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T60 shutdown issue/T60 black screen issue

T60/T61 Series
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nickb7680
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Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2011 3:55 pm
Location: Hernando, FL

T60 shutdown issue/T60 black screen issue

#1 Post by nickb7680 » Sun Oct 09, 2011 4:37 pm

I have 2 issues with 2 different T60's so i will list one at a time. Thanks in advance for your suggestions!!

Thinkpad T60-2007YM3
Windows 7 32bit
2GB Memory
Bios ver. 2.27

The issue with this laptop is that it shutdown when i seem to multitask on the laptop. If just using IE it seems to work fine but when doing anything more it will shutdown within a few minutes. I suppose once the processor starts to work is when it happens. ex. streaming or using skype will cause it to shutdown with no warning.

In the event viewer i have gotten the following:

The speed of processor 0 in group 0 is being limited by system firmware. The processor has been in this reduced performance state for 0 seconds since the last report.

The speed of processor 1 in group 0 is being limited by system firmware. The processor has been in this reduced performance state for 0 seconds since the last report.

then a few minutes after those i get:

The previous system shutdown at 4:31:10 PM on ‎10/‎9/‎2011 was unexpected.

i have always found a few:

The system was shut down due to a critical thermal event.
Shutdown Time = ‎2011‎-‎10‎-‎08T06:59:11.114689200Z
ACPI Thermal Zone = ACPI\ThermalZone\THM1
_CRT = 372K

Those are the warnings and critical errors that i have found.
The laptop does not appear to get really hot before turning off. It just clicks off, sometimes i can restart right away and sometimes i have to wait a few minutes. Then i can use the internet with no problem. I have not dissassembled yet to clean with compressed air. I wanted to see if i could get some answers here first. I am not sure if maybe its fan related, processor related, etc. If you need more info please let me know.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thinkpad T60-2623KFU
Windows 7 - 64bit
2GB Memory

The issue at hand with this laptop is when powered on the screen gets a little pinkish/purplish for a few seconds then clears up. It might stay on for 5 minutes or 5 seconds after that before making a slight buzzzzz sound, very slight and hard to hear before going black. I can close the lid, re-open and i will look good for 5 seconds before going black again.

I found info online that it could be the screen, the backlight or the inverter...I have taken apart many T60s before but have never replaced the inverter or backlight. I believe the inverter is under the power button bezel but not sure where the backlight is located or what it takes to replace that. I assume the screen is ok and it is one of the 2 problems just mentioned but i could be wrong. If you need more info please let me know.

Thank you for the help. I look forward to reading some useful information in response.

RealBlackStuff
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Re: T60 shutdown issue/T60 black screen issue

#2 Post by RealBlackStuff » Sun Oct 09, 2011 5:02 pm

Welcome to the forum.
Problem with T60 #1 is overheating.
Take off keyboard, KB-bezel and then the cooler.
Clean off the old thermal paste with Isopropyl alcohol off both CPU and cooler.
Use e.g. canned air (but hold the fan itself) to clean out the dust bubbies.
Then apply about a rice corn size of AS5 (Arctic Silver 5) only on the CPU, spread out evenly using e.g. an old credit card. Reassemble the T60.

Problem with T60 #2 is the CCFL (backlight), a small tube in the base of the LCD itself.
You probably also have a bad inverter (inside the lid, visible after you take off the LCD bezel.
Replace the inverter first, then see how it goes.
The pink/reddish color is indication that the CCFL is dying. This can last for another few days, weeks, or even months.
If, after the inverter was replaced, you can live with the startup pink, you're good to go for a while.
Easiest way to sort it might be to get a complete lid. If you are handy, then first replace the inverter, and if you are really adventurous, then also replace the CCFL if the screen is otherwise OK.
Let us know how you get on.
Lovely day for a Guinness! (The Real Black Stuff)
Lenovo: X240, X250, T440p, T480, M900 Tiny.

PS: the old Boardroom website is still available on the Wayback Machine
.

nickb7680
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2011 3:55 pm
Location: Hernando, FL

Re: T60 shutdown issue/T60 black screen issue

#3 Post by nickb7680 » Sun Oct 09, 2011 6:11 pm

Thank you for the recommendations.

Will buy some AS5 and try that for a fix. Hopefully that will resolve, seems like an easy fix.

The CCFL looks like a pain to replace from what i have found online. The inverter looks easy enough but like you advised it might just be easier to find a complete lid if i can. no luck yet finding one for my specific model.

I can find a CCFL and invernter for probably under $50 for both. I will keep looking for a used LID with LCD included because i see some brand new LCD's but they are really expensive.

Thanks for your reply.

Peak2Peak
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Location: UK

Re: T60 shutdown issue/T60 black screen issue

#4 Post by Peak2Peak » Mon Oct 10, 2011 4:26 am

...it might just be easier to find a complete lid if i can
Put a WTB (Want-To-Buy) request in this forums "Marketplace - Forum Members only" section. A member may just have what you require - :)
T60F: (Integrated Intel GPU) - [Another T60 FrankenPad!...Different approach]
R60F: (Integrated Intel GPU) - [ThinkPad R60 15.0" FrankenPad]

nickb7680
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2011 3:55 pm
Location: Hernando, FL

Re: T60 shutdown issue/T60 black screen issue

#5 Post by nickb7680 » Mon Oct 10, 2011 1:47 pm

ok thanks for that advice. will do, i found some lids for some models close to mine but maybe someone does have what i need. :)

nickb7680
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2011 3:55 pm
Location: Hernando, FL

Re: T60 shutdown issue/T60 black screen issue

#6 Post by nickb7680 » Mon Oct 10, 2011 5:28 pm

ok i have the t60 with the shutdown open and fan cooler off. the existing thermal paste is white and is not dry at all. i see three places the thermal paste was applied. on the processor, the graphics card and a chip right underneath the graphics card.

