T22 Overheating, shuts down.

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rattlehead · #1 Post by **rattlehead** » Sat May 19, 2007 3:53 pm

I have a T22 that seems to be overheating. It runs for about 5-10 minutes and then it just shuts down. Won't restart until it cools back down. I removed the keyboard and blew all of the dust and junk out and removed and reseated the fan on the processor. Anyone have any other suggestions to try? I would really like to get this one working for my daughter. TIA

Randy

Purcy · #2 Post by **Purcy** » Sat May 19, 2007 4:18 pm

Hello, does the fan come on when you start the computer or after about 10 minutes; can you hear it running? Just thinking of a dead fan maybe.

TomKroscavage · #3 Post by **TomKroscavage** » Sat May 19, 2007 4:34 pm

Try the Bios settings and Arctic Silver

rattlehead · #4 Post by **rattlehead** » Sat May 19, 2007 9:43 pm

Will check those out tomorrow. Need to get some artic silver anyway, mine needs it too. Will post the results. Can I remove the keyboard when it's running to check the fan function? Or is that a no, no when powered up?

TomKroscavage · #5 Post by **TomKroscavage** » Sat May 19, 2007 11:30 pm

I pull mine off all the time

rattlehead · #6 Post by **rattlehead** » Sun May 20, 2007 12:28 am

Is the fan supposed to run all the time? or just when needed? I think I heard it running when I first powered it up. But then it stopped and never started up again (I removed the keyboard to be sure. Is the sensor for the processor temp inside of that fan unit? If so, I'm thinking I need a new fan assembly.

iamdmarks · #7 Post by **iamdmarks** » Sun May 20, 2007 2:29 pm

My T23 was left running in the sun in a room without A/C for the whole day. When I discovered it at the end of the day, it had already suffered from thermal shutdown. The fans whines as it struggles to spin, and after replacing the fan, it still doesn't work the way it used to. Would stay on for several minutes and then just stop (screen blank, etc.)

In a working model, the fan would come on and off depending on the internal temperature which depends on what your machine is doing at the time.

Good luck with it, I think it might need a motherboard replacement. As for me, I'm searching the web for another T23 so I can reuse all my drives, memories and ultrabay toys.

rattlehead · #8 Post by **rattlehead** » Sun May 20, 2007 7:04 pm

I have ordered some Arctic silver. I have access to another fan unit in my working T22. I will install it and see if that fixes the problem. If it doesn't I may need to look into something more serious. I just hope the system board isn't too damaged.

agarza · #9 Post by **agarza** » Sun May 20, 2007 8:56 pm

Have you tried if the Thinkpad Fan Control utility works on your machine? If so, you could monitor your CPU temperature and based on that you first test if using Smart Mode within the program makes the fan spin at a specified speed. Then you could simply replace thermal compound.

iamdmarks · #10 Post by **iamdmarks** » Sun May 20, 2007 9:39 pm

Hmmm, tx, Xtr
I'll try the fan control utility. It wasn't part of the usual IBM offering of diag tools, but I'll give it a go. It may be touch and go as the T23 doesn't even boot up regularly now. I'd like to remove the keyboard and operate it 'naked', but the hassle of the power button on the keyboard makes for another sign that I might just get another TP.

Tx

rattlehead · #11 Post by **rattlehead** » Mon May 21, 2007 12:40 pm

Where can I get that fan control utility?

iamdmarks · #12 Post by **iamdmarks** » Mon May 21, 2007 7:18 pm

All I did was google it and turned up this link

http://sourceforge.net/projects/tp4xfancontrol/

I tried to make it work last night but alas, my T23 isn't even booting up anymore. Motherboard is gone. .....

rattlehead · #13 Post by **rattlehead** » Mon May 21, 2007 8:30 pm

I am working with T22's not T4x. That utility doesn't work for me.

iamdmarks · #14 Post by **iamdmarks** » Mon May 21, 2007 10:56 pm

The instructions mentioned something about the fact that it has been found working with T2x series machines. But of course, it's untested. I was not able to test it myself as I couldn't boot up my TP. IBM doesn't make the util for this series. Good luck.

vlyne · #15 Post by **vlyne** » Tue May 22, 2007 12:25 am

I managed to get tpfancontrol to work on a T20 but you need to setup the fancontrol.ini to work in smart mode and the levels need to be set so that the fan is enabled right from the start. Otherwise, you'll most likely get the "Can't access status.." message. On that point the number of error messages also needs to be set to a high number. So, in fancontrol.ini set error messages to a high number such as 37000; also set it to not log the messages. Set active to 2 for smart mode (not sure if there is a 3 for manual mode?). I set refresh to 10 seconds but 5 seconds should be fine. Set the levels so that the fan turns on at low temperature say 1 (degree) for level 0, 2 for level 1 etc. Usually the program can get in to read the registers and turn on the fan before the "Can't access status.." warnings. So the idea is to turn on the fan to full blast at first access, otherwise things might get a bit hot... Be careful.
Cheers

rattlehead · #16 Post by **rattlehead** » Thu May 24, 2007 8:47 pm

Well, turns out the fan is not the issue. I swapped it out with a known working one and it still shuts down without any warning. It does get pretty warm, but so does the one I use and it has not shutdown issues. Anyone have any idea what the problem is?

