T42 report 1802-error after being repaired? (with new mobo!)

[Johan]

Yesterday a T42 (2373-F2G) was received back from repair at the Danish IBM-repair sub-contractor, ServiceGruppen. The reason for sending this T42 for repair was that the USB-ports had died, and that the fingerprint-reader had simultaneously stopped working (both errors occurred after uploading music to an iPod via USB; such iPod-USB upload which had functioned perfectly for long time in the past). OK, the repair-centre reported to have replaced the motherboard, and also reported that PC-Doctor had been run (after replacing the mobo!), with all tests successfully passed. While for service at the repair-centre, the user-HDD had been taken out… so the repair-centre used a HDD of their own.

Unfortunately, upon installation of the user-HDD, and after insertion of the (70 % charged) battery, the T42 report the ”1802”-error at the first (user-) boot. According to Numeric error codes - ThinkPad General ”1802” means:

Code: Select all

Sympthoms or error = Unauthorized network card is plugged in. 

Power off and remove the Mini PCI network card.

Field replaceable unit or action, in sequence: 
1.	Remove Mini PCI network card 
2.	System board

During this ”1802”-error situation, the F11-functionality (”Access IBM”) didn’t work, although the HDD surely has the HPA perfectly installed and everything (tested previously, before sending to repair). The HDD is a brand new Seagate Momentus 7200.1; no errors on that either. It was possible to enter into the BIOS only, and check the BIOS version (being the latest, ver. 3.23, 1RETDRWW, dated 2007/06/18, and checking the EC version =3.04, also being the latest). The MAC-address seen in the BIOS does not match the MAC-address printed on the label on the bottom of the T42 – indicating that a new network-card has been installed.

What is now quite strange is, that after many such unsuccessful boot-attempts (with the battery only installed), the power-supply was also connected – and this time the T42 booted up fine, for the first time (and with no 1802-error?!?), and Win XP Pro started up with no problems. After successful boot-up, and user log-on, an USB-mouse was connected, automatically detected and installed, and worked – so now the USB-ports works at least! Next, the fingerprint-reader was tested, it also work. An USB-key (”memory stick”) was connected, installed itself, and some user data was copied from the HDD. OK, everything good. Power down.

On the next boot however (with both the power supply connected and the battery also installed), the ”1802” POST-error now is back again?!? And has remained there ever since. We are unable to boot on the CD-ROM (tried to boot on the ThinkVantage Rescue and Recovery Media). Completely stuck. Again, we cannot ”Access IBM”.

Not so fun… So, this morning called the repair-centre, and they want it in for repair again. They gave some ”explanation” about our HDD-drivers not being updated, but I asked why this would affect a POST-error, where the HDD is not part of the game – and they were short of an answer. The only thing I can think of is something like that descrbed in the thread T30 went dead while swapping wifi cards? – could this be an explanation… “static discharge”?? Would that fix the error permamently (or allow to boot on a CD-ROM)??

Well, what I wanted to ask is this: While the ”1802”-error is being well-known to many forum members, and while ways of curing it has been described e.g. in the threads NO-1802 and NO-01C9 boot CD or no-1802.com is not as good as linux livd cd or Unauthorized network card what would the ”1802-experts” of this forum suggest I do to resolve this case? I would like to avoid having to hand in the T42 for another repair, and wait for perhaps 10 days to have it back (shipment forth and back, one week repair), if there an easy remedy which I could instruct/explain a remote non-expert to apply? Remember that I even cannot boot up onto the CD-ROM, so I have difficulties running e.g. an ”no-1802.com” fix. The T42 user/owner is not capable on his own of disassembling the T42 and removing the network card. A simple solution is therefore necessary – something I can describe over the prone – otherwise it has to go in for repair again.

PS: I do have an USB-floppy drive, that I could send to the T42-user… if the BIOS would allow booting onto a diskette while at the same time not allowing to boot onto a CD-ROM.. (?)

Thanks very much in advance for suggesting any simple and efficient solutions to this annoying problem!

Best regards,

Johan

[ajkula66]

How about disabling the wireless card in BIOS, and booting from a no-1802 CD then?

BTW, the MAC address seen in BIOS belongs to LAN, and not wireless.

[jdhurst]

It is possible they put the wrong motherboard in your machine. I had the system board replaced in my T41 and the first two attempts were the wrong board. In my case, it affected the hard drive protection system. ... JDH

[Peak2Peak]

Only posted for your reference:

http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Problem_w ... twork_card

[ulrich.von.lich]

Isn't the motherboard replacement the only way to fix the USB ports? So it'd be normal you have a different motherboard now (with a different MAC address as you observed in BIOS). Have you taken it apart to see if they put a wrong wireless card inside? Does the 1802 error mean non-genuine IBM/Lenovo network card?

