T41 - screen's messed up!

[blakkwater]

Hey folks

my T41 (bought it a few years ago, haven't really had any major problems) is now causing me worry.

When the screen is powered on initially, it's got a red tint. Only started sometime last week.

more recently, the screen has started to just go SUPER dim, I can still make out that the input to the monitor is still working, it just goes to like 5% brightness level..almost entirely black.

Also, it makes a high frequency hum when working normally. gets significantly quieter when the screen goes black.

I can get it back to normal by going Fn+F3 and then moving the mouse to reboot the monitor, but since the screen blacks out like that just about every 5 minutes or so now, it's getting really painful, and I'd like to be able to have it back in normal working order..

any tips or suggestions??

(ps, it blacked out twice in the time that it took me to type this message)

[richk]

The backlight is dying. Most people replace the entire screen. Bulb replacement is tricky but possible.

[darkwish]

jamiphar is offering a backlight replacement service for $100.

Here:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... sc&start=0

[ajkula66]

The hum is coming from the inverter, which may also be the part of the issue. Should you decide to use jamiphar's services, feel free to PM me and I'll email you the pictures comparing a standard LCD with one that had the backlight replaced by him, machines being of the same type and with same settings. I'm sure you'll be impressed, and then some.

[blakkwater]

ah poo...

I'm not gonna ship my compy across the border just to get it back in reliable working order.

I'm temporarily outta the woods, I managed to get the screen to stay on much longer now, by reducing the brightness level a lot.

actually since I did that (put it down to minimum brightness setting), it hasn't blacked out even once....but the red tint is way more visible, and kinda annoying

I think I'm gonna try taking it in somewhere to get serviced...

[goofyGAguy]

It is your call, but James could probably do it better and cheaper.