T61 problem

I just wonder if anyone who owns a T61 or knows about this problem.... I have had the computer for only 1 year and a half. Then one day, it died. Continously BSOD with something related to graphic drivers. I tried to install windows a few times and it always died after i install the graphic drivers (which is a 140m quadro). The weird thing is that it cannot start up in normal mode. Only in safe mode can the computer start and open program. Even when I decrease the whole windows 7 effect to basic, if it can ever start up normal, it will still die randomly. Oh i forgot to say, 99% it cannot start up in normal mode and stop at the windows logo. Also, the screen on my laptop splits to 6-8 small screens (though that disappears if I plug in to the external monitor)
what do you guys think the problem is? graphic card?
thanks a lot

 

Those nvidia cards are known to have a problem related to overheating which turns the motherboard unusable, do you have any warranty lieft?

 

this is a graphics card problem, which right now should be fixed free by Lenovo even when your laptop is out of warranty (provided this problem is not caused by you, i.e. spilling liquid on your laptop.

Lenovo will change your motherboard. So just call up Lenovo.

Have a read of this post, if you are still uncertain.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=470264

 

Yes, this sounds like the infamous T61x GPU problem, like lead_org and others have said.

 

i have no warranty left. Thanks a lot for the info guys i'll check it out

 

hmm i called lenovo and they said there's no program that fixes GPU for free like the post mentions.... oh welll

 

No program... not like software but a move that lenovo made to fix those GPU's

 

yeah but they didn't trust me. They said they need a specific plan number or something.... did you get it fixed? I really liked my t61

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=470264&highlight=faulty

http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/T61-and...play-problem/m-p/219991/highlight/true#M46614

 

thanks alot i'm trying to call again. If not, i'll contact Mark_lenovo. This forum has been great! thank you guys

 

No prob

 

hehe I finally persuaded the second person I spoke to. Now the box is on the way. worst case my compt comes back still dead but thanks to all of you guys on this forum If only I had known this earlier, I would have been able to save a bunch of time and money (buying another computer )

 

That's good to hear that they shipped a box out to you !
They should just fix the problem hassle free since it's a WELL KNOWN issue with the T61 generation.

 

yay my compt is fixed and on the way home!
do you guys know if lenovo has to reinstall the OS after changing motherboard or no?
thanks

 

As long as the motherboard has the same parts, then it would be okay. I use a single hdd with XP pro in multiple different T61 and R61 laptops with similar spec, they work without a problem.

 

oh i see. i was wondering since my original OS was vista but i wiped everything out with win 7 so wasn't sure if they'll reinstall vista into my thinkpad :-? i gave them permission to wipe it out if necessary.........

 

Just for clarification - is it the 140M cards that are affected? I was under the impression that it is the higher-end cards in the T61p (15" version) that were the problem, not the slow- "discrete" card in the T61 14".

In any case, I've a T61 with 140M. I've measured my CPU/GPU temps and even with heavy load (running 3D benchmark or intensive game) the temps for both don't exceed 70C. Should I be safe, or is the 140M a ticking time bomb as well as the higher-spec card in the T61p?

 

i have NVidia Quadro 140M. I don't know what you meant with low end discrete card but when I bought this machine, I think that was the best choice in either 14 or 15" version.
Also, i didn't run any game. I was merely connecting it to an external monitor since September 2009 (died 3/2010) and running a bunch of Matlab simulation. nothing intensive graphically, in my opinion.
I even bought a laptop cooler in December after both of my RAM stick died and I had "a chance" to upgrade my RAM .

 

nvidia GPU used in both the T61 and T61p are affected.

 

(((((((((

 

Is it motherboard's problem or windows problem that I got compt shut down by itself while i was installing MS office? now i am reinstalling the repaired computer thinking windows 7 might be corrupted after all the failed attempts i had to boot when nvidia graphic card was faulty.... but i'm not sure why it would shut down by itself...
any ideas would be helpful
thanks!

 

do a test with prime95 and see whether the same problem crawls back, but it does sound like a motherboard problem.

 

hmm i reinstalled win 7 and it shuts down when I was updating symantec but passed all the pcdoctor test... it also shut down when i installed AVG before that (so i installed symantec instead)
gonna try prime95
update: before i could even try prime95, i ran full system test from thinkvatage, died again. apparently i have 6 shutdowns within 2 hours.
so now it's going to depot again