ThinkPad R31...broken. Fixable?

[celerystalksme]

Hello!

I have never owned IBM laptops. But I just acquired two ThinkPads for free from two different people! Yay! The bad part is that they both seem to be suffering from the same problem!!!! One is a R31. It won't turn on! Sometimes, when I hit the power button, it does NOTHING. Makes no noise, no lights turn on, nothing. Other times, it'll boot up, load windows, and even let you puts around with the mouse for a second...but it soon turns off and becomes nonresponsive.

What's going on? Any advice? Is this thing toast and unsalvagable?

Thanks!!!!!!

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