Thinkpads.com T61 Project - (Pic Warning)

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#121 Post by **Harryc** » Mon Dec 01, 2008 9:01 pm

Unfortunately there never was a 4:3 aspect ratio IPS LCD made for the T61. It would not fit. All T61 LCDs were widescreen. You could do this on a 15" 4:3 T60 though.

proaudioguy · #122 Post by **proaudioguy** » Mon Dec 01, 2008 9:46 pm

Harryc wrote:Unfortunately there never was a 4:3 aspect ratio IPS LCD made for the T61. It would not fit. All T61 LCDs were widescreen. You could do this on a 15" 4:3 T60 though.

Right, but what about using the screen from a T60p on a T61? Were there no 4:3 screens at all on the T61? Will the hinges not line up?

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack the thread.

ajkula66 · #123 Post by **ajkula66** » Mon Dec 01, 2008 10:24 pm

As much as I'd like to see the "CPU upgrade project", my vote would go for option # 2 (Z60m + $250 cash) since I don't see a problem in getting $300 + shipping for such a machine...

My $0.02 only...

#124 Post by **Harryc** » Mon Dec 01, 2008 10:27 pm

Thanks George. So we have one vote each for offer #1 and offer #2. We need a tie breaker. Anyone?

#125 Post by **Harryc** » Mon Dec 01, 2008 10:40 pm

proaudioguy wrote: Right, but what about using the screen from a T60p on a T61? Were there no 4:3 screens at all on the T61? Will the hinges not line up?

Correct, no 4:3 screens ever were produced for T61's. Also correct, the hinges will not line up and the cables won't either.

basketb · #126 Post by **basketb** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 6:09 am

Harryc wrote:Thanks George. So we have one vote each for offer #1 and offer #2. We need a tie breaker. Anyone?

Unfortunately not a tie breaker. My gut reaction was actually to not let it go for less cash and another machine for a few reasons:
1. cold hard cash is always the best. So, if the $525 counter offer was still on the table, I'd choose that one.
2. accepting another machine in return to be used as the basis for the next project would be preempting any discussions here on what the next project should be.
3. I'm not really familiar with low end machines. So I wouldn't know whether option 1 or 2 is better. Thus, if more knowledgeable members choose one over the other, that's fine by me.

#127 Post by **Harryc** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 6:14 am

Thanks for the reply. The counter-offer of $525 was rejected by the member in question. Ok, so we have one vote for each of the machine/cash offers, and one disapproval. Still looking for a tie breaker, so basically the next vote gets the decision in their favor.

basketb · #128 Post by **basketb** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 6:23 am

proaudioguy wrote:...I wish I had known about this thread. I just stumbled upon it. I don't have a T6x (yet) so I almost never come around these here parts. I am trying to figure out if I can get a T61 maxed out with a broken screen then put an IPS UXGA in it.

Just an idea (and I have no clue as to whether this is actually feasible at all). But if I remember correctly the T61p was sold with a 4:3 14" screen and there are 14" UXGA IPS screens out there. So, maybe you could transplant one of those screens onto the 14" T61p.

#129 Post by **Harryc** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 6:28 am

There are so many little rules and gotcha's with LCD replacement on these machines... I recently recommended that a member replace an LCD with a non-IBM FRU of the same manufacturer/model LCD, and a senior member here suggested that it would not work because it was not a FRU. I know for a fact that there are no 14" IPS LCD FRU's out there, so what to do in this case? The problem with giving untested advice in this area is that there is a strong potential that it will lead to frying a systemboard with a wrong LCD or cable. Just a thought, maybe we can focus our project efforts on doing a couple of these obscure LCD upgrades/replacements, .e.g. any LCD from any machine to a T61.

Edit: By the way, I had a 4:3 14" non-IPS SXGA+ T61P, so I should have known better than to discourage Proaudioguy. He didn't mention screen size though.

DrThinkpad · #130 Post by **DrThinkpad** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 6:38 am

I'd take the Z60t, they seem to sell better than the R series machines. A Z series project would be pretty cool and original.

