IBM ThinkPad A30p display defects

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tech said:
huh? are you saying the GPU ASIC and the PCB are made of the same
material (FR4)? i don't believe so, but even they are, what does that
have to do with the different thermal coefficients of the copper and
solder? that's the real reason the ASIC's BGA detached itself from the
board, whilst being subjected to heat/mechanical stresses.
Click to expand...

Sigh. No it isn't. You don't understand what you're talking about, or
what I'm saying. I'm saying the chip's ball plane and the PCB are made
of the same material, so that as it heats and cools, the pads on the
chip stay vertically aligned with the pads on the PCB, and there is no
lateral stress on the joints.

There are all sorts of possible failure points due to overtemperature,
starting with the die itself, then the bond wires, then the
encapsulation, then the ball plane, then (...) but you have no evidence
that it is in fact the case here. It is equally possible that it's a
combination of the PCB layout and the process. Without isolating which
component has actually failed - it could be the GPU, the RAM, the PCB,
or the solder joints interconnecting them, or it could be something
totally unrelated like a decoupling capacitor going open circuit - you
are just guessing.
suggested re-melting the solder with a blowtorch? that's perhaps the
most harebrained idea i've ever heard of... even if it does work, i
Click to expand...

It was me. We use this process - more or less - for hand-prototyping
BGAs. As does everybody who needs to lay down just a few now and then.
 
To whom it may concern at IBM,

It's been more than a week since i've heard back from anyone at IBM
regarding the defective mainboard (GPU/VRAM) issue effecting my
ThinkPad A30p (model 2653-65U), which causes severe display corruption
(garbled text, blue lines, distorted video), and 16MB of video memory
to disappear (only 16 of the 32MB onboard vram is detected).

There are numerous ongoing discussions in various public forums on
usenet and the web detailing the exact same problem with other owners'
A30p ThinkPads. Obviously, this defect is prone to directly causing
premature failure of system board, which can't easily be repaired. In
fact, IBM's established procedure for fixing this commonly reported
problem with the A30 is to replace the motherboard entirely (with a
slight modifation, as below). I've already had the mainboard in my
A30p replaced once, for the exact same display issue (above), and at
considerable inconvenience to myself, i might add.

I'm aware that the warranty period on my ThinkPad has expired, but I am
resolute about one thing; if this commonly known defect hadn't existed
to begin with, or if IBM had taken steps to correct it, perhaps when my
laptop was sent in for service the first time for the same problem, I
would not now have to deal with this major inconvenience and impending
expenses... and no guarantee that the same thing won't happen again,
for a third time! Despite my best efforts, having taken exceptional
care of the A30p, my two older generation ThinkPads have outlasted the
newer one. So much for ThinkPad quality and reliability, or did I
simply end-up with a lemon... along with all the other unhappy A30p
owners who have been voicing their concerns in online forums.

If nothing more than a goodwill gesture, I would like to see IBM/Lenovo
actively seek to HELP its customers, by offering to replace these
defective system boards for any A30 owner whose machine is effected by
this common issue. Through online research, I've come to discover
there is a workaround fix that should have been done to my machine (but
was not) when the board was replaced the first time; the insertion of a
thermal transfer pad mounted atop the over-heating GPU and the
underside of the CPU's heatsink assembly. That *important* step, of
coupling the GPU to the heat sink with a thermal pad, was overlooked
when my A30p was initially sent in for service, thus I'm once again
faced with this annoying issue... premature failure of the mainboard,
and through NO fault of my own either.

I need a reliable portable computer, how would you, IBM/Lenovo, suggest
I proceed; should I repair my ThinkPad, and hope for the best, that
this debacle won't happen again... and at who knows what more cost and
inconvenience to me???

Or should I simply count my losses... and move on to another brand of
portable? I was planning a system upgrade in the near future anyway,
but my confidence in the venerable ThinkPad has been shaken.

Please advise... thanku
 
Tony Morgan said:
In message <[email protected]>,


Do you REALLY believe anyone at IBM will read your post?
Click to expand...

Tony! Think outside of the box! It is all documented for all to see for
decades to come. That is more important than anything else in the world.
 
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