T61 nVidia thinkpads being repaired N/C [until March 2011]

[rumbero]

Anyone know if Lenovo is doing this for the T42 with the same issue?

The T42 was shipped with defective nVIDIA GPU's? No, not even with any nVIDIA GPU at all.
So why would Lenovo want to "do this" for some obsolete machine which was originally produced by IBM?

[BootSectorVirus]

They have the same symptoms, sorry poor choice of words, GPU becomes unballed from the mobo.

[RealBlackStuff]

They are different symptoms!
The T61 (and others) nVidia GPU itself comes apart INSIDE the GPU chip. The mobo needs to be replaced to fix it.
The T4x GPU chip itself becomes partly unsoldered, and can be fixed by just reballing it.

[BootSectorVirus]

By symptoms I meant what happens to the graphics as it starts to fail.

Thanks.

[JAJO]

Probably I have this issue too.

My T61 comes form USA and was build in 07/11. Id is 7664-1KU and S/N: L3D7727. The warranty expiration day is 2010-11-25 so it's more then 6 months after end. Recently I cleaned my cooling system and replace thermal grace on both CPU and GPU, and thermopad on SouthBridge (1 mm). Everything was great, temperatures was almost perfect, never above 60*C, sometimes 70*C in stress. Today, with all day normal working on docking station and external monitor, everything was perfect and at the evening, when I turned on my T61 without docking station I heard 1 long and 2 short beeps with black screen.

Does it mean I need to pay for replaceing my motherboard which has probably a failure GPU chip?

[eecon]

Does it mean I need to pay for replaceing my motherboard which has probably a failure GPU chip?

Yes.

[jcvjcvjcvjcv]

I just ordered a 42W7866 from lapstore.de with shipping to Foreign country that makes 103 euros.

[JAJO]

Which models support T9500 without flashing non-orginal bios?

[crashnburn]

Impossible to tell unless you remove the fan/heatshink assembly and report back the actual date code printed on the Nvidia chip itself (the Rev 2 was used on both the good and bad chips) ..... Please read back through a few pages of this thread first before asking a question already asked and answered many times (or use the search function).

I bought my T61 in Spring 2008 and it had a manufacture date of Summer/ Fall/ Winter 2007.

I am guessing this did not have the FIXED nVidia card right?

[eecon]

Correct ..... assuming any previous owner never had it serviced.

[eheikell]

I noted a few pages back on this topic that others were saying there is no such thing as a new MOBO, only refurbished. Here in the States, that is not the case. Here was my process:
Learned from Lenovo that my 02/08 T61 w/ 1680x1050 Nvidia Quadro NVS140M (warrantee expired in Feb- GPU failed in June) failure has no options from Lenovo but to pay $595 to be fixed or buy a new MOBO at $530 and do myself. Mark_Lenovo on the Lenovo.forum suggested I get my FRU then google for cheaper options on the web.
So, first look up your FRU part number from the HWRepair manual for your model, or call tech support and they'll look up for you.
Once you have that part number (for new MOBO), call Lenovo's parts line at 1877 719-0841 to order the part. They will tell you that that FRU has been replaced with another FRU#- make a note of that number. All boards under this new FRU have the newer GPU's in them, but beware ignorant vendors.
Google the NEW part number given, and you will find several outfits providing new or refurbished boards. I liked ITPartsDepot.com, but there were others, including Amazon's 3rd party sales. The new FRU should cross-reference with the old FRU#. My *new* MOBO cost $350, plus shipping, and contains the *newer* version of the GPU. These boards are made by Planar, who may well have built the originals? They also sell refurbished for a considerably lower cost, but BEWARE boards on eBay, as the guy I talked to up there was completely ignorant of the GPU problems, new v old GPU part numbers, etc. Just some salvaged boards from old office laptops, etc.
Hope this helps someone in this predicament. I thought $350 was worth the price for an otherwise good laptop, but couldn't quite swing the $500+ investment from Lenovo's parts counter.
Good Luck.

[RealBlackStuff]

Welcome to the forum.
A small correction:
PLANAR is IBM-speak for motherboard, and is not the name of a planar manufacturer (such as Foxconn).
IMHO $350.- for just a mobo is a rather steep price, for that money you can get a fully working unit!

[JAJO]

On this page http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/product ... MIGR-67911 I found my System board has FRU 41W1489 (my type is 7664-1KU).
How can I determine that this System board is good, without nVidia GPU failure?

[eecon]

I afraid people may be wasting their time and money trying to fix these units at this point .... it would probably be more cost effective to move on to newer (used) units at this point.

[JAJO]

U have right, eecon, so I'm going to buy used T400 and I have some questions.

