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IBM Mobile Systems ThinkPad Computer Hardware Maintenance Manual

Note Before using this information and the product it supports, be sure to read the general information under "Notices" on page 116.

Second Edition (December 2000) The following paragraph does not apply to the United Kingdom or any country where such provisions are inconsistent with local law: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION PROVIDES THIS PUBLICATION "AS IS" WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE LIMITED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Some states do not allow disclaimer or express or implied warranties in certain transactions; therefore, this statement may not apply to you. This publication could include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. Changes are periodically made to the information herein; these changes will be incorporated in new editions of the publication. IBM may make improvements or changes to the products or the programs described in this publication at any time. It is possible that this publication may contain references to, or information about, IBM products (machines and programs), programming, or services that are not announced in your country. Such references or information must not be construed to mean that IBM intends to announce such IBM products, programming, or services in your country. Requests for technical information about IBM products should be made to your IBM authorized dealer or your IBM marketing representative. © Copyright International Business Machines Corporation 2000. All rights reserved. Note to U.S. Government Users ­ Documentation related to restricted rights ­ Use, duplication, or disclosure is subject to restrictions set forth in GSA ADP Schedule Contract with IBM Corp. © Copyright IBM Corp. 2000

Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . Important service information . . . . . . . . Strategy for replacing FRUs . . . . . . . How to use error messages . . . . . . . Diskette compatibility matrix . . . . . . . . Safety notices: multilingual translations . . . . . Safety information. . . . . . . . . . . General safety . . . . . . . . . . . Electrical safety . . . . . . . . . . Safety inspection guide . . . . . . . . Handling electrostatic discharge-sensitive devices Grounding requirements . . . . . . . . Laser compliance statement. . . . . . . . General descriptions . . . . . . . . Read this first . . . . . . . . . . . What to do first: . . . . . . . . . Related service information . . . . . . . Service Web site . . . . . . . . . Using Recovery CD . . . . . . . . Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . Power management . . . . . . . . Checkout guide . . . . . . . . . . Testing the computer . . . . . . . . Detecting system information with PC-Doctor. Power system checkout . . . . . . . ThinkPad A20m/A21m and A20p/A21p . Product overview . . . . . . . . Specifications . . . . . . . . Status indicators . . . . . . . FRU tests . . . . . . . . . Fn key combinations . . . . . . Symptom-to-FRU index . . . . . . Numeric error codes . . . . . . Error messages . . . . . . . Beep symptoms . . . . . . . No beep symptoms . . . . . . LCD-related symptoms . . . . . Intermittent problems . . . . . . Undetermined problems . . . . . FRU replacement notices . . . . . Screw notices . . . . . . . . Retaining serial numbers. . . . . Removing and replacing a FRU. . . . 1010 Battery pack. . . . . . . 1020 DIMM . . . . . . . . 1030 Mini PCI adapter . . . . . 1040 Backup battery . . . . . . 1050 Hard-disk drive or RF ID adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . 1 . 1 . 2 . 2 . 3 . 12 . 12 . 13 . 14 15 . 16 . 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 19 19 21 21 21 22 24 27 27 29 29 33 35 35 37 39 40 41 41 44 45 45 46 47 47 48 48 49 51 52 53 55 57 58

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1060 Ultrabay 2000 device . . . 1070 Keyboard . . . . . . 1080 Keyboard CRU insulator . . 1090 Hinge cover . . . . . . 1100 Keyboard bezel and speaker . 1110 Microphone cable . . . . 1120 Sub card . . . . . . . 1130 PC Card slot assembly . . 1140 Fan assembly . . . . . 1150 Diskette drive . . . . . 1160 Upper shield. . . . . . 1170 TV card . . . . . . . 1180 CPU socket and CPU . . . 1190 System board . . . . . 2010 LCD assembly . . . . . 2020 Front bezel . . . . . . 2030 Inverter card . . . . . 2040 LCD panel . . . . . . 3010 ThinkPad Dock PCI cover. . 3020 ThinkPad Dock top cover . . Locations . . . . . . . . . Front view . . . . . . . . Rear view . . . . . . . . Bottom view . . . . . . . Parts list . . . . . . . . . A20 and A21 series model matrix . LCD FRUs . . . . . . . Keyboard . . . . . . . . Miscellaneous parts . . . . . Optional FRUs . . . . . . Common parts list . . . . . Notices . . . . . . . . . Trademarks . . . . . . .

