T40 in trouble -- maybe needs a BIOS update?

[Hal 2000]

I own a Lenovo Z61m as my main laptop, but I still used my T40 as a backup.

Recently my T40 began having problems. I tried to restore it to its original Windows XP Pro settings via the Access IBM button, but the whole thing crashed and refused to work.

I changed the BIOS to boot from the DVD drive, and tried installing Linux onto it (to save money -- why buy a new operating system for a 2003 laptop?), but always got errors messages (that vary) partway into the installation.

Messages like:

The following file did not match its source copy on the CD/DVD/target/lib/firmware/atmel_at76c503-rfmdaccbin

Or:

[Error 2] No such file or directory:'rofs/var/lib/dpkg/info/hplip-data.nist'

Or:

ERROR 5 INPUT/OUTPUT ERROR

Or:

ERRORS FOUND IN 52 FILES

Some of these errors suggest I might need to clean the DVD or DVD player, but I tried 4 different Linux DVDs; three Ubunto, one Fedora. Two were newly bought, pristine Ubunto DVDs, the other two were scratchy DVDs borrowed from the library.

Eventually I replaced the hard drive with an 80 gig Hitachi Travelstar, 7200 rpm. The problems persisted.

So I replaced the DVD optical drive. The problems persisted.

So I bought a new copy of Windows XP. The problems persisted.

Now I have a 2003 Thinkpad with a brand new hard drive ($120), DVD drive ($50), Windows XP Pro ($50), and two new copies of "free" Ubunto Linux ($30). And it still doesn't work.

A friend suggested I need to update the BIOS firmware so it recognizes the new Hitachi hard drive. I don't know how to do this, or if that's the problem.

Anyone know how I can I fix my T40?

[Neil]

Welcome to the forum! Too bad your here because of problems.

BTW, this is posted in the wrong forum. Maybe one of our nice mods will move it for you.

Can't be sure, but my guess would be that your motherboard has the infamous loose southbridge problem. That southbridge chip controls the optical drive and the hard drive among other things. You can search the forum for more info about this problem, and possible fixes.

[Hal 2000]

Thanks.

I thought Thinkpads had particularly hard shells, which helped prevent the bending that damages screens and motherboards.

[Neil]

They do! The T series has a titanium reinforced lid for just that purpose. Still, many (most?) of the T4x series machines are now having the solder balls on the graphics chip and the southbridge chip break loose from the motherboard. About the only real fix is a professional re-ball job.

[kge420]

Hal 2000:
Have you tried to boot to the linux disk instead of installing? This is usually a good way to separate hardware issues from software issues. I personally had an issue with running a DVD+R in my T40. I copied the disk to -R and all went well. Be careful when throwing money at problems. Most solutions are easy fixes. Keep us posted.

[Hal 2000]

Yes, I've booted directly from the Linux DVD. That works.

The problem is when I try to install Linux, or Win XP, from the DVD onto the hard drive. The installation continues for a while, but then at some point, encounters problems, so the installation never completes.

I can't boot up Linux or Win XP from the hard drive, because the installation is never completed. I can boot up to the BIOS screen.

I reformat each time before trying a new installation, so each installation attempt is onto a clean hard drive.

[RealBlackStuff]

Neil's post is spot-on, you more than likely have a Southbridge problem.
This is not necessarily only caused by flexing, which is really minimal, but rather by the heating/cooling cycles of the laptop being switched ON/OFF regularly.
A laptop that would stay on 24/7 is much less prone to develop these problems, because it has the same temperature at all times.

[kge420]

Hal 2000; found this through Ubuntu forum search.
"Hi all,
SOLVED..
After 2 weeks of research, trying to install in 4 PCs, and after wasting 4 CDs burning again and again, this is how i solved the problem:

1. Downloaded 10.04 iso once again
2. downloaded "Universal USB Installer" from http://www.pendrivelinux.com
3. created a usb bootable disk in my pen drive
4. installed ubuntu from the USB

and lo! the beauty of ubuntu 10.04 is back to my PC.

I dont know which one solved- Re downloading or usb booting. That experiment next week...

Cheers"
Worth a shot. Seems like a common problem (error 5 i/o) over there. Bad part is it also seems to be a generic fail code in the installer.

[Hal 2000]

Thanks. I'll try it.