Thinkpads Forum

I've got a client who purchased a used T510, type 4349-ak4, that randomly shuts off in Windows. Sometimes it is on bootup, gets almost to the Windows logon screen and poof, the laptop shuts down. Other times it is later on after Windows is booted and you've used it awhile. The laptop was purchased from State Gov't surplus. The laptop itself is in mint condition. No wear anywhere on it. The 6-cell (original?) battery was replaced with a new genuine lenovo 9-cell battery. Charger appears to be new. Windows 7 Pro 64-bit was loaded on the laptop fresh by me. It did exhibit this shutoff behavior (twice) when I got the laptop and installed fresh Win 7 Pro on it, but I chalked it up to a bad battery. Speed ahead a month and the client has been having this issue as well.

I ran memtest86 5.01 on it just now for 6+ hours without issue, 8 passes successful. Not sure what else to try. Fan doesn't seem clogged up with debris and the laptop doesn't seem overly hot when it ran during memtesting. I've reseated the memory modules too. I think I tried one of the other chargers (client bought 7 almost identical T510 from the surplus) but that didn't seem to change anything. Laptop is not under warranty (Expired back in 6/7/2013), and appears to be a bit over 3yrs old, from checking Lenovo's online warranty form. Not sure what else to try here. Suggestions?

Maybe a defective fan, or aged thermal compound?

http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/T400-T500-a ... rue#M65967

Maybe possible overheating? If it is overheating, previously said the fan may be defective or thermal compound needs to be reapplied (or maybe it wan't even applied) Have you tried recording core temps on idle and under load?

So I've run memtest86 on it for a half a day without any issues (like over 8 passes successfully). I also ran Prime95 for several hours and it worked fine. Was a bit warm, but fan was working and it didn't crash. I didn't have a way to check CPU temps while Prime95 was running, however. I had to use Universal BootCD to run Prime95 since I cannot get into Windows at all.So I guess that leaves me with good hardware and bad software, like a Windows 7 or driver issue. I do not remember if I turned off the "Automatic Restart on Fail" feature in Windows.

edit: I finally got it booted into regular Windows mode. Installed Speedfan & Prime95. Running Prime95 for the past 2 hours and CPU temps are stable at 155F. Windows has not crashed.

defective fan was the problem for me

Fan is working. Prime95 runs fine. I also pulled both memory modules and reseated them. I didn't notice any damage under the keyboard.

Only error I get is a BIOS error that a 65W adapter is plugged into the laptop and is not recommended size. Laptop came with a 65W lenovo adapter (not sure if it is original to this laptop or not). I did upgrade the battery to a 9-Cell battery. However, pulling the battery and starting up the laptop just on the charger alone still shows the same BIOS error message. Then it tries to boot into Windows 7. Usually gets to the starting Windows 7 screen just before logon screen and poof, shuts right down.

At this point I've spent several hours trying to fix it. The client bought the laptop used at a surplus auction. It appears to have some type of hardware problem and not worth additional time fixing. I'll see if the auction place will swap it with another T510.

If that machine has discrete graphics, it will need a 20V/90W adapter, have you tried that?

RealBlackStuff wrote:If that machine has discrete graphics, it will need a 20V/90W adapter, have you tried that?

It has an Nvidia NVS 3100N video chipset in it. I think that is discrete but am not sure. I don't have any 90W adapters. I'll see if I can borrow one.

nVidia (and ATI/AMD) are discrete graphics.

One of my colleagues had a 90W lenovo adapter. Still wouldn't boot up correctly. I also tried reinstalling Windows 7 last night using a thumbdrive and it would just reboot after barely making it into the installer. I will try swapping the harddrive with one of the other identical models and see if it will boot up. Otherwise, It must have some type of serious hardware issue and I'll see if the client can return it for another one.

I swapped the harddrive from the bad laptop with a working identical model laptop and that Windows 7 Pro install would also immediately reboot after startup. So I put it back together, wiped the harddrive, and the client returned the laptop to the state gov't surplus warehouse. My guess is that the state gov't originally ordered the laptop, discovered this hardware issue, and put it back on the shelf instead of sending it back to Lenovo for replacement/repairs (hence why this laptop looked in immaculate condition). Then when it was time to surplus all of these model laptops, the bad one got sent over to Surplus with all of the laptops, without any notes on it about the hardware issue. Anyway, just a theory. Thanks for the suggestions to try.