Need help with Thinkpad T20 hardware issue

[matty]

Having problems with a thinkpad T20.
I think its an overheating problem. Is there any way to confirm this? It works for a while and then windows freezes up. I have run a memory test, chkdsk and things of that nature. Just seems that when i'm working in windows for a while, everything freezes, and there's no error message at all. I have to hold down the power button. the bottom is really really hot, but the fan is working ok

This particular thinkpad took a pretty good bump a while back. I had to take it apart and reseat the video connector. Could it be that the heatsink came loose? I really want to get it working.

Any advice/thoughts would be great.

[doodles113]

I don't think is overheating...
At least,my former T20 (2647-84U) also heats a lot,but i never have noticed any freeze in almost two years of intense use(and some accidents,too), caused by hardware. (Win 2K/XP i used on this machine hangs a lot, but we can consider this a " feature" )
Check CPU and memory and reseat them, maybe one of them are defective.If i'm not wrong, fan is connected to motherboard in a way that is really difficult to get loose.
And, of course, verify if your OS and hard drive are healthy.
Good luck!

[JonathanW]

Hmm, sounds awfully like a bad system board Matty. The same happened to me with my very first T21 - constant lock ups, sometimes immediately after turning on, sometimes an hour or so later. ANY movement and the machine would hang. Then came the infamous 'machine switches on but doesn't boot' problem.

After weeks of this I had had enough and bought (for half the price of the T21) a system board (from a T22!). Best ever £100 I spent. The machine has been rock solid and a delight to own since then. There are several threads about similar problems - have a search but I can only suggest:

Reseat memory, CPU.
If no luck, try different memory modules/different slots
If still no luck - replace system board

That said there are quite a few 'spares or repairs' T series on our old favourite Ebay. Whilst I ended up paying £300 last year for a T21 'worth' only £200 at least it has been of great use now - no point in £200 worth of junk....

Jonathan

[matty]

thanks for the advice, I really really hope that i don't have to replace the system board. i spend enough hours on computer hardware. But i'm also of the belief that 95% of computer tasks do not need more than 700mhz/512MB...

I guess i will be printing that pdf manual on how to take the [censored] thing apart. Come to think of it, I think I have a t20 motherboard in my house somewhere (long story)

PS: hey, i've been to spoleto! its beautiful there.

[JonathanW]

I have a feeling you WILL end up replacing the system board but hey, it's not too difficult as long as you take your time. I spent a couple of hours one evening doing it and I seem to remember it also involved football on the TV and alcohol but everything still booted up first time so it can't have been that difficult!

As for Spoleto, small world eh? I am here for a few months surrounded by various T and X series - it's like Mission Control in my apartamento!!

Let us know how you get on....

Jonathan

[beeblebrox]

Common problem on the T2x series was a bad contact of the cpu to the socket. usually it happened after a few years and then after heat up.

Common solution: take out all removable parts (CPU!, Ram, minicards) and clean the contacts (use a rubber, then some alcohol) and reseat. In most cases the problem is solved.

even IBM recommends that, as is common practice in the industry.

Let an analyzer program run with continous logging, then you will find out, at which access to which part the system froze.

[matty]

here's an update (long story included at the bottom)

I replaced the system board but now I'm getting a lot of beeps and the following messages:

ERROR
0271: Checkdate and time settings
ERROR
0188: Invalid RFID Serialization Information Area or Bad CRC2

I can't get into the bios even though it says it is going there once I press F1.
is this a bad system board? is there a way to disable the RFID thingy? I'm really not looking forward to taking the whole thing apart again.

before i took it all apart, I could use the computer for about 3 minutes. this is more of an explanation of the problem:
Windows freezes after it boots up. To remove windows as a factor, I ran a bunch of memory and hard drive tests and they came up with nothing.
I started to install SuSE 9.3 professional and the installation keeps crashing with no real error messages.
Is the system board the problem? is it the processor? is this even worth my time? I don't want to give (or sell) this project to someone else. I guess I'd just sell this machine as parts. But I don't want to let it beat me.
Does anyone know a thorough hardware testing program that would give a meaningful error message? General advice?
I know its not overheating because I wouldn't be able to hard boot it immediately after a crash.

Long story:
My T20 fell off my motorcycle about a year ago. The screen display was all screwy. You guys advised me it was the display connector needed reseating and you all were right. It was fine after that.
Six months before that I plugged the wrong power supply into a USB hub that was plugged in to the same MB. I smelled burning and heard a snap. I assumed it was time for a new system board. I bought one on ebay. Right after that, the USB started working again. So then I had a T20 motherboard sitting around my house. So I stuck it in this machine to make sure its working.

[GomJabbar]

I replaced the system board but now I'm getting a lot of beeps and the following messages:

ERROR
0271: Checkdate and time settings
ERROR
0188: Invalid RFID Serialization Information Area or Bad CRC2

I can't get into the bios even though it says it is going there once I press F1.

The first error means you need to set the date and time in the BIOS. The second one means the system board is bad. At least that's how I read it in the Hardware Maintenance Manual. If you don't have it already, you can download the Hardware Maintenance Manual for the T20 by starting at the following link:

http://www-3.ibm.com/pc/support/site.ws ... date=false

[thinkpadz]

I'd have to agree, looks like your bios is corrupted.
maybe try flashing the bios via diskette??

Moderator Edit: Make your sig smaller!

[matty]

I dont think i can flash the bios unless the computer actually boots up... right?
Crap. I think this is probably the last time I'm going to try and buy a project. There's something to be said for having new things with warranties.