Ibm 600X 00173 Error

[beecee]

Can anyone offer any advice? I have aquired an Ibm 600X & when switched on, it give errors 161 & 173. Cmos Battery you might say, but I've changed it 3 times, (all Brand New 1's that are Tested @3v & do work in other 600 series machines).

I believe it could be a Checksum error, (New Mobo)?

Here's what I have Done

1) Install New Cmos Battery
2) Switched on
3) Got 161 & 173 Errors
4) Set Date & Time
5) Pressed Ok & got the On/Off error screen
6) Switched Off, then Back on
7) Date has been retained & is now correct but still gives 173 error
Laptop does occasionally Boot into Windows Xp

I now leave the Laptop in standby to avoided re-starting it.

If you 'warm re-boot' (Re-Start in Windows or Ctrl Alt Del in Dos) everything is okay, it's only when the Laptop has been shut down fully.

I don't think it can be the Cmos connector Pins on the Mobo because the new Date etc. is actually Retained.

Model No is 2645-9FG which should be a 650mhz Cpu but this machine has a 500mhz!!!

Laptop is running Xp Pro with Sp3 etc. & 64mb On-Board Ram + 64mb in 1 slot & 128mb in the Other. There are no other faults or issues when the Laptop is up & running.

[rkawakami]

Try executing the "Initialize" function under in the BIOS' Config menu. Also, the system may report 500Mhz as that's the speed the CPU will run at if it is in SpeedStep mode. Make sure that you boot the system with an AC power supply connected and change your Power Settings to Maximum Performance and then see what a program like MobileMeter says is your CPU speed:

http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Sys ... eter.shtml

[beecee]

Hi Ray & thanks for the Quick reply. Will try the 'Initialize' & have downloaded the MobileMeter, but I'm not sure what you mean by 'Change Power Settings to Maximum Performance'
In Control Panel / Power Options there is a Setting, but the only Options are Automatic or Disable

I Like the List of Laptops you Have, Mine Currently are : 3 x Ibm 600x (all 500mhz), 1 x 600 (300mhz), 2 x 600E (366mhz), 2 x 600E (400mhz), 1 x 570E (500mhz), 1 x 765L (166mhz) & 1 x T21 (900mhz)

[landsmarra]

I've seen a Maximum Performance setting in the Battery MaxiMizer application on my 770 (had to be downloaded/installed). Perhaps that's what is being referred to? Not sure if the 600 has a similar utility...

[rkawakami]

In Control Panel / Power Options there is a Setting, but the only Options are Automatic or Disable

You are almost in the right spot! On the Power Options Properties window there should be a tab marked "Power Schemes". Click that and there is a Power Schemes drop-down box. There can be a dozen or more settings which controls the power/performance aspects of the system. Selecting the Maximum Performance mode will force the CPU into the fastest mode possible at all times, negating the effect of the SpeedStep feature (which automatically throttles down the CPU speed when demand is low).

If you have the Battery Maximiser utility loaded, you can also get to this setting by clicking the battery icon next to the System Tray and either selecting "High System Performance" or clicking the "View Scheme Settings" option for all of the possible choices. I recommend trying the normal Windows Control Panel/Power Options first as you may or may not have the Battery Maximiser program installed as mentioned by landsmarra.

[beecee]

Thanks landsmarra, but the 600X doesn't have the Battery facility that I know of. The T & X Series does & I have had it working on a 600E a long time ago, but that was when I swapped a Hdd straight from the 'T' into a 600E.

I think rkawakami was correct in the 'Initialize' suggestion though, (fingers crossed), because I've switched off several times now & I have had no 173 errors. I'll leave it off overnight & see what happens.

I have run the MobileMeter & Cpu-Z. Both say that my Cpu is 500mhz, so I can only assume that the previous owner robbed the 650mhz Cpu before selling it. (There are some screws missing from the Base of the Laptop).

[rkawakami]

I have run the MobileMeter & Cpu-Z. Both say that my Cpu is 500mhz, so I can only assume that the previous owner robbed the 650mhz Cpu before selling it. (There are some screws missing from the Base of the Laptop).

Well, in that case, access Easy Setup and look at the Microprocessor description. If it's really a 500Mhz CPU then it won't say "Intel(R) SpeedStep Technology", like the 2647-5FU I'm staring at. I'm sure that you can also find this somewhere under Windows (System Properties or Hardware Manager) but the BIOS won't lie .