Need some LCD help for an T42p

[Toine]

I was wondering if somebody can help me out.
My dad has an 8/9 year old T42p with an 15 inch screen that has been running smooth for ever.

Last year the screen turned an little red at startup but would be fine within minutes of startup.

But lately the screen doesn't work anymore.........except for when you fully 180 degress open the lid, but only for an short periode of time.

So with it being machine type: 2473-N49
Can anybody tell me what to replace? Ribbon/ mobo/ LCD/ inverter?

An I tried to find out what LCD was placed in the machine, but cannot seem to find it on the Lenovo/ IBM webpage.
Does anybody know what LCD to buy? (The machine is at my parents house, need to buy an LCD/ mobo for it without holding the machine myself unfortunatly).

[RealBlackStuff]

ThinkPad T42p (2373-N49)
Based 2373-HTU: P M 745, 1GB RAM, 60GB 7200rpm HDD, 15 UXGA(1600x1200) TFT LCD, 128MB ATI FireGL T2, 24x24x24x/8x CD-RW/DVD(slim), Intel PRO 802.11b/g wireless, Bluetooth/Modem, 1Gb Ether, UltraNav, Sec Chip, 9c Li-Ion, WinXP Pro

What you need to do, is replace the CCFL.
I have this all written up, specifically for your screen which is an IDTech: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=88991
You need to buy a replacement CCFL, such as http://www.lcdparts.net/ccflDetail.aspx?ProductID=1699
Don't know who sells them in the Netherlands.
You need one with 305mm in length and 2.0mm in diameter.

The red tint is a sure sign of a dying CCFL.
When it stopped working, most likely the wires on one or both ends of the CCFL may have 'burned' through.

[Johan]

First: The LCD in your dad's T42p is most likely made by the (now no longer existing company) ID Tech, and the IBM original "Field Replacement Unit" number is either 92P6683 or or 92P6753 or 42T0356 (for details about these, see e.g. the thread 15" Flexview UXGA screen for sale)... the latter can e.g. be found here. Original T42p part numbers can be found via 15" LCD service parts - ThinkPad T40/p, T41/p, T42/p

CCFL replacement, as suggested by RealBlackStuff is known to be a very delicate operation only suggested to brave and experienced technicians... if you wish, try search this site for "CCFL replacement", and decide if you really dare take that route!

If I was in your position, I would look out for either a well-kept 15" UXGA R50p or T42p or T43p with a little-used LCD, or - if unable to find that - I'd look out for a brand new (or little used) complete LCD, with a good-condition CCFL. Beware of all the typical issues with old FlexView/IPS LCD's such as dark corners/sides and/or dust specs etc. Consider posting a "WTB/LF" (Want To Buy/Looking For) advertisement in the forum.thinkpads.com Marketplace and/or on the German ThinkPads Marktplatz - and also have a look at ebay.de and ebay.co.uk

PS: I am writing this on a T42p (2373-Q2U) having a 15" UXGA (FlexView/IPS) LCD and hence very similar to the one owned by your dad... and I can certainly understand why you and he wish to keep his ThinkPad running... my T42p has been my favority for 5+ years and continues to be that! Swap out the old, relatively slow mechanical harddrive with a fast 1.8" SATA SSD, and the upgraded T42p will be just as fast as a new year-2012 laptop for by far most daily-day applications!

Johan

[Toine]

Fantastic reply's! I love this forum and the members on here!
The issue is that it has an large database / programme on it that I don't want to transfer/ reinstall for my dad. (putting that thing together is days/ weeks of work).

So I'll try to find an new screen, and replace this.
And indeed I'm on the DE forum as well.

PS: my dad has already an new T510 at his disposal for the "normal" computing stuff

[Johan]

You're most welcome... and I am happy to be of help to another T42p FlexView/IPS LCD-enthusiast!

A few other threads may perhaps help you if/when you get a "new" LCD; see Replacement for T42 SXGA+ LCD panel and Thinkpad LCD Replacement Guides & Advice and T43 LCD cover (and notice the valuable advices by underclocker in this postl) and How hard is DIY replace a LCD screen on T42p and finally, see the very important advice by Robbyrobot in this post.

I just had a quick look at eBay.de and there are several R50p and T42p and T43p 15" UXGA LCD's for sale there... but for most of them goes that there is no or very little specific information about the actual "status", or condition, of the LCD itself; is the particular LCD e.g. being very old and having a more-or-less worn-out, dim CCFL, does it to some extent suffer from the (in-)famous "dust spec", are there any blemishes, scratches, dead or stuck pixels etc. etc. Without having all this information I would personally feel a lot safer to buy a LCD (either the part itself of a whole lid assembly with LCD, hinges, latches etc.) from a trustworthy, knowledgeable seller who could inform in detail about all these details. Not much fun in buying a cheap LCD somewhere just to discover that it is only insignificantly better compared to the defective part it is supposed to replace!

I always suggest people to seek information about any LCD in question using very good (and entirily free!) tool Dead Pixel Buddy to check the condition of a LCD before buying it.

Best of luck with getting your dad's T42p back on its feet!

Johan

[Toine]

Me again,

Will this puppy work?

Model: SAMSUNG LTN150U2-L02
Resolution: UXGA 1600X1200
30 pins

I also found out the Dell C840 uses the same 15 inch, 1600x1200 30 pins screen, is this something I can transfer to the T42P as well?

[RealBlackStuff]

No data available on that LCD.
Your money, your risk.

[ajkula66]

None of these is IPS either...why would you want to take away the best feature that T42p ever had and turn it into another average old laptop?

[Toine]

Well, finally got the time to change the LCD.

I went with an very nice 1440 screen, got it working (nicely installed, easy to do).
But the T42p keeps seeing the 1400 screen like an 1600 screen. (So my lcd is not showing the whole desktop).

Does anybody now what an quick fix could be?

[ajkula66]

A proper LCD cable comes to mind...the one specified for SXGA+ on a 15" panel...

[Toine]

hahaha, are you serous? It's the cable..........hmm, weird.
Do you have an idea what the part number is of that?

NM, remembered I pulled the 1400 screen out of an machine, hence it should have the correct cable!

[ajkula66]

hahaha, are you serous?

Like radiation poisoning....

It's the cable..........hmm, weird.

Not in the least. On all pre-Lenovo ThinkPads it's the LCD cable that is responsible for correctly matching the native screen resolution with the output from the GPU.

Do you have an idea what the part number is of that?

NM, remembered I pulled the 1400 screen out of an machine, hence it should have the correct cable!

The correct FRU is 91P6857. What machine have you pulled the screen out of? Have you swapped the entire lid?