X61 with Dim Screen

[fasterbybike]

Hi

I've just acquired a X61 with a very dim screen. The vendor said he had replaced the screen (which was broken) and the inverter but it is still very dim. Not quite as dim as when the backlight is completely gone but very hard to read.

The model type is 7673 4NM

It outputs fine on the VGA connector.

Where should I start looking to fix this ?

Thanks

David

[ajkula66]

I'd start checking the fuses on the board...might be a wild guess, but that's the best one I have at the moment.

[richk]

Make sure it isn't just a configuration problem. Hold the Fn and Home keys to increase brightness

[fasterbybike]

Thanks for your help guys

There's no response to the FN brightness controls. Also I have now found the inverter is working.

I have just dismantled the lid assembly for a better look. I've connected a spare X31 LCD to the X61 inverter and the X31 screen lit up - obviously I'm not going to connect the incompatible signal cable . My guess is that the backlight is blown which is strange because the person I bought it from claimed it had a new LCD. When I get time I'll extract the ccfl tube and see if it lights up on the inverter. If I have to replace the LCD I might look at converting it to SXGA+

Cheers

D

[fasterbybike]

More progress ... I had a spare X31 screen from a damged machine I had purchased when I converted my X32 to SXGA+. I removed the ccfl from this screen and connected it to the X61 inverter. It fired up - a good sign

Next step was to carefully reomve the tube from the X61 LCD - sure enough it was broken in two places. A small soldering job and the X31 tube slid into the pocket at the base of the X61 screen.

Now the X61 works

Next step is to ask the vendor to remove the BIOS supervsior password. I've bought it via a third party from a local insurance company. Tech support at the insurance company can confirm it was theirs (via the type/serial) and that it has been legitimately decommissioned - but can't remember the BIOS password.

[adrianaitken]

They can remember the BIOS but since they use the same password for all their PC's and they don't want to publically broadcast it.
This is standard IT/IS practice the world over.

The trouble is, if you ask nicely if you could bring it in and let them unlock it, you'd show them up to be liars and you might demand to be told over the phone the password. For them it's a no win situation.

When I got my 2nd hand X61 with a locked BIOS, I paid someone £20 to remove it (he was selling the service via eBay). Including postage times, it took less than a week to get it unlocked. This might be you best (and least stressful) method.

[fasterbybike]

Thanks for the hints Adrian

We're not allowed to discuss password removal on the forum - suffice to say the X61 now has no BIOS password

Next task - reloading Windows XP and the Thinkpad drivers. There seems to be a fair amount of cruft on the system so a clean reinstall is the best place to start.

Product: ThinkPad X61 7673-4NM [change]
Operating system: All [change]

Original description: T7300(2GHz), 2GB RAM, 120GB 5400rpm HD, 12.1in 1024x768 LCD, Intel X3100, Intel 802.11agn(n-disabled), Bluetooth, Modem, 1Gb Ethernet, Secure chip, Fingerprint reader, 8c Li-Ion, WinVista Business

The battery has a full charge capacity of 74.8WHr (same as design) with 14 cycles.
Warranty expires June 2011.

Now to cost out the conversion to SXGA+. I'm spoilt by the resolution on the SXGA32 (X32 with SXGA+) I'm using so going back to an XGA LCD will be a pain.