I have 2 IBM thinkpad t21 and both of them have one problem or other. I can salvage one of them by swapping the motherboard. I have repaired built many desktops but never a laptop. How ieasy is it to do this, is there a website with pictorial instructions for me to accomplish this. I really love my thinkpad and want to salvage one .

Roopali

Sure - little trickier than a desktop, but not too difficult. You can find detailed field guides by entering the machine model number here: http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/si...&validate=true

it's not that hard. If you find a service manual for it to see exactly where are the screws and what are they holding, actually is quite easy.
I've built myself a Toshiba from 3 other.
All you need is a little experience in cable plugging and some minimal mechanical knowledge because sometimes there are pop locks and you might brake them if you aren't careful enough.
Good luck.

It's all about using a good technique. Things important to remember:

1.- Never open a laptop if you don't intend to assemble it again before leaving. They often have tons of small pieces and if you don't reasemble it quickly after you take it apart, you'll find it difficult to remember where the pieces were. Even with a manual is quite difficult.

2.- Do it over a table with a white background.

3.- With some black tape, divide the table into sections. One will be for the external parts and screws of top, one of those from bottom and so on. This way is very difficult to confuse an internal screw with one external.

If you are not familiar with circuit and basic do not do your self if you want to do it then manual will be helpful and also customer care toll free number also may helpful.