Thinkpads Forum

I keep on getting this error, which I think is the trackpoint. I found help online and a guide said to get to the config. menu and change a setting. Really all the menus from when I boot are dead ends. I can't really do anything. Only once I booted up holding F1 and got to the config. menu to change the setting. And it worked, my laptop booted up and ran fine until about 5 minutes later when It froze and restarted giving me some animation to hold F1 and insert a floppy disc. Well I'm back to the point where I'm only getting the 08611 error message. But I can't seem to boot into the menu with F1 that let me change that setting. How should I fix this error so I can at least use my laptop? Thanks.

...Just saw like 2 topics down a similar post I'll check that out first.

A quick search for "08611" yields info about having a bad keyboard on the laptop.
HTH (I'm new at this laptop stuff so that's all the info I can give.)

I'm assuming this is a problem with a 600 series system. If so, then some of the following information should help:

A common error when experiencing a problem with the Trackpoint. In fact a thread currently two below this one also has the same problem. (Ah, you saw it...) Searching the archives for this, I found one I posted to a few months back:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=25992

The method of editing the BIOS settings requires that you are able to access the BIOS by holding the F1 key down while powering up. If you can't do this, then I would say the only thing you can do is replace the keyboard. It may be possible to use an external keyboard to access the BIOS if your laptop's keyboard does not work, but I haven't actually tried doing this.

I put an offer in for a keyboard on ebay, but I'm still trying to boot with F1 holding down. It doesn't seem to work. I'm also getting other errors. The one that means the configuration has been lost. I have to set the time and date when the error comes up. It seems to only come up when I take the battery out and the a/c plug out. Does this mean a dead battery in the laptop, like one of those button batteries?

If you have a 600-series system (you haven't said as of yet) and you are getting error(s) 161, 163 and/or 173, then that usually means that the CMOS backup battery is bad. You can find it by removing the memory panel on the bottom of the laptop and looking for a small white plug with red and black wires. Follow the wires and you will find a coin-type battery being held in place by a plastic tab or cover. You can find replacement batteries most anywhere online as long as you get ones marked FRU 02K6502.