[ltp] Re: ThinkPad repair

Thu, 11 May 2006 09:30:07 -0400

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One thing that  you may try, if only to buy a little time, is
to remove all of the screws and all of the port retainer bolts
on the very back of the machine.

This will let the system board float up slightly and take some
of the pressure off of it.

I have an a30 that had about the same conditions that you describe and 
it has worked
 perfectly for over a year as a headless router-printserver-etc.

This certainly will not solve your problem but it might help to prove 
that the problem
is the system board.

One thing that will help you on your next machine, and a subject that I 
have ranted
about before on this list, is to try to never pick up the laptop with 
just one hand.

Use both hands and pick it up at about the middle of the base.
This will minimize the flexing of the case and thereby minimize the 
flexing of the
mother/system board..

Good luck, it is quite difficult to find a A30/31 system board that is 
completely problem free.
I am looking for them almost all of the time since I have a waiting list 
of people who would
like to buy one (mainly the a31p).

Having said all of this, I still think that the A30/31 boxes are some of 
the very best systems
that IBM has ever produced.

I currently have one A30 and two A31p systems and like them very much 
but I do treat
them very gently.
When I travel, wihich is very seldom, I carry a 390x... a much! more 
rugged machine and
for doing email, surffing, and the like the speed difference just 
doesn't mean anything.

Once again, good luck
... Bert

Axel Braun wrote:

>@all, thx for your answers so far. I try to answer them in one
>
>  
>
>>What is the actual problem that you are seeing?
>>    
>>
>
>Randomly thick vertikal stripes appear on the display. The machine then
>freezes completely, not even access via the network is possible. After
>removing the power supply and the battery it mostly starts again. Pressing
>with the finger onto the case can force this error. So I assume it is the
>MB, as I read that some A30 had probems with broken boards.
>
>  
>
>>maybe here:
>>IBM Störungsannahme
>>Tel.: 0180 /  52 53 558
>>    
>>
>
>Yes, I got a number from IBM, but the first price estimate justifies the
>nickname for IBM (Ich Bezahle Mehr. I pay more - for our non-german
>speakers ;-)
>
>  
>
>>>It may, incidentally, be cheaper to get another used a30 than just the
>>>      
>>>
>mainboard ...
>  
>
>>Used A30s go for $400 (U.S.) or less on eBay. This is most likely cheaper
>>than a new MB. ......
>>    
>>
>
>Yes, I was looking at that option as well, but some 400-500EUR are due, even
>if you buy over ebay. and, as said, you have the risk of getting a flaky MB
>as well.
>
>Cheers
>Axel
>
>  
>

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One thing that  you may try, if only to buy a little time, is 
to remove all of the screws and all of the port retainer bolts 
on the very back of the machine. 
 
This will let the system board float up slightly and take some 
of the pressure off of it. 
 
I have an a30 that had about the same conditions that you describe and
it has worked 
 perfectly for over a year as a headless router-printserver-etc. 
 
This certainly will not solve your problem but it might help to prove
that the problem 
is the system board. 
 
One thing that will help you on your next machine, and a subject that I
have ranted 
about before on this list, is to try to never pick up the laptop with
just one hand. 
 
Use both hands and pick it up at about the middle of the base. 
This will minimize the flexing of the case and thereby minimize the
flexing of the 
mother/system board.. 
 
Good luck, it is quite difficult to find a A30/31 system board that is
completely problem free. 
I am looking for them almost all of the time since I have a waiting
list of people who would 
like to buy one (mainly the a31p). 
 
Having said all of this, I still think that the A30/31 boxes are some
of the very best systems 
that IBM has ever produced. 
 
I currently have one A30 and two A31p systems and like them very much
but I do treat 
them very gently. 
When I travel, wihich is very seldom, I carry a 390x... a much! more
rugged machine and 
for doing email, surffing, and the like the speed difference just
doesn't mean anything. 
 
Once again, good luck 
... Bert 
 
 
 
Axel Braun wrote: 
<blockquote type="cite" cite="mide3ukj6$1ag$1@sea.gmane.org">
 <pre wrap="">@all, thx for your answers so far. I try to answer them in one

  </pre>
  <blockquote type="cite">
    <pre wrap="">What is the actual problem that you are seeing?
    </pre>
  </blockquote>
  <pre wrap=""><!---->
Randomly thick vertikal stripes appear on the display. The machine then
freezes completely, not even access via the network is possible. After
removing the power supply and the battery it mostly starts again. Pressing
with the finger onto the case can force this error. So I assume it is the
MB, as I read that some A30 had probems with broken boards.

  </pre>
  <blockquote type="cite">
    <pre wrap="">maybe here:
IBM Störungsannahme
Tel.: 0180 /  52 53 558
    </pre>
  </blockquote>
  <pre wrap=""><!---->
Yes, I got a number from IBM, but the first price estimate justifies the
nickname for IBM (Ich Bezahle Mehr. I pay more - for our non-german
speakers ;-)

  </pre>
  <blockquote type="cite">
    <blockquote type="cite">
      <pre wrap="">It may, incidentally, be cheaper to get another used a30 than just the
      </pre>
    </blockquote>
  </blockquote>
  <pre wrap=""><!---->mainboard ...
  </pre>
  <blockquote type="cite">
    <pre wrap="">Used A30s go for $400 (U.S.) or less on eBay. This is most likely cheaper
than a new MB. ......
    </pre>
  </blockquote>
  <pre wrap=""><!---->
Yes, I was looking at that option as well, but some 400-500EUR are due, even
if you buy over ebay. and, as said, you have the risk of getting a flaky MB
as well.

Cheers
Axel

  </pre>
</blockquote>
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