What is the correct way to tell if a screen is compatible with my laptop?

I have an old IBM thinkpad Z61t, and I want to upgrade the screen to one from an even older Toshiba laptop. The screens are both very different sizes, and probably different resolutions, but the same aspect ratio (16:9). The coectors are all the same and it plugs in just fine, but I haven't booted it up yet because I don't know if its a good idea. I don't know whether or not it'll work, and I don't want to risk wrecking the screen. I do know a bit about hardware - I've completely dissected a number of laptops and scavenged parts to build one that's better than any of the original ones were, so I do know what I'm doing. I'm just wondering if it'll work, and, if not, what the worst that can happen would be.