T61 inverter replacement - Eureka-it works! Hinge/Guide Q

[Rory]

I've watched the IBM service video, but to just replace the inverter, do I really need to remove the whole LCD assembly from the base of the laptop, then the back cover?

Or can I just undo the 5 screws in the front and release the bezel?

[Harryc]

Or can I just undo the 5 screws in the front and release the bezel?

Yes, just that ...

[Rory]

Yes, just that ...

Thanks - I can see that's the case on the T60, but the T61 looks more involved.

I see you have a T60 - may I ask if you've done this on a T61 too?

[Harryc]

I've done it on every model Thinkpad since 600, in some cases multiple times. I have not done it on the recently released T420 and T520 models, but I can tell you it will be the same. Remove the front bezel and replace the inverter.

[Rory]

OK, thanks! I've ordered the inverter now from IBM UK so I eagerly await its arrival.

[billp117]

When removing the T61 lcd bezel it is easy to break off the little metal tabs that hold the bezel in place. The lcd bezel has plastic wedge shaped pieces that snap into place and need care when prying them off. Following the video is helpful...

[Rory]

When removing the T61 lcd bezel it is easy to break off the little metal tabs that hold the bezel in place. The lcd bezel has plastic wedge shaped pieces that snap into place and need care when prying them off. Following the video is helpful...

Thanks - I note it says somewhere that the bezel is also stuck with double sided tape, so I imagine it's going to be difficult to judge the right amount of force. The guy in the video seems to struggle releasing the back panel but perhaps it would be as well to do that - in fact the written instructions in the manual show it being eased open as part of the inverter replacement instructions so maybe that would enough.

There are little slots in the top and bottom inner edges of the bezel - are they to get your finger-nails in to pull the bezel off?

[Harryc]

A guitar pick is your friend on that job.

[richk]

It is easier if you remove the rear LCD cover first. You can see where most of the bezel tabs are.

[billp117]

Agreed...that way you can prevent breaking those little cast metal tabs.

[Rory]

Well, the inverter arrived today so I thought I'd change it.

To be honest, it was hard - as expected the sticky tape, which seemed to be on both the back panel and the bezel, made judging where, and how hard, to pull pretty difficult. I had to remove the antenna on the left of the screen to release the bezel clips on that side.

Anyway, put the new inverter in, popped the battery back in and fired it up to try it and it worked fine.

Removed the battery and put the bezel and back cover on. Then found a piece of plastic which I eventually realised was the cover for the cable from the base to the screen. Took ages to figure how it should go back into the swivelling piece that remained in place.

Booted it up again while docked - great backlight but no video! Arghhh!!! What was even more scary was it didn't default to the external monitor as it should do when docked so I couldn't see when to do the fingerswipe. I did it anyway and thankfully it continued to boot and then eventually switched to the external monitor - no idea why that didn't happen immediately - it's been working fine like that since the backlight went faulty.

My confidence is a bit battered so think I'll leave it alone until the weekend when I'm not pressured on time.

[goofyGAguy]

That all sounds like way too much trouble just to swap inverters. It's usually a five-minute job.

[Rory]

That all sounds like way too much trouble just to swap inverters. It's usually a five-minute job.

Well, I've never done it before so it was a bit of a struggle. You'd get quicker the more you did it. I can't imagine how it would be possible the get the bezel off without removing the back cover.

I suspect I've miss-assembled the ribbon cable guide and damaged the video cable, or possibly pulled it out of its connector in the base (although it looks intact and seems tight).

I've got a T420 coming so I think I'll leave the T61 alone until I'm up and running with the new machine.

Just annoyed really - it worked fine before I reassembled it!

[Rory]

Thinking about this a bit - I'm struggling to imagine the video cable is damaged. It looks OK, and it's the same cable that powers everything else in the lid, all of which is working OK, including the backlight.

I'm wondering if I'm doing something daft here but I'm loath to mess about with settings etc in case I get into a mode where even the external display won't work.

Anyone have any ideas about why the screen won't display video? Even powering it up undocked and on battery, the backlight comes on, but there's no video at all.

[richk]

Tell me what you did? Did you do the job with the screen attached to the base or did you remove it? Did you remove the LCD rear cover? Is the screen all white? If not, what does it look like?

[Rory]

Tell me what you did? Did you do the job with the screen attached to the base or did you remove it? Did you remove the LCD rear cover? Is the screen all white? If not, what does it look like?

Didn't separate the screen assembly from the base.

Just removed the LCD rear cover (the lid), removed the bezel and swapped the inverter.

I then put the battery in and booted it up and it was fine. Took the battery out and refitted the bezel and lid. At that point discovered a piece of plastic which I now realise is the rear part of the LCD ribbon cable hinge. I couldn't figure out exactly how it was fitted and clipped it in into its mating half but with both parts in front of the cable (so the cable went around the back of the hinge, instead of through it). Fired it up and I just get a white screen (backlight and no video).

I thought I might have stretched and damaged the LCD cable, or possibly diconnected it at one end or the other. So I disassembled everything (way easier the second time!) and this time undid and pulled the screen forward and the screen connector looks fine. Haven't looked inside the base unit but in view of the fact that everything else in the lid works it seems unlikely there is a problem with the base connector.

I just wonder if there's a settings issue - I had the machine set to default to external DVI when docked since the inverter started paying up, but the first time I booted it, nothing happened. I guessed it was booting so swiped my finger and then used the Func+F7 to swap to the external display. Since then it boots straight to the external display, as it did before all this. Now when I F7 back to the laptop screen, or boot it undocked, all I get is a white screen.

[Rory]

Took it all to bits again (I'm getting good at this now) and this time pulled the LCD out.

Sure enough the cable was very slightly out of its female half. Pushed it back in, refixed the tape, and it works! Phew!! (hmmm....shall I cancel my T420 order ).

It seems it was my mis-assembly of the LCD ribbon cable hinge/guide that caused the problem - there ought to be a warning about this!

I still can't figure out which way it should go - the back piece has a raised straight edge - does that go up or down? I have it down, but I'm not convinced that's right.

[Harryc]

Someone with a T61 should be able to post a closeup pic of the ribbon cable guide. I know on a T60 the raised straight edge points down, and the ribbon cable goes through the slot created when the two pieces snap together. Glad you got it working.

[hjanzen]

I found this picture of the T61 LCD cable.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Hans

[Rory]

Thanks - I think the straight edge is downwards, but it's pretty hard to tell!