T61P Vista won't boot after Hibernation

[serissime]

I put my 3yo T61p laptop in hibernation mode yesterday and unplugged it because I didn't want the on/off power during the hurricaine to mess with it. I later tried to turn it on and it would not post. The blinky lights would turn on like normal, but I got a long-short-short BIOS beep code. The screen stays black. I have tried turning it off and on, removing and replacing battery, trying plugged in and unplugged. According to Lenovo, the beep code indicates a system board problem, LCD problem, or DIMM (?) issue. I think in context, the motherboard issue seem most likely. I have tried the voodoo stuff with pressing the power button in certain intervals, etc.

I have been having various little issues lately and have been going a little out of my comfort zone in trying to get it running well. I don't think I have done anything funny, just updating driver and stuff. I am 98% sure that I didn't find any updates for my BIOS and so didn't mess with it. I only used drivers from Lenovo or Microsoft anyway. If it's relevant, I did that stuff a few days prior and have rebooted many times since then, and hibernated/awoke several times since. I didn't mess with anything yesterday.

I am under warranty and will be trying to get a service appointment tomorrow, but I have a lot of homework to do. I am just a mediocre computer user and don't know anything too technical about the guts. Also, I'm a little dumb and don't have my data backed up properly. I was researching how to do it and got distracted... you know how it is. If I end up having to replace the motherboard, will I definitely lose all my data? Just want to start getting emotionally prepared...

Does anyone have any input into what is going on? If there is anything I can do, I would like to try so I can get my computer running sooner rather than later. Thank you.

[Neil]

What is the seven character type number for your machine. My guess would be GPU failure, as most T61p machines where shipped with a defective GPU. Most likely you will have to replace the motherboard to fix the problem. You won't loose any data with a motherboard swap, all your data is stored on the hard drive, which you will keep in your possession while the laptop is in for service.

[serissime]

My seven character type is 6457-MM1. Would you explain a GPU and why, owning a 3yo machine, I would only be learning about a common defect now? (Thanks, by the way)

[rumbero]

My seven character type is 6457-MM1. Would you explain a GPU and why, owning a 3yo machine, I would only be learning about a common defect now? (Thanks, by the way)

According to support.lenovo.com's Quick Path, these are your machine's specifications:

Code: Select all

ThinkPad T61p (6457-MM1)
Based 6457-8LU: T8300(2.4GHz), 2GB RAM, 160GB 7200rpm HD, 15.4in 1680x1050 LCD, 256MB nVIDIA Quadro FX 570M, CDRW/DVDRW, 802.11abg, Bluetooth, Modem, 1Gb Ether, UltraNav, Sec Chip, FPR, 9c Li-Ion, WinVista Business 32

So it has a nVIDIA GPU, and this might have broken. See forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=93357 for further information.

I am under warranty and will be trying to get a service appointment tomorrow, but I have a lot of homework to do.[...] If I end up having to replace the motherboard, will I definitely lose all my data?

Lucky you! If the machine is still under warranty you will get a free mainboard replacement. While you are at it, try to get hold of a used fallback machine of the very same generation, but with Intel graphics.

The data on your hard disk won't be affected by this issue in any way, but if you have no other choice than sending in your machine to a depot for repair, please do make sure to take out the hard disk and keep it safely at home. One never knows what kind of rookie engineer is doing what to one's hard disk contents, so better keep it away from any such dangers.

Taking out the hard disk and putting it back in is very easy. See the the video about how to replace the "Hard Disk Drive" in the "CRU Removals/Replacement" section of www.lenovoservicetraining.com/ion/R61_T61 to learn how to do it.