I have 3 IBM ThinkPad T30 notebooks; they all have a common LCD related issue
I have 3 IBM ThinkPad T30 notebooks; they all have a common LCD related issue. Their LCD backlight is flashing in a random manner. It doesn’t turn itself off, just gets a little bit dimmer. It’s barely visible when something is moving on the screen (like movies and games), but its very annoying viewing the desktop. First I thought that it’s
synchronized with HDD activity, but it turned out, that it isn’t. I disassembled all of them (removing the motherboard too) and put them back together (there were no noticeable damages), but the symptom stayed. I figure it has something to do either with the backlight bulb, or the inverter, or a general power problem.Any suggestions or help is much appreciated.
When I have to fix a laptop backlight problem, I always start with reseating connectors on the FL inverter board and then replacing the inverter with a test one. Very often just reseating itself helps a lot.
Try to reseat connectors on the inverter board. You can use ProGold connector enhancer to improve connector conductivity. IBM ThinkPad T30 service manual has instructions for taking apart LCD screen assembly. If it doesn’t help, I would check what version of BIOS you have installed and search on IBM website for the latest version (actually I would try it before opening up the laptop display assembly). It’s possible that newer BIOS version has a fix for the backlight problem. If it still doesn’t help, I would try replacing the inverter board. You have good chances that it will fix the backlight problem. Fortunately, new inverters for IBM ThinkPad T30 notebooks are cheap.
BTW, I assume that you have tried reinstalling the video driver already. Just in case.
UPDATE: Here’s an update for you guys. I’ve created a disassembly guide on how to replace the screen inverter on an IBM notebook.
February 26th, 2008 at 4:52 am
Dear LTF
I’m so sorry to trouble you, but I’m in a pickle. I have an old IBM X23 laptop. Sometimes when I turn it on, it’s fine for a bit and the screen flickers or garbles and after a few minutes goes black. I read about trying to re-seat the inverter. I downloaded the X23 service manual which gives a diagram on how to remove the screen but I’m a monkey’s uncle’s best friend’s sister if I can do it. I’m not a laptop techie. Have you ever tried to “re-seat” the inverter on an X23 and could perhaps guide me? I’m stuck at step one: removing the hinge covers. They’re supposed to twist up by the look of things.
I almost know what I’m doing. Almost!!
I’m sorry to bother you.
January 8th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
Not sure what’s wrong.
I assume the LCD is not bright when you run on the battery power? Is is dark even in the BIOS (before Windows starts loading)?
Check the AC adapter, make sure it outputs correct voltage. It’s just a guess. Please let me know if you find the solution.
January 8th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Dear Laptop Freak,
Thanks for the great site. I have read through all of the responses though and do not see exactly what I need. I have an IBM T20 with a dim LCD Screen. The backlight is on, but a short time ago, it went dimmer than it should….not black, but like you dimmed it with the FN-End keys,etc. Once in a great while it will blink back bright again, but only for a second. No amount of pressing on the screen, case, etc. or jiggling makes it come back. I switched out the LCD inverter board, but it made no difference… Is my LCD going bad? Motherboard? Thanks! Dave
November 13th, 2007 at 10:27 pm
Pete,
Remove the hard drive and then turn on the laptop. If the laptop will not start, most likely your problem is not related to the hard drive. Here I’ve published your question and some troubleshooting tips.
November 13th, 2007 at 11:47 am
Laptop Freak,
I have an IBM X31, recently, after turning it off, it has never come back on.
The screen is blank but the fan is definitely on and it gets warm so something is going on inside.
If I press the CapsLock or NumLock their light doesn’t come on.
It is definitely not the contrast or the battery.
I have been told that it could well be the harddisk, screen or the motherboard. Is there anything else that could be wrong with it?
How hard is it to fit a motherboard or a new harddisk?
Cheers,
Pete
October 29th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
Thanks for all of your help! Here’s my situation. I have a 3-year old R51. It’s been working great until a few weeks ago. Now it seems to be working fine for hours at a time, then all it takes is a single key-press or a small nudge to the screen or even the laptop case and the screen goes blank. Attached monitors go blank also. The only way to get it back alive is to cycle the power. When it comes back up I get a Microsoft error telling me that the Radeon video driver caused a serious error. I’ve reinstalled the driver multiple times, trying both the ones from IBM (Lenovo) and ATI with no success. It seems like this is a hardware problem but the consistent error message about the video driver is odd. Any ideas?
October 25th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
naivoj,
Check the memory modules. Reseat them.
If the laptop has a discrete video card, make sure the card is properly connected to the motherboard. It’s possible that the card popped up from the slot when you dropped the laptop.