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. 60 . 62 . 65 . 66 . 67 . 69 . 70 . 72 . 73 . 75 . 77 . 78 . 79 . 80 . 82 . 84 . 86 . 88 . 92 . 93 . 97 . 97 . 98 . 99 . 100 . 100 . 108 . 110 . 111 . 112 . 114 . 116 . 116

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Introduction
Important service information
Important Diskette fixes are customer-installable. The diskette fixes are posted on the IBM support site (http://www.pc.ibm.com/support/). Advise customers to contact the PC Company HelpCenter at 800-772-2227 if they need assistance in obtaining or installing any diskette fixes. Customers in Canada should call IBM HelpPC at 800-565-3344 for assistance or download information.

Strategy for replacing FRUs
Before replacing parts Make sure that all diskette fixes are installed before replacing any FRUs listed in this manual. Use the following strategy to prevent unnecessary FRU replacement and service expense: v If you are instructed to replace a FRU but the replacement does not correct the problem, reinstall the original FRU before you continue. v Some computers have both a processor board and a system board. If you are instructed to replace either the processor board or the system board, and replacing one of them does not correct the problem, reinstall that board, and then replace the other one. v If an adapter or device consists of more than one FRU, any of the FRUs may be the cause of the error. Before replacing the adapter or device, remove the FRUs, one by one, to see if the symptoms change. Replace only the FRU that changed the symptoms.

1

Important service information

Attention The setup configuration on the computer you are servicing may have been customized. Running Automatic Configuration may alter the settings. Note the current configuration settings (using the View Configuration option); then, when service has been completed, verify that those settings remain in effect.

Strategy for replacing a hard-disk drive
Always try to run a low-level format before replacing a hard-disk drive.

Attention The drive startup sequence in the computer you are servicing may have been changed. Be extremely careful during write operations such as copying, saving, or formatting. If you select an incorrect drive, data or programs can be overwritten.

How to use error messages
Use the error codes displayed on the screen to diagnose failures. If more than one error code is displayed, begin the diagnosis with the first error code. Whatever causes the first error code may also cause false error codes. If no error code is displayed, see if the error symptom is listed in the Symptom-to-FRU Index for the computer you are servicing.

Diskette compatibility matrix
The compatibility of each of the drives with the diskettes for it is as follows:
Diskette drive 3.5-inch Diskette capacity 1.0 MB 2.0 MB 4.0 MB Compatibility

Read and write Read and write Not compatible

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Safety notices

Safety notices: multilingual translations
In this manual, safety notices appear in English with a page number reference to the appropriate translation in this section. The safety notices are provided in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish, as follows:

Safety notice 1 Before the computer is powered-on after FRU replacement, make sure all screws, springs, and other small parts are in place and are not left loose inside the computer. Verify this by shaking the computer and listening for rattling sounds. Metallic parts or metal flakes can cause electrical shorts. Avant de remettre l'ordinateur sous tension après remplacement d'une unité en clientèle, vérifiez que tous les ressorts, vis et autres pièces sont bien en place et bien fixées. Pour ce faire, secouez l'unité et assurez-vous qu'aucun bruit suspect ne se produit. Des pièces métalliques ou des copeaux de métal pourraient causer un court-circuit. Bevor nach einem FRU-Austausch der Computer wieder angeschlossen wird, muß sichergestellt werden, daß keine Schrauben, Federn oder andere Kleinteile fehlen oder im Gehäuse vergessen wurden. Der Computer muß geschüttelt und auf Klappergeräusche geprüft werden. Metallteile oder-splitter können Kurzschlüsse erzeugen. Prima di accendere l'elaboratore dopo che é stata effettuata la sostituzione di una FRU, accertarsi che tutte le viti, le molle e tutte le altri parti di piccole dimensioni siano nella corretta posizione e non siano sparse all'interno dell'elaboratore. Verificare ci ÚÚ scuotendo l'elaboratore e prestando attenzione ad eventuali rumori; eventuali parti o pezzetti metallici possono provocare cortocircuiti pericolosi. Antes de encender el sistema despues de sustituir una FRU, compruebe que todos los tornillos, muelles y demás piezas pequeñas se encuentran en su sitio y no se encuentran sueltas dentro del sistema. Compruébelo agitando el sistema y escuchando los posibles ruidos que provocarían. Las piezas metálicas pueden causar cortocircuitos eléctricos.

