Thinkpads Forum

I did not have any issues as such working 2 HDDs running Win XP & Win 7 (swapping as I needed).

Then my machine started locking/ freezing at bootup.

At first I thought it was Windows based issue so on two separate HDDs that I use where I have WinXP & Win 7x64. Both seem to freeze/lock at certain point when booting up.

I tried every thing including:
- Safemode etc.
- Bootlog mode
- Debugging mode
- DOS based PC Doctor Bootable CD
- Memtest86/+ etc.
- System Restores (on both..Win XP HDD1 and Win 7 HDD2)
- Bunch of Bootable Diagnostic tools (I am wondering if there's some kind of better Hardware Diagnosis tool than PC Doctor and/ or Thinkvantage Toolbox)

I was getting Multicore misconfigured & SMBIOS test failed like this LINK -
http://forum.notebookreview.com/lenovo- ... t61-3.html
Read all of it and I seem to have done everything but its not fixed yet.

After a night of running whole bunch .. Windows came up ONCE.
That time I ran Running ThinkVantage Toolbox (newer replacement for PC Doc)
It showed Multicore as a Misconfigured and suggested I power down and reboot fresh and run again which fixed the Misconfigure.
It showed everything as ALRIGHT! except SMBIOS.

When I looked up SMBIOS I found the PC Doctor link that says its not an issue.
http://pcpitstop.com/faq/smbios.asp

Well.. I figured this was fixed.

Worked for a day..

Next day... Same issues. Now, SMBIOS seems to have flared up again.

Did you try updating/reflashing the BIOS?
If yours is yours a Middleton BIOS that may be faulty, revert to Lenovo BIOS.

Also, bear in mind that your Thinkpad is NOT made for regular HD swap, sooner rather than later you will have poor/bad HD connection problems.

The HDD swapping is temporary for now only.

I do have the Middleton BIOS based on Lenovo original 1.24

It had been working fine for a long time now on XP and Windows 7. I am wondering what could've just started this?

PS: I am wondering if its a bad RAM module, but I swapped the 2G x 2 I had in it for the original 1G x 2. Still no dice.

I've also downloaded the 1.24/1.25 originals and 1.25 Middleton.

I am thinking of going to the Original 1.24 and then checking.

PS: On the Windows 7 HDD, I reinstalled Win7 and it got stuck at a certain point way later in the installation. I'll see if I can take a picture next time.

PPS: All BIOS tests using other tools such as PC Doctor on DOS came out fine.

I installed the BIOS 1.25 Latest from Lenovo.

Then did a System Restore using the Recovery CDs (8 of them) and reinstalled XP Tablet Edition.

It started but it is now showing an exclamation under the Device Manager:
Other Devices - PCI Memory Controller.

This machine came originally with Vista but I never really like that too much. Ideally I'd like to go to Windows 7 and I am hoping that this time the INSTALL would work.

I am wondering if this Device manager issue will go away under Vista. I remember reading something about XP not being able to handle the Turbo Memory on the X61T.

crashnburn wrote:It started but it is now showing an exclamation under the Device Manager:
Other Devices - PCI Memory Controller.

That's Turbo Memory.

THE TEST: It fails even with the Stock Lenovo BIOS. So, I am sure its not the BIOS causing issues.

So what do you think is causing this FREEZE up, during:
- Booting on several HDDs: WinXP, Win 7 on 7200, Win 7 on 5400

The new factory installed XP Tablet edition seems to be working fine so far (after Stock Lenovo BIOS).
UPDATE:
Well, it also has the same problem in booting without Ultrabase.

- I am going to try testing and old and new both Memory Modules using Memtest86+.
UPDATE: Tested and no errors with 6 passes over night.

UPDATE:
I was able to figure out that the "SDA Standard Compliant SD Host Controller" was that one causing the issues:
- tons of DELAY during shutdown (shutdown would eventually fail and I'd have to power it off) and
- was preventing Windows 7 from Booting to success.


I've disabled it, on two instances of Win7x64 install on 2 HDDs which now boot up fine.

If enabled, there's constant attempt to access it (the little green/yellow light keeps flickering) big time and hence the system gets stuck.
Any thoughts on how to fix it?