Thinpad 570E suddenly dies (plus other questions...)

[logic7]

I have a TP 570E w/P3-500MHz processor, 320MB RAM, Ultrabase w/spare battery and CDROM drive, and either a Hitachi 60GB drive or my 160GB WD drive (I swap them in and out on occasion). I've had this laptop since about April or so and it worked fine until sometime in August when I had to use it heavily as a temporary replacement for my dead desktop. I had just bought the 160GB drive for it in July and had barely been using it a month when I would sometime leave my office and come back to it dead. In order to get it to power back up, I would have to undock it, remove the battery and then reseat it. Only then would it turn back on until it randomly shut down again. Recently, I thought the fan was dead and overheating was the problem, so I was all set to order a new fan for it when, over the weekend, it died after having been on for less than 5 minutes and at idle the whole time.

The fan doesn't appear to work, so I'm not 100% convinced this isn't part of the problem.

Other questions: Assuming I can even find a 512MB PC100 SODIMM, will the 570E recognize more than 320MB? I have Win2000 installed on my 60GB drive and XP Pro SP3 on the 160GB drive. More memory would be a welcome change under XP.

Also, From time to time the display starts distorting, only to clear up if I close and reopen the laptop. My 570 does this as well. Time for new LCD's for both of them?

[virge]

1. It sure sounds like a heat problem, especially since the fan isn't working. If you don't have a fan, try using one of those notebook coolers and see if it makes a difference.

2. Never heard of a 512MB PC100 SODIMM. The 570E uses low density memory. A 256MB module would have 16 chips so a 512MB module would have to fit 32 chips! I don't think there is room in there!

3. I've had several 570/E machines and the problem is usually in the LCD cable rather than the LCD. I would try that first if you can find another cable.

[logic7]

1. It sure sounds like a heat problem, especially since the fan isn't working. If you don't have a fan, try using one of those notebook coolers and see if it makes a difference.

2. Never heard of a 512MB PC100 SODIMM. The 570E uses low density memory. A 256MB module would have 16 chips so a 512MB module would have to fit 32 chips! I don't think there is room in there!

3. I've had several 570/E machines and the problem is usually in the LCD cable rather than the LCD. I would try that first if you can find another cable.

http://cgi.ebay.com/512MB-PC133-PC100-S ... 562c447bde

^^^ It's out there.

I'll try a notebook cooler. Didnt' think of that for some reason.