#131 Post by **Harryc** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 6:40 am

Drthinkpad. Thanks for the reply. So, that does it then, we will accept offer #2 from this member. More details to follow once we close this deal. Meanwhile, suggestions are welcome on what to do for a Z series project, do we just sell it?

proaudioguy · #132 Post by **proaudioguy** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 11:26 am

Harryc wrote:There are so many little rules and gotcha's with LCD replacement on these machines... I recently recommended that a member replace an LCD with a non-IBM FRU of the same manufacturer/model LCD, and a senior member here suggested that it would not work because it was not a FRU. I know for a fact that there are no 14" IPS LCD FRU's out there, so what to do in this case? The problem with giving untested advice in this area is that there is a strong potential that it will lead to frying a systemboard with a wrong LCD or cable. Just a thought, maybe we can focus our project efforts on doing a couple of these obscure LCD upgrades/replacements, .e.g. any LCD from any machine to a T61.

Edit: By the way, I had a 4:3 14" non-IPS SXGA+ T61P, so I should have known better than to discourage Proaudioguy. He didn't mention screen size though.

I'm sorry, if there was a 14" UXGA T61p without a lot of LCD bezel real estate (T20 as an example of a small bezel) then that would be fine, however your original assumption that I wanted a 15" screen was correct. I'm just not opposed to a 14" UXGA. I have just never seen or heard of that option so I didn't think it existed. It's certainly possible though. I have a 12" SXGA+ IPS screen in my tablet.

Again, apologies for hijacking the thread. Perhaps a MOD could move all the relevant posts to a new thread.

The question I had is if the T61p came with a 14"4:3 do the important parts line up with the base so I could swap it out with a T60p 15" UXGA IPS screen. As an example of what I mean, the A31 14" and 15" screens are interchangeable as long as you have the cable, inverter, and the LCD bezel to go with it. THe back LCD cover is the same with the addition of some spacers mounted to the 14" LCD. I have no reason to believe Lenovo would use this same type scaling to save costs (use the same parts for everything and just change the options) but it would make sense if they did.

Was the Z series an inferior machine? I guess I thought it was a flashy version of the T series.

Brad · #133 Post by **Brad** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 11:35 am

Unfortunately the 4:3 aspect ratio LCD's of the 14" and 15" T60's are not interchangeable.

Brad

#134 Post by **Harryc** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 4:10 pm

Well, nobody seems enthusiastic about the Z60T, so I will just post it for sale. $300 plus actual shipping. It will be in my hands on Saturday or Monday. If anyone wants it for that price, send me a PM. Frankly that is a steal.

Here is the current project financial report -

Negative Balance - $36.86
Sale of T61 $250.00
Remaining Balance $213.14

Assets - Z60T laptop (Approx value $300 plus)

I have gotten a large amount of feedback about starting an X3X project. We're looking for candidate machines either donated or from EBay. I will start a new project thread once that candidate machine has been identified and purchased. Any ideas?

comptiger5000 · #135 Post by **comptiger5000** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 4:47 pm

Yeah, the Z series was originally just a flashy widescreen T series. It went away once the T series went widescreen.

#136 Post by **Harryc** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 5:36 pm

The Z60T is now for sale in Marketplace. Hurry if you want this machine/price. It will not last long ...

#137 Post by **Harryc** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 8:41 pm

Here's an idea for a next project. Purchase a low end X41 like this EBay item.
Then fit it up with an IDE to ZIF adapter and a 160GB ZIF drive, as described in this thread.
Any interest in this project?

#138 Post by **underclocker** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 8:49 pm

I second that project idea - great idea!

#139 Post by **Harryc** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 8:58 pm

Underclocker, thanks. I believe that this drive is what we're talking about, with this adapter.
Does anyone else want to see this as a project?

doog · #140 Post by **doog** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 11:11 pm

Harry
Congratulations on the T61 project being completed.
The Z60T didn't last to long either.

The current hard drive in the X41 is what is keeping some people from taking ownership of them.