#17 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Fri May 25, 2007 1:55 am

Just in case, there is a whole forum here dedicated to TPFanControl, as it was developed by a forum-member.
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewforum.php?f=27
When you swapped the fan, did you apply fresh thermal paste?
Was there any paste to begin with?

rattlehead · #18 Post by **rattlehead** » Fri May 25, 2007 2:03 am

RealBlackStuff wrote:Just in case, there is a whole forum here dedicated to TPFanControl, as it was developed by a forum-member.
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewforum.php?f=27
When you swapped the fan, did you apply fresh thermal paste?
Was there any paste to begin with?

yes and yes. Both fans seem to function fine. I am beginning to think I may need a new system board. But, I'm not sure if I want to put that kind of cash into it or keep it for parts.

vlyne · #19 Post by **vlyne** » Fri May 25, 2007 4:32 am

Unfortunately, replacing the mobo seems to be the only solution in a number of cases I've read of where the overheating is not due to the CPU/Fan. If you haven't already done this, check the CPU temperature with mobmeter. I'm struggling with a similar problem and I've isolated a few temperature sensitive components that I'll need to test out. The main problem I'm facing is how to get access to the underside of the mobo while the machine is on - I might just have to find a donor base and cut most of the base out. I'll post back in this forum if I do find anything but I'm not hopeful...
Cheers

#20 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Fri May 25, 2007 4:37 am

There are a few mobos for less than $100.- on eBay.
You should also check the Marketplace Forum here.
Still cheaper than buying another laptop!

rattlehead · #21 Post by **rattlehead** » Fri May 25, 2007 7:30 pm

I found one for a resonable price. Do I need to get a CPU with it? I would hate to find out later that I should have got both when I had the chance. Is this problem a system board replace only?

rattlehead · #22 Post by **rattlehead** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 1:55 pm

Just a quick update. I replaced the system board and it's fixed now. Still using the original processor.

Purcy · #23 Post by **Purcy** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 2:33 pm

Hey that's great news! Enjoy your cool T22

rattlehead · #24 Post by **rattlehead** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 3:13 pm

Anyone have any idea how I can go about restoring the serial number into the eprom of the replacement board? I tryed to find the utility to do it myself but no luck. The HMM says I need to take the info from the original before replacing. But, what do you do if thats not possible?

nikki605 · #25 Post by **nikki605** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 11:06 pm

I had to replace my mobo a couple of months ago for a powering down problem. I thought mine was overheating too, turns out it wasn't. Just a bad power regulator circuit. Replacement mobo fixed my problem too.

The unit serial number, mobo serial number, UUID MAC Address will all be different from the original board. I think this information is stored in EEPROM on the mobo. I could find no way of changing it.

But then I figured, so what, the TP is out of warranty anyway... it doesn't really matter what the system reports for these numbers. It doesn't hurt anything. It does bug me that I know they are not right, but I've tried to "get over it."

The only issue I had after replacing the mobo was that WinXP required that I re-activate Windows because of a "significant hardware change." I re-activated it and have had no issues since.

I'm just glad to have my TP back in use and not shutting down any more.

vlyne · #26 Post by **vlyne** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 12:50 am

rattlehead: You can find a discussion on changing the S/N at: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=12263.
Cheers

nikki605 · #27 Post by **nikki605** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 9:17 am

GOD, I love this forum

Hardly a day goes by that I don't learn something from you guys!

Thanks, vlyne for posting the link to the other topic.

I followed the instructions, downloaded the TPHMD file, created the floppy disk and booted it. After working around a few typos, I was successful in changing the unit model/serial number in my T21.

THANKS!!

p.s. - I gotta remember to use the "Search" function more often.

rattlehead · #28 Post by **rattlehead** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 7:14 pm

Cool, thanks to everyone for all of the help. I LOVE this forum.

superman_06 · #29 Post by **superman_06** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 3:20 pm

I have a T21 also and am having problems with it overheating also.... I put in a 1000mghz processor (OEM was 850) I didnt put any new past on it, will de-electrical grease work? the fan seems to work. Does the fan have the thermal sensor in it?

nikki605 · #30 Post by **nikki605** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 3:59 pm

I'm not sure what you mean by "de-electrical grease," but you need to apply a good quality thermal heat sink compound (aka "grease" "paste") to the CPU. Another forum member posted the link below which contains an excellent write-up on how to apply Artic Silver heat sink compound. Make sure you completely clean off all old thermal compound with isopropyl alcohol from both the processor chip and the underside of the heat sink where they make contact.

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=361385

If all you have on there is the old, leftover paste, you better get some new heat sink compound on it fast! With properly applied Artic Silver, my T21 with the upgraded 1GHz CPU runs at about 40°C when just idling. As I increase the workload on the CPU, the fan (from a T22) comes on when the temp gets to about 75°C. I installed the T22 fan at the same time I installed the 1GHz CPU based on so many recommendations from the members on this forum. It does work better at getting the heat off of the hotter, 1GHz CPU.

The temp reading comes from the CPU, not the heatsink/fan assembly.

T22 Overheating, shuts down.

T22 Overheating, shuts down.

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