Introduction

3

Safety notices

Safety notice 2

Some standby batteries contain a small amount of nickel and cadmium. Do not disassemble a standby battery, recharge it, throw it into fire or water, or short-circuit it. Dispose of the battery as required by local ordinances or regulations. Use only the battery in the appropriate parts listing. Use of an incorrect battery can result in ignition or explosion of the battery. Certaines batteries de secours contiennent du nickel et du cadmium. Ne les démontez pas, ne les rechargez pas, ne les exposez ni au feu ni à l'eau. Ne les mettez pas en court- circuit. Pour les mettre au rebut, conformez-vous à la réglementation en vigueur. Lorsque vous remplacez la pile de sauvegarde ou celle de l'horloge temps réel, veillez à n'utiliser que les modèles cités dans la liste de pièces détachées adéquate. Une batterie ou une pile inappropriée risque de prendre feu ou d'exploser. Die Bereitschaftsbatterie, die sich unter dem Diskettenlaufwerk befindet, kann geringe Mengen Nickel und Cadmium enthalten. Sie darf nur durch die Verkaufsstelle oder den IBM Kundendienst ausgetauscht werden. Sie darf nicht zerlegt, wiederaufgeladen, kurzgeschlossen, oder Feuer oder Wasser ausgesetzt werden. Die Batterie kann schwere Verbrennungen oder Verätzungen verursachen. Bei der Entsorgung die örtlichen Bestimmungen für Sondermüll beachten. Beim Ersetzen der Bereitschafts-oder Systembatterie nur Batterien des Typs verwenden, der in der Ersatzteilliste aufgeführt ist. Der Einsatz falscher Batterien kann zu Entzündung oder Explosion führen. (continued)

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Safety notices

Continuation of Safety notice 2

Alcune batterie di riserva contengono una piccola quantità di nichel e cadmio. Non smontarle, ricaricarle, gettarle nel fuoco o nell'acqua né cortocircuitarle. Smaltirle secondo la normativa in vigore (DPR 915/82, successive disposizioni e disposizioni locali). Quando si sostituisce la batteria dell'RTC (real time clock) o la batteria di supporto, utilizzare soltanto i tipi inseriti nell'appropriato Catalogo parti. L'impiego di una batteria non adatta potrebbe determinare l'incendio o l'esplosione della batteria stessa. Algunas baterías de reserva contienen una pequeña cantidad de níquel y cadmio. No las desmonte, ni recargue, ni las eche al fuego o al agua ni las cortocircuite. Deséchelas tal como dispone la normativa local. Utilice sólo baterías que se encuentren en la lista de piezas. La utilización de una batería no apropiada puede provocar la ignición o explosión de la misma.

Introduction

5

Safety notices

Safety notice 3

The battery pack contains small amounts of nickel. Do not disassemble it, throw it into fire or water, or short-circuit it. Dispose of the battery pack as required by local ordinances or regulations. Use only the battery in the appropriate parts listing when replacing the battery pack. Use of an incorrect battery can result in ignition or explosion of the battery. La batterie contient du nickel. Ne la démontez pas, ne l'exposez ni au feu ni à l'eau. Ne la mettez pas en court- circuit. Pour la mettre au rebut, conformez-vous à la réglementation en vigueur. Lorsque vous remplacez la batterie, veillez à n'utiliser que les modèles cités dans la liste de pièces détachées adéquate. En effet, une batterie inappropriée risque de prendre feu ou d'exploser. Akkus enthalten geringe Mengen von Nickel. Sie dürfen nicht zerlegt, wiederaufgeladen, kurzgeschlossen, oder Feuer oder Wasser ausgesetzt werden. Bei der Entsorgung die örtlichen Bestimmungen für Sondermüll beachten. Beim Ersetzen der Batterie nur Batterien des Typs verwenden, der in der Ersatzteilliste aufgeführt ist. Der Einsatz falscher Batterien kann zu Entzündung oder Explosion führen. La batteria contiene piccole quantità di nichel. Non smontarla, gettarla nel fuoco o nell'acqua né cortocircuitarla. Smaltirla secondo la normativa in vigore (DPR 915/82, successive disposizioni e disposizioni locali). Quando si sostituisce la batteria, utilizzare soltanto i tipi inseriti nell'appropriato Catalogo parti. L'impiego di una batteria non adatta potrebbe determinare l'incendio o l'esplosione della batteria stessa. Las baterías contienen pequeñas cantidades de níquel. No las desmonte, ni recargue, ni las eche al fuego o al agua ni las cortocircuite. Deséchelas tal como dispone la normativa local. Utilice sólo baterías que se encuentren en la lista de piezas al sustituir la batería. La utilización de una batería no apropiada puede provocar la ignición o explosión de la misma.

