Upgrading X220/X230 to FHD 1080p

[x3o2]

Did the i7-mobo work with CMOS before you modded it?

Yes with no probs.

Did you remove the wrong i7 SMD-thingie?

You mean the resistor? As I understood it has only to be removed from the x220 mobo.

Left a solder blob somewhere?

Afaik not.

And what is #567?

One of the consecutive numbers that each post gets.

[RealBlackStuff]

Guess you'll need to check and double-check the 7 dock-solder-points and that you did not move anything when you soldered the sense-wire to the mobo.
Depending on the PCB-version, did you solder the power wire to the correct solderpad? (rev.4 and up to left-bottom of PCB)

[x3o2]

Guess you'll need to check and double-check the 7 dock-solder-points and that you did not move anything when you soldered the sense-wire to the mobo.

As I read about what happened to you soldering with too much heat I did not move anything, thanks.
I do not know how to check the 7 solder points. Is there any other way than to resolder them?

Depending on the PCB-version, did you solder the power wire to the correct solderpad? (rev.4 and up to left-bottom of PCB)

Thanks to NC's pdf instruction I soldered the wire to the left-bottom solderpad.

[albertine]

I went and tried, removing this file from that directory makes it so that when you log in, you get the extended display setup, and the screen that shows is the secondary. It definitely is being used.

Here is a new file, for a new test but please remove temporary all monitors.xml files as those Xorg settings should be sufficient to do what your monitors.xml are doing. If you do not remove them, there should be a conflict or something like that...

So replace /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-fhdmod.conf content with :

Code: Select all

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Internal-1366"

	Option		"PreferredMode"		"1366x768"
	Option		"Position"			"0 0"
	Option		"Enable"			"false"
	#Option		"Ignore"			"true"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Internal-1920"

	Option		"PreferredMode"		"1920x1080"
	Option		"Position"			"0 0"
	Option		"Primary"			"true"
	Option		"Enable"			"true"	
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier	"IntelCard"

	BusID		"PCI:0:2:0"
	Driver		"intel"
	Screen 0

	Option		"DRI"				"3"
	Option		"Monitor-LVDS-1"	"Internal-1366"
	Option		"Monitor-DP-3"		"Internal-1920"	
	Option		"ZaphodHeads"		"DP-3"
	Option		"Virtualheads"		"0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"MainScreen"
	Device		"IntelCard"
	Monitor		"Internal-1920"
	#SubSection	"Display"
	#	Virtual		4320	2560
	#EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier	"MainLayout"
	Screen 0	"MainScreen" 0 0
EndSection

I hope it will be fine !

[miketl]

will do thanks! unfortunately win0win ran out of those.

I ordered an SPB4 from notebookaid here. Hopefully it will arrive safely and be in good shape.

Panel arrived and is SPB4, well packed and looks brand new. Will have to wait for the upcoming next batch to determine if it's fully functional.

[phage]

So replace /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-fhdmod.conf content with :

This gives the same result as with /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-fhdmod.conf and the monitor.conf files. I can see lightdm on occasion, but predominantly, I have to suspend-wake the x220 to see the log in screen. Nice that it's just down to one file, though.

I've also been trying messing around with /etc/lightdm/lightdm-gtk-greeter.conf and adding the line "active-monitor=0" as well, to no effect.

Of the times that I can see it, directly before, I can see "kvm disabled by bios." To my knowledge, that's vrtualization, but I'm not sure if that has anything to do with the issue.
[EDIT]: it doesn't, enabling virtualization yields the same result.

[boutch55555]

I do not know how to check the 7 solder points. Is there any other way than to resolder them?

Some of those lines go directly under chips on motherboard, the only way to test all would from the bottom of the laptop on the dock connector. Find a way to keep the plate pushed to expose the pins. Do you have a multimeter and the x230 schematic ?

[nitrocaster]

Installed the kit to my X230 i7. Starting it puts the POST screen to the display. As the built in battery seems to be out of power the POST stops with the real time clock error.

When I hit F1 the screen goes black and I see vertical lines only. The computer is working in the background as the HDD led shows. See pictures.

http://imgur.com/a/xkRUC

http://imgur.com/a/9uORt

http://imgur.com/a/ZA8WR

What's wrong there?

