IBM Think Pad A31

[DDD707]

I have just been give an IBM Think Pad A31. When I turn it on I just get the power on light lit. (It is like a N with a circle around it). I cannot get it go go any further. Ocassionally I have seen the IBM Splash Screen but then it disappears. It will not boot using F1 or F11.

It was working approx 2 hrs ago.

Can you please offer some guidance?

Regards
David

 

[goombawaho]

This trick will work ....... sometimes.

Unplug laptop from DC Adapter. Pull battery out of laptop. Press power button for about 30 seconds continuously. Then press power button a few times over about 10 seconds.

Wait 60 seconds without doing or connecting anything.

Plug in DC power jack, but leave battery out.

Try pressing power button as normal.

 

[DDD707]

Many thanks for your response. Unfortunately the trick doesn't work. Any other suggestions?

 

[G0AOZ]

I take it you've tried powering it off the mains adaptor with the battery removed. If this works then it points to a possible battery problem...

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[DDD707]

Yes. I've tried with and without the adapter and battery

 

[G0AOZ]

Check that the correct voltage is reaching the laptop from the PSU when you try to power it up, and there isn't a sudden substantial voltage drop.

Try disconnecting from the motherboard (often under the keyboard) the multiway connector feeding video and power to the screen (and invertor and lamp). Then plug in an external monitor.

I'd doubt if it's one of the peripherals, but try disconnecting hard drive, CD, WiFi board, keyboard and touchpad, and see if that makes any difference.

See if you can check the RAM on another machine. If applicable, reduce to one piece of RAM only.

You're now at the point where it looks like a motherboard fault. If you really feel the urge to progress further, you could try disconnecting the BIOS battery from the motherboard. This might involve substantial dismantling followed by unsoldering of the battery if there is no CLR CMOS jumper. But we're clutching at straws now...

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[goombawaho]

Sounds toasty to me. Professional repair or dump it.

 

[G0AOZ]

Agreed. In the commercial field it's probably not even financially viable to do much more with it. But since the OP said he'd been given it, from a hobbyist's point of view it's worth seeing if the proverbial silk purse can be made out of the sow's ear...

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[DDD707]

Thanks guys. Its not sounding too good but I will give it a go.

Regards
David

 

[goombawaho]

I was thinking "given" as in given to the OP to fix by his sister. Either that or his boss gave it to him for work and he broke it in less than 2 hours (big trouble).