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Safety notices

Safety notice 4

The lithium battery can cause a fire, an explosion, or a severe burn. Do not recharge it, remove its polarized connector, disassemble it, heat it above 100°C (212°F), incinerate it, or expose its cell contents to water. Dispose of the battery as required by local ordinances or regulations. Use only the battery in the appropriate parts listing. Use of an incorrect battery can result in ignition or explosion of the battery. La pile de sauvegarde contient du lithium. Elle présente des risques d'incendie, d'explosion ou de brûlures graves. Ne la rechargez pas, ne retirez pas son connecteur polarisé et ne la démontez pas. Ne l'exposez pas à une temperature supérieure à 100°C, ne la faites pas brûler et n'en exposez pas le contenu à l'eau. Mettez la pile au rebut conformément à la réglementation en vigueur. Une pile inappropriée risque de prendre feu ou d'exploser. Die Systembatterie ist eine Lithiumbatterie. Sie kann sich entzünden, explodieren oder schwere Verbrennungen hervorrufen. Batterien dieses Typs dürfen nicht aufgeladen, zerlegt, über 100 C erhitzt oder verbrannt werden. Auch darf ihr Inhalt nicht mit Wasser in Verbindung gebracht oder der zur richtigen Polung angebrachte Verbindungsstecker entfernt werden. Bei der Entsorgung die örtlichen Bestimmungen für Sondermüll beachten. Beim Ersetzen der Batterie nur Batterien des Typs verwenden, der in der Ersatzteilliste aufgeführt ist. Der Einsatz falscher Batterien kann zu Entzündung oder Explosion führen. La batteria di supporto e una batteria al litio e puo incendiarsi, esplodere o procurare gravi ustioni. Evitare di ricaricarla, smontarne il connettore polarizzato, smontarla, riscaldarla ad una temperatura superiore ai 100 gradi centigradi, incendiarla o gettarla in acqua. Smaltirla secondo la normativa in vigore (DPR 915/82, successive disposizioni e disposizioni locali). L'impiego di una batteria non adatta potrebbe determinare l'incendio o l'esplosione della batteria stessa. (continued) Introduction

7

Safety notices

Continuation of Safety notice 4

La batería de repuesto es una batería de litio y puede provocar incendios, explosiones o quemaduras graves. No la recargue, ni quite el conector polarizado, ni la desmonte, ni caliente por encima de los 100°C (212°F), ni la incinere ni exponga el contenido de sus celdas al agua. Deséchela tal como dispone la normativa local.

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Safety notices

Safety notice 5 If the LCD breaks and the fluid from inside the LCD gets into your eyes or on your hands, immediately wash the affected areas with water for at least 15 minutes. Seek medical care if any symptoms from the fluid are present after washing. Si le panneau d'affichage à cristaux liquides se brise et que vous recevez dans les yeux ou sur les mains une partie du fluide, rincez-les abondamment pendant au moins quinze minutes. Consultez un médecin si des symptômes persistent après le lavage. Die Leuchtstoffröhre im LCD-Bildschirm enthält Quecksilber. Bei der Entsorgung die örtlichen Bestimmungen für Sondermüll beachten. Der LCD-Bildschirm besteht aus Glas und kann zerbrechen, wenn er unsachgemäß behandelt wird oder der Computer auf den Boden fällt. Wenn der Bildschirm beschädigt ist und die darin befindliche Flüssigkeit in Kontakt mit Haut und Augen gerät, sollten die betroffenen Stellen mindestens 15 Minuten mit Wasser abgespült und bei Beschwerden anschließend ein Arzt aufgesucht werden. Nel caso che caso l'LCD si dovesse rompere ed il liquido in esso contenuto entrasse in contatto con gli occhi o le mani, lavare immediatamente le parti interessate con acqua corrente per almeno 15 minuti; poi consultare un medico se i sintomi dovessero permanere. Si la LCD se rompe y el fluido de su interior entra en contacto con sus ojos o sus manos, lave inmediatamente las áreas afectadas con agua durante 15 minutos como mínimo. Obtenga atención medica si se presenta algún síntoma del fluido despues de lavarse.

