[Thinkpad] Dead A30

Tue Apr 24 07:49:52 CDT 2007

Get the Hardware Maintenance Manual, a free day, a collection of good
tunes and some tools.  I think your system may need a complete breakdown
and reassembly.  I think your connectors have corrosion.  The simple act
of pulling the connector off then reinserting it often fixes the
problem.  But with a disassembly you can use pressurized air and perhaps
cotton swabs and alcohol to remove all foreign matter from the
connectors, plus a good vacuum of the parts to remove all the dust.

If your machine works intermittently, this is likely the problem.

George

-----Original Message-----
From: thinkpad-bounces at stderr.org [mailto:thinkpad-bounces at stderr.org]
On Behalf Of Alex Austin
Sent: Monday, April 23, 2007 10:01 PM
To: Bruce Markowitz
Cc: Thinkpad at stderr.org
Subject: Re: [Thinkpad] Dead A30

Well, the A30 is acting up again with the same symptoms. I decided to
take
it back to my house and the bumpy car ride seemed to temporarily fix it.

Need a new system board?
How much will it cost?

On 1/18/07, Bruce Markowitz <scosgt at worldnet.att.net> wrote:
>
> ... I am glad the memory was the problem, that is simple and cheap to
fix.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Alex Austin" <circuitsoft.alex at gmail.com>
> To: "Keith Schawel" <thinkpad at li.ath.cx>
> Cc: <Thinkpad at stderr.org>
> Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2007 4:06 PM
> Subject: Re: [Thinkpad] Dead A30
>
>
> > Well, I traded memory with my T23 (same processor, same ram), and
now my
> T23
> > is unstable, and the A30 is solid.
> >
> > What warranty did you offer, Bruce, and is it still in effect?
> >
> > On 1/15/07, Alex Austin <circuitsoft.alex at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > memtest86+ (http://www.memtest.org) didn't find a problem within
half
> an
> > > hour (~60% done full scan)
> > >
> > > On 1/15/07, Keith Schawel <thinkpad at li.ath.cx> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Though it isn't always conclusive, you could try running memtest
(
> > > > http://www.memtest86.com/).  It could either confirm a RAM
problem
> (by
> > > > coming up with errors) or help rule it out (even if it shows no
> errors,
> > > > there could be a problem).  Just a thought.
> > > >
> > > > Keith
> > > >
> > > > On 1/15/07, Alex Austin <circuitsoft.alex at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > Well, I switched RAM with my T23, so we'll see if the
stability
> > > > switches.
> > > > > I'll try PC Doctor later, if this doesn't make it obvious.
> > > > >
> > > > > On 1/15/07, Nguyen Dao <daongn at pacbell.net> wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > >  You can try replacing the 2 Samsun memory chips, but I do
not
> think
> > > >
> > > > > that
> > > > > > it helps. The main problem is the circuit to memory for
video
> card.
> > > > It's
> > > > > > BGA, as I said before.
> > > > > >  In this case, you need to download pc doctor from IBM web
site
> and
> > > > run
> > > > > > diagnos on video card 10 minutes after power the laptop on
to
> see
> > > > video
> > > > > is
> > > > > > bad or memory is bad.
> > > > > > I bet the BGA video circuit join is bad.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > *Alex Austin < circuitsoft.alex at gmail.com>* wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Re-seating the RAM seems to fix it, for 20 mins to a few
days.
> Any
> > > > idea?
> > > > > > I've tried both RAM slots (there's only one card)
> > > > > >
> > > > > > On 12/23/06, Nguyen Dao <daongn at pacbell.net> wrote:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > This is the common issue of Thinkpad and other laptops.
The
> main
> > > > > reason
> > > > > > > is the join of the video chip to motherboard is loosen.
On
> A30,
> > > > it's
> > > > > > > hard to fix because you have to get the MB out the case.
The
> Video
> > > > > chip is
> > > > > > > on the bottom of the board, try to press it for about 30
> seconds
> > > > > before
> > > > > > > power on your laptop.
> > > > > > > You can try by using  a hair dryer to blow hot air around
> > > > the  video
> > > > > > > chip. However, this  requires experience and skill to do.
> > > > > > > Good luck.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > *Alex Austin < circuitsoft.alex at gmail.com>* wrote:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Oh, Be nice, Matt.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Anyway, It'll be several days (after Christmas) until I
have
> > > > access to
> > > > > > > the
> > > > > > > unit in question again. I'll report back with my
> > > > > > > findings/success/attempts
> > > > > > > when the time comes.
> > > > > > > - Alex
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > On 12/22/06, Matt wrote:
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Reseat the ram & hard drive.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Reseat Bruce??
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > > > > Thinkpad mailing list
> > > > > > > > Thinkpad at stderr.org
> > > > > > > > http://stderr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/thinkpad
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > --
> > > > > > > - Alex Austin
> > > > > > > Circuitsoft Computer Services
> > > > > > > (651) 238-9273
> > > > > > > www.circuitsoftcs.com
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > "...and then I visited Wikipedia ...and the next 8 hours
are a
> > > > blur."
> > > > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > > > Thinkpad mailing list
> > > > > > > Thinkpad at stderr.org
> > > > > > > http://stderr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/thinkpad
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > --
> > > > > > - Alex Austin
> > > > > > Circuitsoft Computer Services
> > > > > > (651) 238-9273
> > > > > > www.circuitsoftcs.com
> > > > > >
> > > > > > "...and then I visited Wikipedia ...and the next 8 hours are
a
> > > > blur."
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > --
> > > > > - Alex Austin
> > > > > Circuitsoft Computer Services
> > > > > (651) 238-9273
> > > > > www.circuitsoftcs.com
> > > > >
> > > > > "...and then I visited Wikipedia ...and the next 8 hours are a
> blur."
> > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > Thinkpad mailing list
> > > > > Thinkpad at stderr.org
> > > > > http://stderr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/thinkpad
> > > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > Thinkpad mailing list
> > > > Thinkpad at stderr.org
> > > > http://stderr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/thinkpad
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > - Alex Austin
> > > Circuitsoft Computer Services
> > > (651) 238-9273
> > > www.circuitsoftcs.com
> > >
> > > "...and then I visited Wikipedia ...and the next 8 hours are a
blur."
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > - Alex Austin
> > Circuitsoft Computer Services
> > (651) 238-9273
> > www.circuitsoftcs.com
> >
> > "...and then I visited Wikipedia ...and the next 8 hours are a
blur."
> > _______________________________________________
> > Thinkpad mailing list
> > Thinkpad at stderr.org
> > http://stderr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/thinkpad
>
>

-- 
- Alex Austin
Circuitsoft Computer Services
(651) 238-9273
www.circuitsoftcs.com

"...and then I visited Wikipedia ...and the next 8 hours are a blur."
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