best way to repair faulty GPU on out-of-warrantee T42p

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texasdiver · #1 Post by **texasdiver** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 3:02 pm

Recently I posted a thread here about my T42p that goes black on start-up. I'm almost positive it is a hardware problem. The machine sometimes gets a display on the start-up then it flickers off and on before going black.

This happens when I try to boot normally. I might get all the way to my desktop before it goes blank.

This happens when I try to boot in emergency mode or using F-12. I get one or two menus into the boot menu before it goes black.

This happens when I boot with an external monitor. Flickers off and on and goes black.

Most of the time I try to boot it I get no display at all but after resting it for a day or two I get 15-20 seconds of display before it goes black.

I'm assuming if the problem presents itself in the F-12 menu mode then it is not a driver issue and must be a hardware issue.

In any event, this is a 4 year old machine so out of warrantee. Is it worth sending it someplace to have it repaired? If so, what would be the approximate cost and who to send it to? IBM? Or are there reliable 3rd party repair shops? I would probably also want the entire HD wiped clean and have a fresh install of the entire OS and Lenovo software as the machine has gotten way buggy and messy over the years.

If the cost is in the $100-200 range then I'm probably interested. If we're talking $500+ to get this machine repaired then I'll probably just replace it with a new T400.

Thanks.

sktn77a · #2 Post by **sktn77a** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 8:15 pm

Look back to the posts on this topic over the last week. There's a link to a place that re-balls the GPU chip for $50.00. Jamiphar on this forum also does this repair but he seems to have been incommunicado for the last few weeks (maybe on vacation). He charges $150.

sparta.rising · #3 Post by **sparta.rising** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 9:29 pm

Jamiphar isn't incommunicato, he said he's been busy and isn't accepting any new machines until he catches up on things. See the second to last post in this thread:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=66656

You can do the repair yourself, see the stickied threads at the top of this forum.

texasdiver · #4 Post by **texasdiver** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 12:56 am

Thanks guys. I think I'll try the home method displayed in the sticky above. I've already mentally considered the machine "bricked" so if I blow it I won't be crushed. And if I make this work I'll have learned a heck of a lot about how these things are put together.

sjthinkpader · #5 Post by **sjthinkpader** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 3:02 am

I sent a T43 MB to Hammerhead in Chico, CA. Waiting to get it back, hopefully working. They are charging $75 plus shipping.

FTC · #6 Post by **FTC** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 3:38 am

.. Another option is to swap the motherboard. You can have working motherboards through eBay for around $200 ... I did this last year when my T40 failed. (and got a nice upgrade to ATI 9600 doing that)

sjthinkpader · #7 Post by **sjthinkpader** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 5:02 pm

My T43 type 2668 motherboard with a X300 GPU came back from Hammerhead yesterday. They reflowed the GPU and I am happy to report that it is working fine.

http://www.hammerheadtech.com/commerce/ ... 1688718281

best way to repair faulty GPU on out-of-warrantee T42p

best way to repair faulty GPU on out-of-warrantee T42p

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