System Description ThinkPad T41p 2373-GEU PM 1.7GHz, 1.51Gb RAM, 60GB 7200rpm HDD, 14.1 SXGA+(1400x1050) TFT LCD, 128MB ATI 9000 Fire GL T2, 9 cell battery, WinXP Pro SP3 Problem Description This system is kept on for long periods so it has sufered severe thermal stress and the fan has been replaced twice and so has been the keyboard. It is also carried around constantly during continuous travel. Other than that system has always operated fine with latest drivers installed, except as follows. A few months back all of the sudden while working wireless in a Word document the screen started flashing horizontal lines appeared and then the screen got full of dots becoming unreadeable. First I though it was a virus but not. Rebooted and got message about a possible problem with the driver ATIVga.drv. System reinitiated and everything looked fine but then while moving the cover the screen disapeared I put some pressure on the palm bessel around the hard disk area and the screen went back to normal. Then intermitenly but not too often experienced same screen problems on rebooting, sometimes by pressing around the hard disk area the screen got ok other times by changing resolution the screen got ok. Then everything looked normal for a long while. Then I had to move it with me for travel and on booting screen problems came back. By pressing around hard disk area or by changing resolution I always was able to correct the problems and then would work fine until next move. Finally a couple of weeks ago the screen started to go off until I got no more video output not even after rebooting. I happen to be in Spain and Lenovo's Business Partner without even looking at the laptop claims it is a motherboard problem and that it will take some 1,100 US$ to replace it. Does anyone have any alike experience about this trouble? What kind of diagnostic is possible to narrow down the trouble? Could it be some loose connection from the moving around? Could it be related to the thermal stress? Is it really the system board?Thank you.

This might be of some help. http://www.laptoprepair101.com/lapt... First step in diagnosing any laptop video problem is to connect an external monitor and see if the problem goes away. Although it could be a bad mainboard, sounds like a poor connection should be looked into first. I imagine you've found it but here's the Lenovo page for your machine. http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/s... Hard to imagine a tech telling you it'll cost 1100 bucks to fix it when Lenovo is selling this used one for ~$400. Skip

Thank you for your comments. Yes, it is hard to believe they have quoted 1100 bucks to put in a new system board this is how it goes: installation of new mother board 695 EURO (I'm in Spain) + 16% VAT = 806 EURO x $1.45/EURO = $1,169 I have look extensively at Lenovo website I don't see anywhere a T41p for $400 if I did I would get one. I have seen some of these used machines sold at ebay for $399 but knowing the thermal stress this babies go thru when they are on I don't think a used component is a good idea. Thanks again for your comments.

Here's the web addy. https://www-304.ibm.com/shop/americas/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/default/ProductDisplay?productId=4611686018425655245&storeId=1&langId=-1&categoryId=2576396&dualCurrId=73&catalogId=-840 And try this page... http://www-304.ibm.com/shop/america... Skip