Can you upload more pictures? I'd like to see the installed adapter board with both cables in high res.

[x3o2]

Can you upload more pictures? I'd like to see the installed adapter board with both cables in high res.

Here you go. This is as high res as my equipment allows. All solder points have been checked with my multimeter, there is no short/contact.

http://imgur.com/a/lcXFe
http://imgur.com/a/5n3af
http://imgur.com/a/HrTNc

Both batteries from my x230's are working well in my x230 i5 (around 3.05V) but not in the FHD modded i7.
After leaving the BIOS setting time/date and entering Windows the NB quits showing vertical coloured lines only as shown in one of the pics above.

[nitrocaster]

Does the line pattern change when you slightly press to the bottom edge of the screen?
What happens if you skip RTC warining and boot into the OS?

[x3o2]

Does the line pattern change when you slightly press to the bottom edge of the screen?

No.

What happens if you skip RTC warining and boot into the OS?

The NB shuts down immediately.

[albertine]

This gives the same result as with /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-fhdmod.conf and the monitor.conf files. I can see lightdm on occasion, but

You could try to modify the code as follows :

Code: Select all

[..]
Section "Device"
[..]
	#Option		"ZaphodHeads"		"DP-3"
[..]
Section "Screen"
	#Monitor		"Internal-1920"
[..]

I have to suspend-wake the x220 to see the log in screen. Nice that it's just down to one file, though.

and when it does work, can you see that is notably faster than xrandr & monitors.xml ?

[phage]

You could try to modify the code as follows :

This gives no perceptible difference.

and when it does work, can you see that is notably faster than xrandr & monitors.xml ?

Having only booted into lightdm three times total (I think), I can't make a good judgement on this. It may, it may not.

Of the times that it has worked:
1. I had just installed lightdm and used :

Code: Select all

sudo dpkg-reconfigure gdm3

to set the display manager

2. I edited the monitor config files for the first time.

3. The day after case 2, having not booting into the display manager for a day, it comes up after no changes were made before reboot.

These seem like fairly isolated cases, and I've tried to replicate them by reinstalling lightdm, changing monitor.conf files, and reseating RAM; all to no effect.

[albertine]

This gives no perceptible difference.

F0ck

Having only booted into lightdm three times total (I think), I can't make a good judgement on this. It may, it may not.

Of the times that it has worked:
1. I had just installed lightdm and used :

Code: Select all

sudo dpkg-reconfigure gdm3

to set the display manager
[..]
it comes up after no changes were made before reboot.

These seem like fairly isolated cases, and I've tried to replicate them by reinstalling lightdm, changing monitor.conf files, and reseating RAM; all to no effect.

Have to wait or mop up while waiting for finally getting those *lovelly* things and play more with pacman & nano with which I am more at ease...

Another ultimate and desperate attempt could be to entirelly remove gdm/lightdm/every DM that you could have installed before, write your .xinitrc then starting your DE only via startx !

[nitrocaster]

Does the line pattern change when you slightly press to the bottom edge of the screen?

No.

What happens if you skip RTC warining and boot into the OS?

The NB shuts down immediately.

It shouldn't shut down like that if the only reason is RTC reset. Can you measure voltage on RTC_VCC, -RTC_RST and -SRTCRST?

[phage]

F0ck

In its current state, it's fine. Per my use case, I'd rather suspend on every start than patch the kernel every update. If I find a fix in the meantime, I'll post it here.

[x3o2]

Some of those lines go directly under chips on motherboard, the only way to test all would from the bottom of the laptop on the dock connector. Find a way to keep the plate pushed to expose the pins. Do you have a multimeter and the x230 schematic ?

I checked the lines with a multimeter on the dock port. It seems that one of the seven solder points is cold (the leftmost solder point on the kit board).

Is this plausible regarding the occuring failures?

It shouldn't shut down like that if the only reason is RTC reset. Can you measure voltage on RTC_VCC, -RTC_RST and -SRTCRST?

I would if I would know where to find them. Does anyone have the necessary schematic for me?

[RealBlackStuff]

Google for: lenovo x220 (or x230) schematic

[x3o2]

Google for: lenovo x220 (or x230) schematic

Oh my... Thanks.

