Thinkpads Forum

carcuevas wrote:

dogeitrade wrote:tried to install the fhd mod today, didnt go too well ;_;

What did happen? what did not go so well? I master destroying things, but at the end I could it make it work... so maybe I can help...

a few problems, first there was noise on the screen, static like flickering pixels, and while trying to fix it, i lifted a few solderpads on the mod boards that connects to the docking port, when i tried to remove excess solder using solder wick, i guess i didn't have my iron hot enough.

dogeitrade wrote: a few problems, first there was noise on the screen, static like flickering pixels, and while trying to fix it, i lifted a few solderpads on the mod boards that connects to the docking port, when i tried to remove excess solder using solder wick, i guess i didn't have my iron hot enough.

You should post some pictures so we can see how bad it is.

boutch55555 wrote:

dogeitrade wrote: a few problems, first there was noise on the screen, static like flickering pixels, and while trying to fix it, i lifted a few solderpads on the mod boards that connects to the docking port, when i tried to remove excess solder using solder wick, i guess i didn't have my iron hot enough.

You should post some pictures so we can see how bad it is.

Yes better, so we can see the extension of the damage...

Here is his post on reddit with pictures: https://www.reddit.com/r/thinkpad/comme ... n_to_x230/

I only see a small bit of sense-wire, where's the rest?

Update, going to ship my laptop, kit, screen off to nitrocaster to troubleshoot.
*fingers crossed*

Success! Although I have not finish the fitting yet.

Here are my thoughts:
- nitrocasters package is superb, everything is there and fits like a glove.
His manual is good as well.

- soldering the 2 wires is really tricky. It is of course very small, but also the melting temperature appears hard to reach.
A tiny bit of solder on the wire will help.

- Nitrocaster, is the copper sense wire that you included isolated?
I got that impression and used some other wire.

- I removed the studs in the display housing with some pliers, as the alloy is quite brittle.
I then removed the remainders with a small chisel.

Congrats!

mvan wrote: - soldering the 2 wires is really tricky. It is of course very small, but also the melting temperature appears hard to reach.
A tiny bit of solder on the wire will help.

I guess the tricky part was to solder the wires to the motherboard. It dissipates heat very well and it's assembled with lead-free solder (higher melting temperature). Not sure if that's possible with 15W iron.

mvan wrote: - Nitrocaster, is the copper sense wire that you included isolated?
I got that impression and used some other wire.

True. That's a wire used for coils and transformers, you have to scrape it to remove the coating.

So, here is my solder guide video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ4thZR_q0o
I was working on the floor with the camera on a table since I had no big tripod. Was really painful to get the right angles.

Feel free to tell me if you prefer :

The thick french Canadian accent
The lack of proper lighting
When I speak too low far away from the camera
That the video was cut short
My hands getting in the way

Just a little tip:
In order for brightness under linux to work, make sure that not just DP3, but also LVDS1 is enabled.
The reason is fairly obvious, but it puzzled me for a while.

(I use arandr for this, a GUI interface to Xrandr).

boutch55555 wrote:The thick french Canadian accent

Well, that's better than thick Russian accent

When you were soldering the adapter board, it looked like it didn't lay flat on the motherboard, which is not very good, because it's designed to fit just between the motherboard and the keyboard, and any extra thickness will bend the adapter board.
Another thing is that you can avoid those solder spikes by using a flux. Not everybody does have it, but it's worth mention.

nitrocaster wrote: When you were soldering the adapter board, it looked like it didn't lay flat on the motherboard, which is not very good, because it's designed to fit just between the motherboard and the keyboard, and any extra thickness will bend the adapter board.

I had no braid to unsolder it, used a 10 gage uncoated copper speaker wire, wasn't able to clean the holes properly. I just tested it to make sure it still works, didn't reassemble it completely. I will re-install it properly when I get my braid tomorrow.

Another thing is that you can avoid those solder spikes by using a flux. Not everybody does have it, but it's worth mention.

Got it only today, with my "support the right to repair" shirt from Louis Rossman. I thought about using my liquid one made to solder stained glass (that I did use on the "braid" speaker wire), but this was already ghetto enough...