October 24th, 2007 at 9:03 pm
dear laptop freak
i have ibm t30 laptop. my laptop no display m changing ram but no display but m leave ram & press power botton
laptop is beep what’s the problem in this laptop
October 21st, 2007 at 3:34 pm
Hello Laptopfreak,
I dropped my IBM ThinkPad T30laptop, and all i have now is a blank screen… You can see the light on it so if i adjust the brightness it can go brighter or dimmer, but no picture on it. It’s just total black. i I tried using an external monitor but nothing not even in the boot screen
August 28th, 2007 at 11:26 am
Have swapped my R40e screen with a screen of an R40 and the picture o the screen is still faint/ghost like!! Any more ideas that might help me??
Thanks a lot
August 3rd, 2007 at 3:02 pm
Laptop Freak,
I am experiencing the same symptoms on Thinkpad T42.
Turn on Laptop and it works fine until just after Windows boots and then it cuts out… But I do See the icons its just not lit…
I removed the bezel per you link.
And reseated the Inverter board.
Well its weird… The screen stays on fine on battery power. But when its plugged into the AC adapter then it blacks out when windows is done loading.
Whats the deal? Does my inverter board only glitch when it sees the power off the Adapter ?
Or do you think I need a driver update?
I just used the one that installed with XP Stripped.
Should I DL one off the IBM Site?
The driver says ATI signed by Microsoft Compatibility blah blah.
Any Ideas?
July 22nd, 2007 at 7:43 pm
Tina, your problem sounds like the “T30 dreaded memory slot failure” inherent to the T30 design. Every T30 manufactured evidently has this problem. I have a T30 and I’ve replaced the motherboard 4 times due to this flaw. Remove the memory nearest the front of the laptop and attempt to reboot with only the rearward slot filled. If you only have one memory stick and it’s in the front slot, move it to the rearward slot.
July 21st, 2007 at 9:11 pm
Tina,
Check out the hardware maintenance manual for a ThinkPad T30 on the page 54.
One short beep, pause, three short beeps, pause, three more short beeps, and one short beep – it’s either memory or motherboard problem.
July 20th, 2007 at 10:52 am
Hi, I hope you can help – I have a Thinkpad T30 and it will not boot. When I press the power button all I get is beeps in a 1-3-3-1 sequence. This is the same whether it’s on battery or mains power.
June 22nd, 2007 at 7:06 pm
Hi Mr Laptop Freak,
I have a T21 laptop of IBM. My screen is bad, for example: when I change the angle opening, sometimes it’s OK, sometimes it’s black. What happen? How can I repair it.
June 9th, 2007 at 9:06 am
I got an IBM Thinkpad R31 for Christmas. When I turn it on I can hear the sound of the IBM screen but I get no picture. If I look close I cam make out a very faillogo if I have enough light and tilt the screen just right. Any ideas on how to help. Thanks for any advice
March 25th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
I have a Thinkpad T41p that has exectly the symptoms you have described for a faulty inverter. At start up the screen comes on bright and clear. After a couple of minutes the screen goes black but you can still see the image is there. Go to suspend and then wake up and it comes back bright for a minute or two and then goes dark again. An external monitor works fine (Samsung Syncmaster152b). I have ordered a new inverter from IBM today and it will be here in a week or so (all up with handling and postage AUD$57.70). The original part number “was” FRU 26P8464 but IBM Australia say that has been superceded with FRU 27K9972.
I’ll drop back with the outcome. Curiously I have the same problem with a Gateway Solo 9100 and if this works I’ll try a new inverter and boot that up again.
Thanks
GB
February 28th, 2007 at 12:43 am
The problem is with your Power Supply. When battery is 100% charged, your LCD will be OK, but if your battery is not full and you have weak power supply, it will have “blinking” problem. I have original IBM T40 power supply with my T30 and LCD is blinking. But if I use no original, much stronger source, everything is OK. So be sure, you are using the right power adapter with your T30
February 22nd, 2007 at 3:42 am
I don’t want to jeopardize the good work that laptopfreak does, but I found an excellent forum for exclusively IBM Thinkpads: http://forum.thinkpads.com/index.php
Everybody that has a Thinkpad, should also download the Hardware Maintenance Manual from the IBM/Lenovo website.
There is one available (free) for every different Type, with loads of instructions on how to take it apart, and very importantly: all the IBM part numbers.
February 21st, 2007 at 11:56 pm
Keith,
Remove the LCD mask so you can access the inverter board. Find FRU number on the inverter board and search by this number.
