Thinkpads Forum

I'm looking for doner systems for some parts out of my T61p. I found a T60 that boots to the BIOS (w/o HDD) and I'm trying to figure out what screen the machine has and the owner doesn't seem to know. He said that he thinks it is a 1280x800 but I thought these 14" machines came with either 1024x768 or the SXGA+ 1400x1050. The model is a 8895CTO. I have a picture of the BIOS page and it say's:

System Unit Serial #: 8895W97L3D4371

Is there a way to tell screen type with this number or without an OS? I guess I could worry less about the screen and just replace it with a separate screen from another purchase but that would probably be another $100 on top of the doner machine.

1) Go to http://www.lenovo.com
2) Select Support (ThinkPad-brand products)
3) Use Quick Path
4) Enter 8895W97
5) You will then read the following specifications:

ThinkPad T61 (8895-W97)
Based on 8895-CTO: T7100(1.8GHz), 2GB RAM, 80GB 5400rpm HD, 14.1in 1024x768 LCD, Intel X3100, CDRW/DVD, Intel 802.11agn wireless, Bluetooth, Modem, 1Gb Ethernet, UltraNav, Secure chip, 6c Li-Ion, WinVista Business 32

... in other words a T61 with "the old" non-widescreen 4:3 format LCD. You can use 4:3 format LCD's from T60's in this laptop.

If you select go to Parts Lookup and anter your machine model (8895) and the serial number (L3D4371) you will find exactly what parts are in your T61 (at the time of shipping)... which include "P/N 42T0364 FRU 42T0365 14.1 INCH XGA LCD DISPLAY FRU (CMO)". If you have the model and the serial number of any e.g. T60 or T61, you may use the same approach to find the original part numbers (in the laptop at the time of shipping). If you boot e.g. a T60 or a T61 to BIOS, the model 8e.g. 8895) and the serial number will be displayed there... from there on, you may use the Parts Look approach to find parts inside. Then use the Service parts list index - ThinkPad page to "decode" any part numbers and FRU's to find out what's behind the P/N's and FRU's.

T60's, and T61's for that sake, are available with both 4:3 format non-widescreens and widescreens; see e.g. the Personal Systems Reference, Lenovo ThinkPad® Notebooks, 2005 to present - withdrawn, August 2011 - Version 404

Johan

Johan, that is great info. Thanks very much! I wish that machine had the SXGA+ screen because the price is right. I guess I'll keep looking. If this machine would also take T60 screens, would it accept an IPS screen from a T60?

IPS screens are only available in 15" 4:3 standard or in small 12.1" 4:3 standard, as in some X61t.
Some exotic other sizes are also available, bit there is NO IPS screen for a T61.
What you CAN do, is get a 15" T60 with IPS LCD, and put in a T61 motherboard.
There are several threads in this forum discussing the "how to".

RBS, thanks so much for your input. I realized pretty quickly that there was no IPS screen for the 14". I was happy with the SXGA+ but, before it broke, my old LCD had some white blotches and a couple of nicks but the quality was decent. I think I would be happy with an SXGA+ screen again before I can get a new computer.

Kudos to Johan for providing these superb reference items!

cadillacmike68 wrote:Kudos to Johan for providing these superb reference items!

Thanks very much for your kind feedback, Mike - certainly much appreciated! Actually, is is because of people behaving like you that it is fun to be sharing experience on this forum.

As I am sure you have noticed, people are different in their approach when asking or replying on forums like this, but for me it always is most pleasant to try to provide thorough information (which I seek to do, when able), rather than posting e.g. just a single line with some brief reply which may not really share as many usable details, and therefore does not help as good, as I am able to. I hope that this is in line with what is stated in the thread These are the RULES of this ROAD - READ ME NOW where it says:

2. The primary purpose of this Forum is to act as an educational forum for the exchange of information for all things Thinkpad. All are encouraged to participate in this information exchange in the spirit of openness and fun. Keeping this place a comfortable and enjoyable place on the Internet to spend your time is strongly encouraged. Emotional outbursts and personal attacks are not.

Thanks again, Mike - and I hope that you will hang around here for the future, as well as I am sure, that I will.

Johan

Johan wrote:but for me it always is most pleasant to try to provide thorough information (which I seek to do, when able), rather than posting e.g. just a single line with some brief reply which may not really share as many usable details, and therefore does not help as good, as I am able to.

Answering any such requests and questions this way is also a very good means to learn about stuff, and making these answers available for future reuse by spreading them all over the forum. For what i am concerned, the forum is like an open book, which i only need to search for real wisdom. Shaping one's answers in a way that they are both thorough and also easily searchable also makes them a good knowledge investment for oneself.