T42 Screen Blackout

[ajkula66 Guru]

Now I'm quite puzzled with the fact that it worked for an hour and then started misbehaving again...

And the other (known working?) LCD doesn't work at all? 

[EGilger]

yep, I called IBM tech services and they said that my r51 LCD was compatible and so I switched them out, it worked for an hour and then It started making a buzzing noise and flickered off, it still works with another moniter and it's still VERY dark on the screen. I put a t42 specific LCD in when it came but no dice? Ideas. Thanks

[ajkula66 Guru]

Buzzing sound usually equals dying inverter...

[EGilger]

Does a LCD inverter need a driver? Also was the TEch right, is the r51 LCD compatible? or could I have blown something else using it? or is there a special trick to installing it, I just plugged the two ends in and screwed it on?Thanks again

[ajkula66 Guru]

Tech was right, and the LCD is compatible...and inverter doesn't need a driver per se...

Where've you gotten the previous inverter? 

[EGilger]

I now have four LCD inverters available. The assumed broken one, the one off my old R51, the assumed working one I got from Ebay, and my sisters working T42's all work in my r51 just fine, none work in the T42. Could it be a motherboard issue? Thanks

- Eric

[Agotthelf Community Moderator]

Hello,

yes it seems to be a motherboard problem. T4* are suffering from the so called 

"flexing" phenomenon.Google for it.

The gfx chip and it´s solder breaks apart from the board.

The problem is rather frequent and happend when taking your TP with just one hand at the corner.

Sadly you´ll need a new mobo.

[gaoheshuai]

Hello,  

This has just happened to my T42. I didn't notice any discoloration (reddishness) before this happened. I can still use my laptop with an external monitor and the screen on the laptop works for a few minutes after I power it on but then it blacks out every time.                

 From what I can tell, and after reading some forums, the problem is probably a bad inverter, a burned out backlight, or this "flexing" problem. Is there any way I can find out which is my actual problem? I ask this because my warranty expired a month ago and fixing this will have to come out of pocket.   

Thanks for your help.

Message Edited by gaoheshuai on 10-19-2008 10:32 AM

[ajkula66 Guru]

There are two things here that I find out of the ordinary for a GPU failure:

a) The machine worked for an hour before dying and never came back afterwards, with a proper picture on LCD.

b) The buzzing sound that OP described.

I'm not ruling out a motherboard problem, having owned a X31 that behaved in a similar manner, but the big difference here is that I never got anything more than a faint image on the LCD...

Puzzled I am, that much I'll admit...

[SMIRESS]

EGilger,

Did you ever get it fixed?  I just came down with the same problem and followed your post.  I have ordered an inverter and will try that first.  Let us know what you found out.

Steve