I've got the 15" sxga+ screen / dvd / other parts from a R40 that have been sitting on ebay for too long. I don't want to throw them out because it really is a nice screen (1440x1050). I was wondering if I could take the LCD out of the bezel and swap it in say a T43 with a broken screen to make a useful ubuntu laptop.

I'd really like to do that, if it works in a T60 or better, that would be absolutely awesome.
As for the other parts, just a battery, some ram, a few drive covers, and a dvd drive.
Sadly I don't beleive it will fit in my e425(14" lol)

So what models will my 15" screen fit in?

The screen will work in A30/31, G40/41, and it might work in the T4x/R5x range as well. However, given that it's a conventional TN panel, it wouldn't be of much use on a 15" T42 or T43. This LCD will not work in a T6x machine.

Battery is shared with R32, no other models.

Media drive an RAM can be used in A31, T30, etc.

Good luck.

I see that T43p you've modded.

It uses DDR2 unlike the T43 ant T42 right? Whats the maximum ram for it?
Also how does the Firepro GL stand up against the x300 in games? I noticed it has more vram.
And lastly is there a hard drive limit like 137gb?

T43 and T43p both use DDR2 RAM, maxing out at 2GB due to chipset limitation. T42 does use the DDR RAM but shares the same limit.

I don't game so I couldn't say anything about how V3200 rates vs. X300 but do bear in mind that both of these are very old GPUs, and that ThinkPads were never designed to be gaming rigs to begin with. If you need a gaming laptop...Alienware, Clevo and all the associated clones are *much* better pick...

There is no - never was - any known HD limit on the T4x generation. I've had a 500GB Toshiba in mine an one point, and all was well.

I do have a better laptop for gaming, but I'd like to get a laptop for tinkering with ubuntu, there were a couple things with it that I couldn't find out how to fix last time I tried, one of them being getting directx working for my games, so I would want the graphics better suited for gaming, they're mostly source games.

I was wondering about the hard drive because my inspiron 8000(previous ubuntu test box) had one, and I had the R40 to the screen but never put a bigger hard drive in it.

Also how fast is the sata mod, is it sata I or II speed?

SATA-mod yields SATA I speeds only.

Ubuntu (and Linux in general) does not play nice with ATi GPUs of this era. Support for them has been dropped half a zillion versions ago...

Ok, so if I was looking for Ubuntu support I would go with an intel version? I know the 950 has support. And if I did go with an ATI, do they have the BGA issues from the T42 and R40?

Also, since I'm having a tough time with the broken 15" 's, I decided to buy or build a base, will a 14" board work in a 15" base? Some of the buyers don't specify what size the boards are for :/

T43p suffers from BGA-related problems less than previous models, but is not entirely immune to them.

An Intel-based T43 (or R52) would be a good choice for running Linux...as for the boards, all of them are of the same size on T4x/R5x generation.

What exactly are you planning to do? I might be able to help you out...

origionally I was planning to find a 15" T43 with a broken screen, and replace the screen itself with my R40's.

But since I can't find a broken 15", only a broken 14", I thought I might either:

-wait a really really really long time for someone to break one
or
-find a 15" or 14" base on ebay and order the bezel and parts for it

unless this happens to be a 15", the seller does not say:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-ThinkPad-T4 ... 500wt_1416

There's also this one but it looks like someone kicked it, and I think its a 14":

http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-THINKPAD-LA ... 35be17bf4b

:/

A 15" unit will have both hinges equally thick while the 14" wont. Both of the links on feebay are for 14" units.

You'll also need a LCD cable and inverter from a 15" SXGA+ T4x unit to match the T43 base with your screen. Do you really think it's worth it?

Not really, I was hoping of picking up a broken one for $30 or so.

So are you saying I could buy a broken 14", buy the screen assembly for a 15" and use my screen to complete it?

I've got a laptop I could use for ubuntu, its a sony vaio, but every time I fix it something else breaks, replaced the screen cable, mobo went bad, replaced the mobo, inverter went bad, replaced the inverter, cd went bad, replaced the cd, now the screen is all funky with spazzy white lines :/

No.

You need an entire 15" shell - as in base + LCD assembly sans screen - to complete that project...and I honestly doubt that $30 shipped will yield that setup in any type of a working condition...you can use the motherboard from a 14" unit, but the base must be from a 15" model...

darn, ok, I guess i'll drop the price on my lcd then unless a 15" pops up.

thanks for the help

How much were you asking for the screen to begin with?

When the board finnally quit, my dad told me to list it for $75(which is way too high), so it would be "worth listing". I think I lowered it to $60 after 3 months.

Anyways, I havn't gotten around to doing ebay stuff yet, but I was putting it back in the box and digging around, and I found the base for the R40, with no keyboard or caddy, but it had all the bezels.

Could this help me any?

Huh...reality check:

I have the exact same screen (albeit in an A3x lid) listed in Marketplace for $20 and one inquiry this far, after a month...

A couple of weeks ago I threw a box of R40 parts since no one wanted them even on free-for-the-cost-of-shipping basis...

Good luck.

it wasnt my choice what to list it for, my dad thinks i cant do ebay and stands right behind me, and as soon as I typed in "45" he started off about how its not going to make a profit and such(i got these systems for free!?!?!)

Anyways, looked up the R40 and R40e, they both don't have options for intel craphics, so I guess I'll just wait for a T43 or something :/