1. Does T400 support LCD panel from T61, is this the same?
I have 1440x900 (it is about 6 months old, I replace it when I had a waranty) and I would like to put it to T400.
2. Does T400 support keyboard from T61?
3. In my T61 there is a Palm rest assembly with fingerprint reader. Does T400 support it?

I'm hope the answer on all that question is 'yes'.

[eecon]

U have right, eecon, so I'm going to buy used T400 and I have some questions.

Smart move ..... I do know that the W500 shares many components of the T61p but do not know about the T400 and T61 .... someone else should be able to soon chime in here regarding the T400 parts.

[JAJO]

My brother has T400 and it looks almost the same. He has a newer C2D (P8600) and SATA UltraBay DVD-RW, that's probably all.
I think keyboard and LCD are the same so I could put them from my T61 to T400 but I'm not sure about Fingerprint. He has it but I want buy a T400 without so I could be afraid that my will not fit to T400. Where is the chip responsible for Fingerprint, on MoBo or on Palm rest?
I would like to here some answers from experts.

[jcvjcvjcvjcv]

I afraid people may be wasting their time and money trying to fix these units at this point .... it would probably be more cost effective to move on to newer (used) units at this point.

For a 103 euros...?

Yes, I could auction off a healthy 7 cell battery and maybe the 2GB stick RAM and the 1440x900 screen. I could use the 320GB 7200 rpm disc as external disc or sell it.

Anyway: My Intel-graphics T61 board shipped from Germany, so I've already made the decision to fix the thing. The X220 looks great, msata SSD + 500GB HDD are tempting, 20 hours on 9 cell + slice too, but 16:9 x768.... NO

[eecon]

It all depends on what your time to make the repair is worth.

[JAJO]

My Intel-graphics T61 board shipped from Germany, (...)

Read carefully how much I need to pay for repair. I have nVidia GPU motherboard, just like almost all with my issue.

I think the best idea in my case is buy used T400. It has a ATI GPU so probably it's free from failure (Am I right?) and it has better CPU (P8600), faster RAM and it cost less than the price with no taxes for repair of my board.

But I'm afraid of my palm rest with fingerprint (T61) will not fit to T400. What do U think?

[jcvjcvjcvjcv]

It all depends on what your time to make the repair is worth.

A whole lot less compared to fresh-installing a new Thinkpad. Opening up a TP isn't that hard to do. Installing all these drivers is a PITA.


Today I was called by a +44 (UK) number. It turned out to be Lenovo support. They decided to repair my Thinkpad after my complaint. They will pick it up, repair, and return. 1+ year after warranty.

So I guess I soon have a 42W7866 for sale. Or perhaps I'll return it.

[jcvjcvjcvjcv]

Always at a bad time: the entire day it has been working fine except one nvidia related BSOD.

[crashnburn]

It all depends on what your time to make the repair is worth.

A whole lot less compared to fresh-installing a new Thinkpad. Opening up a TP isn't that hard to do. Installing all these drivers is a PITA.


Today I was called by a +44 (UK) number. It turned out to be Lenovo support. They decided to repair my Thinkpad after my complaint. They will pick it up, repair, and return. 1+ year after warranty.

So I guess I soon have a 42W7866 for sale. Or perhaps I'll return it.

How did you make that happen?

[rumbero]

I afraid people may be wasting their time and money trying to fix these units at this point .... it would probably be more cost effective to move on to newer (used) units at this point.

Depends on the definition of cost effectiveness.

Since newer Thinkpads don't offer UXGA Flexview screens or the very handy 4:3 form factor anymore at all, i'd rather prefer to build my own machines from used parts. If a machine like my T61+ Frankenpad would be available from Lenovo i would certainly think about buying it. Alas, there is no hope in this regard.

All these new machines would only give me much more speed and longer battery runtime, for which i have no real need. I need and want a perfect UXGA screen and a great keyboard, both which have disappeared or suffered quality decrements while innovating the Thinkpad product line.

No thanks, for me it is much more cost effective to repair and maintain my machines on my own, not mentioning the lesser negative impact on ecology by reusing electronic goods. In fact, i once chose Thinkpads because with them i am enabled to help myself. That is the only real cost effectiveness in my book.

[jcvjcvjcvjcv]

How did you make that happen?

I really don't know what made them accept my request. I told them they were well aware of that the product (my T61) that they sold me would fail, long before my warranty would expire. And that they, like Intel did with it's first badge of Sandy Bridge chipsets and car producers do when they produced a bad product should have done a recall. In the case of the Intel chipsets the problem was a lot less severe compared to the nVidia problem. When they came up with the three year warranty that had expired I told them that I don't buy a Thinkpad for the warranty, but because it works. I'd rather have a Thinkpad with 1 year warranty compared to an Acer with 5 years warranty that spends a third of it's time in depot... awaiting repairs.

