IBM ThinkPad T30 hardware problem

[ThinkPad560X]

I have a IBM ThinkPad T30 and not sure if its the RAM socket or the ATi graphics 7500 on this one but It powers on and runs. sometimes the external display will come on and sometimes not. Its lcd comes on but has a scambled display. once in awail I'll get a few beep codes, but thats not all the time. sometimes it will load XP all the way up and be fine. Im guessing its the ram socket as this was the biggest problem with the T30s if so where does the loose connection start at and is it easy to resolder?

[ThinkPad560X]

heres a good image I found of what the display kinda looks like.
http://www.arcaderestoration.com/graphi ... cb1big.jpg

[ajkula66]

I'd say VRAM corruption.

Have you tried it on external LCD?

[ThinkPad560X]

yes it clear and running fine.

[ajkula66]

I'll tell you it's not the RAM socket....

Here's what I would do: plug it into external monitor and run all PC Doctor for DOS tests, most notably the motherboard and VRAM ones, several times in a row. If that doesn't make it go haywire, try this one:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=90221

It might be the screen itself, though I've never seen anything quite like it where the actual LCD was at fault.

Good luck.

[ThinkPad560X]

When ever I give a press on the two ram sockets and turn it on it loads up windows fine. screen is still fuzzy tho.

[Harryc]

You could have two problems, a bad socket (or both bad) and a GPU issue. The RAM sockets on the T30's are notorious for going bad due to loose solder joints. If you press on the RAM and any symptom changes you have a bad socket.

[tfflivemb2]

To include, or exclude the ram slot issue, try alternating ram in just one slot at a time. If you get to a point where it boots regularly with ram in just one slot, but not the other, then you have the ram slot issue.

As for the LCD, like George said, for something like this, I have never seen it be the LCD that was at fault, for that screen image. It is normally the VRam, and in some cases, it was the LCD cable.

[ThinkPad560X]

I took my two thumbs and pressed in the center below the LCD level where it says T30 and the LCD seems to get better. I'd have to say a loose LCD inverter connection or a loose LCD ribbion or even a bad LCD ribbon. As I push on it from the back it gets clearer. Im even on my T30 typing this.

[ajkula66]

Inverter or bad connection will not produce anything like what you've showed us.

A bad video cable might.

Good luck.

[ThinkPad560X]

I'll upload a image of what my T30 looks like, since it probably would be better.
http://img441.imageshack.us/i/lcds.jpg/

Wheres MacGyver when you need him, I have a few ThinkPads for him to fix. Thought I'd add that in, Im watching my MacGyver DVD collection.

[ThinkPad560X]

Progress:
Well I took apart my hole T30 and sucked out all of the dust that was in it. even took the CPU/fan and clean all it out. took the LCD ribbon out and looks okay, had alot of dust on it. fited the LCD back in place and connected the keyboard and powered it on and showed the IBM ThinkPad Logo "very clear" for a sec and then the screen went to a black litup display.

Also where is the VRAM at on the T30?

[ThinkPad560X]

okay I tested my RAM sockets and its the one closes to the front of the laptop. Is it a easy solder? and I know the T30 max RAM is 1GB. will a single 1GB stick work and not have to worry about the other socket. or would it need 2X 512MB sticks?

[ajkula66]

Max RAM on these is actually 2GB, so you can throw a 1GB DIMM in the healthy slot.

[RealBlackStuff]

For repairs, see this: http://www.omskakas.se/2007/07/thinkpad ... ilure.html
There are numerous posts on this in the T2x/T30 forum!

[ThinkPad560X]

Update on my ThinkPad T30. Well I pulled my T30 out to see of trying to use it again, With some luck It powered on and showed the IBM ThinkPad logo screen very clear and loaded a bit until it got fuzzy. Later got clear asoon as it booted windows with 1/2 of the screen fuzzzy and the other clear. So I messed around on the external monitor abit with it. I'd still like to get it fixed as the battery is like new, holds a 100% charge, the palmrest and LCD is like new, no scuffs and the ThinkLight is very bright. Plus has a new Red trackpoint. I was thinking of taking it to staples as they do dinostics to PCs from what I heard and maybe can be fixed there. Also after trying out my 600X with a new 32GB Real SSD, it is very fast for a Pentium III 500MHz, and ONLY 64MB RAM running Windows XP Home, I'll later get a 64GB SSD for my T30 after I can get it fixed and change out the old 30GB HDD in it. can't miss hearing the loading of the Hard Disk Drive, Its been awail since I messed with them now.

