Take a look at our
ThinkPads.com HOME PAGE
For those who might want to contribute to the blog, start here: Editors Alley Topic
Then contact Bill with a Private Message
ThinkPads.com HOME PAGE
For those who might want to contribute to the blog, start here: Editors Alley Topic
Then contact Bill with a Private Message
A31-2652 No POST
-
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Tue Jan 23, 2018 11:42 am
- Location: Fife, Scotland
A31-2652 No POST
I recently received a Thinkpad a31 from my parents house. Last time I used it, the cmos battery had died, so this time (years later) I replaced the cmos battery. But now when I turn it on, with the exception of a couple of times when I managed to make it go to the bios boot screen, it won't even post. It just shows a black screen with the backlight on.
Is this fixable? Or is it a lost cause, I've read a lot about motherboard failures on these models.
Is this fixable? Or is it a lost cause, I've read a lot about motherboard failures on these models.
-
- Senior ThinkPadder
- Posts: 2521
- Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2015 10:59 pm
- Location: Toronto, Canada
Re: A31-2652 No POST
Apparently all my A31p motherboards I have dealt with all have that problem. Is yours like mine that when you press the power button, backlight comes on (much quicker than it supposed to be), no motor spinning (no fan, no HDD, no ODD, no power to USB ports) However, all of mine are only prone to this problem with AC attached. Try booting with battery pack if you have one. Also, try to repeat short pressing the button and long pressing it. Sometimes that does the trick as well. Seems like one of the problems that have to deal with P4's overall high TDP wearing out the components at 2x the speed of something like PIII-M.
Dell Lat CP MMX-233 64mb 40gb W2k
600 PII-266 416mb 40gb WXP
T23 PIII 1.13ghz 1gb W7
Precision M4300 X9000 8gb 160gb WUXGA Ultrasharp fp W10
T530i 15.6" i7 16gb fp W10
UXGA:
A30p PIII 1.2 1gb W7 (IDTech)
T43p 2.26 2gb fp W10 (Sharp)
Lat C840 P4-2.5 2gb 60gb W7 (Ultrasharp)
600 PII-266 416mb 40gb WXP
T23 PIII 1.13ghz 1gb W7
Precision M4300 X9000 8gb 160gb WUXGA Ultrasharp fp W10
T530i 15.6" i7 16gb fp W10
UXGA:
A30p PIII 1.2 1gb W7 (IDTech)
T43p 2.26 2gb fp W10 (Sharp)
Lat C840 P4-2.5 2gb 60gb W7 (Ultrasharp)
-
- Senior ThinkPadder
- Posts: 2240
- Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2015 11:29 pm
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Re: A31-2652 No POST
The exposed and uncooled ATI graphics chip will also contribute to thermal wear.
-
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Tue Jan 23, 2018 11:42 am
- Location: Fife, Scotland
Re: A31-2652 No POST
The funny thing is I haven't used it in a long time - the battery is completely dead, but last time I turned it on (five years ago) it was fine. It flashes all its LEDs, backlight turns on, and has a blank screen with backlight, no other activity,much the same as yours, kfzhu.
I can't test it on battery power without a battery, where would I get a reliable one? Is this a good aftermarket brand?
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 2934966728
If I do get it working, would it be wise to add a heatsink to the graphics chip?
I can't test it on battery power without a battery, where would I get a reliable one? Is this a good aftermarket brand?
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 2934966728
If I do get it working, would it be wise to add a heatsink to the graphics chip?
Re: A31-2652 No POST
No. And staying away from the aftermarket batteries would be my suggestion.Khatoblepas wrote: ↑Tue Jan 23, 2018 6:51 pm
If I do get it working, would it be wise to add a heatsink to the graphics chip?
With that out of the way, try this old trick:
Remove the battery, hard and media drives, unplug the AC adapter.
Press the "power" button 10 times in a row, holding it down for 10 seconds each time and thirty seconds the last time around.
Plug the power adapter - but nothing else - in and try to power on.
Good luck.
...Knowledge is a deadly friend when no one sets the rules...(King Crimson)
Cheers,
George (your grouchy retired FlexView farmer)
One FlexView to rule them all: A31p
Abused daily: T520, X200s
PMs requesting personal tech support will be ignored.
