T40 Won't Boot

[rnds76b]

Just replaced the cooling fan in my T40 with a used, but serviceable fan. The T40 is a type 2374, model BU7. The fan runs fine, but the computer won't boot up. When I turn the machine on, it starts to boot (the fan spins and all of the green indicator lights at the bottom of the LCD come on), but after it goes through the first three boot-up screens (the” IBM Thinkpad” screen...in color, the "Microsoft Windows XP Professional/Microsoft Windows Recovery Console” screen" and the "Start Windows Normally/Safe Mode/Start Windows With Networking/Safe Mode With Command Prompt" screen, I hear a click and the machine shuts down instantly. The total time from turning the machine on until it self shuts down is 19 seconds. The "click" sound is singular and seems to be coming from the HD. Further, I'm not hearing the normal boot-up beeps. The machine runs perfectly (sans the boot-up beeps) until about 3 seconds after it displays the last start-up screen (the previously mentioned "Start Windows Normally/Safe Mode/Start Windows With Networking/Safe Mode With Command Prompt" screen), then it shuts down instantly with the single click.

The battery is in the machine, it's charged and the A/C power adapter is plugged into both the machine and an good outlet. The battery indicator light (at the bottom of the LCD) is green (with the "+" sign) and remains on continuously both with the machine turned off and during the short, failed boot-up process.

I've also noticed that the green HD indicator light (between the "A" and "Z" indicator lights) flickers during the shortened/failed boot process, leaving me to believe that everything is OK with the HD (just guessing here).

The "1," "A," "Z," and "Cresent Moon" indicator lights at the bottom of the LCD all illuminate instantly when I initially turn the power on, then after no more than 1 second, the "1," "A," and "Cresent Moon" lights go out, leaving the "Z" light on (the "Z" light remains on solid until the computer shuts down...again, total time, 19 seconds).

The HD was previously removed to copy files onto a new computer I got when the fan went out on the T40 (I didn't realize then that all I had to do was replace the fan...real novice here... , but it's back in the HD slot solidly and I've been assured by the professionals who "transferred" the data that it was ONLY copied over to the new machine, not actually transferred. They assured me that everything that was on the HD when I brought it to them is still on it. They further assured me that they never even began to mess with and/or copy any of the software or OS.
I still have the computer "apart" (from installing the fan), but everything's plugged in properly and double checked, including the keyboard and palm rest. The fan seems fine and runs the whole time that the machine is running.

HELP!!!!!

[RealBlackStuff]

Welcome to the forum.
How did you put the hard disk in?
It needs to go in upside-down, i.e. with the label at the bottom and electronics on top!

[rnds76b]

Actually, on my machine, there's no choice...the HDD bay only allows one to insert the HD as you said, labels side down, pins up.

[rkawakami]

I'd start with the usual procedure to troubleshoot non-booting problems: remove all of the plug-in hardware from the system and see what happens. In your case, since the system appears to get past the IBM splash screen, leave the memory in but remove the hard drive, optical drive, MiniPCI card, PCMCIA card(s), and whatever else can be easily removed. The system should get through the POST procedure and then stall when it can't find an operating system. Leave the system on. If the system does not shut itself off, then I'd re-install the optical drive and run the PC Doctor for DOS diagnostic to test the fan and thermal sensors. You can download a copy of this program from here:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-56222 (.ISO file for creating a bootable CD)
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-43283 (five diskettes)

I think that the fan the thermal sensor tests are under the "Other Devices" menu. If the system shuts off in the minimal hardware configuration, then you may be looking at a heat-related problem. Did you apply any thermal grease between the heatsink and CPU?