Thinkpads Forum

Mr Butterfingers did an upgrade of the CPU in his 380z (http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=74989) and then lost the internal connector for the Trackpoint cable. The 380z won't boot beyond the Trackpoint check (unless someone knows a trick) so I have to reconnect the cable. But I don't know what the connector looks like and I'm hoping someone can take a picture of the connector for me so I can find a replacement. (If anyone has a broken 380z with this part, I'll buy it.)

In the following picture, the two wider connectors slide directly into their sockets. The narrow cable in the centre is the Trackpoint cable (note, needs a connector, not shown):
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/9572/380zkbcables.jpg

The connector would be what attaches to the small socket shown here:
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/9265/380zkbsockets.jpg
Close up:
http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/8145/3 ... nector.jpg

By the way you frugality fans, all pictures were taken with a digital camera of the same vintage as the 380z. (o:

The connector is there. You just need the retainer bar that secures the cable in the connector. Someone with an old systemboard would have that...I doubt you'd be able to buy one retail anywhere. It looks like the ones on the two larger connectors, just smaller.

Harryc wrote:The connector is there. You just need the retainer bar that secures the cable in the connector. Someone with an old systemboard would have that...I doubt you'd be able to buy one retail anywhere. It looks like the ones on the two larger connectors, just smaller.

Thanks for your message, HarryC. I see what you're saying... the larger connectors are in fact clipped on as well. I had not noticed that. I don't know how I managed to pop the "retainer bar" off... Or to lose it. I am not proud of myself.

Looks like aside from the retainer bar missing, there's a pice of plastic broken off that middle connector as well. However, that broken piece of plastic might not make too big of a deal. I have a dead 380D motherboard in a box somewhere and would be glad to remove it's retaining clip and mail it to you if you want to try fixing that connector.

AlphaKilo470 wrote:Looks like aside from the retainer bar missing, there's a pice of plastic broken off that middle connector as well. However, that broken piece of plastic might not make too big of a deal. I have a dead 380D motherboard in a box somewhere and would be glad to remove it's retaining clip and mail it to you if you want to try fixing that connector.

That would be kind of you! Yes, the right clip is broken -- I think Mr Hyde did this part of the upgrade, because Dr Jekyll doesn't recall doing this butchery at all. I'd better video-record all my video repairs in the future.

I accidentally did a similar butcher shop job to a Handspring Visor I was replacing the screen on back when I was still in high school. Every now and then, when you take apart as many gadgets as I do, something will break by my fault.

Does anyone know which Thinkpad models have the same or a similar connector? I still don't have the 380z working and I really need it!

Any video card pulled from a 770 series Thinkpad should also have the connector.

The video card itself has this connector, or the circuit board to which the video card connects? I don't know the 770 model.

you got PM

Thanks! Yes, that certainly does look like the same connector. Now to find one of these boards...

el-sahef wrote:you got PM

cogitordi wrote:Thanks! Yes, that certainly does look like the same connector. Now to find one of these boards...

I have a 770ED video card in my parts bin. Drop me a link to the picture and I'll see if its got what you need.

Link sent by PM.

I would like to thank El-Sahef for mentioning that the 770 video card has the same connector, and Virge for kindly sending me the spare video card that he had gathering dust.

Gentlemen, I salute you!

So does the 380Z boot now? I always like happy endings .

Harry, you're a sly one! Yes indeed, it appears that I did not bungle the CPU upgrade. Whew.

I could not have solved the problem if not for this site. Of course, I never would have attempted the CPU upgrade if someone hadn't put the suggestion into my head here. (o:

There's a noticeable improvement in performance with the PII 400 CPU. (I still won't be doing any video encoding on this machine.)

On the whole, I would say that the upgrade is not difficult. But beware the curse of the Trackpoint connector!

Excellent, another classic Thinkpad lives on. Good luck with it.