Help!!! A22M only starts when it wants to!!!!!!!!!!!

[redgtxdi]

Here's the scenario.........I push the power button and the HD led will flash for a second & the laptop will make a power-sound, but none of the other dash lights will come on & that's all she wrote!

Try again & again & again & again, same thing. Holding the button down does nothing. Removed battery, replaced battery, AC, noAC, removed RAM, replaced RAM, etc. etc. Nothing keeps it from doing it. Leave it alone for a while & it'll start right up. (could be 5 minutes or 5 hours) I'm losing my patience.

It's an A22M P3/850 320mb RAM etc. etc. I'm desperate for help!

[JHEM]

Replace the CMOS (RTC) battery.

If that doesn't fix it, try reseating the processor.

Regards,

James

[redgtxdi]

Now, I've heard this before, but I'm confused. I have absolutely ZERO problems w/ my clock or other CMOS-related info. So, why would the CMOS battery need replacing & what affect would it have on the machine not starting??

[JHEM]

When you press the power button on your Thinkpad you're activating a momentary switch that energizes a solid state solenoid, you're not actually throwing a mechanical switch.

The CMOS battery provides the power to energize this circuit and switch the solenoid on. The battery can often have enough residual capacity to maintain the Date/Clock settings yet not have enough capacity to activate the system.

Regards,

James

[redgtxdi]

James,

Thank you sooooooo much for the explanation!! That makes a world of difference (to a desktop guy like myself). FWIW, in between the time I read this & my previous post, I just about had the whole darn thing apart in pieces on my kitchen table.......LOL!! I just didn't see anything unusual. Nothing that I could tell without getting deeper.

I *did* find the CMOS battery (finally, thanks to the FTP's from this site) and removed it & played with it a bit, let it rest a bit & reinstalled it and interestingly enough I've got 5 consecutive boots. (on the battery even......reason I say that is because the boot problems seem less frequent on the AC adapter, but once it rears its head, it stays 'til time passes). I soooo hope the CMOS battery does it 'cuz I otherwise, LOVE this laptop!! I'll post back after I get another battery tomorrow. (Assuming I can find one locally.)

[Deb Suran]

Try Radioshack for your battery.

[redgtxdi]

Well, shoot!!! I tried replacing the CMOS battery, but it looks like order only. (It's just a CR2032 Lithium battery but it's wrapped in shrinkfilm w/ 2 contact pads conntected to wires then to a plug) I split the shrinkwrap with a razor blade but the tabs are stuck on the battery. (Looks like a touch or 2 with a soldering iron to make 'em stick).

I got a CR2032 (individual) from Radio Shack & was gonna try replace just the battery. Sooooo since that didn't work, I just started playing around & removing the battery, rubbing it, etc. and it acts the same regardless.

What really got me was when I removed the CMOS battery altogether & it STARTED UP!! I don't know if this completely shoots down the theory that the CMOS battery activates part of the startup, but without it even installed if it boots, I'm guessin' it kinda does??? (Totally bummed now!)

[Deb Suran]

Did you try reseating the CPU chip?

[redgtxdi]

No, I haven't tried reseating the CPU, but my experience in cases of CPU seating problems have proven false in my desktop builds. I wouldn't be opposed to trying it if I get the gumption up to take it apart again, but it's a little unnerving and at this point (after further research) it's looking to be the mainboard.

I've contacted a few resellers here in the states and apparently quite a few of this generation of Thinkpad end up having the mainboards go bad & develop the EXACT symptoms I'm describing. It's sad considering that the quality of the rest of the unit is amazingly durable. I've got mainboards in desktop builds I've done that are nearing the 10 year mark. This is a little disappointing, but oh well. If I can see this laptop thru 'til Christmas, I'll probably just buy myself another, but I think it'll be another brand this time.

[Deb Suran]

my experience in cases of CPU seating problems have proven false in my desktop builds.
This is a known issue with this model, so I suggest you try it.

[redgtxdi]

Well.........after doing everything in the book.......(replace CMOS, shake, jiggle, talk nice to, R & R everything, remove & reseat CPU (this one got ugly as I lost the parts to the lid-top closing/shutoff mechanism & had to go fishing for about an hour to try & find the parts & then figure out how they went back together!!!!!!!!! GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and the situation still exists!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've had it!! I'm done!!! No more!!! The next time I buy a laptop, it will be with a 3 of 5 year warranty so that these mfgr's can held accountable for the quality of product they put out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ctcheung]

My A22m worked for a while and hanged. After I re-seat the CPU and the problem gone. You may clean the pins carefully and press it firmly in the socket.

CT

[corvettegreg]

I took the advice of ctcheung and pulled my cpu and cleaned the pins with denatured alcohol and a small brush (not plastic). Now my a22m which had similar problems as yours works fine. I was at the point of ordering a new motherboard but the problem has been gone for 3 days of very heavy use and testing. All you need to do is remove the keyboard and the hinge / status indicator panel, the fan and the cpu is right there. It took a total of 20 minutes.

[redgtxdi]

UPDATE............................

OK, well after my poor little A22m finally wouldn't start any longer......(I thought it was a goner for sure).......it has finally started again!! It was off for about a month.

I since got a great deal on a Dell 5100 (P4/2.66/512mb/ati7500/dvd+cdrw/15"etc.etc.) Anyway, I love my Dell but it just killed me that this a22m sat doing nothing. So about 3 weeks after my last attempt to start it, I decided to pull it out again. I pushed the start button runnin' off the battery, but just same flash & nada. Then, I plugged it into a/c adapter & hit the button one last time &...........presto........it started!!!!

I now have a new use for it & here's what I've done...........

I bought a cheap 802.11g wireless pcmcia card for it and leave it where all the magazines are next to my couch. It stays plugged into the a/c adapter and I have XP set up to power down the HD after 15 minutes of idle time. This way, I simply close the lid (I have XP set to not standby/hibernate if lid's closed) and the monitor, of course, automatically shuts off and then 15 minutes later, XP shuts the HD down to put the system in a "quazi" sleep state. Sure, I may shorten the life of the laptop overall by it being on 24/7, but I get to use it everyday now from the couch and if it only lasts another 5 years instead of 10.........hey, no sweat!!! It's my couch-side browser now!!!

Yipppeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. I must also say, too that it is rather nice having a computer "always on" as when I sit on the couch, I simply pull it out, flip the lid open, wiggle the trackpoint and it's up. Done! No boot-up, no waiting, just flip open and it's on! If any of you have older laptops laying around, I'd highly suggest this use for it, it's waaay handy!!