T60 with dead battery, freezes in Windows XP

[Growly]

Hello fellow aficionados,

I've acquired a few old, reasonably battered but still more-or-less functioning T60s (at a cost). They have dead batteries, hold no charge, beyond warranty, etc. I've ordered non-OEM replacement batteries (which I'm apprehensive about). (/edit: model is 2007-GEM)

In the mean time, I've been using one in particular to create an XP image to then distribute. The one I'm using (at least, the others might do this too, I don't know yet) seems to freeze in a fresh install of Windows XP more or less straight after I install any drivers. I've done a bit of searching the forums, and some say the dead battery is to blame. Is this true? Or should I blame some indeterminable component of the motherboard?

I've run memtest86 and prime95 from the ultimate boot CD without any problems, suggesting that basic systems do in fact ork. I have this perfunctory theory that the dead battery is sinking current in ways it shouldn't be, causing voltage drops to various critical components when additional devices are activated by the driver installation. I'd really rather not write these units off, really!

On that note, how terrible are these non-OEM batteries from eBay anyway?

Thanks very much in advance!

[BeeJayEmm]

I haven't heard that a dead battery can cause the symptoms you describe. My R60, a close cousin to your T60, had a similar issue that was caused by bad clusters on the hard drive. The fact you can run a boot CD environment without problems would tend to support the possibility your hard drive is bad. Did you try the installation more than once? Did the freeze occur at the same point in the installation each time? If you know which manufacturer produced the hard drive, I suggest you download their diagnostic from their website, burn it to a CD (most are bootable) and run it. PC Doctor, which comes with most ThinkPads, also has a bootable version that might help to diagnose. Or you could try the install on another of the T60s, to rule out the battery. Good luck!

[underclocker]

In the mean time, I've been using one in particular to create an XP image to then distribute. The one I'm using (at least, the others might do this too, I don't know yet) seems to freeze in a fresh install of Windows XP more or less straight after I install any drivers. I've done a bit of searching the forums, and some say the dead battery is to blame. Is this true? Or should I blame some indeterminable component of the motherboard?

Absolutely. A defective batttery (6 or 9 cell) will cause Windows to freeeze almost every time. Remove the battery and work with it on AC power only (until you pick up a replacement battery).

[Eric Giles]

I ran into this same issue for the first time ever on a 15.4" T60p I purchased. It would freeze when shortly into the installation of Windows, but couldn't figure out why. I finally removed the battery (which was bad and had a broken latch) and its been fine ever since. I'm thinking it was sold because the latch on the battery was broken and they couldn't remove it, which kept causing it to freeze...regardless, I took a chance and got it for an excellent price.

[Growly]

Thanks for your replies, guys. I tried taking the battery out shortly after my first post, and lo and behold my woes disappeared. The machines run perfectly (as far as I can tell) without the batteries in, as you've suggested underclocker. I'm really curious as to why exactly, but that can wait. I hadn't ruled out dying hard drives (from bad experiences), but the problem was recurring on all three of the machines I had with me, and seems to have disappeared on all of them just the same.

Funnily enough, I could've sworn posting an update on my discoveries shortly afterwards I'd bothered to actually try taking the batteries out, but apparently I'm going mad.

In any case, I'm waiting for the non-OEM batteries to arrive. I hope they don't leak and/or explode and/or break after two minutes. Does anyone know if they're any good at all? I'd get a Lenovo original, but the cost of a new battery from them is about as much as I paid for each unit altogether, so it didn't seem viable.

[RealBlackStuff]

I would have gone for these: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0413155654
Cheaper ($27.99 vs. $33.99) AND more powerful (5200 mA vs. 4400 mA)

[Growly]

I would have gone for these: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0413155654
Cheaper ($27.99 vs. $33.99) AND more powerful (5200 mA vs. 4400 mA)

Yeah, they are more powerful, but because I'm in New Zealand shipping ($15) would've made them more expensive too. The ones I got ship free from Hong Kong (where I hear all sorts of tax exemptions allow the overseas consumer to benefit). Having said that, the very fact that you would've gone for either is a great comfort in itself...