My backup machine (X61 T7500) gave up the ghost. :(

[axur-delmeria]

Long story short: was using it, took a bathroom break, when I got back Linux had exited to text mode and a blinking cursor, I somehow managed to make a clean shutdown/reset, but it booted to a 4-4-4-4 error beep and the display not powering up.

Removed RAM, same error beep.
10-second salute, no change.
Disconnected RTC battery, no change.

I've never encountered 4-4-4-4 before, and the fact that I still get it even without RAM installed means it's a pretty low-level error.

Northbridge issue maybe? Should I bring out the heat gun (even though I don't have one LOL) ??

[jaspen-meyer]

"Four cycles of four short beeps and a blank
screen. === System board (security chip)"

[shawross]

Interesting - have you tried removing your WLAN card to see if you get the same beeps? The security chip is still a mystery unfortunately.

[axur-delmeria]

Interesting - have you tried removing your WLAN card to see if you get the same beeps? The security chip is still a mystery unfortunately.

I'll try it later.

***Addendum **

Removed the WLAN card, no change.

[axur-delmeria]

Time to look for an X62 board, then ?

OTOH, I probably can't afford one.

[wujstefan]

Luckily X61 boards are cheap nowadays

[axur-delmeria]

Luckily X61 boards are cheap nowadays

Problem is local availability. They may be cheap and plentiful in the US, but where I am, they're not as common. I've seen X60's here priced at around 80 USD.

If I find a cheap board or a half-working X61, sure I'll take it in a heartbeat. Then again, there's an X60s board on my shelf that's waiting for a chassis and heatsink/fan. I'm not too keen on using that one though, as it has a Core Solo U1300 (1.06GHz) CPU, which might be slower than an Atom N270.

[wujstefan]

How come? Maybe I will ba able to provide you with one, and in way better price.

[madicetea]

I recently discovered about T9300 boards. Amazing!

[madicetea]

I sympathize with your story.

[axur-delmeria]

I'm pretty much on the fence about reviving it. I got this baby for the equivalent of 30 USD, and recently found a local seller listing a bare X61 board for 20 USD, which I feel is too much.

I could just put in the X60s Core Solo U1300 board I mentioned before, but since its fan is dead, I'd have to use the X61's monster heatsink (the one with the large single heatpipe, usually found in models with the fastest CPUs) on a 6w TDP processor.

With a processor like that, it's probably even slower than an X31 or X41.