T60 bootup problems after CPU / heatsink upgrades

[thinkieT60]

Hello experts!

I would like to ask for help to revive my long running machine.

I used my thinkpad T60 (2007-5TG) for many years without any problems.
I decided to upgrade the CPU from T2500 to T7200 and to replace the heatsink to W500.
The machine already had SSD installed and win7 was running without problems.

I replaced the CPU, thermal paste, old heat sink with W500. I used thermal pads from the old heat sink for a new one.
While assembling machine, I removed CMOS battery for couple of minutes. Don't know if I had to this, but removal was on youtube clip.

After all, the machine powers up with a blank screen. I receive:
two long beeps with blank screen. Other icons (power, caps lock) light up.

I have two DIMM chips and playing around with them did not help.
If I remove RAM completely, then I receive "Three short beeps, pause, three more short beeps, and one short beep."
If I understand correctly, this means that MB is not dead.

Optical drive and modem are removed. I also removed HDD and still receive two long beeps with blank screen.
I also tried holding power button for 30s after disconnecting the AC adapter. This does not help.

I thought removing CMOS battery reseted my bios to older version and thus T7200 is not supported or whatever.
I installed old CPU, old HDD, old heatsink and still receive the two beeps with blank screen (with RAM inside) or Three short beeps, pause, three more short beeps, and one short beep (no RAM installed).

T60 is (was) in a great shape and I would like to stay with him.
I would greatly appreciate any help from experienced forum members.

[Hans Gruber]

You need a new bios battery. I think that is your problem. I had a bad bios battery on a t43 and had the two beeps and shutdown. After putting in a new CMOS battery, everything ran smoothly.

[thinkieT60]

Battery is cheap, I will order and see what happens.

Any other suggestions?

[Hans Gruber]

Your specs are good on your T60. You already have an SSD and you upgraded your CPU. With a new bios battery, your T60 should boot right up without any problems.

[thinkieT60]

I received new CMOS replacement battery and replaced the old one.

However, the problem symptoms are the same - two long beeps with blank screen. I also tried various RAM placement combinations.

[n2ri]

I received new CMOS replacement battery and replaced the old one.

However, the problem symptoms are the same - two long beeps with blank screen. I also tried various RAM placement combinations.

I own a T61 and a W500 and though similar they have many changes like heat/cooling ducts, positions of many components etc. but mainly CPU cooling fan specs are not adiquite for W500 CPU this is why the W500 also has the overheat shutdown issue. it also adds screens to the air openings limiting air more and fan controls do not run fan enough to keep cool. had to set Bios to max performance no power saver options or OS control. also added TPfancontrol app ver 0.61 (3rd party as IBM denies issues) so I could watch and fix said speeds/cooling

[Hans Gruber]

I received new CMOS replacement battery and replaced the old one.

However, the problem symptoms are the same - two long beeps with blank screen. I also tried various RAM placement combinations.

I own a T61 and a W500 and though similar they have many changes like heat/cooling ducts, positions of many components etc. but mainly CPU cooling fan specs are not adiquite for W500 CPU this is why the W500 also has the overheat shutdown issue. it also adds screens to the air openings limiting air more and fan controls do not run fan enough to keep cool. had to set Bios to max performance no power saver options or OS control. also added TPfancontrol app ver 0.61 (3rd party as IBM denies issues) so I could watch and fix said speeds/cooling

I would agree the cooling on the T500 is inadequate if you have discrete graphics. I would call it marginal with integrated graphics. I think it benefits from TPFancontrol. I think the GPU and the heatsink are the problem with the T500.

I was tightening and inspecting the hinges on my throwaway T61 (junker). I thought I did a good job getting the front besal off considering it was glued or taped in the front right corner. I need either rubber cement or double sided tape for the right side. It's not worth getting a replacement besal. A little tape or glue and you can't tell the right plastic clips snapped.

[pillboxhunter]

put old cpu back in. update to latest bios. put new cpu in and it should now work.
I did this exact swap on my t60 and had similar problems.

[RealBlackStuff]

Sounds indeed as if you have an old BIOS.
pillboxhunter hit the nail on the head if you want to go from T2500->T7200.
Replacing the T60 heatsink with one from a W500 does not improve much, if at all...

[thinkpadcollection]

A warning about 61 series heatsinks, They will not touch northbridge if used in T60. Use T60 series heatsinks only. The GPU/northbridge plates on both 60 and between three 61,T500 and W500 are different levels.

Cheers, thinkpadcollection