Thinkpads Forum

Can the ThinkLight LED be replaced?
I bought a used X201, and everything works OK except the ThinkLight keyboard light.
When I press Fn+PgUp the on-screen icon for the light comes on, but the light itself does not come on.
So it's evidently a hardware issue, not a driver issue.

ThinkLight is attached to the LCD cable.

Yes, I found 44C9991.
Seems too complicated for me to replace.

Bust out the HMM and learn something.

The Thinklight on one of my X40 or X60 was not working due to bad soldering of one of the components (LED or resistor) on the flexiprint. Fixed it myself with a fine tipped soldering iron.
The LCD-cable from the mainboard is in fact a thin flexible circuitboard, and it ends at the Thinklight. There are no connectors for the Thinklight inside the lid.

So replacing the LCD cable should fix the Thinklight? I sent mine back for repair under warranty but Lenovo refused to take care of it because there was water damage to the screen itself, even though the light failed bfore that incident. Just one in a growing mound of disappointments from having to deal with Lenovo.

The Lenovo techs said they would do the screen fix but since it wasn't covered by warranty, it would cost in excess of $1000. Since that was more than the price of a new machine i declined. It looks like i could get a new screen and cable for under $200 and do it myself though...

Although I bought the X201 used, it's still under warranty.
The local Lenovo repair station replaced the LCD ribbon cable, but that did not fix the ThinkLight problem. They think maybe it's a motherboard problem.
So now I'm shipping it back to Lenovo to let them give it a try.

Make your own seems easier than replacing the existing one. A tiny light velcroed to the top of the screen.. 5 dollars, flexible, etc.

Just fixed the thinklight on my x201. For me it was a break in the flat flex cable where it disappears behind the LCD screen. I had the computer on, pressed Fn+PgUp, bent parts of the flex cable and the light flickered on. I narrowed the pressing of the cable to a point where I thought the break was. I scraped the flex cable with a knife to expose the copper and soldered thin hookup wire along the broken section (for both tracks as i didn't know which one was faulty). Reassembled and the light works.
Hope that helps someone else.

http://i.imgur.com/In5YBqr.jpg

Nice work!

nightfighter wrote:Just fixed the thinklight on my x201. For me it was a break in the flat flex cable where it disappears behind the LCD screen. Hope that helps someone else.

You. You represent the pioneer fix it spirit of thinkpads.com - a fellow australian too.

I had an x201 with a dead light and I believe it is a common thread among x200/01s... I seen many at ex-lease places and something like 75% or more had dead lights.

I just bought another 201 that was in better condition. Its easier for me to find another unit rather than fix units I have.

nightfighter FTMFW

Yeah it does seem a common issue on these models. Ive had 5 or 6 & the lights were gone on 2 of them.
I was after a 2.16ghz X200s which are not as easy to find in the uk & got one with a broke light. I use it quite a lot & the guy had another 3 for sale. I asked him & they were all broke

Thank you nightfighter.
Two X201 thinklights repaired with your method.