Thinkpad T42 - motherboard replacement ?!

[hikee]

My Thinkpad T42 (2379 - DXU) was a perfect tool for almost 4 years. I really want it to work longer.

After 4 year heavy duty the screen was having usual problem .. getting pink then dark . So .. after several tries with new and used inverters i finally bought a new screen. It worked. Bright - Like a New one.

Then, after staying unused for couple of months (as i have moved), it started it and very quickly turned black,(with the battery always orange).
Now once in a while its it shows the Windows start up screen .. and then turns off. Mostly it doesn't even show up. Fan is running .. and that is only thing that runs. No led lights. Nothing.

In a shop they briefly looked and said it must be "electrical problem". And motherboard must be replaced - if i really want to.

The questions are
- Could it be something else ?
- How difficult will it be changing the motherboard.
- I looked trough on E Bay for several tested used Motherboards. How can i make (relatively) sure that they ll work ?

I thank you in advance

[Harryc]

I am guessing that it's developed the loose GPU problem on the systemboard. Remove the keyboard but leave it's ribbon cable attached and put pressure on the GPU and power up. If you have a long fan the GPU itself may be under a heatsink (you can press down on the heatsink). If it's out in the open it will say ATI on it. Here's a T42 with a long fan -
http://www.computer-adviser.com/images/ ... oard-2.jpg
Here is the board with the fan removed. Although it is upside down you can clearly see the ATI on the GPU -
http://www.traudien.com/ebay/DSC03029.JPG

Keyboard removal -
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-46464

[4ckatro]

HI!
I have a Thinkpad T42 model 2374 laptop and the motherboard is died.
And i want to buy a another one, but i dont know what type of motherboard should i buy.
I have seen t42 is compatible with t40,t41,t41p,t42p ... etc.
Is there any speed difference in these motherboards?
Or if i buy a t41 board it will works same than t42.
What do you say?

[Harryc]

The boards are compatible, and the main difference will be in the GPUs. Also 'some' T40's ran PC2100 RAM vs PC2700 in the later models. Depending on the board it could have a Radeon 7500, 9000, 9600, or one of the FireGL variants.

[4ckatro]

And the 9600/firegl would the best couice?
How much is the difference between theese gpu's?

[RealBlackStuff]

I'd rather look for an R51 motherboard with Intel GPU.
That also fits the T40/1/2 models, runs much cooler, and does not have the dreaded (ATI) GPU problems
P/N 93P4201 with 10/100 Ethernet
P/N 93P4202 with Gigabit Ethernet

[Harryc]

And the 9600/firegl would the best couice?
How much is the difference between theese gpu's?

You're asking for performance data? I have no idea, but these are really old so a Google search would yield a mountain of data.

[4ckatro]

And really better an intel gpu than ATI?
And an R52's motherboard compatible with t42?
39T5556

[ajkula66]

The problem here is that the OP's machine is a 15" SXGA+ IPS model, where I'm not certain how an Intel board from R51 would behave...this unit currently has a Radeon 9600 GPU, likely the best of both worlds for a T42.

To answer the other poster with a 2374 unit...

R52 board would call for a new CPU, RAM, fan...not worth it.

If I were you I'd contact Nick (poshgeordie) and have him re-flow the board.

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=73945

Good luck.

[tim S]

Having just gone through this here's the definitive answer.
Any T40, T41 or T42, 14.1" or 15.1" ('P' or not) motherboard will
fit into any machine. The 15.1" boards have a removable
spacer and they will fit into a 14.1" machine once it's removed.
Obviously you'll need the spacer to fit a 14.1" board into a 15.1" machine.
The actual removing and refitting of the motherboard requires some
skill but it's not very difficult.
As to buying a board from eBay, look at the feedback and
the return policy and DON'T buy a board that wasn't tested by the seller.
Unless you have a reason to increase the specs, I'd get
a board that matches the one you have.

Tim S

[4ckatro]

I got it.. but i just ask it is there any sensible speed difference of these motherboard types.
I mean if i buy an t41 motherboard to my t42 laptop, will it slower?

And my laptop screen is 14,1 if i buy a 15' laptop motherboard will it work with 14,1' screen?

[Harryc]

As already stated, the GPU is different depending on what board you purchase. The rest of the performance related components are the same provided you test with the same amount of RAM and CPU speed. 'Speed' is a relative term, but assuming you pickup one of the FireGL boards, it will be 'faster' than the Radeon 9600 GPU board in your current machine. The 'size' question has already been answered.

[tim S]

As Harry said, and he's helped me often enough, various boards do come with different GPUs and different ram specs. Centrino CPUs, right up to the 2.2G (if you can find one) with the 400 bus speed will work in all.
Screens will work in all but the SVGA and the UXGA will benefit from the more powerful (but very hot) 64MB and 128MB GPUs.
I'm a little fuzzy on this but the R series boards run the cooler Intel GPUs which I think only work with XGA screens.
I guess the key here is the cost of upgrading the board, ram (maybe) and cpu (maybe) vs just picking up a used model with the specs you really need, it's really close. If one isn't sure how to go about all this swapping stuff, then it's the smart way to go.

Tim S

[4ckatro]

Thanks for the help!

[RealBlackStuff]

An R52 motherboard with integrated Intel GPU can drive your 15" SXGA+ screen, BUT...
You also need to get another CPU, fan and DDR2 RAM.