[Johan]

How about disabling the wireless card in BIOS, and booting from a no-1802 CD then?

BTW, the MAC address seen in BIOS belongs to LAN, and not wireless.

@ ajkula66: George, you (always!) so helpful friend, first and foremost: Merry Christmas! I was thinking of you many times yesterday, when you celebrated your Christmas, and I thought (I really did!!) to send you an ”electronic greeting” via mail; something with Santa Claus riding in the snow, by pure coincidence in Pennsylvania, actually somewhere very near Albrightsville, on his way to the home of a big boy who deserve a BIG Christmas present this year! Unfortunately, I couldn’t quite find the image I wanted (and you wouldn’t have recognized a drawing, if I had made it by hand myself, so I saved you for that!), but anyway see in your mind an image of Santa there with a BIG, gift-wrapped box labeled ”For the kind, big boy George!”, and this ”something” perhaps labeled: ”T60p” and perhaps with smaller letters saying ”brand new 2623-DDU with flawless UXGA FlexView/IPS display”! THAT’s the way I hope yesterday evening worked out (or, hey, you fellows in the USA do it differently from us here in The Old World, you don’t celebrate Christmas Eve but in stead the next morning, after Christ was born?). So, I modify the image to Santa coming riding early this morning, knocking at your chimney, and before you know anything, there is this… big… box… a very, very special delivery…. for this eternally big boy, you-know-who!

Well, about the 1802-error, if reading the instructions to the ”1802-removal-CD”, you will physically need to remove the WLAN miniPCI prior to running the fix, so disabling this does not seem to be sufficient. As mentioned, the user is not sufficiently capable of doing this (he was actually ”sufficiently mad” already yesterday, when he/we discovered this, so I won’t try to drive him through all this, for him, by far advanced too stuff).

It is possible they put the wrong motherboard in your machine. I had the system board replaced in my T41 and the first two attempts were the wrong board. In my case, it affected the hard drive protection system. ... JDH

@ jdhurst: Wow, JD, I am impressed: Three attempts to replace a motherboard by experienced repair-technicians, and first succeeded the third time? Amazing! Phew, I really hope I need not go through all this hassle.

Today, the repair-centre said they would send a pre-paid shipment label, so what has been decided is to send in the T42 again, and this time with its own HDD (belonging to the user). That ought to be impossible for the repair-shop to fail on that, I’d say (/hope!). By the way, this afternoon I spoke to the IBM/Support, and asked them about their opinion for the cause of the 1802-error, and they said that they believe it is the motherboard (again!!)… if so, it didn’t survive more than one day, and if so, that I am having severe difficulties in understanding.

… but why did we manage to boot up successfully one time on the user-HDD with no 1802-error, and after that it came back again?? I really don’t understand this. Can an ”1802-error” go away and come back if the motherboard is OK??

Only posted for your reference:
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Problem_w ... twork_card

@ Peak2Peak: Thanks for this link; however I already had seen it (it is mentioned in the thread referenced to above, no-1802.com is not as good as linux livd cd. However, as already mentioned, using this approach will require that the WLAN miniPCI is physically removed from the ThinkPad while applying this patch – and such removal is beyond the capability of the user.

Well, back for repair it goes. My second experience with the Danish IBM-repair shop, ServiceGruppen. The first was even worse – as evident from my thread IBM/Denmark deny to honor warranty confirmed by IBM-Support. I need to keep my fingers better crossed this time...

Thanks for your feedback, regardless of the outcome. It may prove useful another day. Wow, I am becoming more and more educated every day through this outstanding forum!

Best regards,

Johan

[Johan]

Isn't the motherboard replacement the only way to fix the USB ports? So it'd be normal you have a different motherboard now (with a different MAC address as you observed in BIOS). Have you taken it apart to see if they put a wrong wireless card inside? Does the 1802 error mean non-genuine IBM/Lenovo network card?

Is far as I know (= having read on this forum), what a repair-centre will normally do - to cure an USB port problem - is to swap the motherboard. WHich is why the MAC address no longer match the old one (found on the label at the bottom).

The 1802-error "meaning a non-genuine IBM/Lenovo network card"? As I have understood from the what I have read here, the 1802-error either means an error on the motherboard, or that the BIOS (on the particular ThinkPad) doesn't recognize the particular WLAN interface, and therefore has to be updated (if feasible). If you dig into the many "1802"-threads on this forum, you will find the precise explanation (which I might not have understood correctly).

Any no, as explained above, disassembling this T42 is not possible for the user (who is about 100 km from me right now). So, back for repair the T42 goes...

Best regards,

Johan