Cheers,
George (your grouchy retired FlexView farmer)
One FlexView to rule them all: A31p
Abused daily: T520, X200s
PMs requesting personal tech support will be ignored.
-
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Tue Jan 23, 2018 11:42 am
- Location: Fife, Scotland
Re: A31-2652 No POST
OK, I tried that, it got to the BIOS splash screen, but hung when I tried to enter the BIOS menu, and then it returned to being unable to POST at all.
Also, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do about batteries for old laptops anymore, if I can't buy aftermarket ones, since the genuine ones will have long since died.
Also, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do about batteries for old laptops anymore, if I can't buy aftermarket ones, since the genuine ones will have long since died.
-
- Senior ThinkPadder
- Posts: 2521
- Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2015 10:59 pm
- Location: Toronto, Canada
Re: A31-2652 No POST
Okay I have seen this issue on my defective A31p motherboard which completely gave out by now. Open up your laptop, remove the keyboard bezel and right ultrabay holder. Touch the southbridge underneath where the right ultrabay holder used to go, is it burning hot when it freezes? If so, then you probably have a desoldered southbridge or internal short circuiting like the fate of my defective A31p mobo.Khatoblepas wrote: ↑Tue Jan 23, 2018 7:48 pmOK, I tried that, it got to the BIOS splash screen, but hung when I tried to enter the BIOS menu, and then it returned to being unable to POST at all.
Also, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do about batteries for old laptops anymore, if I can't buy aftermarket ones, since the genuine ones will have long since died.
Also, as for heatsink on the graphics chip, I am using some thermal pads to tuck in between the CPU heatsink and the chip and seemingly the chip no longer feels very hot to the touch unless you heat up the CPU as well or turn off the fan (I used to be able to notice the GPU throttling with lower frames and then resumes back and cycles with games and video playback). No guarantees if that's gonna have positive or negative effects though.
Dell Lat CP MMX-233 64mb 40gb W2k
600 PII-266 416mb 40gb WXP
T23 PIII 1.13ghz 1gb W7
Precision M4300 X9000 8gb 160gb WUXGA Ultrasharp fp W10
T530i 15.6" i7 16gb fp W10
UXGA:
A30p PIII 1.2 1gb W7 (IDTech)
T43p 2.26 2gb fp W10 (Sharp)
Lat C840 P4-2.5 2gb 60gb W7 (Ultrasharp)
600 PII-266 416mb 40gb WXP
T23 PIII 1.13ghz 1gb W7
Precision M4300 X9000 8gb 160gb WUXGA Ultrasharp fp W10
T530i 15.6" i7 16gb fp W10
UXGA:
A30p PIII 1.2 1gb W7 (IDTech)
T43p 2.26 2gb fp W10 (Sharp)
Lat C840 P4-2.5 2gb 60gb W7 (Ultrasharp)
Re: A31-2652 No POST
I hate to say it, but that board is likely a gonner...Khatoblepas wrote: ↑Tue Jan 23, 2018 7:48 pmOK, I tried that, it got to the BIOS splash screen, but hung when I tried to enter the BIOS menu, and then it returned to being unable to POST at all.
Buy a genuine one, even if it holds 15% of the original capacity. They are still out there. Most of these old machines - especially A3x units - are not something that one would want to lug around to begin with.Also, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do about batteries for old laptops anymore, if I can't buy aftermarket ones, since the genuine ones will have long since died.
...Knowledge is a deadly friend when no one sets the rules...(King Crimson)
Cheers,
George (your grouchy retired FlexView farmer)
One FlexView to rule them all: A31p
Abused daily: T520, X200s
PMs requesting personal tech support will be ignored.
Cheers,
George (your grouchy retired FlexView farmer)
One FlexView to rule them all: A31p
Abused daily: T520, X200s
PMs requesting personal tech support will be ignored.
