Re: SXGA+ on a X60s (non tablet)
Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2011 3:00 pm
all
After 4 weeks of trolling the German and Korean sites with Google translate, buying almost $50 of materials (kapton tape, EMI tape, copper tape, fine solder, fabric tape etc) and an $200 X61s off eBay, printing almost 50 pages of documentation so that I would have everything on hand and working off a very precise activity checklist, I just finished the conversion two nights ago. It took me 5 1/2 hours from start to finish including time to remove the donor screen from a (perfectly OK) X60t.
I butchered my X60t to get the screen. I got a very good deal on eBay for an X61s and was prepared to kill the tablet at that point: I use Linux and while the BIOS was not an issue, I was fortunate enough to get the fixed BIOS from a source that I cannot disclose. The actually dis-assembly was the easiest part since I have lots of experience with LCD replacements on X-series machines.
I bought the cable from i.thinkpad as well. When it came in, I removed and re-soldered all the wires myself. I also replaced the masking tape used to bind the soldered end with Kapton tape when I was done with soldering. Crimping seemed to have been done right and I did not have to do anything about that. I also took the 2 +3.3v lines and wrapped them separately in EMI shielding tape and deliberately run those by themselves to the LCD from the point where the harness connects to the standard connector. I was able to get a perfect picture on the first boot.
I did some things differently from the standard methodology and they worked for me: YMMV.
- when I was taking my donor LCD from the X60t, I was praying non-stop that it was the 100 and not the 101. Also praying that I had a G4 (plastic digitzer fixed with foam tape) rather than the G5 (bonded glass). Was lucky on both counts. Amen!
- I actually (deliberately) broke the ears that bind the antennae to the metal arms running up the screen. This means I could not mount the antennae in a standard way and had to kapton tape them to the LCD cover. I lost some wireless signal because of this - while the machine does not necessarily connect slower when I am close to an access point, there is certainly a longer delay in downloading when I am some distance away from the access point I am using. I think this might be because there is no contact between the LCD metal frame and the antennae. I will go back and make this contact using copper tape at some point but it is not really an issue for me now.
- my grinder 'failed' and I ended up using pliers to remove the 4 corner metal ears. 200 rocks each, back and forth, no more than 5cm at a time to avoid cracking glass - total of 50 minutes. Not for the faint of heart - this went slow, took almost an 1 hour of the 5 hours of work to do all 4 ears. Did not have to separate the glass from the frame to remove all the ears as an extra bonus. - was really worried about having to do that any introduce dust into the mix which would effectively make the panel useless
- for the bottom ears, you can take off one side (which is a earthing connector I think) by lifting the corner of the white tape and removing a screw
- I did not have to grind any of the plastic cover - not sure why I did not have to - I think it was because I took the "legs" off the antennae. Everything fitted really snug and fitted without grinding
- For the LCD bottom right underneath the bezel, I put a couple of little plastic shims about 6mm x 1mm x 1mm over each of the hinges for the LCD to sit on to prevent it sliding down on the hinge - one of each side. I used 2 width-wise strips of double sided tape to hold the LCD to the back of the LID. Had to use a little more pressure than I was comfortable with to do this. I want to go back in and use slightly wider double sided tape.
- antennae wires were a bit of a doozy to figure out - you cannot run them under the metal rail - there is not enough room to screw the rail back onto the LCD when you are done. I ended up running them right on the inside of the rail but the fit is really tight
- I had to refold the standard LCD cable to make the ThinkLight get back into place with the new configuration (thanks for the secret Erik!)
- watch which you you put the backlight plug back in: you could potentially re-plug in reverse and then its bye bye LCD
All that aside, now have an X61s LCD for sale and a digitizer for the X60t tablet as well as a ton of parts - RAM, HDD, mainboard - essentially the whole machine aside from the LCD. Will post them shortly.
I need to thank Erik for all his help (and all the modders on the German and Korean blogs) , I could not have done this mod without all the patient advice and pointers that he gave me that turned the job from an "urrhggg, I give up" project into one where I went in forewarned and forearmed. Its great to be able to stand on the shoulders of giants.
