Thinkpads Forum

Hi. I have a T400 in which I recently changed the screen hinge. After changing the hinge and ensuring the screen cable was connected correctly, the thinkpad will now not startup properly. the thinkpad will turn on for 2-3 seconds (I hear and see the fan working and hear the harddrive active) and then the thinkpad will turn off. It won't turn back on until I've disconnected the power source (plug and battery). I've also removed the yellow CMOS battery and it is still doing the same thing. The computer does not beep at all, but when I remove both sticks of RAM, it gives me the 1-3-3-1 beep on boot and will stay on until I manually turn it off. I have also removed the CD-Drive but this did not help. I've also done the static discharge trick of pressing the power button 10 times and holding it down on the 11th press. Nothings working... Does anyone have any ideas about this?! Thanks

It is similar to this user's issue: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 75#p698275

I believe 1-3-3-1 beep code means the memory or the memory slot is bad. Perhaps you should try one stick at time in both slots to see if it will boot.

Removing the RAMs will produce the 1-3-3-1 beeps. If either RAM is installed, the same issue of the 3 second turn on and then turn off exists... The RAMs are good. Wondering if there's anything else I haven't checked?

qvp wrote:The RAMs are good.

I don't know, you pull the memory and it beeps, but you put it back in and it don't work. You tried both slots? Testing it in another machine if you can might not be a bad idea.

Since this issue only developed after nearly completely disassembling the whole machine to change a LCD hinge, I tend to think something other than RAM is amiss.

I don't see any mention about whether or not the LCD lights up at any point now. Do you at least get the Lenovo splash screen when you power up? How about on an external monitor? I'm thinking, maybe a electrical short circuit somewhere, that's causing a power draw that eventually causes it to shut down. Or, something else all together.

Does it do the same thing if started with only power cord and no battery attached?

ZaZ wrote:I don't know, you pull the memory and it beeps, but you put it back in and it don't work. You tried both slots? Testing it in another machine if you can might not be a bad idea.

Hi ZaZ - I've tried the RAMs in different slots and with only one RAM. Also used another similar RAM from a different computer. I really don't think it's the RAM that's causing the issue. Any other thoughts?

Neil wrote:Since this issue only developed after nearly completely disassembling the whole machine to change a LCD hinge, I tend to think something other than RAM is amiss.

I don't see any mention about whether or not the LCD lights up at any point now. Do you at least get the Lenovo splash screen when you power up? How about on an external monitor? I'm thinking, maybe a electrical short circuit somewhere, that's causing a power draw that eventually causes it to shut down. Or, something else all together.

Hi Neil - The LCD doesn't have chance to light up. Once the power button is pressed, the computer tries to start and it cuts off within 2 to 3 seconds. Within that time frame, the fan and hard drive are working. (Plugging in an external monitor doesn't do a thing for this). The thinkpad repeats this power on/off cycle 3-times and then I would have to remove the battery and power cord to be able to do this again since it seems after the 3rd cycle, the system no longer accepts power. I think it might also be a power issue. Any ideas where I should check?

emtee3511 wrote:Does it do the same thing if started with only power cord and no battery attached?

Hi emtee3511 - This does the same thing whether I use power cord (without battery), battery (without power cord), or powercord and battery together.

Look at all the USB ports. I've seen at least a half a dozen in my small company where the plastic insulator breaks off leaving the pins to contact each other or short out to the outside. This will cause similar issues to what you describe.

If the jack is broken and the pins are mangled, *and* it's out of warranty, what I usually do is straighten out the pins, make sure it boots, then pot the connector with hot glue so that it doesn't happen again. Short of sourcing and soldering a new port or replacing the board, that's pretty much all you can do.

EasyMac308 wrote:Look at all the USB ports. I've seen at least a half a dozen in my small company where the plastic insulator breaks off leaving the pins to contact each other or short out to the outside. This will cause similar issues to what you describe.

If the jack is broken and the pins are mangled, *and* it's out of warranty, what I usually do is straighten out the pins, make sure it boots, then pot the connector with hot glue so that it doesn't happen again. Short of sourcing and soldering a new port or replacing the board, that's pretty much all you can do.

Thanks for this suggestion. checked and all USB ports are in good order. Please forward additional ideas this way!

qvp wrote:Hi. I have a T400 in which I recently changed the screen hinge. After changing the hinge and ensuring the screen cable was connected correctly, the thinkpad will now not startup properly. the thinkpad will turn on for 2-3 seconds (I hear and see the fan working and hear the harddrive active) and then the thinkpad will turn off. It won't turn back on until I've disconnected the power source (plug and battery). I've also removed the yellow CMOS battery and it is still doing the same thing. The computer does not beep at all, but when I remove both sticks of RAM, it gives me the 1-3-3-1 beep on boot and will stay on until I manually turn it off. I have also removed the CD-Drive but this did not help. I've also done the static discharge trick of pressing the power button 10 times and holding it down on the 11th press. Nothings working... Does anyone have any ideas about this?! Thanks

It is similar to this user's issue: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 75#p698275

Sorry, no idea, but same problem.

I merged two T400 (2767-A61 / 6475-B17) to join fast cpu, switchable graphics, webcam and ssd in one unit, putting slower cpu, intel graphics and no webcam for the second one. So I changed cpu and display to the t400 with the switchable graphics.

The one with fast cpu, ati and webcam is doing fine. The second unit shows same bad manners as yours. My first idea was that I did some damage to the display, so I bought a second one. Same result: Thinkpad starts with fan and hdd, no display at all, shutting down within a second or so.

All three displays involved were 14.1 inch / 1400 x 900 resolution / LED.

I'm a very confident builder of PCs (just for family purpose) but I'm not so experienced with Notebooks/Thinkpads at all. So I hope one of the more experienced guys can give me/us a hint.

Thanks in advance

Eugen (from Germany)

Try removing the fan assembly, wiping off all old thermal paste from the underside of the fan assembly and from CPU/GPU chips, then re-apply new thermal paste. Report back

Hello

Can you tell if you havefound a resolution?
Ive got exactly the same problem -tried all recomended solutions and nothing fixed it.

Rgds
Szuler