February 21st, 2007 at 1:36 pm
hi, after reading your guide i have come up with the conclusion that my t30 inverter board had gone (same syptons as listed) so i have taken mine apart and managed to get the screen back for the whole of 4 seconds. so now it must be down to connecters. just incase it aint just the conectors could you please tell me where i can get a new inverter board from?
regard’s
keith
February 13th, 2007 at 5:40 pm
Hello,
I have a T23 with the same LCD problem, no brigth. I have replaced the inverter board and it will work for a few seconds and then goes again black, I can make it work using FnF7, but the bright is not even in the whole screen. Any suggestions? do I have to replace the whole LCD screen?
Thanks,
February 12th, 2007 at 12:34 am
Ann,
Maybe the external monitor cannot handle the screen resolution. I’m not sure, it’s just a guess. Try changing the laptop screen resolution to minimum settings, make it 800 by 600 pixels and test again. Does it make any difference?
February 11th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
Hello!
I’m having trouble getting an external moniter to work on my T40. The moniter is a Daewoo 15″ from 1996. Is it just too old to work with this laptop? It appears to notice when the extend desktop to cover two monites feature is enabled, for the light on the external moniter will switch from red to green.. also, my mouse will then go off the page, as though it were going towards the second moniter.
Makes me think that maybe there is a problem with the moniter and not my laptop? Any ideas for furthur troubleshooting. Maybe I don’t have a video card or adaptor or something, and then the screen would show up on the second moniter?!
February 3rd, 2007 at 5:52 pm
Mike,
I think it’s the BIOS password. I found this article on the Internet. They provide instructions for working around the BIOS password on the following IBM notebooks.
I haven’t tried it myself and not sure if it’s going to work.
February 3rd, 2007 at 5:14 pm
Chicka,
I think you can move the laptop around your apartment, just do not close the lid. There are the screen cable and wireless antennas located close to the left hinge and if you are not careful, you can damage them. You’ll have to replace the hinge.
February 3rd, 2007 at 10:52 am
I have an IBM T30 with very similar symptoms, everything else works but the LCD won’t come on. At boot, the control LEDs light up, the fan and harddisk start spinning, but after a few seconds it powers down. I then need to disconnect power (either mains or battery) for a few seconds, reconnect power, and the same happens again and again.
I have already replaced LCD-cable, inverter and LCD-screen.
The whole laptop has been fully dis-assembled. I inspected the mobo with a magnifying glass to look for loose bits, hairline cracks, bulging condensers, fallen off pieces etc. Nothing.
With an external monitor it works absolutely perfect, regardless of whether the LCD-cable is connected to the motherboard or not. IBMs PC-Doctor diagnostics does not find any errors at all. Checked/swapped memory sticks (2×256). The battery is being charged etc.
The fact that I have to remove the power to be able to even try and reboot, leads me to believe that something in the power circuit to/from the LCD is broken, capacitors blown, or even the BIOS gone. I flashed the BIOS successfully to the latest version. With external monitor = perfect, with LCD, no go.
Any insight/tips/help appreciated
February 1st, 2007 at 1:19 pm
I bought an IBM T30 off eBay. Of course, he didn’t mention it needed a password to boot. Do you know of a way to recover or remove it? He claims the hard drive was formatted. It’s not an OS password. I can’t even access the BIOS or the boot menu.
February 1st, 2007 at 9:57 am
I have an IBM Thinkpad T40. I was adjusting the screen on my laptop last night when the gray plastic (or whatever material it is) connecting the left hinge on my screen to my keyboard cracked and snapped. I am not sure if there is anything still connecting the hinge to the keyboard or not. Everything else seems to be working fine still. I can still see on the monitor and right now the screen seems to be staying up reasonable well. I know I need to get this fixed, but I can’t over the next few days. Also, I know should probably just prop the laptop up in one place, but I like to move it around my apartment with me.
My question is: What risk is there that by moving the laptop around I might cause the screen to go black (lose connection with the rest of the computer)? Is the connection with one hinge (the right one) enough?
Thank you for your help!
January 29th, 2007 at 9:41 pm
Clayton,
I think you have a bad LCD inverter. The inverter board supplies high voltage power for the backlight lamp and if inverter goes bad or has some kind of intermittent problem the LCD screen will not light up. You still should be able to see a very dim image on the screen when it’s dark.
The screen inverter is located inside the display assembly below the LCD screen. It’s necessary to remove the LCD mask from the display in order to replace the inverter board. When the mask is removed, you just unplug two cables from the inverter and replace it with a new one. Most likely it’ll fix your problem.