600X install stuck "setup is starting windows"

[NautTboy]

TP crashed and unable to log back in Windows, keep rebooting.

Reinstall XP, stuck at "setup is starting windows" and nothings happens.

Tested HD Ok on other TP.

Removed all the memories except the integrated one.

Removed modem card suggested by user.

Googled came up with F5 trick, tried all the option, still the same, stuck.

Still haven't double check the memory by using memtest.

Anyone with any suggestion please holla.

I just dont want to hear that it's the MB.

[rkawakami]

Reinstall XP, stuck at "setup is starting windows" and nothings happens.

Can you provide a picture of exactly what's on the screen? You can either email it to me or post a link here.

Tested HD Ok on other TP.

How was the HD tested? Just booting, installing an OS or was some actual HD diagnostic run (what I would recommend)?

Removed modem card suggested by user.

A bad modem card generally can affect power up, allowing the system to complete POST or causing problems at a specific point during an OS install.

Still haven't double check the memory by using memtest.

I would do this in order to eliminate memory as being the issue.

Anyone with any suggestion please holla.

Grab a copy of PC Doctor for DOS and run Systemboard, CPU and Fixed Disk tests as a minimum. You can get a copy from here:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... IGR-495KW2 (diskette version)

or here:

http://www.kawakami-ca.com/ibm_600x/dgpcdoc.iso (.ISO file I host)

I just dont want to hear that it's the MB.

Okay, I don't think it's the MB just yet...

[NautTboy]

ok, finally had time to do a little testing.

I am testing memory provided in Ubuntu CD. I dont know if it's the version of memtest or memory is bad. I left it running. I know it takes awhile to run the test, but it's been 24hrs for a test on 256mb.

For the HD test, I install on TP 700mhz successful and ran the scan with no error.

I still haven't download the pc diagnostic test yet.

[rkawakami]

If it's a recent version of memtest86+, then the screen should look something like this:

http://www.rkawakami.net/280117017149/

I think that 256MB in a 600X should take around 45 minutes to complete one pass through all of the test patterns.

[whizkid]

If the CPU has been upgraded, that can confuse the Windows installer. While it is hung, generate an ACPI event. I like to do this by pressing Fn-F2. If it makes progress, keep doing that when it locks up.

Once you log in (pressing Fn-F2 about 675 times!), change the CPU driver. IIRC, there are three to choose from. Select the other one that seems to make sense. Once that is done, you should only have to do this trick at startup.

Also, the lock-up should not happen if you start up on battery power.

If Fn-F2 doesn't do anything, I'm not sure what else to try.

[NautTboy]

Ok. Man! Finally had time to download rkawakami's iso provided and run some testing. With all memory attached, every thing passed except the memory. I took one at a time out until only the onboard memory left and memory test still failed. Now, if it's the onboard memory is bad, how can i disable that? Even if it's bad, couldn't it just go straight to the memory added?

[rkawakami]

You can disable the built-in memory on the 600X motherboard with a BIOS edit. Details are in this post:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?p=54535#p54535

Be careful that you change the correct byte in the table. If you ever re-initialize the BIOS, the edit will revert back to the default, which will re-enable the onboard memory. There is supposed to be some software that you can run which maps out the defective memory (if using Linux only from what I gather), but I'm not sure how efficient or safe it is to use. Details are here:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=75546

[NautTboy]

Cool! Thank you. I'll give it a try once again when I have time.

[NautTboy]

Ok, i've read that thread about bios editing. In my bios v1.20, there's memory selection but once you go in it, you can't edit anything. It shows:

Installed 262144kb
Usuable 261568kb

Could I just cut one of the pin from the onboard memory like what they did to 240X to disable the onboard to get max of 256mb?

[el-sahef]

You have to go into the config section and hit ctrl-d to enter the bios editor.

[NautTboy]

Ok, I'm in there, but clueless of what I'm looking at. Everything is in Hex. I paged thru and don't see anything that say "MEMORY"

More help is appreciated.

Edited: Since it only used what's available, do i still need to disable it?

[rkawakami]

Since I did something like this for disabling the trackpoint, here's a similar web page with the instructions for disabling the onboard memory:

http://www.kawakami-ca.com/ibm_600x/disable_memory/

[NautTboy]

Hey, it works!!!! Thanks guys. Special thanks to rkawakami for his 'Bios Edit for dummies'.

Thread Closed, finally!!!!