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Thinkpad - 161 and 163, and ERROR

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Original Message
Name: Alex2002
Date: October 11, 2007 at 11:25:46 Pacific
Subject: Thinkpad - 161 and 163, and ERROR
OS: XP
CPU/Ram: PII 300/228MB
Model/Manufacturer: IBM THINKPAD 600
Comment:

I'm back visiting home for a few days, and I have an old laptop here (very old, it's a PII IBM ThinkPad 600E, but it does the job for e-mail and web browsing) Anyway I only left 5 weeks ago, but when I came back to use my laptop, it comes up with errors 00161 and 00163 - I've done some research and apparently this indicates a dead battery and no date/time set. But I only replace the CMOS battery about 2 months ago! Also it comes up with a password prompt, but I'm assuming the password is nothing because when I press enter it comes up with "OK" in a circle, but then goes into the BIOS Setup with a screen saying "ERROR" in big letters, with the aforementioned error codes then listed and 2 buttons, "OK" and "Cancel" However, pressing either button causes the same outcome - the screen still reads "ERROR" but then has the error codes 161 and 163 listed, with an arror pointing to a book - very informative! The machine is then locked.

What on earth could be the problem here?

Cheers


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Response Number 1
Name: Alex2002
Date: October 11, 2007 at 11:26:28 Pacific
Reply: (edit)

PS - I've also tried removing the CMOS battery and reconnecting, with no change


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Response Number 2
Name: aegis
Date: October 11, 2007 at 11:51:08 Pacific
Reply: (edit)

This might be worth a try:

"You need to set the time and date, and you should be sent directly into the BIOS for that. You will then need to not only re-boot, but to turn the machine all the way off. When it comes back up, all is well."


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Response Number 3
Name: Alex2002
Date: October 11, 2007 at 11:54:57 Pacific
Reply: (edit)

Thanks for the reply,

Thing is, nothing about dates and times comes up - the Error screen comes up and after that nothing happens, so I'm stumped.


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Response Number 4
Name: aegis
Date: October 11, 2007 at 12:13:27 Pacific
Reply: (edit)

Doesn't the bios let you set the date/time? What happens when you try?


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Response Number 5
Name: Alex2002
Date: October 11, 2007 at 12:18:34 Pacific
Reply: (edit)

Nothing because I can't get into it - I press F1 when booting (holding F1 as I power up) and the same thing happens - it goes to the screen with the big "ERROR" message, but rather than telling me what to do or what the problem is, it just has an "------>" symbol pointing to the picture of a manual, which isn't very helpful for a 2nd hand laptop :(


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Response Number 6
Name: aegis
Date: October 11, 2007 at 12:32:20 Pacific
Reply: (edit)

I don't know if a manual will help, but there are a bunch of Thinkpad 600 manuals here:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/s...


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Response Number 7
Name: Alex2002
Date: October 11, 2007 at 12:40:20 Pacific
Reply: (edit)

Cheers, I'll have a look


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Response Number 8
Name: Alex2002
Date: October 12, 2007 at 05:14:42 Pacific
Reply: (edit)

The only thing I can find in the manuals relating to 161 and 163 errors is, again, a dead CMOS battery and no set date/time - yet the battery should be fine as it was brand new not that long ago. I don't know what to think here, but I really need to use the laptop. Should I just find a new CMOS battery and try it? Are these available in shops?


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Response Number 9
Name: Alex2002
Date: October 12, 2007 at 06:16:59 Pacific
Reply: (edit)

Here are some images that show what happens after the 161 and 163 errors come up:

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i...

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i...

After the 2nd screen, the computer locks up and has to be powered off. What is going on?


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