Fixing an IBM T42 with No Display on LCD but on External Monitor (In Vancouver)

This IBM T42 Thinkpad had no video on LCD screen but works fine on external monitor. The owner said that the backlight inverter inside the LCD had burnt out.

After some email exchange to check out the conditions, he gave me his home address to pick up this T42. When I arrived, he was at the door already. He passed the T42 to me and said that I could check if there were any other problems. I did not bother to check but told him that I trusted him because he gave me his home address. For laptops with hidden problems, the sellers gave some public places to meet.

When I had spare time, I opened up the T42. It was dusty inside. I vacuumed inside and took the new LCD screen, used 80GB hard drive, touchpad and keyboard from another T42 that has power source detection problem and installed them into this T42.

I booted up the T42. The video displayed on the LCD screen and it went into the XP Windows IBM desktop. I checked the wireless for internet access and tested the sound on running YouTube video. I did not find any issues. The owner is good that the only problem of his T42 was backlight burnt out.

I charged the battery to 100% and unplugged the AC adapter. I let it stayed on displaying the IBM desktop. For an hour, the battery dropped to 50%.

On 20 Jul 2011 after work, I delivered this T42 to a new home in Vancouver and it is serving again.