T20 hangs on powerdown

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mytp · #1 Post by **mytp** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 1:22 pm

I recently wiped the HD and reinstalled original factory contents using the "Product Recovery" CD's that came with the T20. I updated Windows 2000 through the Microsoft site, and updated the IBM apps using Software Installer plus checking manually to update what the Software Installer missed. After that I installed Office 2000, and updated it through Microsoft. Everything seemed to go smooth and worked as it should. There were no error messages. The other software I installed was Acrobat Reader, QuickTime, Macromedia Shockwave and Flash, and Avast Antivirus, and updated them all.

Since wiping the HD and reinstalling the software, I experienced a problem that I have not found documented. When I would shut down Windows, the shutdown procedure seemed to go as it should up until the stage that the computer should actually power-down. At that point the screen would be blank (black) except for a blinking undescore at the upper left of the screen, and that's were it would remain stuck. In order to powerdown I would need to hold down the power button for a few seconds. This problem began intermittently (didn't happen at every shutdown), but then became constant. Has anyone ever come across (and solved) something similar?

By this point I have another problem -- after trying to install RealPlayer, when I tried to re-boot, the boot got stuck on the Windows 2000 splash-screen, and that's where it stayed. Now I can't even boot into safe mode. The only thing I still manage to get into is the BIOS setup. Any suggestions besides doing another HD wipe and fresh install?

Thanks in advance for any ideas.

mytp · #2 Post by **mytp** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 9:53 am

Moderators: Would it be okay to post my previous post (or have you move it) to the ThinkPad T Series forum? I'm hoping for help and there my question would get more exposure. TIA

#3 Post by **GomJabbar** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 12:17 pm

I would tend to suspect problems with power management or possibly the BIOS. However, if the T20 worked fine with Win2000 before, it's probably not the BIOS. You could try uninstalling the software related to Power Management, then installing the latest versions. HERE is the driver matrix page for the T20.

You can look in Event Viewer for possible clues. Check for event error messages at the time you were trying to do a shutdown. Go to: Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Event Viewer, to check.

Go to: Start > Search, and look for a file called userenv.log (it is in XP, and I think it is in W2K as well). It contains error messages that often occur at shutdown. You can view it with Notepad.

mytp · #4 Post by **mytp** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 4:31 am

DKB, Thanks for your attempt to help.

All software had been updated to the latest versions. At this point I cannot view any files because I cannot access anything beyond the BIOS, as I wrote in my original post.

#5 Post by **GomJabbar** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 5:57 am

mytp wrote:All software had been updated to the latest versions. At this point I cannot view any files because I cannot access anything beyond the BIOS, as I wrote in my original post.

I should have caught that - yet nearly your entire post was describing a shutdown problem. By the time I got to Real Player I guess I just skimmed over the reading. In the future it would be better to state your immediate problem first, then follow up with other pertinent information.

I don't know if the T20 has the Rescue & Recovery workspace like my T42 does. If the T20 has this feature, and you can boot into that and restore preferrably a backup that you have made, or reinstall the C: drive to 'Factory State'. If not, you'll probably have to use your Recovery Disc set to start over from scratch.

If you have access to a Windows 2000 install CD you could reinstall Windows and should not lose your other programs.

If you have the Windows startup diskettes or Windows install CD, where you can boot up to the command prompt, it might be possible to copy Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 to the hard drive and execute it. It may repair your Windows installation.

If you had made a hard drive image with Acronis or Ghost, you could have restored your image. You should consider some sort of backup strategy if you do not want to go through a complete fresh install whenever you encounter a serious problem.

mytp · #6 Post by **mytp** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 7:00 am

DKB, Thanks again for your input.

In the future it would be better to state your immediate problem first, then follow up with other pertinent information.

Yeah, I agree. I had made an effort to express myself clearly but I guess I didn't succeed. I blame it on my ADD.

I don't know if the T20 has the Rescue & Recovery workspace like my T42 does.

It doesn't.

You should consider some sort of backup strategy if you do not want to go through a complete fresh install whenever you encounter a serious problem.

Again, I agree. But the T20 was itself supposed to be a backup for my new T42p... I just wish it would be possible to figure out if the problems are hardware or software related.

To the Moderators: Would it be possible to move this to the ThinkPad T Series forum?

#7 Post by **GomJabbar** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 7:14 am

I could be wrong, but it sounds like software related problems to me.

T20 hangs on powerdown

T20 hangs on powerdown

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