T60 motherboard question: Are 42T0120 and 44C3969 identical?

[Johan]

I recently bought via eBay.com (USA) an used, but cosmetically like-new FlexView/IPS 15" SXGA+ T60; a 2007-5BU which is a T2400 (1.83 GHz Core Duo) with the 64 MB ATI X1300 GPU and no WWAN. Since I wanted it to be like-new (all plastics was in perfect condition), I had its backlight replaced, by a US-based ThinkPad expert. After the CCFL replacement I had it carefully inspected by a ThinkPad expert and received the information that it was in perfect condition. Then, it was shipped to me here in Denmark from USA. So far, so good. Upon booting it for the first time it however abruptly shut down; no beeps, no messages, no BSOD, just dropped power during the boot process. All subsequent attempts to boot resulted in the same; it starts up to a certain extent, then abruptly drops power. I have taken out all "loose parts" one by one to try isolate the error; the CD/DVD-RW, the miniPCI WLAN interface, the battery, the RAM, has swapped RAM and the AC power supply with known-to-be-good parts etc.; same behaviour. Also can't boot mini-XP from a Linux-CD. Sigh. Blasted!

So, I thought that this may eventually require a new motherboard (sigh!!!), and saw from a Parts Lookup that the original motherboard in this T60 was Mfg part # 42W2222 and FRU part # 42T0120 which is described as "945GM PLANAR FRU". Inside this particular T60 the motherboard is however labeled FRU 44C3977 (?!). From other similar X1300-T60's I know that the FRU 42T0120 motherboard may have Mfg part # 42W7434 or 42T5518 which I guess are different revisions (older/newer?) of the same mobo?

Now to the question: On eBay.de I found a seller advertising with an used T60 X1300 mobo having FRU 42T0120. I bought it, but yesterday received a mobo having FRU 44C3969. I have been unable to find out if the expected 42T0120 is the same as the received 44C3969 (and if 44C3969 is the same as the present 44C3977?), so I'm kindly asking for help here.

According to a eBay.com listing by forum.thinkpad.com member dimitri-p here 44C3969 and 44C3977 and 42T0120 are "compatible" but first I am hesitating to take an eBay listing as The Truth and second I don't quite know what is behind the word "compatible"?

If checking the price for 42T0120 and 44C3969 and 44C3977 via IBM/Denmark spare parts, 42T0120 and 44C3977 cost the same while 44C3969 is somewhat cheaper which "kind of" indicate that these three parts are not identical??

So, bottom line: Should I be satisfied with the 39C3969 received or should I contact the eBay.de seller?

Thanks in advance for any feedback to this - and, yes, I agree that I'm quite confused by the many different IBM/Lenovo "identical" Mfg Parts and FRU #'s...

PS: If anyone should dare a suggestion what might be the cause for the abruptly-dropping-power T60, or how I may try hunt down the error/cause, by all means feel free!

Johan

[RealBlackStuff]

If you think the T60 mobos are confusing, have a look at the list I have compiled for T4x/R5x mobos!
Over ONE HUNDRED varieties, and new ones are still cropping up! http://www.theboardroom.info/ibm_list.htm

The 42T0120, 44C3969 and 44C3977 are all ATI-X1300/64MB without WWAN, so they are most likely very similar , if not identical. All of them are for the standard 4:3 size T60.

As to Dimitri-p, I personally don't trust him and would never buy from him.
His items and shipping are overpriced, and his packing is apparently shoddy in the extreme (see the negative feedback thread in Marketforum).

I had its backlight replaced, by a US-based ThinkPad expert. After the CCFL replacement I had it carefully inspected by a ThinkPad expert and received the information that it was in perfect condition.

Not ONE, but TWO Thinkpad experts? And you receive a dead machine?
I would revert back to the 'inspecting' expert to verify this. Poor packaging? Damaged package?
I would take the fan off, and reseat the CPU, then try again. Does anything show on an external monitor?

[Johan]

Thanks very much for your rapid and very valuable fedback, Dominic - absolutely appreciated!

As to the malfunctioning (ThinkPad-expert-inspected/validated) T60 in question, I agree that I was fairly dissapointed, but what's there to say... reverting the T60 to the USA-based fellow is not an option, owing to all the export and then re-import customs hassle and shipping expenses, so I guess I'll just have to live with the "pain" and likewise for the loss owing to have the mobo replaced. The packaging/shipping was superb, so I don't believe that that was/is the cause.

I haven't had time to follow your suggestions, but I will try. I am however certain that nothing will appear on an external monitor after the T60 (abruptly?!) powers down, so reseating the CPU is the only suggestion there is to try.

Quite annoying, I agree. But, well... win some, lose some...

Johan