IBM Thinkpad T40 Common ATI Video Graphics Fault

If you are experiencing this problem it is very likely you have the common ATI video chip fault. Will usally appear worse once the chip gets hot. Other models which may suffer from this fault include the T41 and T42.

May also affect the following models: R32, R40, R50p, R51, A30, A31, A31p

More 3rd party info here: http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Problem_with_garbled_screen

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• LENOVO
• IBM
• THINKPAD
• T40
• ATI
• CHIP
• VIDEO
• GRAPHICS
• FAULT
• REWORK
• RESOLDER

[3PEEPSproduction]

mine does sorta the same thing, just if I move it just a little bit or bump what ever it is on, the picture jitters then stops and wont do anything, the keyboard stilll works and i can turn on the light at the top and everthing else but the screen stays the same :/ and the only way for it to start up is if hold it the right way. I dont know what to do and U was wondering if you did, thanks

[flash4tech]

@3PEEPSproduction - Sounds like the same problem. Try gently pressing the left hand side of the palm rest or squeezing with finger and thumb underneath, if it affects the problem it's likely the same problem with the solder on the GPU chip.

[flash4tech]

In plain english - the mainboard has to be removed and placed into a special oven and heated gently. This will have an effect on the solder on the mainboard components, often known as reflowing. The graphics chip is positioned on the mainboard just to the left of the touchpad under the palm rest. Over time with constant heating and cooling down, many users pick up their laptop from the front, causing chassis flex, also having an effect. Repairs are hit and miss even with the correct tools.

[flash4tech]

Good cheap bodge to get it working but it's not really good in the long term and will not fix the problem. I've opened up a fair few of these laptops to find cardboard placed inside underneath the palm rest ;-)

[flash4tech]

@antimatterXXXIII - Never come across that issue - reflow wont help.

[antimatterXXXIII]

@nickpaton56 What about losing half the graphics memory? My 64mb A31p is down to 8,and now the backup A31 has gone from 32mb to 16mb. Will popping in the oven really possibly work? Note, the A31 has good graphics, just lost half its RAM, while the graphics on the A31p are awful - but it POSTs and runs..I can remote into it fine.

[nickpaton56]

Thought you might be interested in how we at Reflow Repairs solder the refurbished graphics chip from a T40 Thinkpad back onto the motherboard after we've reballed it.

The video was made using our own macro camera system, and we're watching the tiny 0.5mm diameter solder balls melting and soldering onto the motherboard, as infrared bottom and top heat is applied.

Thanks too for your excellent video which shows all the typical symptoms of an unsoldered graphics chip.

[flash4tech]

@nickpaton56 - A useful post at last ;-) When I used to do IT disposal and refurbs it was never financially viable to spend time doing component level repairs. When you're taking delivery of 100+ laptops at a time it was a case of soak test, repair if viable, clean, data cleanse and install OS before turning the pile into cash as fast as possible.

[nickpaton56]

@flash4tech Not entirely true. I run Reflow Repairs in UK and agree that reflowing - i.e. resoldering - is at best a temporary repair.

We reball every chip which involves removing the chip, cleaning off the old solder balls and replacing with a new set, and then reflowing (soldering) the refurb'd chip onto the motherboard.

We use the best German manufacturered Infrared reflowing equipment and the repair is as good as new, and in the long term very reliable.

Not a hot air gun in site!

[haroonmasood1]

@samssoftwareuser  thanx for ur guide... ive also fixed mine by the same method.. really thanxful to u

[GlycerinZ]

@flash4tech Try pulling the motherboard out and putting it in the oven @ 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes. After that pull it out and let it cool off for 20 minutes. I had a similar problem where the video would not show up every time, I tried this last week and afterwards, the board POSTs every time now! goodluck.

[berkaherzinki]

hey thank , i have the same problem