-
- Senior ThinkPadder
- Posts: 2521
- Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2015 10:59 pm
- Location: Toronto, Canada
Re: A31-2652 No POST
If you cannot find a reputable reseller or brand for that aftermarket battery, then yeah try to buy a genuine one that holds charge, better if brand new. But I also happen to have bought two A3x batteries from Canada Computers and both of them work great, with a max of 2 hour of battery life in Windows 7 and PDF viewing (with PIII 1.2 and UXGA FlexView at lowest brightness). Now after two years of use the life decreased to around 1.25 hours, though nothing unbearable. I highly doubt the original battery life can be any better than that since those computers aren't really known for great battery life to begin with back in 2001/2002.
Dell Lat CP MMX-233 64mb 40gb W2k
600 PII-266 416mb 40gb WXP
T23 PIII 1.13ghz 1gb W7
Precision M4300 X9000 8gb 160gb WUXGA Ultrasharp fp W10
T530i 15.6" i7 16gb fp W10
UXGA:
A30p PIII 1.2 1gb W7 (IDTech)
T43p 2.26 2gb fp W10 (Sharp)
Lat C840 P4-2.5 2gb 60gb W7 (Ultrasharp)
600 PII-266 416mb 40gb WXP
T23 PIII 1.13ghz 1gb W7
Precision M4300 X9000 8gb 160gb WUXGA Ultrasharp fp W10
T530i 15.6" i7 16gb fp W10
UXGA:
A30p PIII 1.2 1gb W7 (IDTech)
T43p 2.26 2gb fp W10 (Sharp)
Lat C840 P4-2.5 2gb 60gb W7 (Ultrasharp)
-
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Tue Jan 23, 2018 11:42 am
- Location: Fife, Scotland
Re: A31-2652 No POST
Right, I'll try the things suggested, and see if the board is just dead. If it does need a new board, where should I look for one? I've got nothing to lose trying to put a new board in so long as I follow the manual. I really like the A31, and it would be a huge shame if it died completely, especially since I believe it has the IPS 1400x1050 screen (there's 0 colour distortion at any angle on it).
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/IBM-Lenovo-T ... 2178237024?
This is the closest board source I have, since I'm in the UK.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/IBM-Lenovo-T ... 2178237024?
This is the closest board source I have, since I'm in the UK.
-
- Freshman Member
- Posts: 89
- Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2007 9:32 pm
- Location: chicago
Re: A31-2652 No POST
Sorry to jump in here without any useful information. I can't help but ask what are you doing with your machines? I have an old A31p back at a parent's house, and am wondering whether it'll boot after sitting for years. I suppose I'll charge all the batteries (I recall owning at least 5) before getting started.
Too bad you're not stateside - I'd send you a battery or two to get your machine up and running.
So what can this machine be useful for these days?
Cheers
Sent from my HTC 10 using Tapatalk
Too bad you're not stateside - I'd send you a battery or two to get your machine up and running.
So what can this machine be useful for these days?
Cheers
Sent from my HTC 10 using Tapatalk
-charlie-
P51 20HHCTO | i7-7700HQ 3.8GHz | 8GB | 256 SSD + 1 TB HD | Win10/64 | 15.6 IPS M-T
R61 8932-CTO | T8100 2.1GHz | 4GB | 250 GB 5400 | Win7/32 | 15.4" WSXGA+
A31 2653-Q5U | P4M 2.0GHz | 1GB | 120GB 5400 | XP Pro | 15" SXGA+
P51 20HHCTO | i7-7700HQ 3.8GHz | 8GB | 256 SSD + 1 TB HD | Win10/64 | 15.6 IPS M-T
R61 8932-CTO | T8100 2.1GHz | 4GB | 250 GB 5400 | Win7/32 | 15.4" WSXGA+
A31 2653-Q5U | P4M 2.0GHz | 1GB | 120GB 5400 | XP Pro | 15" SXGA+
-
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Tue Jan 23, 2018 11:42 am
- Location: Fife, Scotland
Re: A31-2652 No POST
Well, its a neat computer, I was hoping to just mess around with it, maybe use a dock to add an adlib soundcard and use it for a composing machine. But most of all I just like playing around with old hardware, and the a31 is pretty dang neat.
