T40 - 1802 error - do fixes require removal of WiFi card?

[g8tzl]

I have just acquired a T40 with the "1802 Unauthorised network card is plugged in" error at boot up.

I have researched both the simple CMOS and more "dangerous" BIOS fixes BUT do I need to remove the WiFi card before I run any of the fixes...a very simple question!!!!

I have already run the simple CMOS "no-1802" fix with the WiFi card still in place...the T40 internal CD-ROM drive and external USB CD-ROM and Floppy drives all appear to start to load but then stop when the 1802 error appears. There is also no option in the BIOS to disable the WiFi card.

I have seen no mention of needing to remove the WiFi card before running the fixes!! But maybe everybody takes it for granted that you need to remove the unauthorised card before you run the 1802 fix!!

Thanks

[rkawakami]

I believe that the standard operating procedure is to remove the card, apply the no-1802 fix, then re-install the card. However, when I last did one of these fixes a couple of years ago, I don't remember removing the card so YMMV.

Also, the no-1802 fix is not permanent. It can be un-done by the loss of the CMOS battery. I imagine that a forced BIOS reset (i.e., load defaults in the BIOS menu) or a BIOS update would also negate the fix.

[g8tzl]

Thanks Ray.

The T40 also initially had the 0271 dead CMOS battery error. I reset the date/time and the next day when I booted up the 0271 error did not appear. I guess the CMOS battery is actually dead but maybe there is a cap which retains some charge which keeps the CMOS powered for a short while. I guess if I left the T40 unpowered for a few days, I would get the 0270 error again.

I'm now hoping that the T40 originally had the no-1802 fix done but this was lost when the CMOS battery died.

Looks like I will need to get inside the T40 to replace the CMOS battery and remove the WiFi card..it looks difficult having to remove the keyboard and bezel but I will carefully read the HMM!!!

Can you run the T40 temporarily with no WiFI Card without needing to put the "17 screws" back??

Thanks

[ajkula66]

I don't believe that there's 17 screws invoved. It's 4 for the keyboard and 6-7 for the palmrest, and you're done.

[rkawakami]

It's possible that the date and time information may be kept alive, even with a dead CMOS battery, as long as main power remains connected to the system. By this I mean either a good battery or AC adapter. I did this on an X61s system a few months back; not sure if it will apply to an older system such as the T4x series.

It's been some time since I stripped apart a T4x but it might be possible to swap out the CMOS battery without having to remove the palmrest/bezel. Take off the keyboard (only a couple of screws) and see if you can get to the battery and motherboard connector. If you can't then remove the palmrest. You certainly can run the system without any of the screws being re-installed; I do it all the time. Just remember to plug the connector from the palmrest back in and be careful with the keyboard when you're typing on it.

[g8tzl]

Thanks Ray.

I wonder if the CMOS No-1802 fix will also be kept alive if the CMOS battery is dead but there is a good main battery??

Anyway, if I'm having to open the T40 to remove the WiFi card I might as well replace the CMOS battery.

OK on using the T40 with no screws..good..saves having to remove them twice!

[g8tzl]

Success!!! I removed the WiFi card (13 screws!!!) and the T40 booted into XP.

One thing I noted when I was reading the T40 HMM is that the CMOS battery error code I originally got was 0271 which is "Date and Time is not set" rather than 0270 which is "Replace Backup Battery".

So I'm thinking that the original owner maybe replaced the CMOS battery but that then resulted in the 1802 error. So maybe I don't need to replace the CMOS battery. I guess I should check with my volt meter. But does anybody know whether a 0271 error means that the CMOS battery is OK ??

As a temporary measure I've installed a PCMCIA WiFi card so I can get all the Windows Updates done and run some antivirus software.

I will start to research the drivers required for the PCI WiFi card..its a "DW1300" card.

Also with the "No-1802" fix, I was planning on using the "Command-Lab" bootable CD. Does anybody know whether its an idiot proof procedure?? Basically does it all run automatically?

Thanks

[ajkula66]

Well, set the date and time, press F10 to save and exit, boot into XP and then shut the machine off.

Pull the power cord out and start it up again. If you don't get a date & time error, the battery is likely still OK.

Then again, they're like two quid or something on feebay...I'd buy a new one anyway, but that's me.

Good luck.

[g8tzl]

I pulled the main battery and left the T40 for 30 minutes.

When I reconnected and booted up I got the 0271 "Date and time is not set" error and NOT the 0270 "Replace backup battery error...so it looks like the CMOS battery is dead but that you get a 0271 rather than a 0270 error.

[g8tzl]

The Command-Tab bootable CD to fix the 1802 error is very easy to use. When the CD boots you get the A: prompt. You then just type No-1802. There is no "successful" or "done" comment...so it looks like nothing has happened..but it does work!!!

I'm now using the PCI WiFi card to type this mail. Its a Broadcom BCM4318 KFBG and thankfully the driver was already installed as I was having problems finding the correct driver. I found ver 5.10.79.14 which looked promising but I could find no defintive "this definately works" comments.

The next job is to replace the CMOS battery...it looks like CMOS data is retained if you keep the main battery connected. If you remove the main battery, I think you also get a few minutes before the CMOS data is lost....enough time to reinstall the PCI card like I have just done!!!!

I'm now reading about the pulsing and continuous fan problem with T40's etc...although I think its sounds worse on my T40 because there are no screws holding down the keyboard and palmrest!!!