DOA T42 2379DXU

[jordi32]

Hello everybody. Today I received my first IBM thinkpad computer (T42 2379 DXU). I got really disappointed when I tried to boot it for the first time but it wouldn't boot because it found a fan error. I went to an authorized IBM service Center in my city right away and they opened the computer and reattached the cables, which made the fan work again. I went back home really happy and I ran the system diagnostics in DOS. Everything passed except the Security Signature chip. It failed consistently. Should I take the computer back to the service center? Is it a hardware problem? Should I get a replacement computer? Has anyone had any similar problems?

I would appreciate it if someone can help me.

Thank you very much for your help in advance.

Jordi

[BillMorrow]

depending on where you are, it might be better to call and get a replacement..

does it boot up..??

have you tried to turn the security chip off in the bios and then try booting again..??

[jordi32]

Thank you for your reply, Bill. After the fix by the Service Center, it does boot up and the fan seems to be working properly, even though it runs all the time. It never stops. Is this normal?

How can I disable the Security Chip from the Bios?

Thank you, Bill.

Jordi

[jordi32]

Dear Bill,

Thank you very much for your suggestion. I went to the Bios config and I realized that the security chip was disabled. I enabled it and ran the test again and it worked! So, I guess everything is O.K. now. However I still have some concerns:

-Do you think the fan error may reoccur? According to the service center they attached the loose cables.

-Is the fan supposed to run continuously? I have the super power saving setting enabled.

- On the right hand side of the computer (underneath the dvd drive),there seems to be a hole not covered by a screw. Is that hole supposed to be without a screw or the service center guy forgot to put the screw back? Below the dvd drive, there is some kind of lever and when I move it, the hole gets covered).

-In light of my current situation with this computer, should I get a replacement or everything should be fine now? I have been lucky to get a perfect screen without any dead/stuck pixels.

I look forward to your advice.

Thank you.

Jordi

[JHEM]

The fan will run continuously, although the speed will change depending on what demands are being made on the CPU.

I doubt the fan error will occur again.

The screw hole under the DVD is for a security screw that prevents removal of the optical drive. It's normal for there to be no screw there although you should have received the screw in the box with your unit.

I would keep the unit.

Regards,

James

[jordi32]

I am trying to understand what was wrong with the fan when I got the computer. After I went to the Authorized service Center, apparently the fan problem is solved and the computer boots normally. He said he had reattached the cables.

Also, what setting is best to use in the battery maximizer wizard? Is it better to have full powered CPU or create a new setting and choose Adaptive? If I choose adaptive the fan seems to be off.

Also, is there any good diagnostics test to make sure my fan is working properly? I just want to make sure that the fan fix will last permanently.

Thank you for your input in advance.

Jordi

[Chun-Yu]

The only reason to use full speed all the time instead of adaptive is if adaptive is too slow. If you feel like it is "fast enough", go ahead and use adaptive. An example of a case where adaptive doesn't adapt quickly enough is if you are running a realtime software synthesizer and it suddenly needs a LOT of CPU power. The adaptive scheme will sometimes not switch up fast enough and then you get skipping audio.

About the fan test - perhaps there is a test in the PC Doctor that came with the ThinkPad (I don't quite remember...haven't used it for a while).

[jordi32]

I created a new power saving setting and I selected Adaptive CPU speed. The fan stopped and it has been off since then. However I ran the Intel Processor Frequency ID Utility and the CPU speed is still maximum (1.7 GZ). How come the CPU has not slowed down? Doesn't Speedstep work? I have just been browsing the net.

Thank you for your input.

Jordi

[BillMorrow]

speed step works just fine..

just get a good speedometer..

i watch my KXU go from 900mhz to 1999 mhz..

[JHEM]

However I ran the Intel Processor Frequency ID Utility and the CPU speed is still maximum (1.7 GZ).

The Intel CPUID utility identifies the max speed of the CPU installed in the unit, not the speed at which it's currently running.

It's an identification utility, e.g. what processor is in my laptop, not a speedstep utility, e.g. what is my processor currently running at.

Regards,

James

[jordi32]

Actually this application should tell you the speed the processor is running at any time as you can read below. But no matter what power setting I choose, the CPU speed remains 1.7 GHZ.

Why?

Thank you.

Jordi

The tested Intel(R) mobile processor supports Intel SpeedStep(R) technology and is capable of multiple performance modes.

In its current operating mode, the processor appears to be operating within its frequency specifications. Power management modes can result in a lower reported frequency than the expected frequency.

Reported frequency - The speed at which the tested processor is currently operating.

Expected frequency - The highest speed at which the tested processor was manufactured to operate.

Small variations in clock frequencies are common. If there appears to be a significant variation, please contact the PC system manufacturer or microprocessor place of purchase.