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Thread: Fun uses for an old ThinkPad?

  1. #11
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    Re: Fun uses for an old ThinkPad?

    Quote Originally Posted by mips View Post
    Repairing the backlight should be easy & cheap, plenty of used spares going around.

    You say the battery does not hold a charge for long which means the electronics are still good but the cells shot. Buying replacement cells and repacking the battery is pretty cheap and with the new cells today you will get better performance than with a replacement battery.

    What's the exact model number of the laptop?

    http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/ThinkWiki The best Thinkpad site out there!

    I would restore it to it's former glory and install something like Crunchbang or Arch on it


    .
    Very very tempting actually. I have an older thinkpad (t20) where the LCD is cracked. Is it possible to salvage the backlight from that? and if so, know any good guides for that?

  2. #12
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    Re: Fun uses for an old ThinkPad?

    Quote Originally Posted by 2F4U View Post
    The nice thing about ThinkPads is that you can get spare parts for even old machines. You may be able to buy a replacement battery. I have an old ThinkPad X31 (12" screen size), which I carry with me as kind of netbook. Xubuntu is installed on it and runs very well. I use it for notetaking and web surfing. I have installed Firefox Aurora, which is much faster than the current stable versions.
    i had a x31 as a 'netbook' for a while. quite a nice laptop.

  3. #13
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    Re: Fun uses for an old ThinkPad?

    Quote Originally Posted by dmillerw View Post
    Very very tempting actually. I have an older thinkpad (t20) where the LCD is cracked. Is it possible to salvage the backlight from that? and if so, know any good guides for that?
    Provide model numbers for the two laptops please.

    I think it's worth fixing it as they will probably outlast their owners. Strip it, clean it out properly, add new AS5 thermal paste etc and you will have something you can still use as a server or take on a road trip camping etc.

  4. #14
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    Re: Fun uses for an old ThinkPad?

    Quote Originally Posted by mips View Post
    Provide model numbers for the two laptops please.

    I think it's worth fixing it as they will probably outlast their owners. Strip it, clean it out properly, add new AS5 thermal paste etc and you will have something you can still use as a server or take on a road trip camping etc.
    The one with the cracked LCD is a ThinkPad T20 (can't get more specific then that.)

    The current one, is a ThinkPad T23.

  5. #15
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    Re: Fun uses for an old ThinkPad?

    Quote Originally Posted by dmillerw View Post
    The current one, is a ThinkPad T23.
    13" or 14" display?
    14" came in 1024x768 as well as 1400x1050 resolutions.

    At the bottom there will be a specific model number like 2647-7G1, 2647-9RG etc which is a much better identifier.

    They used 7 different display panels in the T23.
    Last edited by mips; July 30th, 2011 at 11:55 AM.

  6. #16
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    Re: Fun uses for an old ThinkPad?

    Throw Lubuntu on it. Ive got a laptop with similar specs and similar problems (no battery) and it runs Lubuntu like a champion.

  7. #17
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    Re: Fun uses for an old ThinkPad?

    Quote Originally Posted by mips View Post
    13" or 14" display?
    14" came in 1024x768 as well as 1400x1050 resolutions.
    13"

    The T20 is the same.

  8. #18
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    Re: Fun uses for an old ThinkPad?

    Yep - a T23 isn't that old for a Thinkpad! They are selling backlights on ebay - but you'll need to get the right one, and I think replace the inverter as well. You can usually find the maintenence manual online as well... I haven't done it myself, but will be looking into it when my T40's screen gives up the ghost.

    The other thing that goes after a while is the fan - I've replaced mine, and it hums nicely now... Wasn't too hard if you buy the correct part and follow the instructions..

    D

  9. #19
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    Re: Fun uses for an old ThinkPad?

    PS Once you get it working, you could install a minimal no-x install of ubuntu, load vi or emacs on it, and use it as a distraction-free writing machine. They are becoming very fashionable.

    Duncan

  10. #20
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    Re: Fun uses for an old ThinkPad?

    Quote Originally Posted by dmillerw View Post
    13"

    The T20 is the same.
    Okay then just try swapping the backlights out between them, it could also be a faulty inverter.

    T20, T21, T22, T23 - Hardware Maintenance Manual (April 2002)

    http://www.fonerbooks.com/test.htm
    http://kihwal.fayoly.net/proj/t23_bl.html
    http://www.thinkpads.com/forum/viewt...=55196&start=0
    http://www.thinkpads.com/forum/viewt...=50335&start=0
    http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic...9340&view=next
    http://www.laptoprepair101.com/lapto...fix-backlight/
    http://www.mymegabyte.com/2008/06/ba...thinkpad-t42p/

    This should give you something to do for the weekend




    TAGS: LCD Inverter Backlight Testing Replacement Thinkpad
    Last edited by mips; July 30th, 2011 at 12:11 PM.

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