Thinkpad E14 Gen 2 Resurrection

[Scorpion8]

I picked up a parts-only E14 Gen 2 that had all sorts of issues, so it was listed as "parts only". Except of course the seller company removed all the useable parts. But with time on my hands I decided on a rebuild. The original was an Intel i5 motherboard that was toast, so I sourced a Ryzen AMD board to give one a try (plus it was cheaper). The CPU fan needs to be replaced (incoming) because the heat pipe profile is different due to the need to accomodate the onboard RAM that the Intel board didn't have. I already have Thinkpad wifi chips and extra RAM and SSDs. The new motherboard is installed and it charges the battery so we're progressing. I don't want to run the board without the fan, but plugging the old Intel board-based fan assembly in it does make it spin up.

Issues: the power button light does not come on when pressed on line power or on battery, even if the board is trying to start. And there is nothing registering on the screen and an outboard HDMI display doesn't show anything either, even when it gets to the BIOS post.

It's a project, but a new screen may be in order? Any other thoughts? Even if the onboard LCD is toast, shouldn't an external display register?

Why isn't the power button light showing? The charging light shows orange when charging and white when fully charged.

[RealBlackStuff]

Get this HMM and check: 1090 Power button.

[Scorpion8]

Get this HMM and check: 1090 Power button.

1090 is the "I/O Card and cable". The power button is on this I/O card and works, but the light doesn't come on or blink like I would expect. Are you thinking the I/O card needs to be replaced?

[RealBlackStuff]

In my HMM, Fifth Edition (October 2021):
1080 I/O card and cable
1090 Power button/fingerprint reader module and cable

Take it apart, clean it and reassemble it.
Might be just a poor/dirty contact in the cable ends.

[Scorpion8]

Thanks, mine is the Second Edition (April 2020) which I also got from Lenovo. It's all good, basically the same document with assorted changes.

I will give that a try.

The LCD issue seems to be the backlight, as I see a faint ghost image of the Lenovo splash screen at startup sometimes.

[RealBlackStuff]

Look for the backlight fuse F1 (3A/32V/fast) near the LCD-cable connector.
If needed, solder a new one on top of the old one.

[Scorpion8]

This one? Right below right-hand-side of LCD connector. Does not have continuity across it.

[RealBlackStuff]

It looks like that's the one.
3A/32V/Fast made by Littelfuse
0497003PKRHF (on the schematics), a.k.a. ERBRD3R00X

PS: the shape of those fuses differs between manufacturers.
As long as they are 3A/32V/fast, you are OK.

[Scorpion8]

So that'll be fun, as I own no micro-2M soldering facility. And where to source a replacement fuse, off another dead project board? Can I jumper across the fuse (temporarily) to see if the system boots completely or where my next major repair step will be? Would these work (https://www.ebay.com/itm/297438247461)?

I did just get in the proper heat sink/fan assembly for an E14 AMD since this started life as an E14 Intel, put it all together and the power button lights up when pressed. Small victories.

But I also plugged it into an outboard HDMI monitor and I see nothing when it tries to boot, just the ghost Lenovo splash screen on the LCD display. If I undo the LCD connector, will that force the board to go to the outboard display? FYI, using a flashlight I can see the device boot screen all the way to the Win11 login screen so we're allllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllmost there.

[RealBlackStuff]

Whenever you work on an LCD, or its cable or fuse, make sure all power (charger/battery) is removed first.
Those 50 fuses are OK, way more than you need, but enough to practice with if needed.
Lay the new one on top, hold it in place with e.g. a flat screwdriver, have some solder on the tip already, then solder one side.
Get some more solder on the tip, then solder the other side (while still holding the fuse in place).

[Scorpion8]

Thanks for the tips. Having too many of those fuses at that cost isn't an issue. I've been watching this guy (https://www.youtube.com/@electronicsrepairschool) on YT and he does a great video, and that hot air soldering station he uses is killer.

