Looking for W520 in Canada

[JonathanBe]

I'm in Canada, looking for a W520. My existing W520 had a gradual fan failure, which I misdiagnosed as dust, but since there was hardly any dust when I opened the unit up, it's probably bearings or some other fan-moving-part. So I hope to get a lightly-used (i.e., fan with a Future) W520 and transplant the RAM and HD from the no-longer-working machine.

My first try was Ordimedia Plus. Unfortunately, their payment option has an address verifier ("powered by" you-know-who) that does not approve our address. I think that this verify software does not work for a customer who lives in a village. They haven't answered my query.

Then I tried Amazon.ca, which has already verified our address. To my surprise, they have no W520 units for sale, only parts listings.

There's a guy in the village named "Vern" who like me is something of a computer archaeo-nut, but I lost track of him. It must be a large village that I live in.

Just to make it fun, it looks like Canada Post is going on strike. Vancouver Island.

[ZaZ]

Why not just buy a new fan?

[JonathanBe]

Why not just buy a new fan?

Thanks. A variety of small reasons. 1. The HMM doesn't show how to remove the fan. The fan pictured in the HMM has less copper heat-dissipation coil than does the real one, and the setup of small metal parts near the fan is also different. 2. When I put the W520 back together again, pressing the power key would not turn it on. If you are drinking coffee, please put it down on the table before reading further. The power key would not work to turn on the W520, but the oversized Esc key did turn it on! It still failed the BIOS power-on fan test. 3. The clicky keys at the bottom of the keyboard don't look right. I fear that I might have discarded some rubbery interpolated membrane thingy. Yes, I looked on the floor, but no luck. 4. The cats, long ago when they were still kittens, had a go at the keyboard.

So, all in all, I wouldn't be sad to renew the moving parts of this W520. But perhaps needs must. Another angle might be what other Thinkpads could take the (Win 7 pro) SSD from my W520 and run without a lot of hiccup-ing. Can pick up in Vancouver....

Typed on a T60 running XP and Supermium. Mostly works.

[RealBlackStuff]

1. The HMM doesn't show how to remove the fan.

Check the HMM again, Chapter 9 Removing..., 1150 Thermal module

[JonathanBe]

1. The HMM doesn't show how to remove the fan.

Check the HMM again, Chapter 9 Removing..., 1150 Thermal module

The HMM shows how to remove a fan, but it does not show how to remove the heavier (more copper fins) fan that shipped with the machine and which is anchored to the, ah, chassis, differently. I thought I explained that in the sentence that followed the one you picked out, but I guess not. Sorry for your wasted time, and thank you for the effort. Also, it was just one of four (that I could think of when asked by ZaZ) reasons, not the only one.

My wife wanted to buy me <random cheap Win10 laptop or notebook computer with a couple of USB ports> from the nearest box store. At the time it went against the decades of Thinkpad-pickiness that is my only armour.

[RealBlackStuff]

No offence meant, but your 'descriptions' of the fan and/or its parts make absolutely no sense to me, and I have been 'messing' with Thinkpads for over 20 years.

[ZaZ]

There are more than a few W520 teardown videos on the internet. I'm fairly confident one has what you're looking for and will be more instructive than utilizing a drawing from the HMM.

[JonathanBe]

Is anyone aware of a source in Vancouver BC for what I seek? Failing that, a good deal in Vancouver on a <random cheap Win10 or Linux laptop or notebook computer with a couple of USB ports>?

After I discovered how much the HMM varied from my 12-year-old W520 unit, I did use a YT teardown video. Many of my age have vision difficulties. I don't have those difficulties, but still, mileage did vary. Never claimed to be a hardware maven.

Future thinkpadders should know that there were no quick answers to the initial question. After a day of silence, Zaz and RealBlackStuff kindly offered alternative approaches, not just for the OP, but for you. They are not, in the parlance of Canadian Football, where it carries a 15-yard penalty, "piling on". No, they did it for you, too.