I won an IBM ThinkPad 600E at an online ebay auction. The seller says that there was Windows XP on it, but "sometimes it had some sorta BIOs stuck key error" and so the seller is selling it with the 10GB hard drive included but with "No OS".

What does this mean? and how do I repair it?

Also, can it connect with an Ethernet cable.... perhaps with a PCMCIA adapter?

If the BIOS is throwing the "stuck key" error, then that probably means that there's a key or keys that is stuck. Fixing it can be as easy as changing the keyboard. Or there may be a problem with the motherboard. You won't know which is the problem until you trying changing one of them and see what happens.

Yes, you can plug in a PCMCIA-to-ethernet adapter, assuming that you also load an OS which supports the card. Windows XP was not offered on the 600E system from the factory so if you use a retail copy to install the OS, then you will have to download the necessary IBM drivers. You can find those drivers here:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... SHY-3TLQ2L

The Hardware Maintenance Manual for the 600E can be downloaded from here:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... WIK-3SYPX2

You may get lucky and just be able to tap on the keys to release the stuck key. Do it one at a time. The actual stuck key can be repaired by gently lifting the key off and spraying an air cleaner or contact cleaner to clean the key mechanism. If it continues to get stuck...try a micro-dot of WD-40 but contact cleaner may just do the trick.

If all else fails...then you may need a KB. Good luck...

Forgot to mention this earlier: If you are getting the 301 boot error codes, then this may help: http://www.kawakami-ca.com/ibm_600x/301errors/

It has arrived today.

03 301

It looks like the F5 Key....

The error would always show up whenever It was unplugged for a few seconds.

I tried a tiny amount of ...Windex. This is the first time time it booted normally after plugging it back in.

Thank you for your help.