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W540 Will Not Start
W540 Will Not Start
My W540 with Windows 10 will not start/boot.
It was working fine in the morning when I checked email, then shut it off. Later that night when I turned it on, the keyboard backlight came on briefly, which is normal, but then it stopped on the "ThinkPad" screen, and the light in the Fn button stayed on.
No hardware or software changes were made.
I have tries starting it on external power only, and battery only, no difference. Unplugged and left the battery out for awhile, then tried again, no help.
When holding F2 during power on, it stops on the "ThinkPad" screen, and "Entering Startup" is also displayed,but nothing else happens.
When holding Enter and F8 during power on, it beeps once then stops at "ThinkPad" and "Launching the Startup Interrupt Menu".
I have searched the forum, but have not found an answer to why it is doing this, or how to fix it.
Any ideas wold be appreciated.
It was working fine in the morning when I checked email, then shut it off. Later that night when I turned it on, the keyboard backlight came on briefly, which is normal, but then it stopped on the "ThinkPad" screen, and the light in the Fn button stayed on.
No hardware or software changes were made.
I have tries starting it on external power only, and battery only, no difference. Unplugged and left the battery out for awhile, then tried again, no help.
When holding F2 during power on, it stops on the "ThinkPad" screen, and "Entering Startup" is also displayed,but nothing else happens.
When holding Enter and F8 during power on, it beeps once then stops at "ThinkPad" and "Launching the Startup Interrupt Menu".
I have searched the forum, but have not found an answer to why it is doing this, or how to fix it.
Any ideas wold be appreciated.
Re: W540 Will Not Start
Sorry you are having trouble.
If you haven't already I would disconnect all USB connections then try again.
Brad
If you haven't already I would disconnect all USB connections then try again.
Brad
Long Island New York
T43p 2669-Q1U, A22p's UTU A21p HXU
Transnote, 770's 8AU, 600, 701CS, 755CD
T43p 2669-Q1U, A22p's UTU A21p HXU
Transnote, 770's 8AU, 600, 701CS, 755CD
Re: W540 Will Not Start
Thanks for the reply.
Nothing is connected to any USB port, and they all have been checked for damage.
Nothing is connected to any USB port, and they all have been checked for damage.
Re: W540 Will Not Start
Sorry to say it sounds like the motherboard has failed.
Brad
Brad
Long Island New York
T43p 2669-Q1U, A22p's UTU A21p HXU
Transnote, 770's 8AU, 600, 701CS, 755CD
T43p 2669-Q1U, A22p's UTU A21p HXU
Transnote, 770's 8AU, 600, 701CS, 755CD
Re: W540 Will Not Start
Just bouncing ideas around before you actually go out and replace your suspected motherboard failure...
1. Try opening up computer to take out and re-seat all your RAM modules?
2. Take out your HDD/SSD and re-seat all of them.
3. ***How do we know that it is a motherboard failure, and not a HDD/SSD failure?
1. Try opening up computer to take out and re-seat all your RAM modules?
2. Take out your HDD/SSD and re-seat all of them.
3. ***How do we know that it is a motherboard failure, and not a HDD/SSD failure?
Daily Driver: (X1E3) X1 Extreme 3rd Gen | mobile broadband (WWAN)
Current Thinkpads: X1E3 | X1E1 | X1C4 | X1C3 | X250 | X230
Retired Thinkpads: T410 | T42 | 560 (circa 1996)
~~IBM Thinkpad era computer bag !
Current Thinkpads: X1E3 | X1E1 | X1C4 | X1C3 | X250 | X230
Retired Thinkpads: T410 | T42 | 560 (circa 1996)
~~IBM Thinkpad era computer bag !
Re: W540 Will Not Start
Disconnected and reconnected CMOS battery, no change.
Took out SSD, when powered on, nothing happened, no display, no sounds, nothing but green power light out. When SSD reinstalled, stopped at Thinkvantage screen as before, but after a few minutes the display changed. Several horizontal lines appeared on the screen, rolling up and down. Let it do this for a few minutes, then rebooted. Display stayed dark
Took out all 4 RAM modules, and replaced one at a time. Nothing changed.
Now when the power on button is pressed, nothing appears upon the screen. The fan runs, and the bottom left area gets warm, but nothing else happens.
What else can I try?
Took out SSD, when powered on, nothing happened, no display, no sounds, nothing but green power light out. When SSD reinstalled, stopped at Thinkvantage screen as before, but after a few minutes the display changed. Several horizontal lines appeared on the screen, rolling up and down. Let it do this for a few minutes, then rebooted. Display stayed dark
Took out all 4 RAM modules, and replaced one at a time. Nothing changed.
Now when the power on button is pressed, nothing appears upon the screen. The fan runs, and the bottom left area gets warm, but nothing else happens.
