My T60 display is too dim - options ?

[Wiking]

*I know that I'm asking many Q in last few days but I'm just trying to fix my T60 to survive well another year without problems because I'm a student and won't have time later to fix thinks.
SO:
I have T60 2007-FUG with ATI X1400 with 14.1 SXGA+
Without an AC adapter, the display is too dim compared for example to my home PC with IBM display. The bright function is on the max with FN button.
What are my options besides replacing the whole display ?
Can I replace only the CCFL ? how and do I need soldering it ? Isn't it pull and put new one in ? How difficult can it be ?
From who can I buy new CCFL (if this is the problem) if my only option is ebay and paypal (because I'm from Israel) ?
any other suggestions ?

Also, does it worth replacing the fan if my machine is more than 3 years old ? or just put new thermal paste (already cleaned one time the fan but sometimes it makes a little bit strange noises) ? If yes, from who to buy new fan ?
It is a great forum and helped me in the past to fix my R32 so my best choose is to ask here.
Thank you for helping
Lior

[ZaZ]

You can replace the CFFL and it's cheaper than doing the LCD, but it's a very tedious job. You're probably better off doing the LCD. The T60 displays are particularly dim and will never be as good as a desktop LCD even if you replaced the LCD or CFFL. There is a setting in the BIOS which makes the LCD as bright on battery as it is when plugged in. I'd see what your temps are before deciding to replace the fan/heatsink.

[rumbero]

Without an AC adapter, the display is too dim compared for example to my home PC with IBM display. The bright function is on the max with FN button.
What are my options besides replacing the whole display ?

Are you aware that there is a BIOS option which defines the sceen's brightness? Maybe this would already help a bit?

Also, does it worth replacing the fan if my machine is more than 3 years old ? or just put new thermal paste (already cleaned one time the fan but sometimes it makes a little bit strange noises) ? If yes, from who to buy new fan ?

If the fan already makes strange noises, these are preliminary signs for a worn out unit and i'd opt for replacing it. I'd suggest to replace the fan with a unit for a T61 as they are much more silent due to some construction differences. Search eBay for FRU 42W2821 and don't buy the cheapest chinese stuff, but try to get an original Lenovo part. You don't need to purchase the complete fan assembly, but just the fan unit.

[rumbero]

Can I replace only the CCFL ? how and do I need soldering it ? Isn't it pull and put new one in ? How difficult can it be ?
From who can I buy new CCFL (if this is the problem) if my only option is ebay and paypal (because I'm from Israel) ?

If i were you, i'd try to get a complete LCD and just replace the whole unit. You surely can replace the CCFL, but be prepared for failure if you have never done it before. Many people don't recommend doing it because it is not easy to properly realign the LCD layers, and also because you easily end up with pesky dust enclosures which are hard to avoid.

Here are some links for how to procedures:

http://www.laptoprepair101.com/laptop/2 ... -ccfl-lamp
http://www.lcdparts.net/howto/troublesh ... CCFL1.aspx

Disclaimer: I never tried this myself and therefore can't really guarantee that these howto's are actually worth considering.

And since you would then have a left over worn LCD, i'd try to replace the CCFL in this one anyway. If it fails it won't matter as you already have a working replacement running in your Thinkpad, and you would also have learned a lot. But if it doesn't fail, you would have equally learned a lot, and additionally have a known good spare part for the future.

There are some vendors on eBay which will happily sell you a replacement CCFL, but lots of people experienced with CCFL replacement would rather suggest to buy a broken original Thinkpad LCD from eBay instead due to replacement CCFL quality issues. Search for a damaged LCD with only a broken screen but still intact CCFL. Make sure to ask the vendor if the backlight still works before placing any bid.

[ZENPLA]

Hi Wiking,
If you dont want to go in Bios settings ,LCD brightness setting on battery can be access via the thinkvantage tool "Thinkpad configuration" (LCD display/brightness on battery/high)...
If it's already install,you can access by Start/All programs/Thinkvantage/thinkpad configuration....If it's non installed yet,you can download and install it via system update or directly from Lenovo support site..

Have a good day..!!
Eric

[Wiking]

Find FRU 42W2821 is not easy and I found just 2-3 sellers. Does this FRU is the whole fan assembly or just the fan ? Does the whole assembly will fit into my T60 if I'll buy the whole assembly ? Any other FRU that will fit also ?
this for example:
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-IBM-Lenovo-Thin ... 919wt_1071
or
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Genuine-IBM-Len ... 840wt_1304
Temps for now by TPFC.62 (TPfan control)(I sit on the balcony with 30c outside) with jdownloader working in the background:
1 cpu 64°C
2 aps 52°C
3 crd 40°C
4 gpu 62°C
5 no5 53°C
7 bat 43°C
9 bus 45°C
10 pci 53°C
11 pwr 52°C


I'll check about the BIOS brightness - didn't know that there is an option for this too.
what is my best choose for the screen ? Is the SXGA+ is the most advanced for my model or I can put something better ?
Thanks you all again for the big help.
Lior

[rumbero]

Find FRU 42W2821 is not easy and I found just 2-3 sellers. Does this FRU is the whole fan assembly or just the fan ? Does the whole assembly will fit into my T60 if I'll buy the whole assembly ? Any other FRU that will fit also ?

Make sure to do a world wide search, or explicitly search in ebay.de or ebay.co.uk or ebay.fr and not only in the US ebay. Also amazon.com might be an option to look for electronics. According to http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... 68208.html, FRU 42W2821 is the "Thermal device and fan (integrate)", so i guess this is the complete thing. No idea of the FRU for a single fan, sorry.

what is my best choose for the screen ? Is the SXGA+ is the most advanced for my model or I can put something better ?

For a 14,1" machine this is probably already the best option. The 15,1" T60 offer Flexview display options including up to UXGA (1600x1200), but this is not possible on the smaller 14,1" versions, unfortunately.

That is why some people combine a 14,1" T61 mainboard with a 15,1" T60 case and UXGA Flexview display. You get much better CPU and RAM options thanks to the T61 mainboard, while retaining the wonderful T60 UXGA Flexview display. Best of two worlds.

[Wiking]

Thank you all for helping.
Also, you were right - changed settings in BIOS from normal to brightness and it is much better now (despite battery life but it is understandable).

[redleaderone]

Thank you all for helping.
Also, you were right - changed settings in BIOS from normal to brightness and it is much better now (despite battery life but it is understandable).

Hi - that is just the default setting. If you have installed the ThinkPad HotKeys driver, then you can use the Fn key combinations to adjust on the fly.

Also, Power Manager can adjust as well.

[Wiking]

Yes, but with the hotkeys function it's still too dim. BIOS configuration solve this.

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

[Wiking]

Updating:
Decided not to do anything about the screen right now. When it will die, I'll replace it.
About the Fan: Just ordered new T61 fan assembly FRU 42W2821 from local IBM service in Israel. The cost is 45$. Good price by me for genuine original new part.
I ordered it because started to hear noises from the fan again when I move the laptop and in 2 weeks I'm leaving the country so I want to be safe.