after bios update on my T23 black screen and nothing help?

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djtopcat · #1 Post by **djtopcat** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 6:38 pm

I'm not sure what i did wrong but now all of a sudden after updating my bios from the Lenovo site I turn on my 23 the power light comes on but I get nothing on the screen and the hd is making sounds like it's cycling over and over
the first time I booted up after the bios update there was a plain white screen now just black
tried reseating RAM removing battery etc
now I'm just hoping I didn't fry my mb with the bios flash any help is greatly appreciated

T-23

phool@round · #2 Post by **phool@round** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 8:28 pm

Welcome to the Forum "djtopcat"!

With the battery removed and power off, hold the power button down for 10 seconds. Power back on.

Or.......did you apply the Embedded Controller update first or....?

Or......try removing the Mini-PCI and the hard disk too, not mentioned in things you removed.......you just want it to light the screen.

You just might have an issue with the coils, try a shake and see if you hear something rattling around inside the case...... it's a long shot but your T23 sure is acting like it......

Having any problems with the computer keeping the date/time correct?

Lot's of stuff to check, don't give up yet.

djtopcat · #3 Post by **djtopcat** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 9:44 pm

I removed everything
battery
both modem and mini pci
HD
DIMMs

still black screen and that noise is actually the fan I guess
here's the sequence of what i did prior to this problem
1)installed WINDOWS XP
2)added tested and working ultra drive
3)went to Lenovo site and downloaded latest bios imbed
4)flashed to latest bios update
5)on last update turned comp back on and got a grayish white screen
with what looked like bleeding gray tones on the edges
ever since just a plain black screen so bummed

phool@round · #4 Post by **phool@round** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 10:22 pm

What's the model of your T23? Have you retried the update?

djtopcat · #5 Post by **djtopcat** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 11:03 pm

model 2648
AU8

I can't do anything without a screen can I?

phool@round · #6 Post by **phool@round** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 11:45 pm

At this point what could it hurt? Did you update the Embedded Controller first then update the BIOS?

djtopcat · #7 Post by **djtopcat** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 1:23 am

yes exactly in that order downloaded and installed the embedded
update then updated and flashed the bios then poof on next restart
gray white screen now black nothing
and now when I turn it on the last 4 icon lights light up for a 1/2 second then only the "Z" light stays lit???
black screen only noise is the fan pulsing loud and soft
not sure how I can update again if I have no screen?

phool@round · #8 Post by **phool@round** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 1:52 am

I think what you have is a coincidence. When the laptop powers off after the update it rockets off hard. So what you have witnessed is this. One or both of your inductors on the bottom of the system board have come loose (finally). It's common enough. There is a "Sticky" note on top of this Conference (Pulsing Fan) that will help you along, link.Your going to have to remove your system board from the case in order to resolder those coils, they are on the bottom of the board. The pulsing fan is a dead ringer for this issue, I know, I've repaired 30+ T23's for it.

Here is a Hardware Maintance Manual to show you how to take your T23 apart. Here's the link to the manual; here.

Start by removing your keyboard, then palmrest and so forth. You shouldn't need to remove your LCD. It's going to take some time to do this. If you don't have a soldering iron see if you can borrow one @ 35 Watts or less.

#9 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 7:56 am

Only yesterday I picked up a brand new 20W soldering iron for $1.- in the local Dollar store.

Website · #10 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 10:42 am

phool@round is correct. You happen to have a coincidence here. One of the inductors on the bottom of the system board has come loose. You might be able to lift up on the lower left corner of your T23 and press downward about an inch and a half from the same corner(causing the board to flex), while pressing the power button, to see if it will boot.

djtopcat · #11 Post by **djtopcat** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:20 pm

hey I really appreciate everyone's help on this what a great forum!
ok so I dissassembled nearly the entire thing last night but could not get one of the screws loose on the fan assembly

so before I stripped it out I just decided to put it all back together
where exactly on the bottom of the board are these inductor coils I was able to lift up the board down in the left bottom corner under the HD assembly but saw nothing loose or rattling around
I guess it would help to know where those coils are located haha

