Thinkpads Forum

Hi.

I'm trying to repair a IBM Thinkpad 600 (2645-850) for a friend of mine.

At first I got the errors 161, 163 and 173.
I purchased a new backup battery from ebay and the code 161 disappeared.

I'm now stuck with errors 173 and 163.
When I turn the computer on these errors appear and I'm taken to the a screen where I can set the date.
After I do it I press OK. Then I hear two short beeps and the computer freezes, though I can reboot it by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del and start the process all over again.

Is the mainboard at fault?

ps: The HD is damaged and the battery does not charge. I think these are unrelated issues, right?

Any help will be appreciated!

I google for errors 173 and 163 and they are battery related errors. The suggestion was to replace the RTC battery. You said you did, so maybe it is bad, and maybe the main battery needs to be replaced so the system will charge. The errors appear to be related to your problems. ... JD Hurst

/* Google is your friend */

Thanks for your reply.

I know the backup battery I bought is good because it stores the date I enter.
If I enter the date 2006/04/23 -> press OK -> computer freezes -> turn off -> wait for a while -> turn on again, the date will show up as 2006/04/23, not as 1998/01/01 as it used to.

Remove the battery if it is not charging so you don't damage the charging circuit.
Try the reset button right above the power switch. you will need a pen or paperclip because it is recessed. Then try to setup the bios again. That should get it.

Reset the configuration in the BIOS. If that doesn't work, reset the configuration (BIOS) with the reset button referred to above. If that doesn't work, you may have a faulty mobo.

I am sorry to say that the above did not work.

Pressing the reset buttons shuts down the computer.
When I power up again the same process repeats itself (I set the date, the computer gives two short beeps and stalls).

Just to add that I can't seem to access the BIOS no matter how hard I try.

Guest wrote:Just to add that I can't seem to access the BIOS no matter how hard I try.

Are you doing this correctly? In order to access a Thinkpad BIOS, you must hold the F1 key down while you turn the computer on. Keep holding the F1 key until the Easy Setup screen appears. You cursor will now be a flapping duck. You must use the Trackpoint to navigate.

I don't remember where the Initialize button is, but it should be somewhere in the Setup or Startup options, not in Diagnostics.

After you Initialize, you will have to reset the boot order as well.

Btw, your system is acting like the BIOS battery is toast. Is is properly connected? It's the one inside the memory compartment.

Hope this helps.

Bruce Guttman,

I used that procedure. It doesn't work because of the errors 173 and 163. I can only access the date setting screen, not the BIOS.

As I said earlier the backup battery is new and in working condition.

I'm pretty clueless now.

[quote="Guest"]Hi.


I'm now stuck with errors 173 and 163.

Of those two errors one is "Dead Bios (RTC) Battery" and the other is "Clock needs resetting" in short, they are two ways of saying the same thign.

Normally this will cause the thinkpad to come up in the bios "Set clock" screen, however it will not stop the unit from working.

Per IBM 163: Time and date not set

173 : Configuration Data Was Lost

In short, both of them mean Dead Bios Battery

This should allow you to set the date, and when you 'Restart" it will work, or at least it shoudl, however you did mention a bad hard drive, So boot from floppy or cd please. On Reboot you can try F1, but I won't guarenett it on a reboot, only on a cold (power off to power on) boot

wa8yxm wrote:

Guest wrote:Hi.


I'm now stuck with errors 173 and 163.

Of those two errors one is "Dead Bios (RTC) Battery" and the other is "Clock needs resetting" in short, they are two ways of saying the same thign.

Normally this will cause the thinkpad to come up in the bios "Set clock" screen, however it will not stop the unit from working.

Per IBM 163: Time and date not set

173 : Configuration Data Was Lost

In short, both of them mean Dead Bios Battery

This should allow you to set the date, and when you 'Restart" it will work, or at least it shoudl, however you did mention a bad hard drive, So boot from floppy or cd please. On Reboot you can try F1, but I won't guarenett it on a reboot, only on a cold (power off to power on) boot

You need a CMOS battery.

A true FRU 02K6502 & Not a taped up CR2032.

Should take 30 seconds to fix.