My 2006 ThinkPad screen went dark mid-dentist paperwork yesterday

Was pulling a patient's chart on my old T60 in the back office. Screen just flickered once then went totally black. External monitor still worked so I knew the laptop wasn't dead. Turns out the inverter board had a cracked solder joint. Hit it with a hot air station for 30 seconds at home. Fired right back up like nothing happened. Anybody else keep a soldering iron around for their vintage gear?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_mason3d ago

Wait, are you sure it was the inverter board and not the backlight fuse? I've fixed a bunch of T60s and the fuse is way more common to blow than a cracked solder joint on the inverter. Usually you can just bridge it with a little blob of solder or a tiny wire. But hey, if your method worked then that's what matters. I keep a Hakko station on my desk for all my old gear, especially the IBM stuff from that era. They're tanks but they definitely need love after 15 years.

ninas703d ago

Fuse is definitely the first thing to check most of the time. I've had a few T60s where the solder joint just gave up from all the heat cycling but you're right that the fuse is more common. Either way a little hot air or a dab of solder and they're back in business.