R51 doesn't start

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#1 Post by **thePCxp** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 7:44 pm

My R51 doen't start. When I came home, I opened the LCD lid and and the standby and battery indicators were showing. Then, I pressed the power button and it would't start up and the IBM logo didn't show up only the fan kept running and the screen was blank and Only the battery and on indicators were showing.
Can somebody please help me. I am very worried about this. I never had a problem with my ThinkPad and this is the first problem that I had with my ThinkPad.

#2 Post by **thePCxp** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 10:47 pm

I called IBM and the rep said that I have to send my R51 to IBM to get the system board replaced.
I am going to miss my R51. I just can't stand being away from it.

The good thing is that this is not going to take long.

#3 Post by **thePCxp** » Thu Mar 03, 2005 11:55 pm

I just found out that I am getting my R51 back tomorrow!

Here is what happened:
I called IBM on 2-28-05, I got the box on 3-1-05, I sent my R51 to IBM on 3-2-05, IBM repaired it on 3-3-05, and I am getting my R51 back on 3-4-05.

I can't wait until I get my R51 back!

jjackson02 · #4 Post by **jjackson02** » Fri Mar 04, 2005 8:22 am

thePCxp wrote:I can't wait until I get my R51 back!

Congrats!!

(I know what it's like to suffer ThinkPad withdrawl.)

#5 Post by **thePCxp** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 2:00 am

I finally got my ThinkPad back!
I am very happy.

IBM offers great service and support.
IBM rocks!

#6 Post by **thePCxp** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 12:21 am

Not Again!

The same thing that happened with my ThinkPad before has happened again! I called IBM and I have to send my ThinkPad to IBM. the box is going to arrive on Thursday and I am going to send it on Friday and I am going to get it back next week.
I think I know why my system board got messed up again, I use my ThinkPad during school and I put it in standby mode when I'm not using it. The representative said that standing by my system when im in battery power will mess up my system and have a hard time starting but it won't mess up my system if it's on AC power. So that means that I have to carry my AC adapter to school.
I am going to miss my R51 so much!

#7 Post by **thePCxp** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 10:47 pm

Here is what happened today:
When I went to school, I tried to turn my ThinkPad on and it worked! so when I got home, I canceled my service request but then later on in the day, my ThinkPad wasn't working again so I had to request my service request again. But while I was on the phone with IBM it worked again, then it didn't, then it did, and then it didn't. So I have to send it to IBM and my box is going to arrive on Friday.
Poor little ThinkPad.

#8 Post by **AlphaKilo470** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 1:06 am

You do have a problem, but I can't imagine it being standby. I've used ThinkPad's dating back to 1992 (the good days) that do battery standby without a hitch. IBM's (now Lenovo) put over a decade of work into their mobile computing line and I can't see them letting a small thing like that standby issue slip. That and the default action for a low battery with all ThinkPads is to go into standby. IBM programs these things to standby off the battery after a given amount of time.

Still, I could be wrong about this, but if so, well, that's not saying anything good.

#9 Post by **thePCxp** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 4:36 pm

Does anybody have any tips on how to take better care of my ThinkPad so the system board won't get messed up again? Because I also don't want this to happen again.

a31pguy · #10 Post by **a31pguy** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 5:13 pm

One phrase: Surge protection. recently I had a server hard drive, a printer, a wireless phone, and an oven go boom because of an extreme surge that came over the phone line and power lines. It was a nearby lightning strike or transformer blowing up down the street. This by far is the greatest danger to a motherboard besides McDonalds Coffee

APC makes a portable power brick with built in surge protection, power conditioning, and ground fault detection for laptops.

Check out this link:

http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?S ... ntID=37307

and this one:

http://www.carebase.com/WP-Power-Protec ... exicon.htm

#11 Post by **thePCxp** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 7:50 pm

Thanks for the links a31pguy!
Well, my ThinkPad is leaving tomorrow.

#12 Post by **thePCxp** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 9:38 pm

My ThinkPad left today.

I really can't stand being away from my ThinkPad, its like a child to me.

SeanM · #13 Post by **SeanM** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 6:50 pm

Tell us a little more specifically how you're using the machine. It sounds like you're taking it to class, using it in class, and bringing it home. Are you suspending with Fn+F4, or are you just closing the lid? Are you plugging the machine into power when you're at school, or is it running on battery all day until you get home? When you get home, do you plug it in to power and then open the lid, or the other way around?

#14 Post by **thePCxp** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 8:15 pm

I am bringing it to class, using it in class, and bringing it home. I put it in standby mode by going to Start and then Turn off Computer and then Standby. It runs on battery power all day and then when I come home I plug it to the charger.

My ThinkPad is coming home!

#15 Post by **thePCxp** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 9:07 pm

I finally got my ThinkPad back!

mweck · #16 Post by **mweck** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 1:34 pm

Is it working ok now? Is it noticeable that they opened your machine up?

The reason I ask is I am having to send R51 off to IBM monday. I have only had it 1 month, and it locks up when wireless is on and I connect or disconnect the A/C adapter. And also has issues with booting up on battery with wireless radio on.

I hope its better than new when I get it back, since new it didnt work 100%

Mike

#17 Post by **thePCxp** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 5:23 pm

My R51 is working great now. Its not even noticeable that they opened my computer up.
That's too bad that you have to send your R51. I hope that its better when it comes back to you.

SeanM · #18 Post by **SeanM** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 11:18 am

mweck, if you haven't sent the machine off, don't yet.

PCxp, you should go ahead and do this too --

Get the latest video driver for your machine. You can do that here. (Assuming you have one of the R51 systems with Intel graphics)

This fixes a similar problem to what you're seeing, mweck.

#19 Post by **thePCxp** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 12:23 am

Not again!

The same thing that happened to my R51 before has happened again for the 3rd time!

abvc · #20 Post by **abvc** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 2:53 am

try to use proper shut down instead of stand by

#21 Post by **thePCxp** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 2:34 am

abvc wrote:try to use proper shut down instead of stand by

What about hybernation mode?

abvc · #22 Post by **abvc** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 4:49 am

still shutdown is the best, coz it totally let your laptop has a rest

#23 Post by **thePCxp** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 10:48 pm

I got my ThinkPad back today!

MobileGuru · #24 Post by **MobileGuru** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 9:17 am

It's been my experience that handling has a lot to do with this issue, above and beyond all other kinds of problems. Start off with getting a carry case that only holds your machine and adapter, nothing else like books or anything else that could put pressure on the chassis. From there make sure you power down or hibernate the machine prior to closing and moving the system unit. Finally, dn't be rough on the carry case when moving it from place to place .. ie dropping on the floor, throwing to the back seat of the car or whatever as impacts over time will cause the problem you are seeing.

#25 Post by **thePCxp** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 11:54 am

Thanks for the advice MobileGuru.

R51 doesn't start

R51 doesn't start

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