I recently purchased an IBM ThinkPad 700 PS/2 Laptop at a Garage Sale. Turned it on and got an error message: An OK crossed out pointing at what looks like a stack of papers that says IBM. Error numbers are 00016500 and I9990303. When I hit any keys, it doesnt do anything and just tries to access the floppy drive. I cant get any further. How do I resolve this issue? Other numbers by the way are: Type 9552-301 S/N 97-G2WX1.

Robert, first I'd like to thank you profoundly for troubleing yourself to post the make, model, and type no. of your computer. So many say, "My laptop.. . . " Anyhow, one thing you need to do is go to IBM.com and paw around on their support pages. They have some of the most excellant online support there is. Well, ya, I just got back from IBM support, and they no longer list the 700!!!!!!! I did try a few things, here's a link to download the hardware maintenance manual: http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=GSMH-3AQCRG more stuff: http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/product.do?doctypeind=4&doccategoryind=0&operatingsystemind=49979&template=%2Fproductpage%2Flandingpages%2FproductPageLandingPage.vm&brandind=10&familyind=50085&machineind=0&modelind=0&partnumberind=0&subcategoryind=0&validate=true link to the driver matrix: http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=BMOE-3VAM8Y http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-39298 Just lot's o lots' o stuff: http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/product.do?doctypeind=4&doccategoryind=0&operatingsystemind=49979&template=%2Fproductpage%2Flandingpages%2FproductPageLandingPage.vm&brandind=10&familyind=50085&machineind=0&modelind=0&partnumberind=0&subcategoryind=0&validate=true http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=YAST-3JWMGH OK GO HERE: IF THE PAGE DOES NOT DISPLAY THE error code docs, past your "I99903" into the search box near the top of the page: http://www.ibm.com/Search?v=11&lang=&cc=&q=I9990303&Search.x=15&Search.y=9 This looks bad, comes up as a "system board" error. Here's what I'd do. I'm not familiar with the 700 exactly, but I've worked on some of the older 360xx, 755xx series, I'd pull out the hard drive and the floppy, and try to get into the bios. On most thinkpads, you start with the machine OFF. Hold down the F1 key, and WHILE STILL HOLDING the F1 key, turn on the machine and CONTINUE TO HOLD the F1 key. This should get you into the "bios." It may be a dead bios battery. Most older thinkpads actually have 3 batteries--the main, big, battery, the comos batter, and a little larger battery that is envolved with the sleep/suspend functions. Definately download the hardware manual and look through that. Even though I see that IBM no longer lists this in support, the hardware manual link I posted covers this model and some others.

Thanks for all the info. I'll try to get into the BIOS. I did read somewhere that it could be that I need to restore the system partition. But it did not come with a backup reference disk or anything. Anyone know where that kind of thing may be?

Can you boot from a floppy. If you don't have one, go to... http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm and download "Windows 98 SE OEM" exe and execute to a floppy. If you can boot successfully, you have a harddrive problem. With the floppy boot, can you enter BIOS; usually the DEL key gets you into it. This will at least tell you how serious your problem is. Good luck, Sandor

If you figure out what is really going on, you will need to do a "generic" clean install. You might get Windows95 to run but this machine would have had DOS plus Windows 3x on there. You should be able to get any drivers you need form IBM, look for the "driver matrix." Again, even though the 700 is no longer listed in some of the support search pages, when you start digging around (as I did on the hardware maintenance file) you'll see that it ALSO covers the 700, so some files are still there. Get just about ANY bootable floppy and it should tell you something. I did not look close at the hardware manual, but I'm betting that you push the latches and hinge the keyboard up? Then you can remove the battery, the hdd, and floppy. I'd pull the hdd out and see if it'l boot on a floppy. You DO need the keyboard down to boot (microswitch)

I cant get into the BIOS at all. with or without the floppy or battery. I tried F1, DEL, CTRL-ALT-INS, and all that. Did not work. I cant get it to boot to a floppy. and I took out the hard drive. I'm still wondering if its that I need to restore the system partition with the backup reference disk. But I dont have a copy of that disk. Some sites say that there is also a diagnostics disk. Any help at finding these would be great. -Thanks

Tell me EXACTLY what you did. You don't need any hdd, or "backup partition" to get into bios. Did you? Start out with the machine OFF Hold down "F1" and CONTINUE TO HOLD Turn the machine on WHILE STILL HOLDING THE "F1" key This should get you into the bios. Alternately, if you turn the machine on, it should boot to the graphics that shows an arrow shoving a disk into the floppy. There may be a diagnostics disc, I'll see if I have one. Too bad IBM removed the links/search keys to this machine, but as I said before, much of the support site stuff for the 701/755/360/365 seems to be also correct for the 700, so you might want to do some searching on the support site.