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I have had a thinkpad R51 for abotu 4 and half years now..Recently its been dying on me.
The computer reboots if the screen moves a tiny bit..or the power cord shakes loose.
Clearly there is a loose contact near the power input..but even with a charged battery the computer restarts itself if the screen is moved even slightly.

Moreover, the computer screen becomes black by itself when the computer is running for a bit. This can happen after 20 minutes or after 2 hrs.

There is no warranty on it and I was wondering if there is anyway to save it..or if anyoen can guess where the issues might me.

Thanks for reading.

ligne

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by computerscott2

Dani AI

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— given the two symptoms you reported (random blacking of the internal screen after running, plus immediate restarts when the lid or power lead is nudged) and ’s note about a likely power-input problem, the priority is to narrow whether this is (A) the display assembly and its cables, (B) the DC/power connection or motherboard, or (C) a loose module that shorts when the chassis flexes. The steps below are ordered so you can do the cheapest, least-invasive checks first and protect your data.

  • Connect an external monitor (VGA). If the external stays stable while the laptop screen goes dark, the fault lives in the screen/hinge assembly or its wiring. If the external also fails, suspect motherboard/power/graphics.
  • With the lid dark, shine a strong flashlight at the panel. A faint image means the panel is still receiving video but not lighting — points to the inverter/backlight path.
  • Test on battery only, then on AC only. If movement of the AC plug triggers restarts while battery-only is stable, the jack/charging circuit is implicated.
  • Reboot into BIOS or a bootable USB and watch behavior before the OS loads. Early failures = hardware.
  • Watch the HDD/activity LED while testing. Stop if the drive is active and immediately back up the drive (power loss during I/O risks corruption).

If diagnostics point at the screen side, check the LVDS/display cable through the hinge and the inverter at the panel—cables fray and connectors loosen. If power-side, inspect the DC jack and its solder joints (repair requires soldering skill). Also reseat RAM and the HDD as a cheap check. Temporary workarounds: secure the AC plug with tape to avoid movement and use an external monitor or a USB HDD enclosure to salvage data.

Safety/caution: disconnect battery and mains before opening, use basic ESD precautions, and avoid soldering mains parts if not experienced. Given the machine age, weigh parts/repair cost versus replacement; if unsure, take it to a local repair shop for a quick diagnostic and data rescue.

Member Avatar for computerscott2

Usually when a laptop "loses" it's screen it is because of the backlight at the bottom of the screen is going or has gone out. Sometimes you can see the screen very faintly if you get close enough. This can be fixed but it is not recommended for the novice.
As far as the power connection problem, you definitely have an issue that is going to get worse. What happens a lot of times is that the ac adapter plug on the motherboard is only held in with solder (not fastened to the case like it should be) so over time the constant strain of the power plug, plus the occasional bump begins to weaken the solder or the actual part itself. The screen puts tremendous stress on the case and motherboard because of the weight and what is most likely happening is that when you bump the screen it causes the case to flex and jiggle the motherboard causing a momentary loss/shift in power and the computer shuts off.
You might be able to resolder the power connections on it, but first get your data off because it might just die. If you experince this power loss while the hard drive is being accessed then you might corrupt your drive.

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