Introduction

9

Safety notices

Safety notice 6 To avoid shock, do not remove the plastic cover that protects the lower part of the inverter card. Afin d'éviter tout risque de choc électrique, ne retirez pas le cache en plastique protégeant la partie inférieure de la carte d'alimentation. Aus Sicherheitsgründen die Kunststoffabdeckung, die den unteren Teil der Spannungswandlerplatine umgibt, nicht entfernen. Per evitare scosse elettriche, non rimuovere la copertura in plastica che avvolge la parte inferiore della scheda invertitore. Para evitar descargas, no quite la cubierta de plástico que rodea la parte baja de la tarjeta invertida.

Safety notice 7 Though the main batteries have low voltage, a shorted or grounded battery can produce enough current to burn personnel or combustible materials. Bien que le voltage des batteries principales soit peu élevé, le court-circuit ou la mise à la masse d'une batterie peut produire suffisamment de courant pour brûler des matériaux combustibles ou causer des brûlures corporelles graves. Obwohl Hauptbatterien eine niedrige Spannung haben, können sie doch bei Kurzschluß oder Erdung genug Strom abgeben, um brennbare Materialien zu entzünden oder Verletzungen bei Personen hervorzurufen. Sebbene le batterie di alimentazione siano a basso voltaggio, una batteria in corto circuito o a massa può fornire corrente sufficiente da bruciare materiali combustibili o provocare ustioni ai tecnici di manutenzione. Aunque las baterías principales tienen un voltaje bajo, una batería cortocircuitada o con contacto a tierra puede producir la corriente suficiente como para quemar material combustible o provocar quemaduras en el personal.

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Safety notices

Safety notice 8 Before removing any FRU, power off the computer, unplug all power cords from electrical outlets, remove the battery pack, and then disconnect any interconnecting cables. Avant de retirer une unité remplaçable en clientèle, mettez le système hors tension, débranchez tous les cordons d'alimentation des socles de prise de courant, retirez la batterie et déconnectez tous les cordons d'interface. Die Stromzufuhr muß abgeschaltet, alle Stromkabel aus der Steckdose gezogen, der Akku entfernt und alle Verbindungskabel abgenommen sein, bevor eine FRU entfernt wird. Prima di rimuovere qualsiasi FRU, spegnere il sistema, scollegare dalle prese elettriche tutti i cavi di alimentazione, rimuovere la batteria e poi scollegare i cavi di interconnessione. Antes de quitar una FRU, apague el sistema, desenchufe todos los cables de las tomas de corriente eléctrica, quite la batería y, a continuación, desconecte cualquier cable de conexión entre dispositivos.

Introduction

11

Safety information

Safety information
The following section contains the safety information that you need to be familiar with before servicing an IBM mobile computer.

General safety
Follow these rules to ensure general safety: v Observe good housekeeping in the area of the machines during and after maintenance. v When lifting any heavy object: 1. Ensure you can stand safely without slipping. 2. Distribute the weight of the object equally between your feet. 3. Use a slow lifting force. Never move suddenly or twist when you attempt to lift. 4. Lift by standing or by pushing up with your leg muscles; this action removes the strain from the muscles in your back. Do not attempt to lift any objects that weigh more than 16 kg (35 lb) or objects that you think are too heavy for you. v Do not perform any action that causes hazards to the customer, or that makes the equipment unsafe. v Before you start the machine, ensure that other service representatives and the customer's personnel are not in a hazardous position. v Place removed covers and other parts in a safe place, away from all personnel, while you are servicing the machine. v Keep your toolcase away from walk areas so that other people will not trip over it. v Do not wear loose clothing that can be trapped in the moving parts of a machine. Make sure that your sleeves are fastened or rolled up above your elbows. If your hair is long, fasten it. v Insert the ends of your necktie or scarf inside clothing or fasten it with a nonconductive clip, approximately 8 centimeters (3 inches) from the end. v Do not wear jewelry, chains, metal-frame eyeglasses, or metal fasteners for your clothing. Attention: Metal objects are good electrical conductors. v Wear safety glasses when you are hammering, drilling, soldering, cutting wire, attaching springs, using solvents, or working in any other conditions that might be hazardous to your eyes. v After service, reinstall all safety shields, guards, labels, and ground wires. Replace any safety device that is worn or defective. v Reinstall all covers correctly before returning the machine to the customer.

