Freezing followed by screen corruption (Thinkpad t41 with no warrenty)

Im looking for help on how to fix my previously so trustworthy
Thinkpad t41. There is no warrenty on it anymore.

The Problem:
Slight movement of the laptop, like if I bump into the table,
causes the laptop to freeze. Often when frozen a bit of screen corruption
will appear(and disappear again). If applying pressure to the keyboard more
screen corruption appears. The only way to turn off the computer is to hold
down the power button. This problem appears when I use windows and when I
use linux. Sometimes the laptop can run for hours without any problems ..
Often then problem will however appear (without moving the laptop). Any movement
is however 100% sure to cause the laptop to freeze.

Additionally, sometimes the laptop does not turn on correctly. The
screen remains blank and it does not try to boot from cd/hdd etc.
I have to hold down the power button to turn the laptop off again. If
I (when the laptop is off) apply pressure to the keyboard, it usually
boots when I turn it on again. So brief (but hard) pressure on the keyboard
temporarly fixes the problem.

My plan:
I've tries running PC-doctor/drive-fitness/mem-test and everything appears
to be ok. The is no added memory and the problems also appears with and without
the battery connected. My plan is to open the laptop and check that everything
is connected properly. I however fear that some little thing on the motherboard
is fried...

Does anybody have any suggestions on what I can try? What the cause is? Other
help ?

Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Mb

mb wrote:
> Im looking for help on how to fix my previously so trustworthy
> Thinkpad t41. There is no warrenty on it anymore.
>
> The Problem:
> Slight movement of the laptop, like if I bump into the table,
> causes the laptop to freeze. Often when frozen a bit of screen corruption
> will appear(and disappear again). If applying pressure to the keyboard more
> screen corruption appears. The only way to turn off the computer is to hold
> down the power button. This problem appears when I use windows and when I
> use linux. Sometimes the laptop can run for hours without any problems ..
> Often then problem will however appear (without moving the laptop). Any movement
> is however 100% sure to cause the laptop to freeze.
>
> Additionally, sometimes the laptop does not turn on correctly. The
> screen remains blank and it does not try to boot from cd/hdd etc.
> I have to hold down the power button to turn the laptop off again. If
> I (when the laptop is off) apply pressure to the keyboard, it usually
> boots when I turn it on again. So brief (but hard) pressure on the keyboard
> temporarly fixes the problem.
>
> My plan:
> I've tries running PC-doctor/drive-fitness/mem-test and everything appears
> to be ok. The is no added memory and the problems also appears with and without
> the battery connected. My plan is to open the laptop and check that everything
> is connected properly. I however fear that some little thing on the motherboard
> is fried...
>
> Does anybody have any suggestions on what I can try? What the cause is? Other
> help ?
>
> Any help is greatly appreciated.
> Thanks,
> Mb

Magic won't work. It could be RAM: remove all but one chip and swap it
between sockets to see if you can cause a failure in one socket. Swap
the other chip, and do the same. See if you can find a RAM chip or
socket that relates to the failure.

Applying pressure to the keyboard could mean something under the
pressure point is debonding from the mainboard. Of course, something
could be loose, but that is remote unless you have already been into the
case. Usually it's a sign that the mainboard is failing.

Q