I resoldered the leftmost solder point. The multimeter says: contact.
But the failure is still the same, only vertical lines.

I believe the metal ring from the solder point has been burned or washed away. Thought I could repair that by soldering a wire to the lane from that solder point, but there is none.
Is there a chance for me to repair that?

https://imgur.com/a/XrUeC

[boutch55555]

That solder goes to pin 18 on the edp connector, pin 1 being top left.

[life_on_marx]

Is anyone in Europe available to perform the kit installation? PM appreciated!

[evening_hunger]

Another ultimate and desperate attempt could be to entirelly remove gdm/lightdm/every DM that you could have installed before, write your .xinitrc then starting your DE only via startx !

I made such a decision in 2013 and never looked back, it's the highest degree of control. Also, many very useful things (which have nothing to do with the display) can be set up in xinitrc.

[kingofkya]

Just posting that my experience. Mod board went on with out issues its smaller than it looks, first time. And after a coupe restarts for windows to cooperate with it (dule display mode kept reverting to less that 1080) Got 1080p up and running with brightness control. One tip is theses connection as so small trust me when i say flux is key, you joins will look better and it makes it far harder to bridge connection with smd work like this, but anyways thanks for the kit nitrocaster. 5 out of 5 would buy again


Just so others have an idea what you need tool wise to do this mod.
I used the following tools.
https://www.amazon.com/Vastar-Full-110V ... ering+iron
https://www.amazon.com/Kester-24-6337-0 ... ester+flux
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0042 ... UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/Elegoo-Polyimide ... apton+tape

Used for both striping wires and removing plastic/metal from case to fit lcd, as well as cutting the plastic liner to size.
https://www.amazon.com/Hakko-CHP-170-St ... de+cutters

[x3o2]

That solder goes to pin 18 on the edp connector, pin 1 being top left.

I soldered a wire to pin 18. Same effect.
Although my 13.3'' FHD panel works in POST/BIOS mode perfectly it only shows vertical lines after BIOS is left.
So I plugged another FHD panel to my machine. Success! The X230 now works perfectly in FHD.
If I had done that earlier it would have saved me from a lot of work...

Why does the 13.3'' panel only work in POST/BIOS mode and quits as soon as the Win7 start routine begins?

[boutch55555]

What model is your 13", is it modded ?
Not much ideas at that point. Perhaps the resolution during post is low enough it uses only one DP lane and it jumps to 2 lanes after post ? (no idea if that's even how it works) Or windows sets an unsupported resolution / option / refresh rate for the panel. Try plugging an external screen to change the resolution of the 13" one (as low as 640x480 if possible) and try various modes.

[x3o2]

What model is your 13", is it modded ?

Samsung LTN133HL02-201 FHD, non-modded.

Try plugging an external screen to change the resolution of the 13" one (as low as 640x480 if possible) and try various modes.

No cable to connect to an external screen. I'll swap panels on my X230 to see if the LTN133 works with other resolutions or not.

[nitrocaster]

So it was a bad screen?

[x3o2]

Think so, yeah.

I doubted my soldering skills rather than a brand new (but faulty) panel.
But, is it really faulty, as it works in pre-OS mode perfectly? @nitrocaster: any idea?

I'll swap panels on my X230 to see if the LTN133 works with other resolutions or not.

Did that, no matter which resolution I chose (minimum is 800x600) the screen does not work in OS mode. Last thing I am gonna try with this LTN133, I will give it a go in my X250.

[jmill]

Is there any consensus on a BIOS modification with regards to changing the default display? I have my machine running a flashed modified BIOS using a SOIC-8 clip. I had a custom bios prepared by someone from a popular BIOS modification forum because I am not proficient enough to implement a separate DSDT for coreboot (running OSX natively is a hard requirement for me), and am curious if this is something anyone has successfully implemented.

[nitrocaster]

I doubted my soldering skills rather than a brand new (but faulty) panel.
But, is it really faulty, as it works in pre-OS mode perfectly? @nitrocaster: any idea?

Pre-OS mode uses 640x480 video mode which might be handled in some specific way. Do you have another panel to test?