T20, T22, T23 System Board Failures

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kdrewnj · #1 Post by **kdrewnj** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 12:23 pm

We have quite a few T-Series machines that have system board issues. Experiencing about a 16% failure rate. My question is: Have there been any IBM announcements regarding unacceptable failure rates with the boards? Thank you.

t20user · #2 Post by **t20user** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 4:49 pm

Boy I would sure like to know. I questioned the T2x reliability in this thread...

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=20021

And even though overall they seem like great machines, the similar failure rate of motherboards with the hard drive light issue and fan pulsing seems like a design flaw not abuse. If it is abuse, I find it strange to have failure in this way. Some users on this forum report their machines having these issues overnight, with no abuse whatsoever.

kdrewnj · #3 Post by **kdrewnj** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 10:23 am

We've been using ONLY IBM laptops for years, including A-series, R-series, and T-series. IBM does make a great laptop, and i really like MY T23, but the failures are building up, and it's not because of 'abuse'. The system boards are a definite problem, and it is specific to the T's. We've seen nothing even close to the T failure rate with the A's and the R's.

Website · #4 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:22 am

kdrewnj wrote:We've been using ONLY IBM laptops for years, including A-series, R-series, and T-series. IBM does make a great laptop, and i really like MY T23, but the failures are building up, and it's not because of 'abuse'. The system boards are a definite problem, and it is specific to the T's. We've seen nothing even close to the T failure rate with the A's and the R's.

Have you checked the sticky in the A forum, about the A2*s? They have a lot of known motherboard issues. The problems with the T2*s have been popping up more recently, where the A2*s have been known for quite some time.

t20user · #5 Post by **t20user** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 2:25 pm

I am trying to find what components are bad on some dead boards I have. If this is a problem with a single component on these boards chances are high I would be able to repair them.

I bet IBM knows about this. Since most all of these laptops are out of warranty I wonder if they would care to divulge.

Zak · #6 Post by **Zak** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 2:58 pm

A friend and I have both had T20 eeproms go bad. One with a 173 error and the other just boots to a blank screen.

basscleff · #7 Post by **basscleff** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 1:04 pm

I used to work for IBM Thinkpad Support - (believe it or not.)
usually they would make a Engineering Change Announcement (ECA) and possible offer a replacement fru to the point of service ( auth. resellers etc.) but since the T23 are OOW, I don't see any retro active options available, if you were just OOW, they might have offered a grace period. But not for anything longer than 30 - 60 days max OOW.

I would love to know where the failure(s) were (bad capacitors) like happened in the desktop pc manufacturing sector in 2000 - 2001. Surface mount solder cold solder joint, etc.

My T23 will power back on if you leave it for a like a week, so that leads me to believe its a capacitor problem.

thx

Website · #8 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 11:29 pm

One suggestion, when I removed my systemboard to replace it, I found that there was a part lying loose on the bottom. I would try checking the pics that are linked in this threadand see if maybe your problem is the same....maybe it is loose, but hasn't come off yet. I personally think that this is a weak point created by flexing the system.

basscleff · #9 Post by **basscleff** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 7:36 am

you have a good point. I think I need to double check the board. Initially, I took the board out and looked for any obvious loose parts, and saw nothing, but i only gave it a quick once over.

basscleff · #10 Post by **basscleff** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 10:48 pm

I was advised to suspect the "The CMOS switching power supply chip" on the t23 motherboard.
Any idea where this would be physically located on the systemboard, and can this chip be purchased 3rd party?

thx

t20user · #11 Post by **t20user** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 10:59 am

I believe the power supply controller in these machines is a 2 part solution using the Analog Devices ADP3410 and ADP3421. There is a pretty good discussion of the issue relating to an A22 here...

http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/topic/28867/

Let me know if you find anything. I don't think Digikey has stock of either part. They may be EOL (end of life) now.

basscleff · #12 Post by **basscleff** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 4:55 pm

thx for the info!, looks like they had little success either.. darn

T20, T22, T23 System Board Failures

T20, T22, T23 System Board Failures

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