ThinkPad R51 HDD fail

[riprex]

Hi, i have problem with my ThinkPad, it see HDD in BIOS, bootmenu, but i can't boot from it. When i try to boot Ubuntu from pendrive it was OK, but when try to format HDD it's failed, so I can see it, but can't read or write. HDD is tested on another machine and is OK, when i try another tested HDD it was same problem. DVD-ROM works fine so I think that IDE is not dead. I try BIOS reflash but without success. Can anybody help me? Thank you and sorry for my English, I'am Czech .

[RealBlackStuff]

Remove the keyboard, palmrest and wifi card.
Then reconnect the keyboard temporarily.
Under the wifi card you see a big Intel (Southbridge) chip. Put and keep pressure on that chip and try to boot from HD.
Try different places on the chip.
If it now recognizes the HD, it means you need to get the Southbridge reballed.
Let us know what happens.

[riprex]

No, it is not a BGA issue, that was problem mainly of T4x series, R5x series was better. I don't know what is wrong, but lshw in Linux terminal shows that the IDE works only on 33MHz. Any ideas?

[Harryc]

Turn off the predesktop area in BIOS, then write all zero's to the drive with Activekilldisk. Turn the predesktop area back on then load the machine using Lenovo recovery discs. If you don't have those do not turn the predesktop area back on and install XP as normal. If that does not work with more than one drive then you have a hardware problem at the systemboard level.

[riprex]

Yes, it is systemboard problem because I can't write anything to HDD and every app to HDD diagnostics or formatting crash so i can't format, read or write HDD in this laptop, but in another one it is not problem. I'am asking what on the board failed and how I can repair it.

[ajkula66]

riprex wrote:

No, it is not a BGA issue, that was problem mainly of T4x series, R5x series was better.

This is really not true. I've seen *many* R5x units that were affected by loose solder joints.

Having said that, have you tried swapping the RAM, or testing it with memtest86?

[riprex]

I have tried another RAM and CPU but without sucess, still same problem. It must be caused by systemboard. I will try ultrabay HDD adapter, but I have not any so I must borrow it. I think that will work because optical drive works fine.

[riprex]

Any ideas how to repair system board?

[RealBlackStuff]

Did you try and put pressure on the Southbridge?
If that is the problem, then the only proper solution is reballing that chip, or replacing the mobo.
Check www.reflowrepairs.co.uk if you are interested.