IBM ThinkPad T43 & T43p
The ThinkPad T43 is a Pentium M-based laptop that was released in 2005, with the T43p being a higher-end version of the same laptop. Both were available in two cases - one with a 14.1" display, and another with a 15.0" display. The T43 is the last laptop in the T4x series of ThinkPads, and is the final T-Series ThinkPad to be designed by IBM directly. However, much of the T43's production run was done by Lenovo. The T43 was officially discontinued in 2006, but select units were manufactured all the way into 2007.
Specifications
| Spec | ThinkPad T43 | ThinkPad T43p |
|---|---|---|
| Release Date | 2005 | |
| CPU | CPU Type: Socket 479 (Banias/Dothan) Intel Pentium M "Dothan" @1.6, 1.73, 1.86, 2.0, 2.13, or 2.26GHz | CPU Type: Socket 479 (Banias/Dothan) Intel Pentium M "Dothan" @1.86, 2.0, 2.13, or 2.26GHz |
| Chipset | Intel 915GM (iGPU models) or 915PM (dGPU models) | Intel 915PM |
| RAM | Type: PC2-4200 DDR2, 2 slots Standard: 256 or 512MB Maximum: 2GB | Type: PC2-4200 DDR2, 2 slots Standard: 512MB or 1GB Maximum: 2GB |
| Storage | 2.5" IDE Requires Adapter: No Standard: 40, 60, 80, or 100GB | 2.5" IDE Requires Adapter: No Standard: 60, 80, or 100GB |
| Display Options | - 14.1" TFT LCD @1024x768 - 14.1" TFT LCD @1400x1050 - 15.0" TFT LCD @1024x768 - 15.0" IPS (FlexView) LCD @1400x1050 | - 14.1" TFT LCD @1400x1050 - 15.0" IPS (FlexView) LCD @1600x1200 |
| Graphics Chipset | - Intel GMA 900 - ATI Mobility Radeon X300 VRAM: - Shared/SMA (Intel) - 64MB (ATI) | ATI Mobility FireGL V3200 VRAM: 128MB |
| Audio | AC97 Compatible - Stereo Speakers - Microphone | |
| Main Battery | Lithium Ion | |
| CMOS Battery | Proprietary Lithium | |
| Power Supply | Barrel Jack (16V) | |
| Media Drives | Ultrabay Slim (DVD-ROM, DVD/CD-RW, or DVD-RW) | Ultrabay Slim (DVD/CD-RW, or DVD+RW) |
| PC Cards | 2x PCMCIA/CardBus Slots | |
| Networking | - Modem - Gigabit Ethernet - WiFi (Optional) - Bluetooth (Optional) | - Modem - Gigabit Ethernet - WiFi - Bluetooth |
| Other I/O | - 1x Parallel - 1x VGA Out - 2x USB 2.0 - 1x S-Video Out - 1x Line Out - 1x Mic In - 1x Dock Connector | |
| BIOS | IBM BIOS | |
| Pointing Device | Trackpad & TrackPoint | |
Resources
 Drivers |
 Service Manual (iGPU models) |
Service Manual (dGPU models) |
|---|
Common Faults & Maintenance
Solder Failure
T43s commonly suffer from motherboard failures caused by broken solder joints on the large BGA chips. The most common chip to encounter this issue on the T43 is the Southbridge IC, located below the trackpad. This chip runs much hotter on the T43 than it does on previous T4x models. The GPU would be the second most failure prone chip. Fixing this properly requires removing the offending chip and reballing it. A reflow with a hot air rework station or even your oven can serve as a temporary repair.
The issue may be somewhat mitigated via installing a copper shim that acts as a heat sink, redirecting heat from the southbridge onto the PCMCIA slot.
Error 2010
If you install a non-original hard drive into a T43, you will likely encounter BIOS error 2010 on POST. If you update the BIOS to the latest release, you should be able to bypass this error and use the drive as normal.
Page last updated (MM/DD/YYYY): 11/16/2024
Update Reason: page formatting updated
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