770ED Almost running at 810Mhz, need help though

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JESSICA · #1 Post by **JESSICA** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 8:23 pm

Ok guys,

I have the new 770X/Z motherboard in my 770ED chasis now with a PIII 750 Mhz processor. I put everything back together but I am having a problem in the POST.

The BIOS is complaining about a checksum error is is giving me the Code 173. Also before that it is never able to save the time/date correctly and gives a error 163.

Startup goes like this:
___
error
161
163
____

I set the date and reboot:

___

error
173
163

____

Any ideas?

#2 Post by **JaneL** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 8:30 pm

Your CMOS battery is dead. Replace it.

JESSICA · #3 Post by **JESSICA** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 8:40 pm

I don't think the battery is dead because I just bought it about a year ago and it worked in the 770ED motherboard earlier today before I switched to the 770X/Z board.

Just after I posted that I realized that I forgot to put the LI battery back in (the one that is right under the keyboard, plugs into the motherboard with two wires and a plastic connector) when I was putting things back together. That didn't do anything though.

#4 Post by **JaneL** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 8:42 pm

Item #8 in the FAQ. Look up the codes.

JESSICA · #5 Post by **JESSICA** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 9:28 pm

Well the error 173 is Bad CMOS/NVRAM checksum and only appears after i set the date.

Is it possible that I need to get a PII 366 and update the bios. Anyone have experience with replacing the PII 366 with a PIII before updating to the latest BIOS?

#6 Post by **pkiff** » Sun Aug 14, 2005 12:59 pm

In order to eliminate possible sources of the error, I would follow nonny's advice and replace your CMOS battery, even if you think it is still good after a year. Or double-check it and make sure it is installed the right way up and that the contacts with the holder seem secure. On the 770 series, the CMOS battery is just a simple, standard CR2025 watch battery that you can buy at any hardware store for a couple bucks.

But I suspect you are running into issues from trying to match up a 770X board with the rest of the parts from a 770ED machine. I would recommend concentrating on that specific aspect of your modification and seeing if anyone else on this forum has successfully done this. Are you using your 770ED modem card? Are you using your 770ED video card? I'm not sure that these will play nice with the 770X motherboard.

Phil.

JESSICA · #7 Post by **JESSICA** » Sun Aug 14, 2005 3:38 pm

Well I put the 770ED board back in and everything works fine again, so it has something to do with the hardware.

I think that the problem is with the board on the farthest left side, it has the power switch, audio jack, volume control, and mic output. I think this because the 770ED has a CS4237B and the 770X has a CS4239 soundcard.
Its called the DC/DC card. Anyone have an extra?!

Pretty sure its not the PCMCIA card bcause there isn't any electronics on that piece, just pinouts for the slots

Pretty sure its not modem, both the 770E/ED and 770X/Z had the Mwave DSP.

Videocard? doubt it

Laptop_wizard · #8 Post by **Laptop_wizard** » Sun Aug 14, 2005 10:04 pm

Jessica nonny is right.
173 just means "configuration data lost" and I quote from the manule.
Replace the CMOS battery

JESSICA · #9 Post by **JESSICA** » Sun Aug 14, 2005 10:11 pm

I don't understand though because I am using the same battery right now in the pad and its working as I'm typing.

I found out that the 770E/ED and 770X/Z have a few different parts but the video card and the DC/DC card are the only ones that NEED to be replaced.

The PCMCIA and modemcards work in any 770 series

Think I'm gonna try to find the 8MB video card now that I'm replacing stuff...

Laptop_wizard · #10 Post by **Laptop_wizard** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 11:45 am

Jess.
Just cause your useing it dosen't mean your battery is Ok. you can by-pass the error, that tiny little battery cannot cause you computer to fail too boot.
Trust me on this one

JHEM · #11 Post by **JHEM** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 1:41 pm

Laptop_wizard wrote:that tiny little battery cannot cause you computer to fail too boot. Trust me on this one

Yes, it most certainly CAN!

A dead CMOS battery in most Thinkpads equals a dead Thinkpad. The CMOS battery provides the power to activate the internal solid-state solenoid that actually turns the unit on and off as the power buttons on most units are momentary contact switches, not true power switches.

I've had so many hundreds of supposedly dead laptops through my shop in the past years from many manufacturers that have been resurrected by simply replacing the CMOS battery that any "trust" in your supposed knowledge would be ill placed, at best.

--
James

Laptop_wizard · #12 Post by **Laptop_wizard** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 1:45 pm

Hmmm really, I have NEVER had a computer fail too boot because of a dead CMOS battery, I have always gotten post error's I disagree on the thinkpad, you may be speaking of different brands.

JESSICA · #13 Post by **JESSICA** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 2:52 pm

Yea not having CMOS battery in made the video card not work

I took all the cards and motherboard out of the shell and set them on my desk and put everything together. I thought that maybe I have the processor in wrong but I didn't did the same thing out of the shell.

I sold my 770ED on Ebay for $80 including shipping and bought a 770X last night. with a hole difference of $10.

Its worth it to me, better videocard, better sound card, and I can use 512Mb instead of 288Mb.

This worked out pretty well for me, basically paid altogether $150 for the X series, 750 Mhz MMC-2, 2 x PC100 128Mb, 1 x PC100 16chip 256Mb. Not to mention it is going to be running at 810Mhz once I find out if the heatsink I have been drooling over works or not.

I think alot of poeple will be interested to see what I'm working on with the heatsink right now because it will provide more than enough cooling for the later generation MMC-2's (750-850) at 108 FSB. This will let the 850 break into the 900's stable without overheating.

Laptop_wizard · #14 Post by **Laptop_wizard** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 7:47 pm

I had previosely brought up better cooling in this forum, but it was ignored and shot down

But I am VERY interested in your project, what heat-sink? what fan, I had a theory of laying a packet of water inside the thinkpad that was cooled by a radiator, but never went far enough too find a radiator or how to give it power through the thinkpad itself, I would probly have too take out the modem or PC card slots for room.

cmarti · #15 Post by **cmarti** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 6:40 am

JESSICA wrote:Yea not having CMOS battery in made the video card not work

I took all the cards and motherboard out of the shell and set them on my desk and put everything together. I thought that maybe I have the processor in wrong but I didn't did the same thing out of the shell.

I sold my 770ED on Ebay for $80 including shipping and bought a 770X last night. with a hole difference of $10.

Its worth it to me, better videocard, better sound card, and I can use 512Mb instead of 288Mb.

This worked out pretty well for me, basically paid altogether $150 for the X series, 750 Mhz MMC-2, 2 x PC100 128Mb, 1 x PC100 16chip 256Mb. Not to mention it is going to be running at 810Mhz once I find out if the heatsink I have been drooling over works or not.

I think alot of poeple will be interested to see what I'm working on with the heatsink right now because it will provide more than enough cooling for the later generation MMC-2's (750-850) at 108 FSB. This will let the 850 break into the 900's stable without overheating.

Old topic resurrected.

Jessica,

Did you ever find the way to increase the FSB? What did you use to improvce the cooling?

dsigma6 · #16 Post by **dsigma6** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:27 am

cmarti wrote: Jessica,

Did you ever find the way to increase the FSB? What did you use to improvce the cooling?

Jessica hasn't posted since September 2005.

cmarti · #17 Post by **cmarti** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:44 am

Too bad i would like to try the fsb increase.

770ED Almost running at 810Mhz, need help though

770ED Almost running at 810Mhz, need help though

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