T42 - Failing System Board?

[fillber]

Hello everyone,

I previously posted a topic about my T42 and the LCD going black. I described the problem to an IT person, and he said that it could be a "failing system board." Does anyone think this is really the problem? I wanted to make sure that this is the actual problem before I spend a few hundred dollars for a new system board/mother board.

Here is a description of the problem:

- I can turn my T42 on, and it will start-up fine. I can even open up Mozilla and other applications.
- After, at least, 2 minutes, the screen will go BLACK and the sound will die. However, the lights below the LCD are still lit and the computer still seems to be working and processing. The weird thing is that the sound turns off along with the LCD. Also, if I hit Fn+PgeUp, the reading light WILL COME ON.
- The only way I can get the LCD to turn back on is by restarting the computer by holding down the power button for about 4 seconds ("hard start"?).

Here's why the problem is quirky:

- I have searched this and other forums, and a similar problem is when the LCD backlight and/or inverter goes bad. This problem is usually signaled by a "pink" colored hue on the LCD. There is NO pink hue on my LCD.
- Also, with a faulty backlight/inverter, it seems like you can just plug the T42 into an external LCD or monitor, and the computer will work fine. I plugged my T42 into my usual external monitor, and the external monitor (+ sound) will go out just as the T42 itself goes out.

Any advice would help me greatly. Thank you everyone!

Phill

[Hugh Chardon]

[quote="fillber"]I plugged my T42 into my usual external monitor, and the external monitor (+ sound) will go out just as the T42 itself goes out.

Hello fillber,
You can do a small search of T42 problems and the first thing that pops up will be that the video chip that uses BGA positioning and placement has (or will) fail(ed). What that means is that the chip MUST be reflowed in order for the signal of the graphics chip to be read out to the screen.
The GOOD news is that you have found a forum full of people who have either done it themslves, or will do it for you for a fee, and a small one at that.
Look for a user named jamiphar, he does this kind of thing, and will more than likely help with questions...
as will all of us here.