T42p won't boot

[texasdiver]

Hi guys, I see others are having similar problems with this.

Recently my t42p crashed on me and gave a blue screen error code of anti2dvag

I did a hard reboot, got the same error code and the machine crashed again.

After that I tried rebooting again to put it into safe mode but I would no longer get any sort of start-up screen at all. I can hear the HD spinning and the power lights are going on on the display below the screen, but nothing on the monitor.

One one of my reboot attempts, I got all the way to my Windows log-in screen and after entering my password the computer once again crashed and now again gives me a dead screen every time I try to reboot.

Any advice? Is this the dreaded GPU problem that I read about here? I tried booting while pressing hard on the V and B keys to no effect. If so, can anyone give me a ballpark cost estimate for getting this machine fixed? It's a 4 year old 2372HVU. If the cost is substantial I might just replace it.

If I do replace the laptop, am I correct in assuming that it should be easy to just buy a HD enclosure and use a USB to retrieve all my data? I've never tried that before.

[schen]

Hi guys, I see others are having similar problems with this.

Recently my t42p crashed on me and gave a blue screen error code of anti2dvag

I did a hard reboot, got the same error code and the machine crashed again.

After that I tried rebooting again to put it into safe mode but I would no longer get any sort of start-up screen at all. I can hear the HD spinning and the power lights are going on on the display below the screen, but nothing on the monitor.

One one of my reboot attempts, I got all the way to my Windows log-in screen and after entering my password the computer once again crashed and now again gives me a dead screen every time I try to reboot.

Any advice? Is this the dreaded GPU problem that I read about here? I tried booting while pressing hard on the V and B keys to no effect. If so, can anyone give me a ballpark cost estimate for getting this machine fixed? It's a 4 year old 2372HVU. If the cost is substantial I might just replace it.

If I do replace the laptop, am I correct in assuming that it should be easy to just buy a HD enclosure and use a USB to retrieve all my data? I've never tried that before.

I'm not certain what that error code mean, but a crashing T4x machine with display issues that get progressively worse is a pretty good indicator of GPU issues. Did you try it with an external monitor hooked up? If you did and the video on the external monitor had issues as well, then that would be another indicator. Instead of pressure on the B or V key, you might try some direct pressure on the GPU with the keyboard connected, but unscrewed to see if that has any effect.

The rest is all lot more complicated to answer dependent on how much money to put into this machine is "too much". Good motherboards run anywhere from $100 neighborhood on up. However, "p" boards that are "known good" are significantly more expensive. So if that puts you into the "too much" range, then you might consider looking into one of the reballing/reflowing outfits some of which can be found in threads in this conference. I won't recommend any since I've never taken advantage of this service, but they do range from $50 and up.

Of course you may decide that, that's just too much cost and hassle for a machine of this age and decide to replace it with a T60 or new machine.

[rkawakami]

From your description it could be a couple of different things:

- defective memory
- problem with the hard drive
- motherboard issue; loose video chip or other cause

It certainly sounds like the GPU is the problem. Generally, you have to push directly on top of the chip (not the keyboard) to see if it's the cause. Temporarily placing some non-conductive substance (cardboard, paper, etc.) between the GPU and keyboard then may allow pressing of the keyboard to work. If this "fix" seems to solve your problem, then it's about $50 for just a re-flow and maybe a little bit more for an actual re-ball/re-flow repair. You could also try connecting an external monitor to the laptop and see if that provides any working display.

If pushing on the GPU doesn't help, you can grab a copy of memtest86+ from here:

http://www.memtest86.org

and use it to test your memory modules. You can also get a copy of PC Doctor for DOS for the T4x from here:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... migr-43283

to test out other pieces of your system. Of course the question becomes, "how do I run these programs if the laptop can't boot?". Best course of action would be to install the memory and HD into another system for checkout. If you do not have access to another system which can accept the memory module(s), then remove the HD and second memory module (if there is one) and run the memtest86+ diagnostic. Test the one memory module in BOTH slots to see if you have a problem with the module or with a certain slot. Repeat the same tests with the second module.

Testing the hard drive can be done with PC Doctor or with a specific diagnostic from the manufacturer. Hitachi drives can be tested using DFT (Drive Fitness Test), Seagate drives use Seatools, etc. Those diagnostics will tell you if you have a hardware problem with the drive (i.e., a bad sector) but not if you have a logical problem with the data on the drive (e.g., a missing or corrupt Windows file).

You can mount the drive into a external USB enclosure and grab your important files that way. Usually those external cases will come with a separate power supply since you might exceed the current capability of the USB port when spinning up the HD.

[Johan]

A very fast hint on the fly: Try see the thread ATI2DVAG BSOD Fixed (was "Need Old ATI Drivers") and also Search this forum for ati2dvag. As mentioned in this thread, I also had a period with ATI2DVAG BSOD's on a T42p (BSOD: "Blue Screen Of Death"!) which I first feared was the (in-!) famous "loose GPU", but which turned out to be a driver-issue. Haven't seen this error since I replaced the driver.

Johan

[texasdiver]

Hi guys:

I tried Shen's advice and found and old thinkpad docking station I haven't used in a while and tried booting with it connected to an external monitor.

With the machine docked and closed it booted just fine with an external monitor attached to the dock's DVI port. Then just as I'm getting to the point of launching some programs to recover some files the monitor started blinking off then on a few times, then finally went black.

It booted fine to get me to my desktop and to get outlook and firefox launched before it started to blink off and on.

Now I am unable to repeat the boot with the external monitor.

Sounds like a GPU problem then? Or does that still not narrow things down?

[texasdiver]

Wow...

just looked at lenovo.com

Unless I'm mistaken, a nicely servicable T61 is available for under $1000. I was just assuming they were going to be more than that.

Is the T61 the logical replacement for a T42p? I'm no longer doing road-warrier consulting work with this computer. Mostly just using it around home and sometimes take it to work. I really just need a nice small usable laptop for internet use and running MS office applications. Nothing more than that except playing movies when I'm traveling.

Might just be time to get a new computer. This old one was getting buggy as all get out anyway. And the battery is about shot. If I fix the GPU, buy a new battery, and otherwise fix it up I'm over half way to a new machine.

[sktn77a]

Given the implication of the ATI drivers, I'd try a full system recovery (from your hidden partition or from recovery CDs before you write off the T42.

[texasdiver]

I have the original recovery disks that I made.

How do I go about doing a full recovery? I don't think my machine is set to boot off the CD....but then I'm not sure.

I've tried booting many many times pressing F8 and can never get to the DOS boot screen where I'm supposed to press F8.

I also tried booting while pressing the access IBM key to no effect.

I'm a total amateur when it comes to this sort of thing so I don't really know what I'm doing.

[Brad]

If you press F12 during the ThinkPad splash screen start up you should be presented with a list of boot devices. One of those boot devices should be your optical drive. Select the optical drive and you should be able to boot from it.

Brad

[texasdiver]

right....but my screen stays completely dark during the boot-up sequence

[texasdiver]

I finally got the machine to boot into setup mode using F-12 and then about 10 seconds into setup mode when I'm going through the menus the screen once again starts blinking off and on then goes dark.

Am I correct in my assumption that this would indicate a hardware problem and probably notorious GPU solder issue? And not an issue with drivers? Because I'm assuming that if I'm working in the DOS startup config screen then the graphics drivers have not yet been loaded.