T21 problems

[schwarz633]

My T21 (W2K) has been locking up periodically and now locks up during the W2K boot. It will boot up in safe mode. I have another identical functioning Thinkpad and have swapped the memory, battery, and hard drive from it into this one with no improvement. Any suggestions? This computer is no longer in warranty, so I would also be interested in suggestions as to where to send it for repair. Thanks.

[bwaldow]

I'm a software engineer with a long career of software QA behind me. I've used M$ Windows since version 3 professionally. Windows always gets corrupted with time - it is a patched OS rather than designed.

Even with the best OS design (OS/2, BSD, GNU/Linux) software functioning may be corrupted, particularly with our tendency to add/subtract/mess with the system, and the partial knowledge/testing software "manufacturers" put into their work.

It's quite resource intensive to guarantee software -- think of 2 raised to the power of the number of memory bits in your machine - not all of those states must be considered, but cutting down the number that must be considered is itself a problem beyond human capacity. I know - it's my job .

"Test until I can't think of any other possibilities" is really only proof-by-lack-of-a-counter-example. No real proof at all...

Only careful management of design and resource gives us much chance of avoiding conflicts. M$ in particular "balances" quality with first-to-market, which helps their monoply, but doesn't put the consumer first.

Have you tried re-installing Windows? And is the BIOS up to date? (But really, it's likely you just need to re-install Windows, to wipe the slate of past corruptions, as it were).

Regards,
Bret
T1 2647-8AU
Gentoo GNU/Linux

[schwarz633]

I did finally reinstall the OS and the install had a problem with the modem driver. Don't use the modem anyway, so it really didn't matter. In hindsite I could have probably disabled the modem driver from safe mode if I had known that's what was causing the problem. So I guess the problem was a failed internal modem, I think. Anyway all is well now.

[egibbs]

Doesn't the T21 have the modem on the Mini-PCI card (I know my T20 does). If so, try reseating it - I have to reseat the one on my T20 every once in a while or it causes lockups.

The HMM has full instructions, but basically you just unplug the machine and take the battery out, open the Mini-PCI door, take the card completely out (including disconnecting the flying cable for the rear panel connector), then put it all back together. Shouldn't take more than 5 minutes (maybe 10 the first time you do it).

Ed Gibbs