T440S sometimes won't boot unless i detach the internal battery

[pictux]

Hi everybody.
My t440s has now this annoying problem.
Sometimes (i mean: every 2 days or so) it won't boot.
Not only, if i attach the power cord, nothing happens (usually attaching the power cord, the red led blinks 3 times).
It seems dead.

I try removing external battery, pressing the reset switch for the second (internal) battery, pressing and releasing the power on button, but without success.
The only way to resume the laptop, is opening it, and detach and reconnect the connector of the internal battery.

http://i.imgur.com/2VsRLdn.jpg

Now i'm working with the connector detached, to avoid every time the need to open the case in order to boot the laptop
What do you think?
Battery seems ok (the charge is the usual), and once reconnected the laptop boot without problem...

Any suggestions?
Thanks
MIrco

[Thinkpad4by3]

Buy a new batt and try, maybe ur battery is internally shorted??

[pictux]

Hi and thanks for the reply.
I don't think the internal battery is shorted, because after i detach & reconnect it, it's recognized correctly and it works...
Am i wrong?
Thanks

[pictux]

update: it has started with the same issue with the removable battery.
I have to remove it, press the boot button for a few seconds, and then reattach it.
Than i can boot my laptop.

As i've already said, batteries are charged when the power plug is inserted, and i've the usual power autonomy when running on batteries.
So they seem ok...

Any suggestion / tip?
Thanks,
M

[RealBlackStuff]

Try another (more powerful) charger.
Or if you have it, use an adapter cable such as this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/361863732964 with an older 65W/90W charger.
Wild guess: maybe switch off "USB always ON" in BIOS.
Have you checked that none of your USB ports is broken?

[pictux]

Hi and thanks for the reply.
I've switched off "USB always ON" in BIOS, but nothing has changed.
USB ports seem all ok (i've tried with an usb key and a mouse)-
Just curious: how'd the charger affect the computer in this way?
Thanks

[Thinkpad4by3]

It would give the computer mpre power to use between charging both batteries and running the computer.

[zephxiii]

At this point, I'd make sure I was on latest BIOS. I would try detaching the CMOS battery and all other power sources. If it still keeps doing it as much as I hate to say it the board could be getting flakey in that area. It could have experienced some kind of damage or moisture. The mother board in my T450 which experienced lemonade behaved in similar fashion in addition to other things like shutting off just after boot up.

The good thing is that these boards are pretty easy to replace. The bad thing is that they are a lil more costly due to CPU and RAM being soldiered on. I got my board from ebay for 200 bux.

If it's not shutting off on you or corrupting data you could probably just get by with it since it is just an annoyance.

[pictux]

Hi guys, new update.

So, i've detached the internal battery, so i'm not using it anymore (sob).
To power on the thinkpad, i have always to remove the main battery, and then replug it. Don't need to press the power button in the between.
After that, i'm able to turn on the laptop.

I've tried the battery from a new t450 (that is the same) but the behaviour is the same. To turn on the laptop i have to do the remove-replug trick.

Don't know: maybe it's time to change laptop?

[RealBlackStuff]

See if this helps: viewtopic.php?f=48&t=126616

[pictux]

Hi and thanks RealBlackStuff!

I've read here as well:
viewtopic.php?f=68&t=126561&p=820574#p820574
and in this post:
viewtopic.php?f=68&t=126561&p=820574#p820125
GomJabbar says:
"I had a similar problem with my X220 after spilling coffee on the keyboard. It would only power up after disconnecting all batteries. But it would only do this one time. Replaced the keyboard and problem solved. "
so it can be that: the keyboard!
I'm gonna give it a try! (finger crossed)

Thanks
M

EDIT: just ordered a new keyboard.

EDIT: new keyboard arrived and installed.
Now my T440s has a new fresh look. But the issue is not closed. I still need to remove the battery in order to turn on the laptop

[BrokenThinkPad]

Hi, after looking at your thread, I believe I have the exact same problem as you, the laptop would sometimes die in standby and won't turn on unless I opened the case and unplug the internal battery. I don't know if this is a motherboard issue or something else. Have you found a solution yet?