Any thoughts on using the outboard HDMI to "see" the progress as described above? Or will the system beeb-alot and act cantankerous if the LCD is disconnected?

[RealBlackStuff]

Assuming your monitor is OK, no harm in removing the LCD-cable from the board, and then try it.
Remove power first before disconnecting the LCD-cable.
FYI: I don't know any newer Thinkpads than T480.

[Scorpion8]

Thanks. I just tried the Thunderbolt port via a Thinkpad Dock and there is no response. The dock won't start the laptop nor display anything if I start the laptop manually. Might be a driver issue since the boot SATA SSD came from an older machine and doesn't have all the updates for this hardware yet (until I can "see").

[RealBlackStuff]

HDMI?

[Scorpion8]

HDMI?

Nothing via the HDMI port so far but have not had a chance to disconnect the LCD cable and test via that method. Pending ....

ETA: Unplugged the battery, the LCD cable and reattached the battery and plugged in an HDMI monitor. Laptop is up and running and doing it's long-awaited Windows updates. Well good to know it runs and works, now to fix the internal LCD issue.... new micro-fuzes on order from an American supplier.

[Scorpion8]

Set the laptop up last night with an external monitor and wired network and did ALL the updates, reset the battery meter, added additional memory and did all those other chores.

Last two issues are:
Internal LCD.
Won't start or charge on Thunderbolt dock via USB-C.

Oddly this AMD Ryzen 5 4500 motherboard came direct from China and still reports 7 months left on Lenovo warranty in Lenovo's Vantage software.

ETA: updated the Thinkpad dock driver software, and the system will now boot when the dock is turned on but will not display via the USB-C Thunderbolt cable, nor will it charge. Everything else works fine, kinda sorta maybe. Am wondering if that is tied somehow to the internal display because with the dock plugged in but the HDMI external port connected I get a display, it just won't come via the dock. Nor will a USB thumbdrive attached to the dock appear available for the computer to use. Chasing rabbits here....

[RealBlackStuff]

Dockgone, instead of doggone...

[Scorpion8]

Details update.... this is actually a Thunderbolt 3 Dock, Type 40AC which "is" on the Lenovo compatibility matrix spreadsheet. However suddenly I can't get into the BIOS, it freezes at boot if I hit <enter> but will boot fine if I let it run it's course. Always summin' .....

[RealBlackStuff]

Unfortunately Thunderbolt 3 Dock, Type 40AC is NOT compatible with E14 Gen2.
See https://download.lenovo.com/pccbbs/opti ... _2020.xlsx
Select TP E on the bottom, then scroll down to line 278.

[Scorpion8]

That is interesting, because I have two of these E14 Gen 2's....one Intel, and this AMD. The Intel version works off that exact dock on my desk just fine. It was why I wanted to try the AMD version just to see the performance difference.

Oh, and another issue along with this is this machine's BIOS does not have the dock-enable setting in the CONFIG section.

[Scorpion8]

Was this Lenovo's idea of the ultimate slap? EVERY SINGLE version of their laptops seems to require a different dock. As I've progressed thru my love of Thinkpads, I must have almost a dozen docks. You need a separate database-spreadsheet of your own devices and labels for all the accessories like Garanimals clothing tags. Sheesh.

Anyway, (a) it is the backlight fuze. I tested the laptop with a different screen that I had ordered when I thought it was the screen assembly and it does the exact same thing. At least it works great off the HDMI external port. And I got a better screen assembly.

[Scorpion8]

UPDATE

Okay, had a repair shop replace fuse F1. Three times. Everytime the screen was hooked up, it blew the fuse again. He did a search (much better than mine) and apparently Lenovo at some point changed the pin-out on the LCD ribbon connector. I do not have that reference statement material.

In any case this project is now dead-in-the-water until I can either source an LCD panel that matches the motherboard, or another motherboard that matches the LCD panel that I installed.

