T42 BIOS corrupted while setting Date?

[Frankenstien]

Hey all ... I think I have a serious problem with this one (TYPE 2373-6YU, w. 15" XGA) ...

With a low Backup battery voltage condition (unbeknownst to me, the available voltage was almost non-existent, at 0.133V ... now that I've tested it following removal ... obviously, it should be 3V [or more] for a healthy lithium battery), following a pair of quick POST error messages re: system date/time & configuration settings (?), I was re-setting the month, then the day, then the year of the BIOS Setup Utility Date/Time page (for the second time - I had the date & time corrected once already on a previous go-round a few days earlier) when the font of the interface page went fuzzy (multi-coloured, multiple slightly offset repeats of each character of the year field) and froze.

I had to force the power off, and, following that, was unable to get the initial IBM ThinkPad POST screen.

I have yet to try again with a new battery installed, as I must make up something suitable from a new Panasonic CR2032 and the leads from the old battery unit.

FYI - conditions during BIOS freeze event: no HDD or battery installed, all Palm rest, Keyboard and Keyboard bezel screws removed, only 1 x 256MB SODIMM SDRAM module installed and AC adapter plugged in.

I have previously successfully booted this T42 once using PC-Doctor DOS CD (Version 2.0.1816) and have a photographic screen capture of the initial BIOS screen - BIOS Version 3.15 (1RETDJWW), BIOS Date 2005-03-29, Embedded Controller Version 3.04.

If anyone has been here, done this (and recovered), I'd sure like to know how you made out ... 'cause I have a bad feeling about this one ... thanks, FFF

[RealBlackStuff]

Most likely GPU and/or Southbridge becoming 'unstuck' due to flexing of the mobo (like holding the laptop by a corner with one hand only).
There are plenty posts about this.
Remedy: have the mobo professionally reballed or replace the mobo.

[malch]

Time to try this: http://www.thinkpads.com/forum/viewtopi ... 2&t=100075
Did you try booting with the battery and AC adapter and hard drive or DVD drive plugged in?
The TP should boot without a bios battery - you just cant change any bios settings.

[Frankenstien]

Phew!

The T42 booted ... w/o a Backup battery installed ... as you said malch ... as suggested, I used a good battery, the AC adapter and a DVD drive (with a bootable CDRW in it, however, it wants the BIOS date and time reset and seemingly won't get past that ERROR)

Initially, there were two ERRORs: "0271: Check date and time settings" & "0251: System CMOS checksum bad - Default configuration used" and my photo of them didn't turn out too good so I tried booting again, w/o success.

I had trouble replicating a good boot and the error(s) until I completely detached both the battery and the AC adapter and then re-attached them. Now, the only error I am getting is the 0271. Apparently, the CMOS bad checksum issue is behind me as it is now loading defaults.

So, while I reviewed the 'Crisis BIOS Recovery of Thinkpad T43' thread at the link you provided, downloaded troubadix's 'T43_recovery.zip' file, decompressed it and looked over the included documentation, I think, for the moment anyways, I've dodged the bullet I was worried about and can focus on making a Backup battery to replace the dead one that came out of this T42. The Crisis BIOS recovery plan may come in handy yet ... thanks for making me aware of it.

Kudos to you malch, I appreciate the help from yourself & RBS on this.

FFF

[malch]

You can make a temporary bios battery by skinning the insulation off the old battery wires and stretch tape the wires on a new battery [ cr 2032 ] with electricians tape. Make sure of the polarity though.
Ebay has piles of bios batteries for your TP.

Hmm My TP posted without the bios battery- it shows 0271 error- but a minute or so, it booted to xp .

[cadillacmike68]

You can make a temporary bios battery by skinning the insulation off the old battery wires and stretch tape the wires on a new battery [ cr 2032 ] with electricians tape. Make sure of the polarity though.
Ebay has piles of bios batteries for your TP.

Hmm My TP posted without the bios battery- it shows 0271 error- but a minute or so, it booted to xp .

Most of those ebay batteries are several years old and are quite dead. Get a new CR2032 from Walgreens or CVS and and spot solder the connectors.

Be careful putting the connector back onto the system board. I broke one off.

[RealBlackStuff]

Do NOT try to solder those batteries, they might explode in your face!
Flatten the old contact strips against each battery side, and then put some tight tape (or shrink tubing) around it.
Mind the polarity!

[Frankenstien]

malch, cm68 & RBS ... thanks for all the advice ...

I already had a couple of NOS CR2032's (spares for old Dell Optiplex GM 5100's that haven't been started up for a lonnngg time ... ex-B*V emu usage) which still hold good voltage (+3.320VDC) ... so ... I'll make up a battery pack from the leads / connector of the old one ... not because eBayers might slip me an old battery, but because I'm a cheap b&^%ard.

Yeah ... I think I'll go with tape or shrink wrap ... got lots of both ... I guess a dead battery isn't likely to explode in my face when I'm de-soldering the old contacts ... I hope. I haven't got around to skinning the old one apart, so haven't looked at how they attached the leads yet.

cm68, I'll be extra careful with the connector ... I got it off the m/b OK ... so the worst should be behind me.

Thanks again guys, FFF

P.S. Any ideas for me on an SDRAM cover (13N5529) & screw, touchpad & screws (tp only, part of palm rest 91P8398) ... I found one cover on eBay and the guy wants $28.00! ... I'm unable to develop an FRU # for the touchpad itself, so, have been looking at complete palm rest assys.

I also want to get a Screw kit (13R2916) and am wondering if the generic screw kits out of China are worth bothering with, or, if I should spring for an authentic FRU Screw kit.

[cadillacmike68]

Do NOT try to solder those batteries, they might explode in your face!
Flatten the old contact strips against each battery side, and then put some tight tape (or shrink tubing) around it.
Mind the polarity!

How do you think they were initially tack soldered together? They obviously didn't explode then. All you need is to get a small ball of solder hot on the tip, get it onto one side with the lead, and your done, 5 seconds maybe. I can wear my ballistic goggles if that's a concern.

Definitely need to get the polarity correct though!.

[RealBlackStuff]

There is quite a difference between a professional, manufacturer's procedure to make a CMOS battery with contacts in a controlled environment, and an amateur with an el cheapo soldering iron trying to do the same.
FYI: I have a professional soldering station, but cannot get those tags to 'stick on a cell battery bought from the pharmacy.
Besides, I don't fancy exploding Li-Ion batteries, even of that small a size.

[cadillacmike68]

I'm still going to do it when i get home. There's not enough of anything in those tiny batts to do anything serious. I will wear my ballistic goggles though (finally got a new pair to replace the ones lost at Ft Benning).

I might even take a dead one and put the iron on it for a few minutes to see what happens.