Refurb R61i - "whiteout" on LCD after mins, panel/GPU fail?

[jason1958]

Refurb R61i 7650-F7G - "whiteout" on LCD after few mins, external ok - panel / GMA GPU fail?

I have a R61i, "new" (refurbished), Vista Business, GMA graphics, 1280x800.

Booting the machine from cold...
- Desktop colours appear normal
- Desktop text is clear (set to "standard" not cleartype)

I have noticed what seems to be a slight up/down brightness shift, but Dim Display is set to "Never" on both Battery & AC Power.

After minutes, suddenly the display "whiteouts"
- Desktop colour is as though Gamma & Brightness jump to maximum
- Desktop text is virtually unreadable re "whiteout"

Trying an external monitor
- Desktop colour & text are FINE
- Indeed as time progresses the "Whiteout" gets worse.


If I run Intel Applet via "Graphics Properties" there is no change (Gamma 1.0, Brightness 0, Contrast 50).

I can force a "usable" display by setting Brightness -60, Contrast 40, but the end result is a hopeless "poster paint" image. It's bizarre.

If machine not-cold the "whiteout" happens in 2-3 mins (faster). Same on Battery or AC.

Since the external monitor is fine throughout, it looks like Panel/GPU failure?

Any thoughts anyone, need to RMA within days if a fault.

[Harryc]

It's very rare for Intel GPU's to go bad on Thinkpads, but I suppose it happens. Try tunning the PC-Doctor video tests and see if they pick out a failure code or something.

[jason1958]

This is what it looks like when it "whiteouts".

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/8408/r61ifail.jpg
img37.imageshack.us/img37/8408/r61ifail.jpg

Left is internal panel, Right is external image on monitor.
The next on the internal panel begins to "melt away" as whiteout seems to get worse with time.

[jason1958]

Ran PC Doctor video card tests, all ok.

However it is now worse.
- Vista screen - essentially a total whiteout
- Thinkpad Vantage screen - total whiteout
- BIOS screen - almost unreadable text re deciphering

External monitor fine in all instances.

It was a "Warranty Repaired" item, from Event Viewer looks to have sat around from Oct08 until May09 when presumably repaired re "Job #" and "Person 104" label on the underside. PAT-Type test label on the PSU plug saying "SCC".

Have tried to raise an RMA, but so far the suppliers system ignores "warranty repaired" returns - presales of course said otherwise. Problem now occurs from switch-on & gets worse each time.

Looks like the warranty repair may have been incomplete.

[Harryc]

I agree that a warranty repair is needed.