RESOLVED: T21 - Bios Beeps -- - - Boots Normally

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BarkingPerci · #1 Post by **BarkingPerci** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 12:54 pm

Hi there helpfull folks!

I recently aquired a T21 (specs below) and I get bios beeps at boot, but I've noticed no problems and it always boots normally.

It is the dreaded long short short beep that supposedly marks a Mobo or display error. On the Lenovo/IBM site it noted that beeping before a normal boot could be turned off by dissabling 'Alert on LAN 2' which I tried (no help).

I found this quote on another laptop forum:

While the beep code indeed corresponds to what IBM will tell you requires motherboard and/or video repair (both $$), I had exactly the same problem on my T21. After replacing the motherboard, and checking the system, still had the same problem. I finally figured out that it was merely a failed mini-pci card, which is a very simple, inexpensive, user-replacable part accessible easily from the back side. Shame on IBM, because even in talking to them, they suggested that my laptop was probably not worth repairing.

Could this be my problem and if so how can I check?

I have the latest BIOS (1.16) and I've tried resetting to defaults and booting in diagnostic mode, but the beeps keep comin'.

Any thoughts on this? Am I headed for disaster? Could this mean nothing? If it's benign is there any way I can stop the beeps?

Any help/ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Website · #2 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 4:41 pm

If you have a spare floppy drive, you can try using PC Doctor to test each and every part of your T21.

BarkingPerci · #3 Post by **BarkingPerci** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 4:49 pm

Alas, I have only a DVD and a 250MB Zip for my Ultrabay.

As much as people like to say the Floppy Drive is dead you always end up needing it when the fit hits the shan. Any way of getting this to run via a CD (or ZIP?)?

If not I'll see about finding one I can borrow or something - or I'll just ignore it and cross my fingers.

Website · #4 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 7:15 pm

You might be able to create the floppy on a regular PC, then create an image ISO image and then burn a CD from the image. I haven't tried this though.

There is a kewl program called WinImage that you could use to create the images.

BarkingPerci · #5 Post by **BarkingPerci** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 12:31 pm

I was about to attempt your suggestion, but I did figure someone else would have had the same problem. Poked around the thinkwiki and found a iso of the T2x PC Doctor!

For those who do not have a floppy, David Smith prepared a bootable CD image from the T22 floppy images.

Here's the iso - http://www.mypchelp.com/~dsmith/ibmutil ... pcdiag.iso

Cheers to David Smith! Hopefully this can help others who blindly deleted the IBM partition.

Running full battery of tests now - will edit in if I need more help. Thanks again!

Admin edit: Original link to the .ISO is dead. Here's a copy: http://www.kawakami-ca.com/ibm_t2x/ibm_t22.pcdiag.iso

#6 Post by **rkawakami** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 12:57 pm

BarkingPerci wrote:I was about to attempt your suggestion, but I did figure someone else would have had the same problem. Poked around the thinkwiki and found a iso of the T2x PC Doctor!

Hey, thanks for this note! Very handy... no more swapping floppies in and out.

BarkingPerci · #7 Post by **BarkingPerci** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 1:59 pm

Yes, I figured this would be welcome info for others

.

I had problems when I tried to get my Intel 10/100 Ethernet Mini-PCI Adapter with 56K Modem to work. It seems after running the tests that the Intel Ethernet is at fault as it's test comes up as 'FAILED' and IEEE1394 Port comes up as 'N/A'.

The device

Could this be the cause of my BIOS error? (I'm thinking yes as everything else checked out). Is this a part that is difficult to replace? Anyone know a good source where I could pick one up? Any common problems with this with easy solutions? I will open her up just to be sure all the connections are sound. Thanks

skygodtj · #8 Post by **skygodtj** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 2:37 pm

To check to see if it is the pci card at fault, with the computer off, flip the laptop over, remove the Mini PCI modem cover, it's the smaller cover of the two, just to the left of the large IBM model label, not the cover towards the front (thats the memory). Unplug(carefully!) the phone line, spread the clips and remove the modem/PCI card, replace the cover. Turn it back over, open it up, turn it on.

Does it still beep? If it doesnt, the mini pci card was bad..
If it does then it's a mobo or video problem.

Is the card difficult to replace? No, you just took it out, putting in a new one is just the opposite.. remove the cover again, plug in the phone/ethernet lines(again carefully), slide it back into the PCI slot, push down till the side clips snap into place, reinstall the cover and you're done.

TJ

BarkingPerci · #9 Post by **BarkingPerci** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 8:28 pm

Success!! - it was the mini PCI card after all. PHEW! a bit better news than having a mobo/LCD problem eh?

By 'hard to replace' I meant to ask if it is hard to find a replacement part. I'll look around, but if someone knows where I could get a comprable replacement it would be greatly appreciated. Of course I'll start with ebay and the like.

Orevin · #10 Post by **Orevin** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 8:39 pm

You can post in the Marketplace section. But I think eBay is the way to go, online stores are mostly more expensive.

skygodtj · #11 Post by **skygodtj** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 8:41 pm

I knew you meant that...

As for a replacement, here's a link to a eBay "IBM Mini PCI" search

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dl ... M+mini+pci

good luck,

TJ

BarkingPerci · #12 Post by **BarkingPerci** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 9:13 pm

Found and purchased for $6.99 + shipping. ($13 total)

I'd say that's worth it - thanks

.

skygodtj · #13 Post by **skygodtj** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 9:21 pm

No prob.. good luck..

teege

RESOLVED: T21 - Bios Beeps -- - - Boots Normally

RESOLVED: T21 - Bios Beeps -- - - Boots Normally

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