My 701c and TransNote restore projects - PICS -

[theterminator93]

Recently acquired a 701c and a TransNote (almost at the same time, ironically) from forum members. I received the 701c in the mail yesterday and have a few pieces arriving today along with the TransNote to complete the physical appearance (battery, PCMCIA slot cover, rubber feet). The TransNote is mostly complete (missing the main and sub-batteries) but exhibits the infamous CRC1 175 error, which I believe I can address without replacing the motherboard (admins - how much detail can/can I not go into regarding this process?) I've take a few photos of the unit to catalog my progress piecing it back together.

I removed the factory 720 MB HDD to make an image of the intact factory installed Windows 3.11 - and while I was at it, I decided to benchmark it...


The top keyboard bezel near the LCD had cracked in a few places but was repaired previously. It's also missing the screw and mount on the right side, so it moves a little. I'll be keeping my eyes out for a suitable replacement.

I've got a floppy diskette drive and cable that I use with my 365XD, and I had hoped the cable would also work with the 701c. Unfortunately for me I was mistaken in this regard. I'll be keeping an eye out for the proper floppy cable (or drive and cable if the drive doesn't interchange) as well.

The LCD is of the rared "skinny bottom" type, which unfortunately the bezel had broken in several places. A repair had been done by a previous owner using JB-Weld; the repair isn't bad but I'd like to clean it up or redo it to make it appear less obvious than it already does.

Without further adieu, my new-to-me 701c...

[Norway Pad]

Congratulations on a nice find! It appears to be in decent condition, with little wear and very few scuffs in the rubberized coating. With the additional parts it will be complete. Just make sure to check the standby battery underneath the little port. It can leak, and has no real purpose anymore, so it's best removed. And take care when opening the port; the little flexible retaining tab breaks easily..

Actually, it wasn't until recently I realized that the "slim bottom" LCD isn't just a 701C vs. 701CS thing. The slim bottom LCD type is obviously available as both C and CS, but they seem few and far between, and most of them are cracked. A too fast opening of the lid, with the resulting impacts from the momentum of moving keyboard parts is probably the reason it breaks. So I suspect the thick bottom LCD might be a later improvement due to complaints from owners about cracked bezels, but that's just an assumption. Does anybody happen to know for sure why this change was done?

Both my 701C units have the slim type LCD. Both of them are intact, luckily, and it's very little chance they will break now. I always open a 701C slowly, with a slight reverence while watching the keyboard unfold.

[theterminator93]

Yes, I agree... good condition especially for its age. Not quite a museum piece, but perfectly suitable for my collection. The member I got it from had already pulled the standby battery (I checked it after I got it) and cleaned any corrosion from common problem areas.

The TransNote arrived in condition that surprised me - it's at worst a 9/10 with only some wear on the keyboard and a few minor scuffs on the padded outer case.

I just finished repairing the CRC1 175 error on the TransNote. One of the chips on the motherboard had a corrupted EEPROM and needed a reflash after its memory dump was fixed. I'm not sure how many more details I can go into (I'd love to do a write-up to help others who may have this problem in the future, but I haven't heard from administration on this yet) on how I fixed the error, but details on the process can be found fairly easily on the web.

The hard disk I received with the unit has a working factory Windows 2000 installation, but is on its last legs (to the point where it'd stop reading data if it warmed up). So I stuck it in the freezer and was able to create a disk image I used to make a spare 40 GB disk drive clone to use. I've also got the factory recovery media .iso files, but I need a compatible PCMCIA or USB CD-ROM drive for that. Possibly I'll set up a dual booting 2K/XP config.

I've already rebuilt the CMOS battery and am on the hunt for a sub-battery (on that note, if anyone's got one they can sell me either in working or rebuildable condition, let me know). So excited to try this thing out.

[TrowaBarton]

One of the biggest issues is that there appear to be 3 different thicknesses for the bezel in total. What may be slim for some isn't even the slimmest possible.

[theterminator93]

I'm going to go into slightly more detail on how to repair the CRC1 0175 error that is somewhat common to the *20 series ThinkPads, including the TransNote (which uses what is essentially an X20 motherboard that's been rearranged).

The problem revolves around the Atmel 24RF08 EEPROM on the system board, which stores machine-specific information such as the machine's serial number and UUID. Every time the computer boots, system BIOS reads the chip's contents and runs a cyclic redundancy check on the memory to ensure it hasn't become corrupted. If the CRC fails, the system halts immediately.

