X220 power problem

[FrddNEVr]

Can anyone help me diagnose a problem with my X220?

Since yesterday, it's been randomly powering off. This mostly happens after I close the lid. When I try to restart it, it's completely unresponsive. I have to do a power drain (holding the power button down for ~20 seconds) to get it to start up again. When I get it working, the system clock is always out by an hour. No other problems.

This is a refurbished machine (i5-2520m). I've reseated the RAM and replaced the CMOS battery, but that hasn't solved the problem. (I just used a spare CMOS battery I had lying round, which is still quite old---I'll get a completely fresh one ASAP.) I'm using an aftermarket main battery, but otherwise it's stock hardware. Stock BIOS, too. Running Arch, if that makes a difference.

Any help much appreciated!

[atagunov]

Hi, not that I can be of any help, but just to help describe the issue..

• does it happen with power supply connected or not connected?

• how do you do "power drain" - with power supply connected or not connected? Battery inserted or removed? Battery charged or flat empty?

[FrddNEVr]

Thanks! To clarify, it doesn't seem to depend on whether or not the power supply is connected. To do the power drain, I disconnect the power supply, take out the battery, and then hold down the power button for ~20 seconds. I can then boot it from the battery or power supply without a problem.

[atagunov]

it's been randomly powering off. This mostly happens after I close the lid

it doesn't seem to depend on whether or not the power supply is connected

So to be absolutely 200% clear what would have normally happened when you close the lid? Thinkpad goes to sleep? I'm just struggling to figure out how a laptop can unexpectedly power off when you close the lid and when you're not on AC. When I'm not on AC and I close the lid my Thinkpad probably goes to sleep.

When I'm docked - and by consequence on AC - then yes closing the lid does nothing - the video on my external monitor stays on. I imagine Thinkpad could then power off unexpectedly while docked but it doesn't sound like this is what is happening..

Again I have no clue.. I'm just trying to visualize your issue and I still cannot.. What do you do, what do you expect to happen, what happens instead?..

[FrddNEVr]

Right, exactly---it should go to sleep, but instead it turns off completely. (It's set up so that it should sleep with the lid closed regardless of whether it's on AC.) This seems to happen ~70% of the time I close the lid, regardless of whether it's plugged in. At that point, I have to do a power drain and then boot it from scratch to get any sort of response from it. At that point, the system clock is completely wrong.

I'm scratching my head too! The clock thing makes me think it's a BIOS battery problem, but beyond that I'm stumped...

[RealBlackStuff]

You might have a defective lid-sensor.
You could also try to put the X220 to sleep by pressing Fn/F4 (and only Fn to wake up), and then close the lid.