I think if you do the X41 project and it is successful.
There might be a run of X41's on eBay

bananaman · #141 Post by **bananaman** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 11:56 pm

Yes the X41 is just asking for a project like this. Such a nice machine, except it's a performance dog. In order of priority:

1. Faster hard disk (ZIF adapter - try spinning and SSD).
2. More than 1.5GB memory (how much can it use?).
3. Vista (now can it run it?).

Kamika007z · #142 Post by **Kamika007z** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 12:01 am

proaudioguy wrote:
Harryc wrote:Unfortunately there never was a 4:3 aspect ratio IPS LCD made for the T61. It would not fit. All T61 LCDs were widescreen. You could do this on a 15" 4:3 T60 though.
Right, but what about using the screen from a T60p on a T61? Were there no 4:3 screens at all on the T61? Will the hinges not line up?

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack the thread.

Funny you should mention it... I just bought a 14.1 4:3 SXGA+ T61p from eBay in hopes to convert the LCD into a an asymmetrical LCD

HarryC, I just stumbled upon this thread, and I must say GREAT JOB! Regarding the restore CD's you could've called Lenovo support and requested the HDD be replaced and also request the restore CD's along with it.

Also, regarding the 'gunk' on the top of the LCD cover, I would use really hot water on a towel, then use windex, then use a clean eraser and then once more clean off the eraser residue with hot water - all in circular motions. Repeat if necessary.

Best,
Kamika007z

#143 Post by **Harryc** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 4:02 am

Doog, thanks for the comment. I agree about the run on X41's. It is a great little machine whose main limitation has been solved, to a great extent. We'll see the results first hand.
bananaman, the RAM idea has my curious. There are some who claim that you can easily run 1x2GB PC2-5300 RAM module in the X41's one memory slot. If this is an area of uncertainty, I am all for testing it.
Kamika007z, thanks for the cleaning tips and other ideas/comments. I'd like to understand a bit more about the hard drive replacement by lenovo. There was nothing wrong with the drive, it just did not have a recovery partition on it.

To all, this brings us to the end of the T61 project. The remaining loose end has been tied up (sale of the Z60T). I will be meeting with the new owner of the Z60T a week from Thursday to trade the laptop for cash.

Due to the interest in the X41 project, I have purchased the previously mentioned X41 on behalf of the (new) project. I will start a new project thread, but will keep this one open for future comment. Thanks to everyone who contributed time, parts, and money to this project.

proaudioguy · #144 Post by **proaudioguy** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 8:19 am

Harryc wrote: Kamika007z, thanks for the cleaning tips and other ideas/comments. I'd like to understand a bit more about the hard drive replacement by lenovo. There was nothing wrong with the drive, it just did not have a recovery partition on it.

Simple,...call them and tell them you are trying to recover your system and it doesn't work. They will either send you the discs or walk you through the procedure and then send you the discs. Some of them will send you a drive and the discs. You must send the old drive OR the new drive back. You cannot keep the new drive. I outright told the guy I thought my drive was probably fine. I didn't end up even opening the new drive box and wrote "new drive never used" on the box when I returned it, as instructed by IBM Service when I called them back.

This type of service is why I prefer Thinkpads. It would be much easier if they would simply include the recovery media with a new computer.

I have several sets of recovery media for several systems. For some reason they won't let me talk about it here. I have all of them imaged on the NAS drive but do not have the bandwidth to host them. I would not even dare post the addresses publicly and would change them often, but it would be nice to send someone a link instead of copies of media. I noticed in this thread there was much discussion of copying media and no one deleted your posts like they have mine.

Truthfinder · #145 Post by **Truthfinder** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 1:18 am

Harry:

Do you still need T61 Vista Business Recovery set for this Project?

Sorry to come on so late with this, but I just came across the post this evening.

Steve

#146 Post by **Harryc** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 4:00 am

Steve, thanks for the offer but we did get a set from carbon_unit. If you have an X41 XP set around, that is what is currently needed.

Truthfinder · #147 Post by **Truthfinder** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 12:15 pm

Harry:

The only Recovery sets that I have at this time are the Vista Business for the T61 and XP for the T60.

Kindest Regards, Steve

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