boosted QA to cut failure rates wherever possible but couldn't change the design since their fab. was in full swing.

I've got T61 with Nvidia, no issues so far.
After reading about all those failures I've undervolted graphics chip under Linux, now it's running at 52 degress in idle/light use and max 65 degress in strees. It's always about 5-8 degress hotter than CPU.

Just want to share my T61p Nvidia experiences so far...

I am running a T61p with TPfancontrol v0.62 in SmartMode 2 on Windows 7:Power options (balanced or high performances) in business apps and gaming (1920x1200 Counter-Strike Source high-quality) and the GPU always runs cool and silent. I don't know if running TPfancontrol will prevent damage on the GPU but I don't take chances, anyway I ran this tool since v0.33 on my previous TPs.

TEMP* (while posting this message)
1 cpu 40°C
2 aps 36°C
3 crd 30°C
4 gpu 40°C
5 no5 34°C
7 bat 32°C
9 bus 32°C
10 pci 40°C
11 pwr 37°C
*fan is running at Speed 3.


I bought this T61p 1 month ago, it is still under warranty.

So far I had the LCD replaced with a new one : LENOVO replaced (on site) the old and dimm SAMSUNG with a new SAMSUNG and the new one is very very bright (brigher than the LG WUGA on my Z61p).

I will buy an extended warranty but I've heard that they are replacing the board/GPU even out of warranty.

So at 500$ , this T61p was a steal compare to the similar W500 (used) priced at 1000$.

For your information,

T61p temp counters just after playing 20 minutes @ Counter Strike Source (BETA) 1920x1200 High-Quality temp from TPFanControl v0.62 SmartMode 2.


1 cpu 64°C
2 aps 48°C
3 crd 33°C
4 gpu 57°C
5 no5 29°C
7 bat 28°C
9 bus 36°C
10 pci 53°C
11 pwr 53°C


It is cooler than my T60 idle on Windows 7.

In my experience with 3 failing g84/86 gpu. It starts with screen going blank randomly for half a minute and color distortion (especially with the blacks). I bought a 42w7653 board off eBay in mid 2009 and yet to have a problem. However. The original one started failing 9months down the line on 24/7 duty.