T43p is freezing intermittently in Linux

[lukee]

My T43p is intermittently and completely freezing in Ubuntu 14.04, 14.10 and in Fedora 21 Workstation. Sometimes it happens accidentally, sometimes per user's invoke, ie. Fn+F3 (switch off the LCD). I thought this is a sign of the known southbridge issue so typical for T4x series. However, I cannot reproduce the problem in Windows XP. USB devices are running at full 2.0 speed as well. I ran some performance-intensive apps on XP today using also 3DMark and I cannot make the laptop frozen in Windows. I think the problem also might be a defective RAM module, correct? Is there some way how to test every RAM's cell? Note: only way how I can get from that frozen state is hard shutdown. Thanks.

[Neil]

Memtest86+ is an excellent tool for checking RAM for errors. If you don't have the option to run Memtest86+ from the GRUB menu of an installed OS, it is included in the LiveDVD of Ubuntu.

[ajkula66]

If you can't invoke the freezing in XP, the chances are that the hardware is fine.

Test the GPU with Freestone in XP - make sure to run TPFC and at maximum fan - for a few hours and if the system doesn't freeze there, you might just have to look at another distro/kernel.

http://freestone-group.com/video-card-s ... y-test.htm

Good luck.

[lukee]

I have installed Memtest86+ into my Fedora's GRUB, then run it and the test passed. Then I switched HDD and I am running the VideoCard Stability test for ~2 hours now and nothing happens - ThinkPad runs just fine, tpfancontrol shows ~90deg Celsius for CPU and GPU, fan is running at 5500rpm. I have also tried to move and gently flex the laptop few times during the test and there is no freezing at all. I can't believe that such robust GNU/Linux system may freeze so easily...

[shawross]

IMHO 90 degrees Celsius is way toooooooo hot. I know the "p" models run hot but this is asking for problems

Good luck

[ajkula66]

IMHO 90 degrees Celsius is way toooooooo hot. I know the "p" models run hot but this is asking for problems

Good luck

That's actually OK under Freestone which stresses the living daylight out of the GPU. I got 96 on my past T43p machines more than once.

[lukee]

Problem probably found. It is GPU issue for 99%. Yesterday I have noticed few flickering lines at the bottom of the screen. I took the laptop from table to my hands and gently flex it - flickering disappeared. I have already discussed with friend of mine (PhD. from Electronics) and he is able to reflow it using the reflow station in his job. I need to prepare the planar for him and remove all the plastic stickers from it. Pray for me the planar will get repaired, otherwise I will need to look around for a spare one.

[ajkula66]

Pray for me the planar will get repaired, otherwise I will need to look around for a spare one.

You may as well start looking for one right now.

T43/p as well as late T42/p "red dot" boards must be re-balled - not reflown - due to epoxy that holds the BGAs in place on both GPU and SouthBridge, and these are a royal PITA to remove.

Otherwise, you may just take the planar out and bake it in your own oven. Seriously.

[lukee]

The problem was caused by deffective motherboard. Reflow baking of the old motherboard did not help.
I have obtained new motherboard from T43 (with ATI Radeon X300) and it works pretty well, driving the UXGA fabulously.