There are several suspected root causes to this problem - the most common being a faulty implementation of the power controller ADP3421 (the common sign of failure for which is the LEDs coming on for a while when the machine is powered up, then it shutting down again). Replacing the controller may or may not resolve the problem, as other components may have also been "fried".

The good news is that the CRC1 error can be fixed without replacing the system board. The process for doing so requires building and connecting an interface circuit directly to the chip that allows a computer with a serial port to communicate with the chip on the system board. This will allow you to dump the EEPROM, adjust the code to resolve the CRC1 error, then re-flash the patched memory dump to the chip. Components to build the circuit can be found at electronics stores (Fry's/Radio Shack in the US) or can be found in old electronic devices. Allservice.ro provides all the tools and schematics required to accomplish this, as well as a service for correcting the CRC error in the memory dump. You must purchase a license (currently $30) for the software that allows you to flash the EEPROM, however a single CRC repair service operation comes with the purchase of the license.

This is what I did to repair the CRC1 error on my TransNote. Replacing the system board was simply out of the question due to the difficulty and cost associated with finding a working replacement system board. I must note, however, that doing this requires a good amount of skill with a soldering iron since you are required to solder wires DIRECTLY to the traces/pins on the chip. You could easily make the problem worse by destroying the motherboard if something goes wrong during this process....

Following are some photographs I took while undertaking this operation on my TransNote.

Normally the kiss of death for any ThinkPad motherboard.


Here is the location of the Atmel 24RF08 on the TransNote. Right next to the battery connector, adjacent to the southbridge.


This is my interpretation of the passive interface circuitry.


I soldered single strands of CAT-5e to the chip. This requires a steady, precise hand...


After I finished soldering each wire to the chip, I used hot glue to secure it in place so the wires wouldn't get ripped off due to movement.


This shows my A22m serving as the "technician PC" during the service operation. I used the VGA port screw standoff on the TransNote for ground...


Successful write operation using the corrected EEPROM dump.


This TransNote lives again.

[rkawakami]

Nice write-up! This may be useful for recovering one of these legacy systems. I've done a similar thing on T2x and A2x systems.

[Norway Pad]

Good job, this is the kind of stuff I really like to read. I take it that the service automatically corrects whatever is corrupted?

I remember a laptop at work once succumbed due to some CRC error at POST, wonder if that might have been an A22. Nobody had any clue about a remedy at the time, so knowing this would probably have made me the total Wizard.

[theterminator93]

You need to send the corrupted EEPROM dump to Victor at allservice; he does some magic with the file to fix the CRC error then sends it back to you. Then you re-program it to the chip. If the same system corrupts itself again, you can re-flash the chip with the fixed .bin. All I know is I had this little "spark of doubt" in the back of my mind that it was going to work when I decided to give it a try, then when I finished writing the fixed .bin to the chip and re-booted that system... I was quite thrilled. Whatever he does certainly works. Maybe sometime I'll compare the original to the new file to see what changed.

[fultontech]

What a great post!

[theterminator93]

Little progress on the 701c lately. I got a floppy drive and cable off eBay last week and was given two complete sets of Windows 95 and Plus! on 3.5" diskettes, so I decided to install that since I had already made an image of the factory PC-DOS/3.11 installation. That took a couple hours, but now I feel like I can use it a little more with the more familiar OS. Along with the PCMCIA slot cover I received, it's finally a complete unit cosmetically and functionally. The last thing I want to do is clean up/re-do the LCD bezel repair job and attempt to repair the broken mount on the keyboard bezel.

I received a leaky battery to rebuild a while ago and finished refurbishing it with some new 2500 mAH cells. The laptop runs off the battery just fine if I unplug it from A/C, but it doesn't charge or even recognize that there's a battery installed. E.G. if I open up the battery meter, it says 0:00 and 0% remaining, and BIOS says no battery is installed.

There was a good amount of acid covering the circuitry at the end of the battery which I was able to clean up, however corrosion ate away most of the internal side traces. I was fairly certain I was able to get the transistor (?) reconnected to the proper contact pads on the outside of the battery using jumper wires; is it possible the transistor is fried - or is it more likely I might have just messed up my jumper wire install?

[fultontech]

....even recognize that there's a battery installed. E.G. if I open up the battery meter, it says 0:00 and 0% remaining, and BIOS says no battery is installed.

Sounds like a smart battery that lost it's programing.....
I know it's an issue for the pre-1994 units. I think my 820 battery is the same and that's 1995.

[theterminator93]

Does anyone have some additional information on the green sub-battery for the TransNote? I'm thinking about attempting to build one from scratch since none seem to be available anywhere.