They picked it up last monday (2nd attempt, first was friday) and I just got it back. They replaced the motherboard (Yes, I've marked the old one, and the marking is now gone ) and the one loose hinge isn't loose anymore. So I must say I'm very pleased.

I could also keep battery, HDD and Adapter at home

Now: anyone interested in a 42W7866 ?
EDIT: 42W7866 returned to www.lapstore.de

[crashnburn]

How did you make that happen?

I really don't know what made them accept my request. I told them they were well aware of that the product (my T61) that they sold me would fail, long before my warranty would expire. And that they, like Intel did with it's first badge of Sandy Bridge chipsets and car producers do when they produced a bad product should have done a recall. In the case of the Intel chipsets the problem was a lot less severe compared to the nVidia problem. When they came up with the three year warranty that had expired I told them that I don't buy a Thinkpad for the warranty, but because it works. I'd rather have a Thinkpad with 1 year warranty compared to an Acer with 5 years warranty that spends a third of it's time in depot... awaiting repairs.

They picked it up last monday (2nd attempt, first was friday) and I just got it back. They replaced the motherboard (Yes, I've marked the old one, and the marking is now gone ) and the one loose hinge isn't loose anymore. So I must say I'm very pleased.

I could also keep battery, HDD and Adapter at home

Now: anyone interested in a 42W7866 ?

My cousin is coming to UK. Can you share specifics / contact numbers / names of these guys so I can have them do the same for my T61?

[mixz1]

Well, my 6459 CTO T61/p is now at the depot for its 4th system board. They installed the 3rd system board last week and it was defective (no TrackPad nor TrackPoint, yes KB connected)). Thanks for extended warranties.

I am really questioning whether the "new" boards really have improved NVIDIA chips on them. The computer was purchased in August, 2007. I have to assume that by first fail in November 2008 or at least second fail in January 2010 the old, defective NVIDIA chips were withdrawn. Yet my machine continues to burn them up. And, obviously there are some QC issues with replacements as well, as evidenced by Lenovo shipping a replacement planar with a damaged pointer chipset.

At 149 USD per extension, I've gotten my value out of the warranties, but I've been informed that I will not be able to extend the warranty any further due to the age of the machine. I can understand that, but Lenovo will have to understand when for the first time since my original 701C I will be considering other manufacturers.

[eecon]

Hi mixz1 .... see my suggestions over at the Lenovo Forum:

http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/T61-and-pri ... 477#M59027

Good Luck.

[mixz1]

Hi mixz1 .... see my suggestions over at the Lenovo Forum:

http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/T61-and-pri ... 477#M59027

Good Luck.

Hi eecon,

See my reply at http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/T61-and-pri ... se/page/95

and for the rest of the board:

Hi eecon. Good to hear from you again. Unfortunately, here in Mexico things are quite different, plus the process has changed. Previously you called an 800 number in Argentina (!) and they arranged with the Mexican depot repair in Guadalajara to UPS a box to you to send your machine in. Everything traveled by surface and the round trip could take 2 weeks.

Recently, the procedure changed. You still call Argentina but they contact a local repair shop, in this case in downtown Cancun, who then calls you and tells you to carry the machine in.

The local repair shop does not stock any parts. They order what they need, in this case a system board, from the Lenovo facility in Guadalajara. There is no guarantee that Guadalajara has the part, and it may have to come from the US.

As I previously posted, the last system board had a defective pointer set, so no TrackPoint or TrackPad. I just received an email from the repair shop stating the the second system board (the 5th replacement) has a dead 1394 port and that they've requested yet another replacement from Lenovo. This is the third week the machine has been out of service for this repair.

As far as opening the machine to remove the heatsink and replace the thermal paste, that's a definite no-no. The machine is under warranty for another year. Here in Mexico any evidence of opening the machine other than replacing a hard disc or installing memory is a definite warranty voider. As long as Lenovo is paying for the fix I'm not going to risk voiding the warranty.

Nevertheless, I am disappointed at the lack of QC and this round of repairs, now in excess of 21 days, assuming the usual 11 month life of the GPU, will probably be my last round of business with Lenovo.

[JAJO]

I have problems with Lenovo service in Poland too.

I called to the center and they told me to contact with some official service provider. I contacted by phone with 2 different service provider and they said to send them e-mail with my problem. I didn't recive any answer from both. O_o