Thinkpads Forum

I just bought a 770E off eBay...I know, I know. I've got a new battery and ac adapter for it. When I power it on in the upper left hand corner of the screen i get 161 then 163, the I get a blank screen with a locked "lock" showing in or around the middle of the screen. I hit enter and an icon with OK appears next to the lock. Then I get a screen with that displays error codes 161 and 163 with an OK and Cancel selection box at the bottom and a cute little duck cursor. I hit OK and it goes to another screen sowing the same error coded and an arrow pointing to them and what appears to be a book. At this point everything seems to stop. Nothing I do has any effect except the power switch of course. If I hold the F1 key and power it on nothing new happens It wont go into set up for some reason. Ive even tried the bios upgrade disk and get nothing different upon boot up. Can someone lead me in the right direction?

Thanks,

Sounds like there is a BIOS password.

You can try this though, to see if you can boot anyway.

Turn on the computer, when you get the 161 & 163 errors, and set the time. Then restart. If you get a sign that looks like a "l < 0" (or something like that), turn the power off and then turn it right back on. It should still boot, unless it is a hard drive or supervisor password.

The 161 means a dead backup battery (CMOS battery). When the backup battery is dead, you can lose the date and time. 163 means set the date and time. The CMOS battery is usually a coin cell, with leads attached. Check the Hardware Maintenance Manual of your model for more info, and for part numbers. Do a Google search on the part number to find suppliers of the battery.

Sometimes the 161 and 163 codes indicate a bad system board (motherboard). Hopefully that is not the case for you. Try replacing the backup battery first and setting the date and time in the BIOS (press F1 at the beginning of the boot sequence to enter the BIOS). I believe the minimum voltage for the backup battery is 2.5 volts - but this is based on a different model ThinkPad.

Hardware Maintenance Manual (January 1999) - ThinkPad 770

Sorry forgot to mention what the 161 & 163 stood for, thanks GomJabber.

This site is most excellent.
I have a 770E and had the EXACT same problem you describe.
After I read this thread, I went out to RadioShack and bought a new CMOS battery for around $3 and now I can boot Windows.
So, THANKS VERY MUCH to all of you.

hey there!

HELP! i was getting the same errors at boot up (163, 161 and i think 192), so i replaced the CMOS battery. now it counts memory and boots up to a picture of a floppy drive and floppy disk, pointing an arrow to indicate it wants a disk inserted. below that is a picture of the function keys, with arrows pointing down on F1--to me indicating i should insert a disk and hit F1. well, nothing works...tried inserting a disk for new BIOS, appears to read it, but nothing happens. also, if i try holding down F1 and booting up, i get the same picture--never goes to CMOS at all. PLEEEEEEEz don't tell me my motherboard is shot...had to buy a new floppy drive just get this far

can anyone help?

It could be a mainboard problem, or a keyboard problem, or, maybe you aren't squinting your eyes just right as you bootup.

voicegrrrl wrote:. . . a picture of a floppy drive and floppy disk, pointing an arrow to indicate it wants a disk inserted. . .hit F1. well, nothing works...tried inserting a disk for new BIOS, appears to read it, but nothing happens.

It's prompting you for a bootdisk. The fact it does something seems to indicate your F1 key is working.

To boot into the CMOS setup, you have to do it from a power off condition. With the machine turned off, hold down the F1 key and press the power button; keep the F1 key pressed until the setup screen appears. If you get the bootdisk prompt as you have in the past, I would suspect a keyboard problem first, then a mainboard problem. In that case, you might want to remove the keyboard so you can check/reseat the cable.

thanks for the reply! i am guessing we have at the very least a keyboard problem then, because i did boot up with the F1 key depressed and still got the picture--over and over and over. thanks for the tip, i will try removing the keyboard and checking for damage/reseating it. will let you know what happens....!

thanks again!

Just to reitterate what LtTPfan stated. The laptop has to be completely off, then you press the F1 key about once per second until you get to the BIOS setup menu. If you just reboot and press F1, you will not enter the BIOS setup menu.

ThinkPad 600/600E (2645) Hardware Maintenance Manual wrote:161
(Dead battery.)
1. Go to “Checking the Backup Battery” on page 38.
2. Backup battery
3. System board

163
(Time and date were not set.)
1. Set time and date.
2. System board

192
(Fan error.)
1. Measure the voltage of the backup battery. If the voltage is not correct, replace the backup battery.
2. Fan
3. System board

well, i may try that once i get the keyboard back together...although i am willing to venture that none of this will do any good... it seems there is a sticky substance not only on the back of the keyboard, but also settled on the metal tray beneath...it appears to NOT be echtoplasm, but....OH NO! IT'S THE DREAD OF ALL PC REPEAIR-TYPES!!!

freakin' soda pop... grrrrrrrrrrrr!!

i don't even know if a new keyboard will help...looks like it made it past the tray and onto the metal casing between the keyboard tray and the system board....little corrosion spots here and there...looks like someone OBEYED THEIR THIRST and had a SPRITE!!

Bummer! You migtht get lucky and clean it up with some electrical contact cleaner (or alcohol) and a stiff brush. There's a system board for sale on eBay.

that one is already on my watch list at ebay, along with a keyboard... thanks to both you and GomJabbar for all your help!! i may be able to make this work yet...

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! you aren't gonna believe this.....

a little alcohol and some q-tips...keyboard works, cmos initialized, and am currently installing some brand spankin' new BIOS.....

YOU GUYS ROCK!! i can't thank ya enough...

That's Great!