[haritak]

I have removed the internal battery permanently and replaced the external with a more recent model.

The problem persists. However it is less frequent than before. Also it is more easily resolved as it is easier to remove and reinstall just the external battery.

[pictux]

Hi,

> I have removed the internal battery permanently

i've done exactly the same.
The issue is not addressed yet, i'll try changing the memory bank (don't know if can help, but at this point who knows).
Cheers
M

[pictux]

Ok guys, i've tried to change the memory too, without success.
I'll try now unplug the touchpad...

[CrispyDragon]

I just had a similar issue after replacing the SSD for a larger one.

I could power on the laptop with or without either of the batteries attached, or both attached as long as the base wasn't on.
As soon as I attached the base, the laptop wouldn't power on.
I would then have to unplug BOTH batteries for several seconds and then reattach them for it to power on again.

I managed to get it to work with the base on again by reseating the tiny LCD cables connecting to the motherboard!

[pictux]

Thank you so much, CrispyDragon!
I'll give it a try!

[astrxphoria]

Try another (more powerful) charger.
Or if you have it, use an adapter cable such as this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/361863732964 with an older 65W/90W charger.
Wild guess: maybe switch off "USB always ON" in BIOS.
Have you checked that none of your USB ports is broken?

Bad idea. Are you sure you aren't actually trying to blow up the laptop? Different devices have different specs and requirements.

[astrxphoria]

At this point, I'd make sure I was on latest BIOS. I would try detaching the CMOS battery and all other power sources. If it still keeps doing it as much as I hate to say it the board could be getting flakey in that area. It could have experienced some kind of damage or moisture. The mother board in my T450 which experienced lemonade behaved in similar fashion in addition to other things like shutting off just after boot up.

The good thing is that these boards are pretty easy to replace. The bad thing is that they are a lil more costly due to CPU and RAM being soldiered on. I got my board from ebay for 200 bux.

If it's not shutting off on you or corrupting data you could probably just get by with it since it is just an annoyance.

Do you think the same thing can happen if the weather is too humid? I have the same problem with my laptop that's the same exact model - secondhand, refurbished with an SSD from a credible refurbisher and genuine windows. I can't think of any other reason for the failure, except for maybe a bad design of the device in the first place.

It booted up yesterday after my dad detached the internal battery (or at least I think that's what he did) but now it's dead again in the same manner. (Thankfully, I have all my most important files backed up on google drive rn but I'd rather it didn't happen all the time o.o)

[astrxphoria]

I have removed the internal battery permanently and replaced the external with a more recent model.

The problem persists. However it is less frequent than before. Also it is more easily resolved as it is easier to remove and reinstall just the external battery.

If you have enough money to do that and all, why don't you get a new laptop altogether and save yourself the headache? .-.

I mean, you already got the keyboard, battery, and who knows what else from that thing replaced. Instead of doing all that, you could've just ordered a new laptop from a better brand without so many reported errors.

[notthinkpad]

I ran into the same issue myself. Laptop had some spillage and killed the keyboard Thinkpad. I resourced to turn on the device by unplugging the battery and cmos battery. By the time I connected the cmos back and put everthing together, the laptop wont turn on. Open everyhting back and the time would be wrong, and will come on again.
So I noticed, everytime I connected the CMOS battery, I disconnected everything, and for a few seconds, the motherboard is powerless; and flashed everthing back. So to ocunter that, i made plugged back the big battery in, turned it off, unplug the charger (left the big battery on,) and plugged the cmos back on.
Closed the laptop, and it still works. Hope that helps

Now I still have no keyboard ( if anyone has a spare one, help!

[nayantha88]

Hi,
Have you guys solved the problem??

I have Helix 2 notebook, and I still have this issue.
it seems like it happens randomly from time to time

waiting for a reply
Nayantha

[pictux]

Hi guys,
@astrxphoria
yep in the end I've changed laptop (now I'm using a T460).
The "old" T440 is still used by my daughter facing the same usual issue.

@notthinkpad
thanks for the suggestion, I'll try changing the cmos as well.