T60 with start up issues

[icebag]

I have just bought, very cheaply on eBay, a 15" XVGA T60. It was advertised as in good physical condition but not booting. Initial impressions confirmed that: the power lights would come on but then no activity.

Well on the third or fourth time of powering up I just left it -- and after several minutes it sprang into life. It gave me the BIOS splash screen and then reported a CMOS error. I had to set the time and date; it then booted normally.

It is now working very well apart from some oddities at start up. If I leave it switched off for a long time, e.g. over night, it is very slow to get to the BIOS splash -- between 30 and 60 seconds -- but then boots normally. If I re-boot the time to BIOS splash is normal.

So calling all the experts out there: does anyone know what is going on?

A second problem is that I have a non-whitelist wireless card for it but I can't remove the 1802 error. I have updated the BIOS and applied the patch but no luck. Any thoughts on that?

(Finally, and just for interest, this is the third 'non-functioning' T60 I have bought which actually works ok. One just had a bad battery: take it out and no problems. The other one does boot but never shows the BIOS splash so the previous owner thought it was dead.)

[EOMtp]

... non-whitelist wireless card for it but I can't remove the 1802 error. I have updated the BIOS and applied the patch but no luck. Any thoughts on that? ...

The "patch" will not work on a T60. You need a modified BIOS.

[icebag]

Wireless problem now sorted.

Big thanks to EOMtp

[RealBlackStuff]

You need to replace the CMOS battery.
For BIOS, see this: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=100684

[icebag]

You need to replace the CMOS battery.

I thought that might be it too, but I have fitted a new one and it has made no difference.

[RealBlackStuff]

Press F1 at boot to go into BIOS, then press F9 to load default values, then press F10 to save and reboot.
Any improvement?
Is your BIOS version up-to-date?

[icebag]

I have tried three different CMOS batteries, the BIOS is up to date, I have reset the BIOS to its defaults -- and the problem is getting worse!

It will restart from within the OS, but it won't re-start after shutting down and switching off unless I disconnect and then reconnect the battery and the mains adapter. Even then it is haphazard. I'm puzzled.

[RealBlackStuff]

Try a reset: remove battery and AC adapter.
Press and hold down the power button for 2 seconds and release it.
Repeat 10 more times, but at the last one, hold the button down for 30 seconds.
Reconnect only AC adapter and try to start.

[icebag]

Thanks. I tried it but it has made no difference.

[TuuS]

It's very possible you may need a system board. You're welcome to have a look at one I posted in the marketplace for sale today. It's a T60p board so it would be a nice upgrade, but one of our T60 gurus would have to confirm if it would be a direct swap in your unit.

Good Luck

[icebag]

Another possibility, of course, is to leave it switched on! I do have a T60 that is left on 24/7. I might just swap them over.

"If you can't fix a bug, call it a feature."

[RealBlackStuff]

If you swap from an Intel GPU T60 to any ATI GPU T60 motherboard, you also need an ATI capable fan.
Otherwise it's a direct swap (assuming both models are Standard 4:3 or both are Widescreen).

[TuuS]

If you swap from an Intel GPU T60 to any ATI GPU T60 motherboard, you also need an ATI capable fan.
Otherwise it's a direct swap (assuming both models are Standard 4:3 or both are Widescreen).

Thank you, I was thinking that might be the case.

I probably should offer the heatsink/fan assembly with my board then.

[icebag]

Update: the T60 won't boot now whatever I do.