Re: IBM Thinkpad suddenly dead?

In article <487e416a$0$1350$834e42db@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
"BillW50" <BillW50@xxxxxxx> wrote:

In news:RHqfk.5$dl5.3@xxxxxxxxxxxxx,
dk_ typed on Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:01:22 -0700:
In article <487e3511$0$1351$834e42db@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
"BillW50" <BillW50@xxxxxxx> wrote:

In news:D_pfk.22988$5U6.428@xxxxxxxxxxxxx,
dk_ typed on Wed, 16 Jul 2008 10:13:08 -0700:
In article <487e0efc$0$1351$834e42db@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
"BillW50" <BillW50@xxxxxxx> wrote:

In news:TDnfk.50279$YG6.20271@xxxxxxxxxxxxx,
dk_ typed on Wed, 16 Jul 2008 07:32:19 -0700:
Could this be caused by a MOS battery going dead?
If not, then what?...

My IBM A20 suddenly will not start at all.

The machine was running, and the screen was turned off.
When I tried to use the machine again, it was completely dead.

It will not boot at all and power is plugged in.
Won't even begin to boot up.

Help.

Thanks.

Did you try booting without the main battery in the laptop? That
would be the first time I would try.

Did that first. ;)

What next?

Well you probably tried this next. Pull the AC adapter out and then
try it on the battery alone.

Did that and with an additional known good battery.

Next please.

Next is to remove the hard drive, CD/DVD drive, and memory. You will get an
error with the first and last missing of course. But if one of them is it,
you should know by having it do something. Many CD/DVD drives can be removed
on a lot of laptops with one screw. The secret is finding that one screw.
Another thing to try is disconnecting the LCD from the motherboard.

The idea here is one of these devices has a short and won't let the laptop
fire up. Once you find it, then you need to replace it. Of course, it could
be something else. And if you get the laptop far enough apart, checking that
CMOS battery would be another thing to try. Do you have a voltmeter?

It's alive!!! It's alive!!!

I removed the CD and the HD. The machine came to life. I put the HD back in
and the machine booted normally. I put the CD in and it too is fine. Even
the clock kept the right time. I have no idea what made it go bad, but your
ideas jogged it back to life.

Thanks.

-Dennis

--
Dennis Kessler
http://www.denniskessler.com/acupuncture
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: IBM Thinkpad suddenly dead?
    ... It will not boot at all and power is plugged in. ... Did you try booting without the main battery in the laptop? ... Many CD/DVD drives can be removed on a lot of laptops with one screw. ... The idea here is one of these devices has a short and won't let the laptop fire up. ...
    (comp.sys.laptops)
  • Re: IBM Thinkpad suddenly dead?
    ... Did you try booting without the main battery in the laptop? ... Many CD/DVD drives can be removed ... The secret is finding that one screw. ... The idea here is one of these devices has a short and won't let the laptop ...
    (comp.sys.laptops)
  • Re: IBM Thinkpad suddenly dead?
    ... Did you try booting without the main battery in the laptop? ... Many CD/DVD drives can be ... The idea here is one of these devices has a short and won't let the laptop ... The machine came to life. ...
    (comp.sys.laptops)
  • Re: fan not working, pc heating up and turning off
    ... Its open to Q as to whether removing a battery will prolong its life. ... The Laptop manu's here only tend to offer battery warranty replacement up to ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Good low cost laptop for embedded work?
    ... doesn't need a lot of CPU power. ... Were you wanting a long battery ... >life for use outside your lab? ... Couldn't find that on the web site but maybe that works as a laptop. ...
    (comp.arch.embedded)