T60 - 1 long beep, 2 short beeps (sometimes)

[Willis]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some help and this seems to be the place with the knowledge and expertise that could help.

I've recently bought a second hand T60 (1952-CTO) which had lots of problems including a keyboard that didn't work (0210 error Stuck Key) over heating (reconditioned the CPU fan & reapplied new thermal paste) and now I'm facing a new problem.

The T60 works find when plugged in (with no battery installed) but when I tried to run it on the battery alone nothing happened (despite being charged to 100%).

When I then turn the T60 on with the power lead and battery I get 1 long beep and 2 short beeps with nothing on the screen.

After turning the T60 off then try again, it works and boots up fine.

I've looked it up on other threads and they suggest he DIMM so I've tried he following:

Battery & Lead [on] - boots ok
Battery & Lead [off] - boots ok
Battery - nothing
Battery & Lead [off] - nothing
Battery & Lead [on] - does not boot - 3 beeps
Disconnect & reconnect lead
Battery & Lead [on] - boots ok
Battery - nothing
Battery & Lead [on] - boots ok

Removed 3rd party DIMM & leave original

Battery & Lead [on] - boots ok
Battery & Lead [off] - boots ok
Battery - nothing
Battery & Lead [off] - nothing
Battery & Lead [on] - boots ok
Battery - nothing
Battery & Lead [on] - boots ok

So now I'm really confused. My thoughts are now it's the worse case scenario, the motherboard.

...also, would this cause the T60 not boot with the battery only?

Lenovo battery maintenance stated the battery was in good health and fully charged, but nothing.

I'm sorry my first post is so big but I'm desperate
Thanks,

Willis

[Johan]

Welcome to the forum, Willis, although I regret to read that this is perhaps not the most "happy hour" for you...

First, for your information, you may want to know the Beep and no beep symptoms - ThinkPad General.

As to the symptoms you describe I'm a bit confused as well, so I hope that someone with more experience in "odd behavior" may chime in here...

In any case, I really hope you get this T60 up and running. I have/maintain a number of 15" SXGA+ T60's for myself, family and friends, and I am very, very satisfied with this laptop - its FlexView/IPS 4:3 LCD, its keyboard, a SSD with Windows 7... and for most dailyday tasks I really wouldn’t want to replace a T60 of this type with any of the many newer, albeit must faster and (much uglier!) widescreen laptops around today.

Best of luck getting your T60 back on its feet!

Johan

[Willis]

Thank you for your kind welcome,

I also prefer the T60 range, but I tend to come across 14" screens, and I really like them, the nice compact design, and I generally like the way the ThinkPad T60 range comes across...Unlike newer laptops I think ThinkPad actually look like 'real' laptops, nothing like these newer plastic looking ones.

Anyway, back to my post - thank you for your link, I came across something very similar in the hardware manual, I've changed the DIMM with tested ones, the screen works fine when it does boot so it does indeed look like the system board .

I know the T61 models had a similar issue and some of those could be fixed with a software update, and I was hoping it would be the same with the T60 I have.

If not - a new system board it will have to be!

Thanks again,

Willis

[Neil]

You are probably right that a faulty system board is the problem, but it would be wise to try a different battery if at all possible before buying a board. I've seen faulty batteries do some weird things before. I'm not saying it is the battery, but just that it might/could be.

[Willis]

Thanks for your thoughts on this one Neil.

The thing I'm confused about is the system board passed all PC Doctors tests...

[ajkula66]

The thing I'm confused about is the system board passed all PC Doctors tests...

You shouldn't be.

PC Doctor is good for a "quick pick" of obvious faults. I had machines with *known* failing GPUs and/or SouthBridge chips pass all the tests...looking at one of them (a T42p) at the other end of the room right now...

[Willis]

Thanks for all your help guys, I believe I've found a fix for now.

I've changed the display settings within the BIOS (similar to those with the T61 issues) and although it doesn't boot on battery, it doesn't give those beeps any more.

Thanks for everyone's thoughts on this one