I have cleaned all the old thermal paste off. Do i need to apply AS5 paste to all the locations again? Also since it was very wet already possibly i have another issue going on that aside from thermal paste being old? Also the fan is clear of all dust when i cracked open. i will use compressed air anyway but looks clean already.

it also looked like too much thermal paste was applied. do i just need to apply thermal paste on the little raised surface of each chip? before i cleaned thermal paste was on that surface and all over gooped up on the edges of raised surface.

nickb7680
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2011 3:55 pm
Location: Hernando, FL

Re: T60 shutdown issue/T60 black screen issue

#7 Post by nickb7680 » Tue Oct 11, 2011 2:54 pm

ok was impatient while waiting for a response so i went ahead and applied the artic thermal paste to all 3 areas where the paste was already applied. I applied a rice grain amount to each chip and spread it out evenly. I put the laptop back together booted it up. I downloaded tpfancontrol to monitor the temps and went to work trying to make the laptop overheat with no success. I am amazed the by removing the blobs of exsisting white thermal paste and adding just a minimal amount of artic paste that the problem seems to be resolved.

While running tpfancontrol in bios mode because i do not want to have to run any software to have a working laptop i noticed the laptop idles between about 46/47 degrees C. Then i proceeded to make it overheat by streaming a video, downloading torrents, using skype with video, browsing the internet, using media player, and burning a cd. The Laptop never shutdown on me and the temp varied between 89-94 degrees C with all of that stuff running at the same time. Before the laptop would turn off within 10 to 15 minutes of doing anything besides surfing the net.

I am happy to report that the issue has been fixed just from replacing cheap overused thermal paste to minimal quality thermal paste.
Thanks to realblackstuff for the fix.

hoax32
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Re: T60 shutdown issue/T60 black screen issue

#8 Post by hoax32 » Tue Oct 11, 2011 4:57 pm

The chip under the GPU is the Norththbridge (Southbridge?)
Yes you did a proper good job at applying it to all of them!
It does seem to be a noverheating issue.

But your Temps still seem 2b a little high for a CD / C2D.
Mine maxes out at 87DC.
Try to tighten the screws of the Heatsink a little more and all the screws arround the laptop. (you will be surprised how many screws can loosen over time on a T60)
Use some pressured air and clean the whole inside of the laptop with it.
Also never put the poor thinkpad on the carpet ot blanket.
That will reduce ventilation and collect heat which can cause damage to Chips, RAM, VRAM, HDD, Solder and more.....
IBM ThinkPad X22
-----------------------------------

CPU: Intel Pentium III-M Tualatin @1.13GHz
GPU: ATI Mobility Radeon 8MB DDR [OC'ed] CORE: @213MHz - MEM: @200MHz
RAM: 640MB 133MHz SD RAM 3-3-3-6
HDD: 30GB ATA 5400RPM 8MB Cache
OS: XP SP3

RealBlackStuff
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Re: T60 shutdown issue/T60 black screen issue

#9 Post by RealBlackStuff » Tue Oct 11, 2011 6:04 pm

Normally the thermal pads on GPU and Southbridge do not need thermal paste, but it does not hurt either way.
Do NOT overtighten the CPU cooler screws!
Anybody who knows about AS5, also knows, that it takes up to 200 (twohundred!) hours to properly settle, so don't worry about a few extra degrees during the burn-in period.
Lovely day for a Guinness! (The Real Black Stuff)
Lenovo: X240, X250, T440p, T480, M900 Tiny.

PS: the old Boardroom website is still available on the Wayback Machine
.

nickb7680
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2011 3:55 pm
Location: Hernando, FL

Re: T60 shutdown issue/T60 black screen issue

#10 Post by nickb7680 » Tue Oct 11, 2011 7:18 pm

ok cool, i applied there anyway. im guessing the laptop had an overheating problem already and whoever tried to fix applied too much cheap thermal paste. working like a beauty now.

i wouldnt overtighten, and its running good now, time to sell the beauty.

hoax32
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Posts: 282
Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2011 10:34 pm
Location: Lewisville, TX

Re: T60 shutdown issue/T60 black screen issue

#11 Post by hoax32 » Wed Oct 12, 2011 4:24 pm

LoL I didn't say "TIGHTEN'EM LIKE A B*TCH!!!" xD
Just tighten em so far until you feel like "OK thats as far as I can go without making the screw come out from the bottom" :D
I forgott to tighten a screw of the 4 screws that are attached to the heatsink and after tightening it the temps dropped another 5~10 Degrees!
Tightening the loose screws of your thinkpad will make it feel better in your hand!
Glad it's working now! :)
IBM ThinkPad X22
-----------------------------------

CPU: Intel Pentium III-M Tualatin @1.13GHz
GPU: ATI Mobility Radeon 8MB DDR [OC'ed] CORE: @213MHz - MEM: @200MHz
RAM: 640MB 133MHz SD RAM 3-3-3-6
HDD: 30GB ATA 5400RPM 8MB Cache
OS: XP SP3

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