Getting In Too Deep

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Advanced Notice:  I will be detailing the method on how to fix Thinkpads - No video No POST issue. This is a quite common problem with the T-Series. 1: The system lights up but nothing shows up on the LCD 2: Nothing shows up on an external monitor 3: Hard Drive does not initialize. What makes my method so much better? You do not have to totally disassemble the whole laptop  (a major time killer). Only need to remove keyboard, and wrist rest. You will not misplace screws and use the wrong screw holes! Following directions it will work the first time! So if you don't have the readily available items here is a brief list to get them ahead of time. Heat gun , similar to those used to heat shrink insulation on wires.    At least 500 watts I got mine at Harbor Freight  and used on LOW Radio Shack Paste Flux $6.99 (mentioned in another section of this blog) Two pieces of thick aluminum foil 4" x 4" (10cmx10cm) .     This it to make ...

I have seen dozens of 'solutions' and fixes for the DV series and none really address the root causes. Others damage or ruin motherboard. Below are some of the weirdest solutions I have seen: 1: Placing a penny between GPU and Heatsink. 2: Using a copper shim (only slightly larger in area than penny) 3: Excessive thermal compound 4: Wrong type of compound. 5: Placing a tea candle (in aluminum holder) on GPU 6: Putting Motherboard in oven 7: Pressing down on GPU real hard 8: Reflowing without flux?! Outline what each does and why it still fails later. 1: This will increase the pressure on the GPU when held down with 5 screws, a temporary solution, but does not remedy. Provides no greater heat dispersal and only transfers heat through penny. Metal fatique may damage the 5th retainer screw and not support the GPU. 2: Copper shim does the same as above. 3: Spreads heat over a larger area but does little to cool. 4: Does nothing 5: Can accidently cause more damag...

A DV9208 arrived with overheating problems. Luckily it was caught before it started generating additional issues with the GPU. Symptoms: Unit would overheat, cause shutdown/off without notice. WIFI would turn off Cause: Heat sink vents 75% blocked, so insufficient cooling was the culprit. Repair: Disassemble unit, disassemble heat sink, clear vents. Problem #2 was a little more different. Because the Southbridge would also overheat, causing loss of contact on solderballs. Solution: Clearing the lint from heatsink will remedy issue with overheating/shutdown. Since no drive arrived with unit a substitute drive was used to run system for several hours, then turned off, and test again.  I do this about 4 tests so that nothing happens when it gets back to the customer. Aluminum heat transfer pad for CPU replaced with copper pad.  The pad from HP is only ok, but many times the CPU gets so hot that the Aluminum breaks down and sticks to the CPU. Not providing a...

Since I was out and about, all the time reading news, features and other tidbits from technologists, I decided I would make some observations. Hype vs USE iPad and the real world. Sad to say this unit does not live up to the hype. It is small lightweight and does view the web, but the bad points exceed the good for PC users to jump on the bandwagon GUNG-Ho. 1: The lack of USB on the unit requires additional costs. 2: Using 3G is out of the question unless you pay more. If you have a 4G service such as Clear.Net you cannot even use it. Why? Because it is an x86 install and USB dongle. 3: The entertainment use is out of the question . It cannot view YouTube Videos (which uses Flash Video format -FLV) You cannot use NetFlix (which uses MS Silverlight), and No HULU (again FLV). So that means you cannot do much. Not even view ABC/NBC/CNN/CBS News sources . Such as the tornado pictures from Oklahoma.  Corrections: It seems that some sites are changing their whole direction and...