Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- blog:ibm_tp_43 [2025/08/31 13:37] – [Benchmarks] john
+++ blog:ibm_tp_43 [2025/09/23 21:08] (current) – [Overview] john
@@ Line 42: / Line 42: @@
 ===== Images =====
-{{:blog:pentium:tp_43:img20250831114138.jpg?500|}} {{:blog:pentium:tp_43:img20250831114158.jpg?500|}} {{:blog:pentium:tp_43:img20250831114214.jpg?500|}}
+{{:blog:pentium:tp_43:img20250831114138.jpg?300|}} {{:blog:pentium:tp_43:img20250831114158.jpg?520|}} {{:blog:pentium:tp_43:img20250831114214.jpg?520|}}
@@ Line 52: / Line 52: @@
 **Bad Points**
-   * Stuck GPU/CPU fan
+   * Stuck GPU/CPU fan - <del>Partial fix, below</del> **Replacement fan unit fitted**
-   * Discharged BIOS battery
+   * Discharged BIOS battery - 20-30 minutes worth, which is //okay// for a 20 year old laptop
-   * Missing hard drive / PATA only drives
+   * Missing hard drive / PATA only drives - **Fitted a WDC WD120BEVE**
-   * Backlight/inverter aged
+   * Backlight/inverter aged - **Replaced screen with new-old-stock**
 ==== Fixes & Repairs ====
@@ Line 63: / Line 63: @@
 The proper way to repair the noisy fan would be to replace it with a new part. In this case I didn't know if the machine was in a fully working state so I went the hack route...
-First I soaked the fan bearings in isopropyl alcohol to clean out any residual oil/grease - the fan wouldn't turn when the machine first arrived. After getting the fan spinning freely again by hand I then drilled several small holes through the plastic central hub and carefully dripped in some lubricating oil. This clearly isn't the best way to solve the problem, and the sleeve bearing really isn't design to be serviced, however it did work, and the fan spins freely and is somewhat less-than-annoying in terms of sound level.
+First I soaked the fan bearings in isopropyl alcohol to clean out any residual oil/grease - the fan wouldn't turn when the machine first arrived. After getting the fan spinning freely again by hand I then drilled several small holes through the plastic central hub and carefully dripped in some lubricating oil. This clearly isn't the best way to solve the problem, and the sleeve bearing really isn't design to be serviced, however it did work, and the fan spins freely, though with a little vibration from the god-knows-how-long-it-has-been-seized bearings, and is somewhat less-than-annoying in terms of sound level.
 If the machine all checks out, then it may be worth replacing the fan with a new part.
+**[Update September 2025]** After using the laptop on and off for games for a month or so it seems reliable and does what I wanted, so I found and ordered a new-old-stock fan unit from Aliexpress. It was less than £5 including shipping and only needed the old fan to be prised off the heatsink. Much quieter and no vibration any more. //Perfect//.
+=== LCD Panel / Backlight ===
+The original panel had a distinct red tint on first start, for maybe 15-20 seconds, it was also fairly dim - even at maximum brightness. All symptoms that point to the backlight / CCFL failing, or not having much life left:
+{{:blog:pentium:tp_43:img20250902193508.jpg?600|}}
+Replaced the old screen and backlight with a new-old-stock panel of the same type and it looks as good as new:
+{{:blog:pentium:tp_43:img20250902200322.jpg?500|}} {{:blog:pentium:tp_43:img20250902203017.jpg?500|}}
 ===== Drivers & Utilities =====
@@ Line 72: / Line 84: @@
    * {{:blog:pentium:tp_43:embedded_controller_1.06.zip|Platform Controller s/w}} - Last official Platform Controller software v1.06
    * {{:blog:pentium:tp_43:thinkpad_t43_ps2_utility.zip|DOS PS2 utilities}} - DOS PS2 configuration utility for T4x series (LCD control, speed, brightness, fan control etc)
+   * {{:blog:pentium:tp_43:broadcom.zip|Broadcom ODI packet drivers for DOS}} - compatible with MTCP and other DOS packet-driver utilities
+   * Thinkpad PCMCIA / Card Services - compatible with the T43
+In addition, there is a patched version of BIOS v1.29 which codes out the whitelist of IBM-approved hard disks, and gets rid of the annoying "Press F1 / ESC to continue" message and double-beeps that occur on every reboot if you have a non-IBM approved hard drive
+   * {{:blog:pentium:tp_43:t43_ati_hddfix.zip|BIOS - Patched BIOS v1.29}}
 If BIOS and/or platform controller software is not up to date, the order to install them is **BIOS** //then// **Platform Controller**.
@@ Line 77: / Line 95: @@
 === Audio ===
-   * Use VSBHDA - audio support is detected as ICH6.
+   * Use VSBHDA - audio support is detected as ICH6. The volume controls (up, down, mute) above the keyboard work regardless of software, so this is useful for games in DOS.
 {{:blog:pentium:tp_43:img20250831124443.jpg?500|}}
@@ Line 83: / Line 101: @@
 === Mouse ===
-   * Use Cutemouse - detects Trackpoint nub. Touchpad doesn't appear to respond.
+   * Use Cutemouse - detects //Trackpoint// nub and buttons (works fine). The lower //Touchpad// and buttons do __not__ appear to respond in DOS.
+=== Ethernet ===
+   * No native DOS packet drivers, but you can use the **B57.COM** ODI driver and then the **ODIPKT** shim to make the ethernet controller work with DOS packet-driver aware applications (e.g. MTCP)
+The ODI drivers should be loaded as follows:
+<code>
+LSL.COM
+B57.COM
+ODIPKT.COM
+</code>
+You will need to configure **NET.CFG** as below:
+<code>
+Link Driver B57
+        envelope type ETHERNET_II
+</code>
 === Memory / UMB ===
@@ Line 104: / Line 141: @@
 {{:blog:pentium:tp_43:img20250831133043.jpg?500|}}
+=== PCMCIA ===
+The T43 has a PCMCIA/Cardbus (up to Type-II size) socket (just one, the upper socket is a variant of PCI-Express and **not** compatible with PCMCIA/Cardbus cards). IBM/Lenovo provide drivers to enable this in DOS, but they have a major limitation - it only appears to enable the PC Card sockets in PCMCIA mode (i.e. 16bit) and not in Cardbus (i.e. 32bit PCI).
+This means that if you have Cardbus cards and DOS drivers for them, then they **will not work**.
+Normal PCMCIA cards and DOS drivers do appear to work (verified with DLink DFE670 10/100 NIC and Roland SCP-55 MIDI card).
+Under other operating systems with proper Cardbus drivers (Win9x, 2000, XP, etc) or in Linux, the Cardbus functionality seems to work perfectly.
+If using PCMCIA services in DOS, you must //exclude// the **D000-D7FF** range from EMM386, JEMM or any other memory manager.
 ===== Benchmarks =====