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T480 screen shuts off after a few seconds to a minute after starting to use it.

T430-T495, T530-T590 Series
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FranklinHawkings
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T480 screen shuts off after a few seconds to a minute after starting to use it.

#1 Post by FranklinHawkings » Wed Oct 22, 2025 5:26 pm

I am not sure what is happening, it's been working for years without issue and a couple of hours ago it just went poof. The laptop can sit there at the bios (it has the latest one from September) but as soon as it gets into Windows the screen shuts off or goes to static.

I tried using an external monitor over USB c and the same thing happens. Loads and then turns off or goes to static.

I tried Linux. Same thing. I got into Linux, was able to log it and get things going, but as soon as I used it for a while the screen shut off.

I'll hear a quick static noise and then it dies. I can hold power button to hard shut down, turn it back on, get into windows, do stuff again, and then dies.
Linux did the same thing multiple times using a USB live boot.

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Re: T480 screen shuts off after a few seconds to a minute after starting to use it.

#2 Post by dr_st » Wed Oct 22, 2025 10:33 pm

Welcome to the forum. :)

Sorry to hear about the trouble with your T480. The symptoms (idles without problem in pre-boot environment, but crashes quickly in the OS) suggests to me a GPU problem. Does your laptop have the discrete nVidia GPU or is it integrated only?
Thinkpad 25 (20K7), T16 Gen 3 (21MQ), Yoga 14 (20FY), T430s (IPS FHD + Classic Keyboard), X220 4291-4BG
X61 7673-V2V, T60 2007-QPG, T42 2373-F7G, X32 (IPS Screen), A31p w/ Ultrabay Numpad

FranklinHawkings
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Re: T480 screen shuts off after a few seconds to a minute after starting to use it.

#3 Post by FranklinHawkings » Thu Oct 23, 2025 11:58 am

Hello back!

So I am just about certain this is the integrated graphics. I see no reference to Nvidia in the BIOS and Nvida drivers or the control panel never were seen in Windows. So I guess that means no replacements for the GPU since there isn't one and the motherboard itself is having issues?

RealBlackStuff
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Re: T480 screen shuts off after a few seconds to a minute after starting to use it.

#4 Post by RealBlackStuff » Fri Oct 24, 2025 1:12 am

Get the T480 HMM from the HMM-Manuals link above.
Remove power, external battery and base-cover.
Go to Chapter 9, 1120 Built-in battery, unplug the cable only (1).
Go to Chapter 9, 1210 LCD unit and unplug both LCD-cables (3-4) and (5-6).
Loosely put the base-cover back on, no screwing! :mrgreen:
Put the external battery in, and turn the laptop back over.
Use an external monitor via USB-C first and see if it now works.
If OK, use an external monitor via HDMI and see if that also works.
If both are OK, then you have a bad LCD.
If not, then you might need to replace the motherboard.
Lovely day for a Guinness! (The Real Black Stuff)
But I actually prefer Murphy's from Cork!

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