Thinkpad - Sudden Death

  • Thread starter Thread starter Synapse Syndrome
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Synapse Syndrome

I was just using a ThinkPad X31 and it suddenly died. No LEDs, no sound,
totally dead.

It was connected to the Ultrabase dock at the time, with PSU connected to
that.

I swapped the laptop for an identical one, and the Ultrabase was fine.

Can anybody list any possible reasons for the laptop suddenly dying like
this?

Thanks.

ss.
 
Synapse Syndrome said:
I was just using a ThinkPad X31 and it suddenly died. No LEDs, no sound,
totally dead.

It was connected to the Ultrabase dock at the time, with PSU connected to
that.

I swapped the laptop for an identical one, and the Ultrabase was fine.

Can anybody list any possible reasons for the laptop suddenly dying like
this?
Click to expand...

First, make sure it's dead.
(Insert punch line here.)

Seriously though, that really is the first step. Disconnect the power,
remove the battery, let it sit for a few minutes so any accumulated
electrons can ooze out of the capacitors. Then connect it up again and see
if it will power up. (If you can, use the battery from another working
computer of the same model.) If it comes up normally, then you'll just have
to write it off as "one of those things" and hope it doesn't happen too
often. If it doesn't power up, and it's under warranty (not likely unless
you bought an extended warranty, then call IBM and send it in for repair. If
it's not under warranty, then you can consider it a paperweight, a spare
parts bin, or an opportunity to acquire ThinkPad repair skills. A service
manual would be very helpful, but common sense and screwdriver skills might
suffice. Start with the easy things like swapping components that are easily
removable with another computer. Once you've gone through the easy stuff,
then the most likely suspect is the planar. You might be able to find one on
eBay, but then there's the question of how much money you're willing to
spend on a repair that's not guaranteed to work.
 
Nick Danger said:
First, make sure it's dead.
(Insert punch line here.)

Seriously though, that really is the first step. Disconnect the power,
remove the battery, let it sit for a few minutes so any accumulated
electrons can ooze out of the capacitors. Then connect it up again and see
if it will power up. (If you can, use the battery from another working
computer of the same model.) If it comes up normally, then you'll just
have to write it off as "one of those things" and hope it doesn't happen
too often. If it doesn't power up, and it's under warranty (not likely
unless you bought an extended warranty, then call IBM and send it in for
repair. If it's not under warranty, then you can consider it a
paperweight, a spare parts bin, or an opportunity to acquire ThinkPad
repair skills. A service manual would be very helpful, but common sense
and screwdriver skills might suffice. Start with the easy things like
swapping components that are easily removable with another computer. Once
you've gone through the easy stuff, then the most likely suspect is the
planar. You might be able to find one on eBay, but then there's the
question of how much money you're willing to spend on a repair that's not
guaranteed to work.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I removed the battery and held down the power button for a couple
of minutes, to remove and capacitor overcharge and it started working again!

ss.
 
I was just using a ThinkPad X31 and it suddenly died. No LEDs, no sound,
totally dead.

It was connected to the Ultrabase dock at the time, with PSU connected to
that.

I swapped the laptop for an identical one, and the Ultrabase was fine.

Can anybody list any possible reasons for the laptop suddenly dying like
this?

Thanks.

ss.
Click to expand...

I have the exact same problem, but without the dock and I think it is
related to an oversensitive heat sensor. When the sudden death is
happening I am having a much more frequent problem were it won't post,
(the fan comes on, but no post), and I have to try many times to get
the machine to boot successfully. If I hold the power button down
momentarily, it will usually post but the fan stops once it starts to
boot into Windows XP or Ubuntu 6.04, and this often results in a
freeze while still booting that requires another hard reset. The only
way to fix the problem I have found is to let it cool off (it's not
really that hot) or hold it up to an air conditioner to provide
external cooling until it finishes the boot process. Once it's past
the boot process the CPU throttling takes over and I won't have a
problem unless it starts something that pegs the CPU for more than a
few seconds. Any help as to what needs replacing (other than the MB
with the soldered CPU on it) would be greatly appreciated.

[rant]
I am very disappointed as I've only had it for about a year. I am
also coming to the sad realization that IBM/Lenovo's quality has
dropped off sigificantly as they have moved their production
facilities from Ireland (600 - no problems for four years) to Mexico
(T23 - video board after 2 years) to China (X31 et al). If I want a
crappy laptop that will die after a few months I can always buy a
Dell.
[/rant]
 
Synapse said:
I was just using a ThinkPad X31 and it suddenly died. No LEDs, no
sound, totally dead.
Click to expand...

My T-43 laptop gave that appearanceafter getting a little rain water
onto the back edge last summer. It was in my briefcase, sitting in my
tent. Rain doused my tent, 1/2" water a result.

The next day, on first switching on that lap top, nothing happened.

I then removed the battery, noted a drop of water around the battery
cotacts. I blew all water out with an air blast (pursed lips; blow hard,
aim blast at suspected water in niches.) Wiped all dry.

Retried. Then all worked OK.

Other than that...Good Luck!

Angelo Campanella
 
I have the exact same problem, but without the dock and I think it is
related to an oversensitive heat sensor.
Click to expand...

Has it always exhibited this problem? A heat sensor
generally isn't going to get more sensitive over time. If
it didn't do this when brand new it is not likely to do it
now because of a heat sensor reporting higher or lower than
actual temp, unless there were a related bios setting that
has been changed, or software setting invoked once the OS
had booted far enough to load some of that software's
components.
When the sudden death is
happening I am having a much more frequent problem were it won't post,
(the fan comes on, but no post), and I have to try many times to get
the machine to boot successfully. If I hold the power button down
momentarily, it will usually post but the fan stops once it starts to
boot into Windows XP or Ubuntu 6.04, and this often results in a
freeze while still booting that requires another hard reset.

The only
way to fix the problem I have found is to let it cool off (it's not
really that hot) or hold it up to an air conditioner to provide
external cooling until it finishes the boot process. Once it's past
the boot process the CPU throttling takes over and I won't have a
problem unless it starts something that pegs the CPU for more than a
few seconds. Any help as to what needs replacing (other than the MB
with the soldered CPU on it) would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

Start by cleaning out dust (if you hadn't already). Take it
apart enough to gain access to the heatsink and inspect it,
the junction with the processor. Assuming it is removable
you might also remove it, clean off the thermal interface
material and apply a fresh thin coat of thermal compound -
ideally a non-capacitive, non-silicone based type like
Arctic Silver's "Alumina" or "Ceramique".


[rant]
I am very disappointed as I've only had it for about a year. I am
also coming to the sad realization that IBM/Lenovo's quality has
dropped off sigificantly as they have moved their production
facilities from Ireland (600 - no problems for four years) to Mexico
(T23 - video board after 2 years) to China (X31 et al). If I want a
crappy laptop that will die after a few months I can always buy a
Dell.
[/rant]
Click to expand...

Laptops got cheaper (as a general platform, though it's
still possible to pay a lot through certain precious
CPU/video/etc chips inside), thermal density went up, and
random samples have variable lifespans even further masked
by the nature of the product, being mobile.

Maybe they're all junk or maybe it was just your turn to
lose the laptop lottery. If all else fails, take or ship it
to a repair center.
 
I think you lucky, I owe T43 and call it The Last of The Mohicans (IBM),
take it with me everywhere but my small 16' hunting boat, well I don't
use tent these days, regret it too, but a camper.
 
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