Also does IBM/lenovo have a download area under drivers such as IBM ThinkPad T30 Recovery CD download? And I can burn it to a DVD. Or do I have to order one from IBM/lenovo?

[RealBlackStuff]

All the T30 drivers you want: http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-42358

and YGPM

[ThinkPad560X]

I clicked on the link above Reflow your T40 UK & EU and looked at the list of Typical Symptoms list. And found the problem is Picture broken up / pixelated

This is the actual picture of my ThinkPad T30's display. http://img441.imageshack.us/i/lcds.jpg/

So it must be the GPU plus my bottom RAM slot unsolder, top one seems to be okay.
Are these easy fixes? When it comes to motherboard repairs I don't like to mess with them, may cause it to not even power on. I just do simple things such as CPU change, memory change, fan ect. non soldering, Plus don't have the right tools for soldering motherboards.

[RealBlackStuff]

Your mobo is close to being toast.
Nobody repairs the T30 GPU, but you can resolder the RAM slot in about 10 minutes.
However, in your case, you're better off getting another motherboard (or another T30 for parts, they are cheap).

[ThinkPad560X]

Well I bought a ThinkPad T30 motherboard and bought a factory refurbished one, so I know everything will work and be under a warranty.

A small talk about the ThinkPads around this time-line.
What was the corner cut-off on the back left for? was it just for the design or to serve as something? The ThinkPads I own and I think only had the cut corner were "Counting mine": A30, T30, R31, R40, X30.

[RealBlackStuff]

I'd say it's a design gimmick, but could also be for a reinforcement of that particular corner.
Confused? So am I.

[ThinkPad560X]

Well I installed my factory refurbished T30 motherboard and got it all back together and turn it on and find it doing the same thing. So the motherboard that was in it wasn't the problem. So it narrowd it down to the LCD Inverter or LCD Ribbon cable. Atleast I got a good board with 2 good memory sockets now. And this new one don't have the blue rubber shock that presses on the memory sockets located under the HDD. I replaced my X30 LCD and it has the inverter in it, would it work in my T30?

I'll just store my older T30 motherboard in the shock resist bag and put in storage I guess.

[ThinkPad560X]

Well I finally found the problem is the LCD screen its self. So I'm going to get a new LCD. I took the LCD out of the bezel and turned it on and pressed on the bottom right corner of it where the LCD light cables plug into and the screen flickered on and off clear.

[Ville]

Hello! My first post! (just let me put out there that im not a native english speaker, therefore, my apologies on any gramatic mistakes (Misteics?) thanks)

On the thinkpad thing... Dont waste the screen yet, it might be the clock signal that drives the lcd. I mistakenly bought a motherboard for my T30, my latest acquisition, thinking it was the GPU going bust. However, after doing some "Mechanical testing" (Finger checking the temps) apparently the solder balls in the gpu, became temperature stressed. (Im telling you this, becouse when i pressed or cooled the gpu, the screen went back to normal, but as soon as the gpu temperature raised by ... i dont know... 10C the problem appeared again. It will, of course, not show in an external display, since the damage may be just in the LVDS interface. If you can, you can try and get the gpu reflowed, (Wich is problematic, since the ram is also a Ball grid array (BGA) thus, it needs to be reflowed from the bottom of the board, not the top) either yourself, or send it to an expert. If the "Apply pressure on gpu" trick does not cut it, you can also be concerned on the flex that goes from the computer to the screen. That one i repaired myself, with a lot of patience and precision. I dont, unfortunately, own a camera, so i cant upload any images of my "Hack" but i managed to avoid buying a new flex, by repairing the old. (What i did, was simply trace the LVDS signals back to the conector that goes to the motherboard, (Stripping the cable itself, from that conductive cloth material they cover these in) cutting the cable at the hinges height, and doing some very fine pitch soldering between the 2 connectors)

If youre daring, ill try and upload, as soon as i can, some pics that might assist you in doing this, although, your at your own risk.

So... dont ditch the screen yet!

Salut!

[ThinkPad560X]

I got my new LCD in today that came with a Inverter and Cable. I installed it and powered my T30 and the display, displayed great.

[Ville]

Glad to hear that (however, that is still interesting, that a display fails like that, ive never seen that happen before.) When LCDs die, they die in whole, no "Fuzzy" failures. Maybe is the LVDS to paralell converter... well... what ever. Happy to hear bout your computer.

I insist that if ever again you have problems with your display, wich i hope not, but hey, seen it happen, post it here, so we can try and help!


Salut!