I was just given a lightly used A30 by a neighbor who considered it trash because of the CRC1 error it throws on boot.

I'm aware of the sensitivity of the EEPROM subject on this forum but wouldn't it be OK if I simply ask where a specific component is located on my laptop? What's the harm in that?

Admin edit: Added PIC warning in subject line

verboten ... I'm sure you could find it without the help of this forum, given that you're an EE

First, thanks for your sarcasm about being an electrical engineer. I would like to point out that the engineering skills I've acquired over a lifetime still do not bestow X-ray vision like Superman. I've Googled for the location of the chip extensively and looked in the Hardware Maintenance Manual for the A30. No luck. I've disassembled many a laptop and what I've learned is that the less disassembly, the better. Little plastic interlocks break, one-time thermal pads peel, etc. I'd like advice on exactly where the chip is so I can do as little disassembly as possible. Seems reasonable, no?

Second, as far as this subject being forbidden, I have a few comments. On a legitimate forum, there are certain things that cannot be allowed. Examples would be the construction of burglary tools, construction details and methods of federally illegal firearms, explosives and WMD, conspiracy to commit any crime, etc. You get the idea. What I want to state in the strongest possible terms is that the physical location of an assembly on a piece of my personal property for the purposes of repairing said property is without doubt not criminal. Its no different than if I asked where the control module is on a Honda Civic.

See the inline image below. It is verification that I possess a broken Thinkpad laptop with the CRC1 corruption error. If asking for a little help repairing a fault on my laptop constitutes a crime, I should check my position on a GPS because I may have woke up in Russia or China this morning.

Whoa tiger - that was a bit prickly.

The point is that to replace your chip, you're going to have to open the laptop case anyway. Having not owned an A30 I can't help with the specifics, but having owned 2x A31 series (and having a broken A31 mobo to hand) I can say it is on the mobo and very clearly marked. Time to get out your screwdrivers and soldering iron.

Good luck with the repair.

I think it's a fair question.
The 24RF08 is also known as ATMEL.

Google showed:
- The atmel chip is below the “sub card for pc card slot”.
- You need to remove the following parts in this order: battery pack, CD-player (”Ultrabay plus device”), modem daughter card, ethernet daughter card, backup battery, hard-disk drive, keyboard, keyboard cru insulator, keyboard bezel, ultrabay plus slot (note the procedure here, it is easy to break it) and finally “sub card for pc card slot”.

I don't think this answer is against any rules.

After nearly four years of procrastinating, my A30 lives again. Had to order a "replacement part" from Germany then struggle with upgrading the BIOS and embedded controller firmware with a dead battery and no floppy drive. Everything works now.

Another Thinkpad saved from the dumpster.