Thinkpads Forum

wotcher everyone.

here's the prob. I've been given a 600e (type 2645-AL3) by my g/f that has become my mum's first 'puter.. it's worked fine up to now, but now whenever it's turned on, i get:

error codes 161 & 163

I think it's a bios/motherboard battery problem as it comes up asking me to set the time n date n stuff, and a little cursor in the shape of a duck (WTF????) appears at this point.

I click OK to allow whatever time it feels like, and after a reboot, it boots into win98 (don't laugh) as usual, except it emits the most shrill, nasty, deafenyourmother beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep until i turn the speakers off.

i know nothing about laptops, so I looked at this lovely forum, and found this:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 0e+battery
which i think is the problem.

http://www.memory4less.com/m4l_itemdeta ... d=27090018
above is the item i think it needs, but being in the old U of K, and not used to levering open laptops, i'm stuck as to what to do.

could someone let me know if i'm on the right track, or am i just gibbering to myself?

You do need the CMOS or backup battery. However, it's just a CR2025 (or something like that) with wired spot-welded on, a connector and heatshrink.

You should be able to get the cell for about 10% of the whole assembly. You can tape the leads on from the old cell and save a bundle. I've replaced two in the past year or so, and the local battery shop spot-welded the old leads onto the new cell and put heatshrink on for me. Once for free, and the second time it cost me a dollar.

DO NOT SOLDER to the cell. Heat can shorten its life, and in the worst case, it can explode fiery battery goo all over.

badmungo wrote:could someone let me know if i'm on the right track, or am i just gibbering to myself?

Probably a bit of each m8!

Ring up IBM UK and tell them you need a part number 02K6502. Under trading practices they have to keep consumables like batteries for dog's years and, more importantly, they have to be available at a reasonable price.

Or, go to the IBM UK homepage and click on Accessories and Upgrades, put the part number above in the search window and you can order it online for £5.10 with VAT!

Regards,

James

whizkid wrote:DO NOT SOLDER to the cell. Heat can shorten its life, and in the worst case, it can explode fiery battery goo all over.

You know, I've been wondering about this bit of advice since I was scolded for soldering mine some time back.

Is this no soldering thing specific to Lithium cells? Being a former Radio-Control guy, I puttered about with the iron and my NiCd cells on occasion.

Curiously yours,

Rob

Yeah, Lithium cells are more touchy, more nasty when things go wrong too.

JHEM wrote:Under trading practices they have to keep consumables like batteries for dog's years and, more importantly, they have to be available at a reasonable price.

Interestingly enough, a couple of years or so ago, I was looking to buy a backup battery for my 600E from IBM. On their website, it listed the price as over $400 Not what I would call a 'reasonable price'.

I e-mailed IBM, and explained that since this was basically a coin cell with a couple of leads attached, there must be something wrong with the price. Well, they adjusted the price back down to about $15. I did not order right away, as I was planning to order some additional stuff, and I wanted to combine the shipping. A month or so later, when I was ready to order, the price was again over $400! Another e-mail sent, but their reply this time was that the correct price was listed. They said their pricing is subject to change according to availability. Needless to say, the backup battery was not part of this order. I found another supplier that had the battery for about $12.

GomJabbar wrote:

JHEM wrote:Under trading practices they have to keep consumables like batteries for dog's years and, more importantly, they have to be available at a reasonable price.

Interestingly enough, a couple of years or so ago, I was looking to buy a backup battery for my 600E from IBM. On their website, it listed the price as over $400 Not what I would call a 'reasonable price'.

The OP is in the UK Dave and the safeguards there for consumers are far beyond anything we can even dream of here in the US.

Regards,

James

JHEM wrote:

GomJabbar wrote: Interestingly enough, a couple of years or so ago, I was looking to buy a backup battery for my 600E from IBM. On their website, it listed the price as over $400 Not what I would call a 'reasonable price'.

The OP is in the UK Dave and the safeguards there for consumers are far beyond anything we can even dream of here in the US.

Regards,

James

Kind of makes you want to move to the EU doesn't it. Oops, better be careful, don't want to get 'Dixie Chicked'!

GomJabbar wrote:Kind of makes you want to move to the EU doesn't it. Oops, better be careful, don't want to get 'Dixie Chicked'!

BT, DT, couldn't afford a t-shirt!

The only places we've seriously considered retiring in EU (NO, DK, SE) have some of the highest tax rates, even on pensions and investments.

We considered retiring in Ireland back in the day when writers were exempt from income tax, but those days are over.

Regards,

James