Non functioning status LEDs on T43

[SteveS]

I have a T43 with non functioning status LEDs behind the clear plate. Before I go into disassembling the machine to try to trouble shoot it, I was wondering if any members have had a similar problem. Here is the story:

I bought a high end T43 on e-bay with a missing XSGA+ display. Basically, it was in some sort of accident, and the entire top was sheared at the hinges.

I installed a clean display from another machine which had a bad motherboard. I checked the LCD in the display before I installed it, using a third computer. But I only looked at the LCD for bad pixels, pressure spots, etc. I did not notice if the LEDs worked.

After completely re-assembling the T43, I notice that none of the LEDs on the clear plate, or the back side, work. The only exception is the indicator for the wireless radio.

I know that the LEDs are located on the inverter board. I don’t know where the driver is located. The previous owner operated the PC using an external motherboard to sanitize personal information from the drive before selling it. It is possible that some of the traces in the flex display connector (which was sheared about ½ inch from the PC lower body) were shorted.

I am wondering if the problem is on the inverter board, or were the drivers located on the system board destroyed from operating it with a possibly shorted cable. If it is the former, then it is worth fixing. If it is the system board, I won’t bother.

[richk]

It could be either, but I have never seen all the LEDs fail on the inverter, but I have seen more than one motherboard failure cause the problem you describe.

[agarza]

My T42p LEDs on the outside (on the cover) doesn't light up. It was that way since day1 the day I bought it

[pianowizard]

Yes, I had this problem with my T43p right after installing a QXGA display panel, and it was caused by the inverter being not properly plugged into the LCD ribbon. That's an easy fix. All you have to do is remove the display bezel, tighten that loose connection, and put the bezel back.