Thinkpads Forum

Hi!

(I'm new to this board so don't grill me too hard lol)

I just came into possession of a Thinkpad 380XD and it's got a couple of issues I'd like some help with if you don't mind. I ran the diagnostics process that comes on when you power the unit on with the CMOS battery removed and it threw three codes. The codes were 00161, 00192, and 00163 in that order. I'm familiar with the first and third codes that they're related to the CMOS being removed and the time being set incorrectly. Though the "0192" error is very unclear as to its indication of what is actually wrong with the Thinkpad. From the service manual as well as internet research it seems that it points to either a fan error or board error (this one is way more severe but I have a reason to believe it might be the issue). Anyways, I've done a bit of testing as well as a total teardown of the Thinkpad and found some interesting quirks regarding the Fan assembly and CPU daughterboard. To save both you and I time I'll directly break down what I found and the potential causes of the issues. So, I discovered that the fan works and works well, it changes rpm and everything. In that case, unless it magically broke from the time I last tested it and now I'm ruling that out as a potential cause for the 192 code unless entirely replacing the fan assembly is a good idea. Though interestingly enough the fan would only restart unless one of these three things happened. The fan would power on if I unplugged the keyboard and Trackpoint mouse ribbon cables. Though it wouldn't stop if I plugged them back in while the system was still running, expectedly of course the inputs on the keyboard were still disabled after I did. Secondly, I noticed the fan spinning up when it was plugged into the 4 pin power connector and the CPU daughterboard wasn't. I'm in no way knowledgeable enough in computers to come up with a theory as to why that worked so I'll just leave it at that. Of course, nothing would show up on the LCD monitor but the fans, lights, and drives were running "as normal" so I think it may be a power thing, but again I have no idea. The third thing I noticed would work is if I removed the keyboard cover/module from the top of the board but kept the keyboard, TrackPoint, speaker, etc. plugged in it would occasionally spool up, but it wasn't every time. This pretty much sums up what I've discovered while taking a look at the inside and taking things apart. So, from all this, all I really want to ask is what in the world do I do? What do you think is wrong with the Thinkpad? I'm kind of stuck as what to do next, do I replace the fan assembly? Where do I get the parts? Do I buy another 380XD and swap parts between them till they work? What CMOS battery replacement do you reccomend? etc. Regardless of whatever I can or can't do, any help whatsoever helps me. So a preemptive Thanks to anyone who is willing to do that!

Some of the early 600 series thinkpads - those with a 233 MHz Pentium 1 cpu - has the same habbit of throwing a 00192 error
when the cmos battery has drained out.
It usually goes away once the cmos battery has been replaced.

Your old cmos battery will have a fru number printed on it.
Use Google on that fru number to find a source for a replacement.

Just to confirm what SMA said.
Have a 600, though a PII 233. When I first got it, it had 3 error codes and I remember 192 and 163 as being among them.
Update the cmos battery and see whats left.

Edit:
If i recall correctly its just a standard cr2025 (at least for the 600 - so double check what yours is) with leads soldered on and wrapped in plastic. A slightly ghetto way of doing it (what I did), is to remove the plastic. Hack off the leads (gently so you can reuse them), bend the leads slightly so they connect at the middle (and remember what leads go on top and bottom). Then wrap it in tape and you’re good to go.
Or you can order the correct FRU knowing it’ll just work

Edit2 - guidance on above:
https://www.instructables.com/Replace-t ... ad-600X-C/

Edit3 - cr2025 not cr2032 in the 600. So double check what the 380XD uses

Enig wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 16, 2022 3:42 pm

Just to confirm what SMA said.
Have a 600, though a PII 233. When I first got it, it had 3 error codes and I remember 192 and 163 as being among them.
Update the cmos battery and see whats left.