If a 1440p mod were to be made at some point, would that use all the DP lanes on the docking port? Would I be able to connect any display via dock (VGA?)

Quantumcross wrote:If a 1440p mod were to be made at some point, would that use all the DP lanes on the docking port? Would I be able to connect any display via dock (VGA?)

WQHD kit would use the same DP#2 from dock. Therefore, same limitations apply.

I'm using my FHD-upgraded x220 with mini dock 3 (the one with one DP output).

You can use both at the same time:
- the FHD screen, which shows up as DP3
- an external DP screen, which shows up as DP2.

So the system works even better than I hoped, as this docking station keeps all its functionality.

Any updates on a new batch? I was signed up from day 1, but have yet to hear more than the mail sent out by Nitrocaster saying that the first batch is sold out, and I'll get to know when batch 2 is ready.

EDIT: Sorry, didn't read thoroughly enough, end of February it is.

jacobtc
It's in production now.

nitrocaster wrote:jacobtc
It's in production now.

Still aiming for end of February?

jacobtc
It depends on many things. I'll let you know when it's ready.

Got my kit the other day, thanks very much, the contents are really neat but very small.
So far so good.

Today I put it all in my X230, but I have come across a problem.
When I power on, the backlight comes on for a few seconds, but then goes off and stays off, and there is no picture at all.
With Fn/F7 I can switch the backlight On or Off again, but that is it, still no picture.
I have double- and triple-checked everything, but can't find anything wrong.
My X230 has the EC-mod for X220 keyboard and battery check, applied and tested working before I even bought the kit.
I'm also using a properly 'modded' X220 keyboard.
The mobo and LCD are still "outside".
Any suggestions?

Which display do you use? What happens when you boot with external monitor?
Take a picture of the installed adapter board with disconnected LVDS and eDP cables.

RealBlackStuff wrote:Got my kit the other day, thanks very much, the contents are really neat but very small.
So far so good.

Today I put it all in my X230, but I have come across a problem.
When I power on, the backlight comes on for a few seconds, but then goes off and stays off, and there is no picture at all.
With Fn/F7 I can switch the backlight On or Off again, but that is it, still no picture.
I have double- and triple-checked everything, but can't find anything wrong.
My X230 has the EC-mod for X220 keyboard and battery check, applied and tested working before I even bought the kit.
I'm also using a properly 'modded' X220 keyboard.
The mobo and LCD are still "outside".
Any suggestions?

What about the FFC to the LVDS? did you try to move it a bit to see if there is a problem of the cable...? I was having similar problem, the difference was that the computer needed to be hot, but at the end it turned out that the problem was the FFC..

I have an LG -SPB4 screen.
Booting with an external monitor works fine, offering "Boot menu/Application Menu", going into AppMenu/Setup goes to BIOS.
Picture is here: http://imgur.com/a/TDnCv

Fiddling with either LCD or flat cable does not change/improve anything.

Try boot with external monitor and see if the operating system does recognize FHD display.

With HDD with W7Pro/64-bit installed, laptop crashes with STOP 7B on both SATA = Compatibility and AHCI (external monitor only).

Are you getting BSOD just by booting with external monitor?
Can you boot first (with connected FHD display) and attach external monitor afterwards?

With only FHD installed, boot, wait for one minute (still no backlight unless Fn/F7, and no image), then plug in external monitor, it shows Windows loading and offering to Repair or start Normally.
Repair takes about 10 seconds and says Cannot repair.
Start normally crashes with STOP 7B.

My wife wants me to stop and have dinner, sorry.
Continue tomorrow please!

You have some issue which seems to be unrelated to FHD adapter.

RealBlackStuff wrote:Picture is here: http://imgur.com/a/TDnCv

Top right solder looks like it's just a ball on top and didn't go through.

boutch55555 wrote:

RealBlackStuff wrote:Picture is here: http://imgur.com/a/TDnCv

Top right solder looks like it's just a ball on top and didn't go through.

Yes I saw that too, maybe it's not doing the proper contact...

Also can you try some linux distribution, for example MINT should work out the box (be sure that your AC adapter is connected to the computer I meant don't run just in Battery)..