After 4 weeks of trolling the German and Korean sites with Google translate, buying almost $50 of materials (kapton tape, EMI tape, copper tape, fine solder, fabric tape etc) and an $200 X61s off eBay, printing almost 50 pages of documentation so that I would have everything on hand and working off a very precise activity checklist, I just finished the conversion two nights ago. It took me 5 1/2 hours from start to finish including time to remove the donor screen from a (perfectly OK) X60t.
I butchered my X60t to get the screen. I got a very good deal on eBay for an X61s and was prepared to kill the tablet at that point: I use Linux and while the BIOS was not an issue, I was fortunate enough to get the fixed BIOS from a source that I cannot disclose. The actually dis-assembly was the easiest part since I have lots of experience with LCD replacements on X-series machines.
I bought the cable from i.thinkpad as well. When it came in, I removed and re-soldered all the wires myself. I also replaced the masking tape used to bind the soldered end with Kapton tape when I was done with soldering. Crimping seemed to have been done right and I did not have to do anything about that. I also took the 2 +3.3v lines and wrapped them separately in EMI shielding tape and deliberately run those by themselves to the LCD from the point where the harness connects to the standard connector. I was able to get a perfect picture on the first boot.
I did some things differently from the standard methodology and they worked for me: YMMV.
- when I was taking my donor LCD from the X60t, I was praying non-stop that it was the 100 and not the 101. Also praying that I had a G4 (plastic digitzer fixed with foam tape) rather than the G5 (bonded glass). Was lucky on both counts. Amen!
- I actually (deliberately) broke the ears that bind the antennae to the metal arms running up the screen. This means I could not mount the antennae in a standard way and had to kapton tape them to the LCD cover. I lost some wireless signal because of this - while the machine does not necessarily connect slower when I am close to an access point, there is certainly a longer delay in downloading when I am some distance away from the access point I am using. I think this might be because there is no contact between the LCD metal frame and the antennae. I will go back and make this contact using copper tape at some point but it is not really an issue for me now.
- my grinder 'failed' and I ended up using pliers to remove the 4 corner metal ears. 200 rocks each, back and forth, no more than 5cm at a time to avoid cracking glass - total of 50 minutes. Not for the faint of heart - this went slow, took almost an 1 hour of the 5 hours of work to do all 4 ears. Did not have to separate the glass from the frame to remove all the ears as an extra bonus. - was really worried about having to do that any introduce dust into the mix which would effectively make the panel useless
- for the bottom ears, you can take off one side (which is a earthing connector I think) by lifting the corner of the white tape and removing a screw
- I did not have to grind any of the plastic cover - not sure why I did not have to - I think it was because I took the "legs" off the antennae. Everything fitted really snug and fitted without grinding
- For the LCD bottom right underneath the bezel, I put a couple of little plastic shims about 6mm x 1mm x 1mm over each of the hinges for the LCD to sit on to prevent it sliding down on the hinge - one of each side. I used 2 width-wise strips of double sided tape to hold the LCD to the back of the LID. Had to use a little more pressure than I was comfortable with to do this. I want to go back in and use slightly wider double sided tape.
- antennae wires were a bit of a doozy to figure out - you cannot run them under the metal rail - there is not enough room to screw the rail back onto the LCD when you are done. I ended up running them right on the inside of the rail but the fit is really tight
- I had to refold the standard LCD cable to make the ThinkLight get back into place with the new configuration (thanks for the secret Erik!)
- watch which you you put the backlight plug back in: you could potentially re-plug in reverse and then its bye bye LCD
All that aside, now have an X61s LCD for sale and a digitizer for the X60t tablet as well as a ton of parts - RAM, HDD, mainboard - essentially the whole machine aside from the LCD. Will post them shortly.
I need to thank Erik for all his help (and all the modders on the German and Korean blogs) , I could not have done this mod without all the patient advice and pointers that he gave me that turned the job from an "urrhggg, I give up" project into one where I went in forewarned and forearmed. Its great to be able to stand on the shoulders of giants.
I can't see any obvious signs of damage - I'm praying that it's just the video cable (and maybe the LCD) that's gone and nothing more serious.