I understand it's a simple six-cell in series NiMH pack using Varta V20HR cells - easily obtainable. There are three pins on the connector to the computer though - obviously two of the pins are + and -; does anyone have insight into the third pin, along with a pin arrangement? Or is the connector three pins only to prevent inadvertent crossing of the CMOS battery and sub-battery on the system board (only two pins are used)? A photo of it installed could prove quite useful...

Edit: Found a photo of the battery installed here: http://www.komotch2.com/tps/trans24.jpg

Looks like it does indeed only use two of the three pins, negative being the top/far connector and positive being the lower/near connector. Now all I need to do is find a plug that fits the connector on the system board, then order some V20HR cells and get to work.

[theterminator93]

I have had no luck whatsoever locating a source for either NOS, refurbished OR dead sub batteries for the TransNote... so I bought six Varta V20HR cells off eBay for a tad under $30 and attempted to build a sub battery for myself from scratch. They arrived today, and much to my delight, my endeavors were successful!

I started by scratching the surface of each terminal, then I tinned each surface with solder.


Then I took single strands from some extra CAT-5e I had lying around and soldered them from six individual cells to three pairs.


Next I took the three pairs, flipped upside-down, and soldered them to create a single cell in series.


I folded a piece of tape over the two halves to hold everything in place after soldering additional remnants of the aforementioned CAT-5e to the cathode and anode of my new cell. Then I tinned the ends of the leads and stuffed them into the connector on the ribbon cable under the keyboard (again, + is the near side, - is the far side), using a small quantity of hot glue to hold them in place. I was careful to not get any glue inside the connector if ever I happen to find a plug suitable for this connector. For now, it suits my needs, as I can now turn the ThinkScribe on while the unit isn't connected to an AC power source.


Now my TransNote is 100% functional again.

[hwattys]

This is great. Glad the Transnote has a new home and has been restored. I have another one in the same condition and then a third one that was working until this week so it looks like I need to learn some restoration procedures.

[Temetka]

Nice work with both machines. I am impressed with your TransNote battery rebuild and BIOS rescue. I always wanted one of those to tinker with. I hope it serves you well.

[NedB]

I used to own a 701c (my first laptop), which I then replaced with a 385XD. I don't have either of them anymore, but what I do have is a whole bunch of *.vmf files which were created using the pre-installed FaxWorks Voice 3.0 software on the 701c. I've tried for a few years to reverse-engineer the format but haven't been really successful.

What I have discovered is that it isn't enough to have the program (btw, if you don't have FWV 3.0, I can supply the disk images for you to install it) as the software was custom-written for the 701c hardware. Even if one tries to install the software in a VM running Win 3.1 or Win95, no sound comes out as it needs the built-in voice modem of the 701c. So I've been looking for someone with a working 701c and FWV.

If you do have FWV, would you be willing to check whether the program can convert .vmf files to .wav or some more-or-less standard format and/or to export them? I could send you a .vmf file which you could copy into the /VOICENEW or the /VOICEOLD sub-folder of the FWV installation, to see if the program will play back the "message" in an intelligible way. Even if you could get the .vmf file to play and had to record it from the speakers, that would be better than I have been able to achieve.

Would be very grateful to hear from you at your convenience. Thanks a lot for reading this post!

[theterminator93]

I'll have to load up and deploy the image I made of the original Windows 3.1 install (I've since upgraded it to Windows 95), but I can do that this afternoon. I know it had a bunch of ThinkPad related software on it but I can't recall if it had FaxWorks. If it does I certainly wouldn't mind converting formats for you.

[RealBlackStuff]

Ever seen this .vmf to .wav conversion? http://wiki.multimedia.cx/index.php?title=Internet_Wave

[NedB]

@theterminator93: Geez, I've been waiting a whole two hours for an answer! Seriously, thank you for the super-quick response. Let me know if FWV shows up when you restore Win 3.1, and if not I'll get the disk images to you. I appreciate your willingness to help me out!

@RealBlackStuff: As a matter of fact, I have seen this, but those .vmf files are from a completely different product which has nothing whatsoever to do with FaxWorksVoice. But thanks for the tip, I do appreciate it.

[theterminator93]

According to the photo I took of my system when it still had 3.1 (http://s60.photobucket.com/user/theterm ... m.jpg.html) it does indeed have FaxWorks on it. So feel free to PM with any details on what you'd like/how to exchange files and I can start on that for you tonight.

Edit: I had success converting your file by playing it back while recording simultaneously in Sound Recorder with an audio cable connected to the line in port. I've e-mailed it to you.