[LBo] Fw: Thinkpad problem

[Ray]

On Friday 11 May 2007 6:53 pm, tim wrote:
> Begin forwarded message:
>
> Date: Fri, 11 May 2007 19:53:03 -0500
> From: tim <lnx4vr at 2fords.net>
> To: qna at linuxbasics.org
> Subject: Thinkpad problem
>
>
> I recently bought a cheap old laptop, Ibm 390e, and everything has been
> what I expected, slow, not enough storage, maximum memory is more like
> minimum memory, but it worked.  Last night I booted dsl-n from cd and I
> decided to close the lid to make sure suspend wasn't working (!) and it
> froze.  I did press the fn key and various F keys but eventually
> shutdown manually.  When I rebooted instead of a normal post with
> processor speed, etc, I had a splash screen with Ibm at top right
> corner and a bold Thinkpad lower left.  And telling me to press F1 to
> enter bios utility.  Whether I waited and did not press any keys or
> pressed F1 I was taken to the bios utility.  Then two symbols appeared
> and normally I would at that point press enter, and OK would print and
> then I would be into the utility.  But now enter displays a small x,
> pressing enter again, and then again, displays a hand with a slash
> through it.  I guess it wants a password, but I have not set any
> passwords, and so far have not needed one.  I have been playing with
> several different distros and have had a few lockups, but each time
> turning off and on and back in business.  I did decide to check the
> cmos battery and it was nearly dead.  I have been losing time and
> should have checked sooner.  But replacing it didn't change anything.
> I know long story, but if anyone has any suggestions other than buying
> another I would like to  hear them.

You might try updating the bios, but sounds like hardware to me. 
updating the bios will _probably_ require using a windows machine to prepare a 
boot _floppy_ (files from manufactures website), booting from floppy, and 
doing whatever the instructions on the website say. 
Ray