What else can I try?
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- Senior ThinkPadder
- Posts: 2751
- Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 5:49 am
- Location: Metro Manila, Philippines
Re: W540 Will Not Start
Just a question:
Did you do all of that without disconnecting all power sources (charger and batteries)?
Did you do all of that without disconnecting all power sources (charger and batteries)?
Daily driver: X220 4291-C91 i7-2620M
Backup: X601 Core 2 Duo T8100
Toy: X60F Core Solo U1300
On loan: X220 4291-P79 i5-2520M
In pieces: two retired but working X61Ts
RIP: 760XD 9546-U9E; X61 7676-A24; and a BOE-Hydis HV121P01-100 in failed SXGA+ mod
Backup: X601 Core 2 Duo T8100
Toy: X60F Core Solo U1300
On loan: X220 4291-P79 i5-2520M
In pieces: two retired but working X61Ts
RIP: 760XD 9546-U9E; X61 7676-A24; and a BOE-Hydis HV121P01-100 in failed SXGA+ mod

Re: W540 Will Not Start
The battery and power cord were removed when I disconnected and reconnected the CMOS battery.
The CMOS battery was left connected when I took out the SSD and RAM, but the battery was out. Put the battery back in to try to start.
The CMOS battery was left connected when I took out the SSD and RAM, but the battery was out. Put the battery back in to try to start.
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- Senior ThinkPadder
- Posts: 2751
- Joined: Mon May 28, 2012 5:49 am
- Location: Metro Manila, Philippines
Re: W540 Will Not Start
Did you try powering up the laptop without any ram installed?
Daily driver: X220 4291-C91 i7-2620M
Backup: X601 Core 2 Duo T8100
Toy: X60F Core Solo U1300
On loan: X220 4291-P79 i5-2520M
In pieces: two retired but working X61Ts
RIP: 760XD 9546-U9E; X61 7676-A24; and a BOE-Hydis HV121P01-100 in failed SXGA+ mod
Backup: X601 Core 2 Duo T8100
Toy: X60F Core Solo U1300
On loan: X220 4291-P79 i5-2520M
In pieces: two retired but working X61Ts
RIP: 760XD 9546-U9E; X61 7676-A24; and a BOE-Hydis HV121P01-100 in failed SXGA+ mod

Re: W540 Will Not Start
No, only tried with one of four at a a time.
Will try no RAM at all tonight
Thanks for the help!
P.S. I could not find any reference to which RAM slot(s) should be used if not all 4 full. Does it matter which ones are used and unused?
Will try no RAM at all tonight
Thanks for the help!
P.S. I could not find any reference to which RAM slot(s) should be used if not all 4 full. Does it matter which ones are used and unused?
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- Contact:
Re: W540 Will Not Start
Not 100% sure but I think it's this:
if using only one pair (or 2 different pairs): 1 on bottom, left slot + 1 under keyboard, upper slot
the other pair: 1 on bottom, right slot + 1 under keyboard, lower slot
Hunting around, I found this: https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/ThinkPad-P ... a-p/249257
Same for W510/W520/W530/W540/W541
if using only one pair (or 2 different pairs): 1 on bottom, left slot + 1 under keyboard, upper slot
the other pair: 1 on bottom, right slot + 1 under keyboard, lower slot
Hunting around, I found this: https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/ThinkPad-P ... a-p/249257
Same for W510/W520/W530/W540/W541
Still NOT a great day for a Guinness! (the Real Black Stuff).
Ireland is on FULL lockdown until at least 31 January 2021!
Covid-19: Stay safe, so Mask it or Casket!
Ireland is on FULL lockdown until at least 31 January 2021!
Covid-19: Stay safe, so Mask it or Casket!
Re: W540 Will Not Start
Tried with no RAM installed.
When the power button is pressed, the keyboard lights up briefly.
The screen stays completely dark.
After awhile the bottom near the upper left, below the ESC key, gets warm, but nothing else happens.
When the power button is pressed, the keyboard lights up briefly.
The screen stays completely dark.
After awhile the bottom near the upper left, below the ESC key, gets warm, but nothing else happens.
Re: W540 Will Not Start
Thanks for the information on the RAM.RealBlackStuff wrote: ↑Sun Jun 30, 2019 11:33 pmNot 100% sure but I think it's this:
if using only one pair (or 2 different pairs): 1 on bottom, left slot + 1 under keyboard, upper slot
the other pair: 1 on bottom, right slot + 1 under keyboard, lower slot
Hunting around, I found this: https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/ThinkPad-P ... a-p/249257
Same for W510/W520/W530/W540/W541
The 540 seems to have a different layout, all the RAM is accessed from the bottom, and the RAM is set up two towards the top, and two towards the bottom.
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