#12 Post by **rkawakami** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:35 pm

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=37956

Click on the bottom side w/legend link and you will find them at map locations D9 and E8. They are the black, squarish devices with round tops (if that makes any sense).

djtopcat · #13 Post by **djtopcat** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 6:19 pm

haha you guys rock one of the inductors is only connected on one side loose from the board I was a top in my class at Navy A-school in soldering but I'm a little rusty lol that's a very small space to get the tip in between those caps
any advice? I just have alow wattage Radiocrap soldering iron now thanks for all the help I think this thread will solve alot of headaches with the T23

#14 Post by **rkawakami** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 6:47 pm

A 25 watt "Chicken Shack" iron is what I use too. You might want to remove the inductor(s) and make sure that the metal pads are clean and fairly "black" free. There is usually a fair amount of oxidation on the pads; scraping them to expose the silver/copper can help to obtain a longer lasting connection. Best thing to do is to place a small amount of solder on each pad (i.e., "tin" it) before putting it back on the motherboard. Heat up one side until it drops down onto the board. Let cool. Heat up the other side but realize it may not move too much. Good visual inspection and grabbing onto it and slightly pushing/pulling should give you a good indication if it will stay on.

#15 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 6:48 pm

While on this subject, my T23 occasionally boots up, then gives a BSOD with Stop 51 REGISTRY_ERROR.
When I reboot, everything is fine for the rest of my session until I switch off.
Could this perhaps also be a lose inductor?

#16 Post by **rkawakami** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 7:32 pm

I'd lean more towards a memory or HD problem, although there are some things that happen (or are supposed to happen) when you first turn on a system (i.e., a cold boot) that doesn't occur when you perform a warm boot later on. But these are basically power supply ramps and shouldn't have anything to do with a BSOD.

#17 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 7:55 pm

The HD is a fairly new (8 months) Seagate 40GB Momentus 5400.2 with 8MB cache (not yet the perpendicular one).
The RAM is 2x 512MB 133MHz CL3 Crucial CT64M64S4W75.16F, which uses Micron MT16LSDF6464HG-133D2 chips, bought together new from Crucial also about 8 months ago.
What irks me is, that apart from the occasional BSOD, everything works great otherwise.
I dragged this laptop all over Europe last summer (Ireland, Norway, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, Ireland) then to USA, and it always did its job fine.
Guess I'll take it apart again, and check for loose connections.

djtopcat · #18 Post by **djtopcat** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:14 pm

well I re soldered the loose inductor slapped it al back together now I turn it on I get 3 short beeps pause 3 short beeps pause beep?
I give up I'm putting it on Craigslist and looking for a 41

#19 Post by **rkawakami** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:21 pm

djtopcat wrote:<snip>...I get 3 short beeps pause 3 short beeps pause beep?

Memory!

RealBlackStuff wrote:I dragged this laptop all over Europe last summer (Ireland, Norway, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, Ireland) then to USA, and it always did its job fine.

Maybe it doesn't like US electricity?

<---- Note: This is a joke people!

djtopcat · #20 Post by **djtopcat** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:26 pm

man I just pulled and reseated the DIMMs still 3beeps pause 3 beeps pause and beep

phool@round · #21 Post by **phool@round** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:32 pm

djtopcat, darn glad you know how to wield a pencil soldering iron, I was a little worried this issue might be too much.

I've not recieved one update notice to this thread all day. Looks like everything is in order.

Edit: (Spoke too soon I guess......)

djtopcat · #22 Post by **djtopcat** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:57 pm

ok reseated all the mainboard connectors
power up beeps are gone fan isn't pulsating like it was but still black screen city?
quietly humming and that "z" light is lit?
is there a quick test to get something to show up on the screen?

phool@round · #23 Post by **phool@round** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 11:04 pm

Press FN+F7.

after bios update on my T23 black screen and nothing help?

after bios update on my T23 black screen and nothing help?

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