-
- Freshman Member
- Posts: 89
- Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2007 9:32 pm
- Location: chicago
Re: A31-2652 No POST
Gotcha, thanks!Khatoblepas wrote:Well, its a neat computer, I was hoping to just mess around with it, maybe use a dock to add an adlib soundcard and use it for a composing machine. But most of all I just like playing around with old hardware, and the a31 is pretty dang neat.
Sent from my HTC 10 using Tapatalk
-charlie-
P51 20HHCTO | i7-7700HQ 3.8GHz | 8GB | 256 SSD + 1 TB HD | Win10/64 | 15.6 IPS M-T
R61 8932-CTO | T8100 2.1GHz | 4GB | 250 GB 5400 | Win7/32 | 15.4" WSXGA+
A31 2653-Q5U | P4M 2.0GHz | 1GB | 120GB 5400 | XP Pro | 15" SXGA+
P51 20HHCTO | i7-7700HQ 3.8GHz | 8GB | 256 SSD + 1 TB HD | Win10/64 | 15.6 IPS M-T
R61 8932-CTO | T8100 2.1GHz | 4GB | 250 GB 5400 | Win7/32 | 15.4" WSXGA+
A31 2653-Q5U | P4M 2.0GHz | 1GB | 120GB 5400 | XP Pro | 15" SXGA+
-
- Senior ThinkPadder
- Posts: 2521
- Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2015 10:59 pm
- Location: Toronto, Canada
Re: A31-2652 No POST
Do you already have one of those docks? I find it pretty hard to get and you still have to pay quite some money for them. At the same time, not everything works. For example, my Radeon 9250 will not work due to a resource conflict issue that I have no idea how to resolve, and that is with my A31p and 2GB RAM.Khatoblepas wrote: ↑Thu Jan 25, 2018 1:27 pmWell, its a neat computer, I was hoping to just mess around with it, maybe use a dock to add an adlib soundcard and use it for a composing machine. But most of all I just like playing around with old hardware, and the a31 is pretty dang neat.
Dell Lat CP MMX-233 64mb 40gb W2k
600 PII-266 416mb 40gb WXP
T23 PIII 1.13ghz 1gb W7
Precision M4300 X9000 8gb 160gb WUXGA Ultrasharp fp W10
T530i 15.6" i7 16gb fp W10
UXGA:
A30p PIII 1.2 1gb W7 (IDTech)
T43p 2.26 2gb fp W10 (Sharp)
Lat C840 P4-2.5 2gb 60gb W7 (Ultrasharp)
600 PII-266 416mb 40gb WXP
T23 PIII 1.13ghz 1gb W7
Precision M4300 X9000 8gb 160gb WUXGA Ultrasharp fp W10
T530i 15.6" i7 16gb fp W10
UXGA:
A30p PIII 1.2 1gb W7 (IDTech)
T43p 2.26 2gb fp W10 (Sharp)
Lat C840 P4-2.5 2gb 60gb W7 (Ultrasharp)
-
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Tue Jan 23, 2018 11:42 am
- Location: Fife, Scotland
Re: A31-2652 No POST
Yeah, I have a Dock, I got it off of ebay for like £20 a while back, complete with everything.
-
- Similar Topics
- Replies
- Views
- Last post
-
- 5 Replies
- 350 Views
-
Last post by blunderbit
Tue Apr 16, 2024 8:37 am
-
-
This post is brought to you by the letter I and the letter K
by PeterLinu » Mon Apr 22, 2024 7:28 am » in ThinkPad T430-T490 / T530-T590 Series - 2 Replies
- 139 Views
-
Last post by PeterLinu
Mon Apr 22, 2024 6:43 pm
-
-
-
Any A31 Bios update version 1GE... available?
by franjimo24 » Wed Jan 10, 2024 12:03 pm » in ThinkPad R, A, G and Z Series - 4 Replies
- 1508 Views
-
Last post by franjimo24
Thu Jan 11, 2024 10:23 pm
-
-
-
Win98SE Temperature Monitor software for the A31?
by franjimo24 » Sun Jan 14, 2024 11:10 am » in ThinkPad R, A, G and Z Series - 3 Replies
- 1340 Views
-
Last post by RealBlackStuff
Tue Jan 16, 2024 12:23 am
-
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: kfzhu1229 and 4 guests