T30 won't turn on

[Daryl4444]

Hello.

Earlier today I was messing around with my ThinkPad T30, trying to figure out why it was going so slow. I'd opened the properties menu for My Computer, and noticed that it said I only had 256 MB of memory. I was pretty sure I had 512 MB, so I opened the memory access panel to check. I did have two 256 MB sticks installed. I'd tried a bunch of combinations, and found that both sticks are functional, but the memory slot near the back of the laptop was not working. So, I went to another old laptop and got out some of its RAM to see if it would fit. I tried to while the computer was still on, and it didn't fit. (Edit: To clarify, the computer was on, but the RAM did not fit, and I was trying to fit it into the nonfunctional slot. Nonetheless, some of the contacts may have touched. I don't believe I successfully installed or uninstalled any RAM while powered on. ) So I left for a while.

When I came back to look at it, it was frozen. The computer time said 7:39, though it was 7:59 at the time. As nothing would do anything, I turned it off. Then I tried turning it on. The LEDs flashed as usual, but the screen stayed black. At first I thought nothing of it and turned off to try again, but it didn't start that time either, or the next, or the next.

I thought maybe I'd reinstalled the RAM wrong, so reseated both sticks, several times, and switched their positions in probably every combination of one and two sticks. Still nothing, though when there's no RAM at all I still get the error beeps. I unplugged and plugged it in while 'on' to see if it would give the power beep, which it does not. Pressing ten keys at once does not give the usual error beep either.

I've tried reseating the CMOS battery, which did nothing. I also reseated the RAM and, for no reason in particular, the network card, keyboard, hard drive, and DVD drive. I've also tried leaving it to itself for hours on end, with no luck.

I'm going to try an external monitor, but don't have high hopes for that at all. Assuming it fails, what should I do next?

Edit: External monitor did nothing.

Another edit: My sister dropped it about a foot and a half a week ago, but it's been fine since then.

[RealBlackStuff]

Welcome to the forum.
Trying to swap out RAM with the laptop still on probably killed your motherboard.
Remove the adapter and the main battery.
Then press on the power button, holding it down for a few seconds and do this 10 times in a row.
Do it one more time, but now hold the power button down for about 20-30 seconds.
Then reconnect the adapter and try to start it up.

[Daryl4444]

Thanks.
It could kill it even with at most a few contacts touching, in the non-functional memory slot? Is there any (free) way to diagnose a dead motherboard with more certainty?
I tried that, with no results.

Someone else suggested this might be to blame, in that it's affected both the primary and secondary slots. I tried the apply-a-lot-of-pressure temporary fix method detailed at the bottom of that page on the primary slot with no luck, though if I pull lightly on the slot and turn on the computer I do get the no memory error beeps again. I'm not sure if this is relevant at all.

[decamposem]

Sounds like one of your memory slots are loose. This has been an Engineering flaw when making the T30. Should just need a little bit of soldering skills/microspcope and stead hand to fix ... already proven to work on mine.

[Daryl4444]

I hope that's what it is, I'd really rather not have to get a whole new motherboard.

But, is it possible that the situation could have killed the motherboard, what with a couple contact points on a non-functioning memory slot while turned on?

Is there any way to test for one theory vs. the other?

[decamposem]

Reading the Forum again ... i think RBS is right ... never touch the ram when the pc is powered on ..that may have caused one of the Copper Traces to short circiut inside the motherboard.

Just to make sure...power off the laptop (remove the battery and disconnect ALL power sources)...place only one ram in the top slot...then reconnect power and power on...if it dos;nt work ..power off again .. and place same Ram in the bottom Ram slot. Try turning back on again..if it still dos'nt work ..then sounds like the motherboard has been short circuited ..

Just make sure each time you move the memory around ALL power is removed...Also don't forget to ground yourself when touching the RAM.

[RealBlackStuff]

Download PC Doctor here. It's an ISO file, from which you burn a bootable CD.
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-56222
IF you get it going again, test everything with this CD.