Thinkpads Forum

Please help if you can. Ibm TP 600E 2645 450, 300mhz? Has internal/external floppy drive, 24x Cd Rom drive & 6.0gb Hdd. Have got latest Inet36w bios on floppy from Ibm website, but not installed it yet.

Problem : Won't boot from known good Hdd with Windows ME installed on it but can get to A:\ prompt if booted from floppy both in the TP, (instead of the Cd drive), or in it's external caddy.

Hdd definitely works straight off in my Son's TP 600E 2645 8ao.

Errors are : I9990302 & I9990305

When test is run in the bios, 2 errors were apparent :
1) Memory
Dev 002
Err 21
Fru 0020
Which was overcome by removing 1 of the 2 sticks of 64mb Ram.

2) Hdd 1
Dev 017
Err81
Fru 6010

Anybody got any ideas what these error code mean ? Maybe the bios update would clear them ?

Regards
Barry

On the memory error, you either have a bad stick of RAM or else you are using memory that is not totally compatible.

On the hard drive, most likely you need to reseat it. I have seen these same errors on my 600E before, and reseating the hard drive fixed them.

Download the Hardware Maintenance Manual for a list of error codes and solutions. Link: Hardware Maintenance Manual (June 1999) - ThinkPad 600

Thanks for the advice GomJabber, have downloaded and read the 600e Hardware Maintenance Manual, but not really gleaned anything from it apart from :
1) Error 017 is a Hdd Error.
2) Err 81 = Nothing at all.
3) FRU 6010 means either reseat Hdd or the system board is faulty, (which seems to be Ibm's fix for everything)!!!

Am running System Test as I write this, so maybe...........

I have updated the bios from IBET37WW to the current IBET54WW but it hasn't helped so far.

I know the Hdd is perfect and working in my son's 600E, coz I'm using it to type this!!!

Have got a spare system board off ebay to try as a last resort, but the last System test I did said everything was fine (except the Hdd).

Anyone else got any suggestions please ?

Take a look and see if you have any bent or broken pins on the hard drive connector. My guess is that you need a new system board.

EDIT: As an alternative, I believe you could get an UltraslimBay Hard Drive Adapter, Part Number 05K5336, and put your hard drive in there. No guarantees though.

You were right about the system board gomjabber. Had another base on hand with a 400mhx processor & swapped it over. Working fine now & running Windows 2000 with a INET36WW bios update as well. These 600's are so easy to take apart and work on.

My old system board doesn't seem to have any damage to the hdd connector and believe it or not, it passed the CMOS test without any errors, (with the hdd fitted of course) !!! I might try a MultiBay / Hdd caddy if I can pick one up on ebay, (they are available from Germany but not so easy to find in the Uk).