X31 won't start

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moviedude · #1 Post by **moviedude** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 10:07 am

I have just got my cherised X31 back from my mother-in-law's after three years! It was being used by my son and then put away until this week when I recovered it. Plugging it in the charge light shows. Powering on the caps lock and num lock lights flash briefly and I can hear the hard drive start up. But nothing shows on the screen; no bios boot up sequence no response to any of the keys including caps and num locks. Listening closely the hard drive doesn't sound like it's doing anything except for a steady hum. Is it dead for good?

#2 Post by **rkawakami** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 10:44 am

Welcome to thinkpads.com!

With a "dead" system, the usual advice is to remove all hardware that plugs into sockets/connectors and then see what the bare system does. This means take out all of the memory, the hard drive, the MiniPCI card, modem/bluetooth daughter card and in the case for the X31, undock it from the base. Power it up and if you don't get the missing memory beep code (1-3-3-1), then yes, the motherboard is probably gone. If you do get the 1-3-3-1 beep code, then plug in one memory module and re-boot. If the system is then able to finish POSTing (IBM splash screen and BIOS is accessible) then whatever hardware you removed has a problem. It's then a matter of re-installing one piece at a time before you find out which one causes the system a problem.

zcacogp · #3 Post by **zcacogp** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 2:38 am

rkawakami,

I'm in exactly the same situation with my X31 as moviedude; the symptoms are identical.

I'll do as you suggested and update this thread. However, a few more details would be helpful; do I need to remove the case to disconnect the hard drive? And what is the modem/bluetooth daughter card?

Thanks for the advice (although not intended for me it is still useful!) If it does turn out to be a duff motherboard what are my options? Can you still buy them, or am I looking at buying a machine that is broken in some other way and constructing one working machine from the two of them?

Oli.

#4 Post by **rkawakami** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 2:56 am

The hard drive can be removed without too much trouble and does not require any major disassembly. The memory modules are under a cover on the bottom of the system and the MiniPCI and communication daughter cards are underneath the keyboard and requires the removal of several screws. All of the information can be found in the Hardware Maintenance Manual. You can download a copy from here:

http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc ... 9t6189.pdf

The daughter cards are simply small printed circuit boards that contain the modem or a modem/Bluetooth combination. They are held in place with a couple of screws and plug into a socket on the motherboard.

zcacogp · #5 Post by **zcacogp** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 6:16 pm

RKawakami,

Thanks for your helpful posts. I did as you suggested - stripped everything off the motherboard, and tried booting. And - yes, it did the 1-3-3-1 pip. So I put things back one by one, and when I had a memory module in (my machine has two) and the HDD, it POST-ed and booted!

Other memory module and a couple of other bits later and it was all fully built up and still booted ...

So, I'm not sure what was wrong but it is all as it should be now. I am guessing there was a duff connection somewhere (possibly caused by thermal cycling) and removing the relevant component and replacing it has solved the problem. In the lack of a clearer answer, I'm happy to believe that, at any rate.

So, thanks for your suggestions and encouragement. I now have an operational X31 again! (I may add that the machine is now 10 years old, and still the best piece of IT I have ever bought! I thought it was dying about 4 years ago and bought an X61s2 as a replacement, and it's not a patch on the old X31 ... )

I'm happy - thank you.

Oli.

#6 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 6:38 pm

If you still feel like working a bit more on it: the contacts of the RAM modules are probably quite dull.
Remove AC and battery, then the RAM modules.
Use an eraser to rub the length of both contacts sides of the RAM modules, blow off the detritus, the contacts should now be bright and shiny.
Reinsert RAM. Enjoy.

moviedude · #7 Post by **moviedude** » Wed Jun 27, 2012 5:17 am

If I wanted to access some files from the X31's HDD how would I do this? I'm not familiar with the connector on the end of the HDD.

#8 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Wed Jun 27, 2012 6:04 am

X31 HDs are of the ATA/PATA/IDE (all the same) type.
Put it in a USB enclosure with ATA/PATA/IDE connector.
Connect the USB cable to a laptop or PC, and use e.g. Windows Explorer to access the data on it.

moviedude · #9 Post by **moviedude** » Wed Jun 27, 2012 7:42 am

But the HDD has two blocks of pins. The main is 2*22 (less 1 pin) and then a block of 2*2. The IDE cable expects to plug onto a block of 2*20 pins.
And how would I power the HDD?

#10 Post by **dr_st** » Wed Jun 27, 2012 8:11 am

Laptop IDE connector is different from desktop connector.

You can get adapters from USB to laptop IDE. Since these are small 2.5" drives, the USB is usually enough to power them too.

moviedude · #11 Post by **moviedude** » Wed Jun 27, 2012 8:27 am

OK thanks.

moviedude · #12 Post by **moviedude** » Wed Jul 25, 2012 11:50 pm

Just an update ... bought the adapter from eBay and it works a treat. Managed to access all the files I wanted (proving that the HDD is working fine).
Having recently replaced some dome-topped capacitors on my desktop pc and fixed a random freeze problem that has been plaguing me for months I now feel more confident at tackling what might be a similar problem with my X31. There's another thread where this has been discussed before so I'll continue it there.

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