LCD Problem - 770X

[manfred]

I have a question about LCD Screen. I have 8mb video card and the LCD screen is 1024x768. And I don't know what is going on. Matrix displays horizontal stripes and colors are a bit like plasticine, fuzzy. (look at the water, photo nr 1) Is this normal? Is it a driver fault? I know that it's an old lcd screen so I I do not expect super quality of course.

Photos of the problem:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/84 ... owanie.jpg
and
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/82 ... owanie.jpg

[Mod edit: replaced inline photos with links.]

[Unknown_K]

What color depth are you using?

[pkiff]

Like Unknown_K suggests, it looks like it is displaying the image in "16-bit" colours instead of "32-bit" colour depth. Or possibly the image itself has not been saved with full colour? Or possibly your LCD is actually 1250x1024 and you are scaling the entire desktop without knowing it?

Possibly solutions are:
- increase the colour depth
- reinstall the video driver
- (are you using Windows 98? if yes, then you should install the LCD profile that comes with the Win 98 Supplemental Files diskette for the 770 series).

Phil.

[manfred]

I'm using Windows 2000 and 32 bit color depth.

Resolution: 1024x768.

Where can I find drivers for this video card? Trident 9397DVD 8mb.

I tried to uninstall system drivers and I have installed some drivers for this card but there's no effect.

Even in menu called "settings" in Screen Settings, under the place, where there is writen " True Color (32bit)" colours are the same as on the photos :<

[pkiff]

Not sure where your issues are coming from. I think that Windows 2000 has practically all the drivers for the 770X built in, so that's why you can't find an alternate driver.

I thought that the 1024x768 screens all shipped with 4MB cards, and that you only go the 8MB cards with a 1250x1024 screen? Have you checked your exact model number against the Lenovo support site? But I'm not sure why that would make any difference even if it were true.

You aren't connected to another monitor are you?

Phil.

[Unknown_K]

Connect an external CRT monitor and see if the colors look the same as the LCD.

[hjanzen]

These artifacts can be a result of the use of a P3 processor.

[mnowell69]

These artifacts can be a result of the use of a P3 processor.

he's right you know. Try getting hold of, and installing POWERSTRIP if you have a PIII...

[manfred]

I have PII 300 mHz.

I don't have CRT monitor but external LCD looks ok.

What to do when I will install Power strip?

I've installed it and I couldn't change the resolution on higher, I don't know what else I can do.
I've installed Windows XP but it's the same.

[mnowell69]

Powerstrip won't really do anything if you still have the PII installed.

The only other problem could be XP itself. The 770 series work better with older versions of windows, like 95 and 98, that use APM, an older form of power management. Windows XP uses ACPI which is known to be a bit problematic with the 770. This is the reason IBM stated to stay with APM when upgrading the pre-installed OS. I have never tried XP on my 770x, but i have windows 2k and that hasn't caused any problems at all. My 770x has an 8mb graphic card and a PII 300 with an sxga monitor that has the 1280x 800 resolution ( or thereabouts)

[manfred]

It's strange that my Thinkpad has 8mb graphic card and the LCD with resolution 1024x768. It was probably changed....

I've replaced the inverter, because old has gone... I bought luckily one, but from Thinkpad with 1024 resolution. But it doesn't matter I think.

The video corruption is on the start "IBM THINKPAD" page I think (the blue marker behind "THINKPAD" logo) and on the Windows Installer Page.

I have now Windows 2000 and it's the same. I must probably give up....

I'll have PIII 500mHz in a few days. Is it difficult to replace it? What I have to unscrew? what to do to not damage anything?

[mnowell69]

i have had lots of interesting problems trying to change screens and inverters on the 770 family. I have a plain 770, a 770ED and a 770X. I tried putting the 770X screen on the 770ED and it just refuses to work. I didn't try to put the 770ED screen on the 770X so not sure what the result would have been, maybe you have this problem, or maybe it is the inverter or the lcd cable that isn't correct.

[pkiff]

I'll have PIII 500mHz in a few days. Is it difficult to replace it? What I have to unscrew? what to do to not damage anything?

Replacing the CPU in a 770 machine is a bit of a chore, and requires disassembling about half or more of the machine. But most of the pieces are large and as long as you work slowly and carefully keep track of which screws are supposed to go with which pieces, then it shouldn't be too bad. I would be prepared to set aside two hours or more if it is the first time you've done it. I have an incomplete set of instructions available here:
http://thinkpads.kiff.ca/770z/cpu_upgrade

You can also use the Hardware Maintenance Manual that includes a full set of instructions on how to remove each part. My instructions above were intended to collapse all those instructions into a single set to make it easier specifically for people who wanted to replace the CPU, but I never got around to finishing them.

In my opinion, the trickiest part comes fairly early on when you pull up the keyboard and detach various ribbons that connect it to the motherboard. This is step 7 in my instructions above.

Also, after you replace the CPU, you can definitely have periodic issues with various weird corruptions in your display, so hopefully this will not make your current LCD problem appear worse.

Phil.

[manfred]

Thanks a lot )

And does anybody know how to enable 3d in this trident ? What drivers should i have. Games show there is no 3d enabled.

[mnowell69]

depending on which OS you have, you need to install the most up-to-date version of directx you can find. The trident isn't a FULLY FEATURED 3d graphics card like you would get in todays machines so naturally you will get some programs telling you that you have no 3d hardware acceleration.

[manfred]

dxdiag shows there is no 3D
directX version: 9.0c.

I've installed Everest and it shows that LCD is: IBM 0A55.

Isn't this from another ThinkPad? Maybe this is the problem?

Mine is type 9549 thinkpad. What LCD should I have?

[mnowell69]

The 9549 signifies the type of casing used in the 770 with the funny shape at the front. (not very elegant!)
The models with an 8mb Trident had an SXGA monitor which , as we already know, yours doesn't have. My motherboard is dead so i have no way of finding out what type of lcd it is, unless i dismantle the lid, which i could do if you really want (so that you have an idea of the part number). If you go to the LENOVO website you can download the HMM there, if you haven't already. This also gives you the FRU part numbers of all the lcd's in all the models.

[manfred]

I've bought another 770X. It was so cheap that I decided to do it. It's type 9549 so I hope it has SXGA LCD.

When it comes - I'll tell You. Thanks a lot for help!

[mnowell69]

well..... the 770ED is a 9549 with a normal XGA screen. I hope you are lucky and get what you need.