On the other hand, the unit works superbly as a desktop using an HDMI monitor, and I also have the period-specific dock inbound to me at the moment, so I could just hook it up to an external monitor and use it as a fixed workstation. The AMD board has Radeon graphics which make the Intel iGPU look like it is running in quicksand.

Anyway, for the price of another parts unit or new motherboard, not sure this project is worth continuing.

[dcfbf]

IMO it's not worth the extra cost for a new motherboard or display if you are fine with it as a desktop.

I really enjoyed following your journey fixing this from practically a chassis to semi-working, but I think it's time to give up.
The sunk cost fallacy must not prevail.

[Scorpion8]

Ha! "Entertaining" is a word I'll use lightly for this project.....

[Scorpion8]

Well, hopes dashed yet again. New dock, 40A9 on the E14 compatibility list. Drivers installed. Everything works except display-out via USB-C. Still have to use the HDMI port and cable. Is this a BIOS issue since it is set to use the external video port on boot? Is USB-C from the internal display subsystem? Oddly it is charging from the dock and using the Logitech mouse and keyboard dongle from the dock as well as ethernet network ... just not the display.

Thoughts? or assistance?

UPDATE

"Lenovo Vantage cannot find USB-C Dock to update firmware". Rebooting for perhaps the 20th time after reconnecting cables, BIOS checks, BIOS updates (none needed).... just won't update the firmware on the 40A9 dock. Yes, even switched USB-C cables....

[RealBlackStuff]

What was the full Type/model of the Intel E14 Gen 2, and its S/N?
Type 20TAxxxxxx or 20TBxxxxxx

Also find out make/model/part number of the LCD.
And if the machine came with hybrid webcam or 'regular' webcam.

Read this thread on Reddit.
It contains some very interesting info about both Intel and AMD versions E14 Gen2.

MOST IMPORTANT FIND: Intel and AMD use different LCD-cables.

Intel has a Touchscreen option, AMD has NOT.
If the Intel E14 was touch, then there's another part of your LCD-problem.

Also, Intel has Thunderbolt 4 and AMD has only USB-C 3.2 Gen 1.
Hence the most likely incompatibility source of the docks.

If you want/need a new screen, get the N140HCG-GN1, I just put one in my T480 and it's fantastic.

[Scorpion8]

The "as received" Intel dead unit was MJ0F8G6K, 20TA002CUS. After the AMD motherboard was installed, it reports PF360CLE, 20T60072US.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsgfdcZ_ab4 .... documents LCD screen incompatibility.

I will get screen FRU #'s in a few days when I can get back access to my work area. Closed for electrical work right now.

[RealBlackStuff]

Original Intel E14 parts: https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/en/prod ... y/as-built

Original AMD E14 parts: https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/en/prod ... y/as-built

Currently your E14 has the Intel EDP-RGB cable or EDP-IR cable as mentioned in that Reddit post I linked.
For the AMD mobo you need the AMD EDP-RGB cable or EDP-IR cable as mentioned in that Reddit post I linked.
Once you have the new cable installed, put in another fuse and hopefully that's it.

[Scorpion8]

I have the laptop here though, and this is the cable (laptop-side) that is installed and came with the new LCD monitor.

https://i.imgur.com/vv2G6a5m.jpg


So is all I need is (a) a new fuse again, and (b) the AMD cable instead of the Intel cable? I'll be happy with the current LCD panel for the time being if that is the fast solution?

FORUM warning:
Picture(s) WAY too big, tags removed.
Please read the Forum Rules, especially Section 5: viewtopic.php?f=16&t=14339

[Scorpion8]

Here is the LCD FRU from the LCD screen that I replaced. It should still be good, no cracks.

https://i.imgur.com/yCPJfOO.jpg


FORUM warning:
Picture(s) WAY too big, tags removed.
Please read the Forum Rules, especially Section 5: viewtopic.php?f=16&t=14339