Edit:
If i recall correctly its just a standard cr2025 (at least for the 600 - so double check what yours is) with leads soldered on and wrapped in plastic. A slightly ghetto way of doing it (what I did), is to remove the plastic. Hack off the leads (gently so you can reuse them), bend the leads slightly so they connect at the middle (and remember what leads go on top and bottom). Then wrap it in tape and you’re good to go.
Or you can order the correct FRU knowing it’ll just work

Edit2 - guidance on above:
https://www.instructables.com/Replace-t ... ad-600X-C/

Edit3 - cr2025 not cr2032 in the 600. So double check what the 380XD uses

Hi, Thanks for the response!

So my 380XD has one of those Pentium 2 233s in it so I assume it has the same issue that yours is having as well as the fella above you in the thread. So I guess my question would be where would be a trusting place to find a replacement battery? I'm having a really hard time finding a replacement considering that this particular model uses a 3 pin proprietary connector for the CMOS battery's connector. This would be fine and dandy if it weren't for the fact that the pins used on the connector are round. Which is not normally seen on currently produced 3v 2032 CMOS. Not to mention that the CMOS battery used in the 380XD is a CR2330 which I have found little to no documentation on. It is all saying that CR2330 batteries are the same and CR2032. So to me, it seems that my only solutions are to drill a hole in the plastic of a rectangular 3pin connector for a 3 volt replacement CR2032 battery. Or trust my luck with shady-looking websites. What's your verdict as to where or what I do next?

Edit: After looking back through your message I think what I might do is follow the slightly ghetto method you mentioned at https://www.instructables.com/Replace-t ... ad-600X-C/ . However what I will ask if if you recommend I try and get my hands on another CR2330 or just stick with any 3V CR2032? Since they're the same voltage and stuff? Regardless I'll update with whatever I find to work or not work.

Personally? I would:
- document the original battery. Take a picture so i had the FRU, then remove the yellow plastic casing and document the wire connections to the battery.
- then I’d see how easy/cheap getting an original would be using the FRU.
- if expensive I would get another CR2330 and attach that to the original leads. (Note: dont try soldering the battery - they dont like heat).

Those CMOS all have the same voltage.
Remove your current CMOS. The CR2330 has diameter 23 mm, height 3mm.
Then get a CR2025 (dia. 20, h 2.5) or CR2032 (dia. 20, h 3.2), whichever is available.
Then cut away the plastic around the old CMOS and tear off the soldered contacts.
Make sure to not damage the old plug and wiring!
Make a notice of which side has black (ground) and red (plus) and where the white goes.
Flatten and attach the torn contacts on the proper sides of the new CMOS.
Use some strong tape for that and do it as tight as you can.
Put a piece of shrink tube around it all and shrink that properly.
Reinsert the 'new' CMOS in your 380DX.

RealBlackStuff wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 17, 2022 4:18 am

Those CMOS all have the same voltage.
Remove your current CMOS. The CR2330 has diameter 23 mm, height 3mm.
Then get a CR2025 (dia. 20, h 2.5) or CR2032 (dia. 20, h 3.2), whichever is available.
Then cut away the plastic around the old CMOS and tear off the soldered contacts.
Make sure to not damage the old plug and wiring!
Make a notice of which side has black (ground) and red (plus) and where the white goes.
Flatten and attach the torn contacts on the proper sides of the new CMOS.
Use some strong tape for that and do it as tight as you can.
Put a piece of shrink tube around it all and shrink that properly.
Reinsert the 'new' CMOS in your 380DX.

Ok,

So I'm going to wrap this thread up and explain kind of what I've done to fix most (not all, I'm gonna make a new thread about the discovery of a new issue since I believe it is unrelated to the CMOS battery) of the issues I was facing. So, all three codes were cleared and everything on the hardware side seems to be functioning normally. The method I used was to "make" a CMOS battery replacement and the steps to do that can be found here: https://www.instructables.com/Replace-t ... ad-600X-C/ . So, I used a 2032 battery and place the terminals on the correct side, and used packing/electrical tape to seal the battery and terminals. I plugged it in and it works great. So for anyone looking for help and has a similar issue to mine. Replace the CMOS battery. Anyways thanks for the help guys I really Appreciate it. Now onto the new thread where I'll go into more detail about the new Issue I'm having now.