X31 intermittently Boots to IBM logo

[JustinB]

I have an x31 that I'm trying to get running. Right now when I start the computer it will either boot normally and allow me to use the computer, or it will boot to the IBM logo and hang there indefinitely. If I press f12 it will give me the "Preparing boot device list" message, but will never procede to actually load them.

[jronald]

Just for the sake of argument, remove and reinstalled the HDD.

Ron

[JustinB]

Done and no change.

[jronald]

I dont have an X31 handy, so pop the HDD drive out and see if it does the same thing, or something different.

Do you have a docking station/media slice?

Ron

[emeraldgirl08]

@JustinB. Do you have an external optical DVD/CD drive handy?

To rule out hard drive problems (I'm thinking it sounds faulty) you might want to run live version of Linux. If that boots up to desktop then I would say something most likely is amiss with your hard drive.

[ThinkDan]

I think I have seen this one. My X32 has (I suspect) a failing CMOS battery; it holds settings fine unless I run it 'til the battery is exhausted, then occasionally exhibits the following when next powered up:

Appears to hang at IBM logo
(feels like) 5 minutes later beeps a few times
Displays 1802 unauthorised netowrk card error
Refuses to boot further

(ETA: if you hit ESC during the apparent hang at IBM logo, it will switch to text-mode and you will see it slowly checking/counting memory, pause for an age, then proceed to the 1802 error.)

This is because I upgraded to a non-approved WiFi card; short story is that the machine officially supports a very short list of IBM-badged mini-PCI cards. There is a work-around, but you will need to lift the keyboard and pop the mini-pci card during the fix. Plenty detail here:

http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Problem_w ... twork_card

and here, with download of the no-1802 bootable CD image with which to work-around:

http://www.command-tab.com/2006/02/26/t ... error-fix/

Easiest solution is to boot from CD of the no-1802 using an X3 ultrabase. I have not needed to explore other boot options since I have the necessary to hand. Plug the card back in after and it should work fine.

I have an IBM-branded Intel 8215bg card and it looks like it's just not on the X30/X31/X32 list of approved cards.

If you ever reset the BIOS to default settings, or remove the CMOS battery, the same procedure will be required.