Jimmy Wu wrote: <snipped>
the screen is split across the middle and the top and bottom halves are exact copies of each other. This begins with the Thinkpad pre-BIOS logo and... the Thinkpad logo that appears when the system is turn on initially is a bit corrupted as there are columns of white pixels going down the screen.
this seems like a definite hardware issue unrelated to any operating system. I might look to see if there is a firmware update/fix as a last ditch effort. if it were me I'd start saving for a new laptop.
At this point, what are my options? Based on what I can find online, it seems the only way to go is to replace the system board or get a new laptop, or try some crazy and risky tricks like baking the mobo in an oven at high temperatures for a few minutes.
how about trying a usb video card (USB to VGA adapter)? not a fix mind you, but maybe a workaround until you can get a new system. I haven't used them with Linux so I can't tell you from experience that it will work.
good luck. Preston