Thinkpads Forum

Well after about 6 years it looks like my 600e is about to go . When it boots up I hear a couple of beeps and nothing if I hit enter a couple of times it will reboot and come up with a screen with on/off ( I hooked up my desktop monitor and there are error numbers but I will have to post them later when I get home). After I trun it off and back on the system will boot up. Are there any tools I can use to find out what might be going wrong here? I have thought about buying a mother board off Ebay, what options do I have? Can I pickup a faster processor/mothor board that will fit in the 600e case? This is my first laptop and don’t know anything about upgrading something like this.


Ok after searching I found the answer to my faster processor question. I will post my error numbers tonight when I get home and see if anyone has seen this problem before.
Thanks

Yeah sounds like it's going. you can purchase a thinkpad 600X motherboard for about $100.00 on ebay although it must include the bottom chassie part.

Well, before pronouncing your system dead for sure, have you tried replacing the CMOS battery? I know the topic of the CMOS battery gets beat around like a dead horse aroun here but those things can cause lots of trouble and are the first thing to check when your computer starts acting up. They really can cause more issues than you'd imagine.

AlphaKilo470 wrote:Well, before pronouncing your system dead for sure, have you tried replacing the CMOS battery? I know the topic of the CMOS battery gets beat around like a dead horse aroun here but those things can cause lots of trouble and are the first thing to check when your computer starts acting up. They really can cause more issues than you'd imagine.

Thanks, I will try that first.

You mentioned a couple of beeps. There is a list of error codes starting on page 52 of the Hardware Maintenance Manual, along with a beep symptom table on page 57.

Hardware Maintenance Manual (June 1999) - ThinkPad 600

AlphaKilo470 wrote:Well, before pronouncing your system dead for sure, have you tried replacing the CMOS battery? I know the topic of the CMOS battery gets beat around like a dead horse aroun here but those things can cause lots of trouble and are the first thing to check when your computer starts acting up. They really can cause more issues than you'd imagine.

Thanks looks like you are right when I connected my monitor to the laptop I found the error numbers 161 (dead Battery) 163 (Time and date not set).


Do you know what the model number is for the battery? I am at work now and the laptop is at home.

Thanks

Coming straight from the yellow label inside my 600E's access panel:

Lithium Backup Battery
IBM P/N 02K6486
FRU P/N 02K6502

This same information is also available in the Hardware Maintenance Manual that was provided above.

Additionally, you can buy just the battery cell itself at your local Radio Shack or Walmart and just transplant the leads with a little electrical tape. Several folks here have done that - a quick search should turn up some details.

I took this route, when mine died a year or more back.

Rob

AlphaKilo470 wrote:Coming straight from the yellow label inside my 600E's access panel:

Lithium Backup Battery
IBM P/N 02K6486
FRU P/N 02K6502

Thanks for the help I found one on ebay for .99 +5.00 shipping.

tfflivemb2 wrote:This same information is also available in the Hardware Maintenance Manual that was provided above.

I would have looked through the manual or opened up the laptop if I was at home. I thought someone might have that info handy....

Rob Mayercik wrote:Additionally, you can buy just the battery cell itself at your local Radio Shack or Walmart and just transplant the leads with a little electrical tape. Several folks here have done that - a quick search should turn up some details.

I took this route, when mine died a year or more back.

Rob

Thanks wish I would have thought about that before I got one on ebay, now I have to wait for them to ship it..

tjc wrote:

Rob Mayercik wrote:Additionally, you can buy just the battery cell itself at your local Radio Shack or Walmart and just transplant the leads with a little electrical tape. Several folks here have done that - a quick search should turn up some details.

I took this route, when mine died a year or more back.

Rob

Thanks wish I would have thought about that before I got one on ebay, now I have to wait for them to ship it..

Timing isn't always perfect.

You might find it educational to dissect your old one after you get the eBay one installed - that way, you'll be prepared for next time.

It's a common cell type, but I don't remember offhand what it was.

FYI: It is a CR2025, available where watch batteries are sold.

tfflivemb2 wrote:FYI: It is a CR2025, available where watch batteries are sold.

Thanks for filling that blank in - knew it was a C2xxx series, but couldn't put my finger on it without pulling my TP apart.

tfflivemb2 wrote:FYI: It is a CR2025, available where watch batteries are sold.

Now I'm going to have to dig out one of my old 600s, I thought it was a 2035!

Regards,

James

I just double checked to make sure that I didn't do a typo. I was right, it is a CR2025.

The T series uses the CR2032. Maybe you were combining the two and came up with a 2035.

AlphaKilo470 wrote:Well, before pronouncing your system dead for sure, have you tried replacing the CMOS battery? I know the topic of the CMOS battery gets beat around like a dead horse aroun here but those things can cause lots of trouble and are the first thing to check when your computer starts acting up. They really can cause more issues than you'd imagine.

That was it!! I installed my new CMOS battery the other day and my Thinkpad is back....

Thanks