Thinkpads Forum

I got INCREDIBLY lucky and got a IBM ThinkPad 701c from ebay for a whopping $15.50 including shipping. No that is not a typo. It's not in the best shape but it at least turns on. When the computer turns on I get the errors in the picture below (201, 161 and 163). One of the hinges is completely broken and it makes it hard to open and close. See the picture below. How would I fix this hinge? What part(s) would I need to fix it? Also the CMOS battery is dead. Does it require soldering to replace? I have ZERO soldering skills. Where can I get a replacement CMOS battery? Also, where can I get the tiny Torx T1 screwdriver to take apart the computer?

Boot errors

Hinge

Welcome to thinkpads.com!

Most of your questions about the parts inside the 701c can be answered by picking up a copy of the Hardware Maintenance Manual (HMM). You can download one from here:

http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc ... tpvol2.pdf (701c is but one of the models covered by this document)

Error 201 appears to be a memory related error but it might actually be related to the other two error codes. Error 161 and 163 is the result of a dead RTC (Real Time Clock) battery. This is sometimes referred to as the CMOS battery. My understanding with replacing this battery is that it is soldered onto the motherboard. See here: http://www.os2museum.com/wp/?p=2185 Part number for the hinges are listed in the HMM. You may get lucky and some member here on the forum could have these pieces; post a "WTB" (Want to buy) in the Marketplace forum. There's also eBay.

As to the Torx T1 screwdriver... you might find one at a well-stocked hobby supply or hardware store. Then there's always eBay or amazon.com

Just wanted to chime in since I just tore mine apart, the cmos battery is removable, there is a small door in the corner opposite the battery that it resides under.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v462/ ... ff65d4.jpg

It uses the same connector as modern cmos batteries but is nimh instead.


So rkawakami is right of course, the battery I was looking at is apparently a standby battery and not the CMOS one...

The main cmos battery is soldered on next to the memory slot, it doesn't use connectors that modern ones do but you can apparently solder a new one's leads to the contacts on the board after removing the original.

rkawakami wrote: Error 201 appears to be a memory related error but it might actually be related to the other two error codes.

Unfortunately, I don't think this is the case. I install MS-DOS 6.22 and when it starts up it says: "Error: HIMEM.SYS has detected unreliable XMS memory at address 00800004h. XMS driver not installed." There is nothing in the RAM slot on the bottom so it has to be the RAM built into the motherboard. I can get around this and use the computer by disabling the memory test, but I don't know how reliable this will be. I may have no choice but to replace the bottom system board.

About the CMOS battery that TrowaBarton pointed out, would I be able to replace it with any CMOS battery with a 2 pin connector?

If you can manage to fit the current much larger ones in the hole on the bottom I would guess it'll work. I got odd voltage readings from mine but I wouldn't expect it to not be 3.3v.
WAIT!!!

I looked at the fru 04H8345 and it says that it is a 1.2V nimh battery... and this one isn't the one that contains cmos values.

Another thing it does is it makes a noise similar to a CRT television when the backlight is on. Should I be concerned about this?

Is the noise coming from just below the screen? That could indicate that the inverter card is failing.