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Safety information

Electrical safety
Observe the following rules when working on electrical equipment.

Important Use only approved tools and test equipment. Some hand tools have handles covered with a soft material that does not insulate you when working with live electrical currents. Many customers have, near their equipment, rubber floor mats that contain small conductive fibers to decrease electrostatic discharges. Do not use this type of mat to protect yourself from electrical shock. v Find the room emergency power-off (EPO) switch, disconnecting switch, or electrical outlet. If an electrical accident occurs, you can then operate the switch or unplug the power cord quickly. v Do not work alone under hazardous conditions or near equipment that has hazardous voltages. v Disconnect all power before: ­ Performing a mechanical inspection ­ Working near power supplies ­ Removing or installing main units v Before you start to work on the machine, unplug the power cord. If you cannot unplug it, ask the customer to power-off the wall box that supplies power to the machine and to lock the wall box in the off position. v If you need to work on a machine that has exposed electrical circuits, observe the following precautions: ­ Ensure that another person, familiar with the power-off controls, is near you. Attention: Another person must be there to switch off the power, if necessary. ­ Use only one hand when working with powered-on electrical equipment; keep the other hand in your pocket or behind your back. Attention: An electrical shock can occur only when there is a complete circuit. By observing the above rule, you may prevent a current from passing through your body. ­ When using testers, set the controls correctly and use the approved probe leads and accessories for that tester. ­ Stand on suitable rubber mats (obtained locally, if necessary) to insulate you from grounds such as metal floor strips and machine frames. Observe the special safety precautions when you work with very high voltages; these instructions are in the Introduction

13

Safety information

v v v v

v

v

safety sections of maintenance information. Use extreme care when measuring high voltages. Regularly inspect and maintain your electrical hand tools for safe operational condition. Do not use worn or broken tools and testers. Never assume that power has been disconnected from a circuit. First, check that it has been powered off. Always look carefully for possible hazards in your work area. Examples of these hazards are moist floors, nongrounded power extension cables, power surges, and missing safety grounds. Do not touch live electrical circuits with the reflective surface of a plastic dental mirror. The surface is conductive; such touching can cause personal injury and machine damage. Do not service the following parts with the power on when they are removed from their normal operating places in a machine: ­ Power supply units ­ Pumps ­ Blowers and fans ­ Motor generators

and similar units. (This practice ensures correct grounding of the units.) v If an electrical accident occurs: ­ Use caution; do not become a victim yourself. ­ Switch off power. ­ Send another person to get medical aid.

Safety inspection guide
The purpose of this inspection guide is to assist you in identifying potentially unsafe conditions. As each machine was designed and built, required safety items were installed to protect users and service personnel from injury. This guide addresses only those items. You should use good judgment to identify potential safety hazards due to attachment of non-IBM features or options not covered by this inspection guide. If any unsafe conditions are present, you must determine how serious the apparent hazard could be and whether you can continue without first correcting the problem. Consider these conditions and the safety hazards they present: v Electrical hazards, especially primary power (primary voltage on the frame can cause serious or fatal electrical shock) v Explosive hazards, such as a damaged CRT face or a bulging capacitor v Mechanical hazards, such as loose or missing hardware

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Safety information

To determine whether there are any potentially unsafe conditions, use the following checklist at the beginning of every service task. Begin the checks with the power off, and the power cord disconnected. Checklist: 1. Check exterior covers for damage (loose, broken, or sharp edges). 2. Power-off the computer. Disconnect the power cord. 3. Check the power cord for: a. A third-wire ground connector in good condition. Use a meter to measure third-wire ground continuity for 0.1 ohm or less between the external ground pin and frame ground. b. The power cord should be the type specified in the parts list. c. Insulation must not be frayed or worn. 4. Remove the cover. 5. Check for any obvious non-IBM alterations. Use good judgment as to the safety of any non-IBM alterations. 6. Check inside the unit for any obvious unsafe conditions, such as metal filings, contamination, water or other liquids, or signs of fire or smoke damage. 7. Check for worn, frayed, or pinched cables. 8. Check that the power-supply cover fasteners (screws or rivets) have not been removed or tampered with.

Handling electrostatic discharge-sensitive devices
Any computer part containing transistors or integrated circuits (ICs) should be considered sensitive to electrostatic discharge (ESD). ESD damage can occur when there is a difference in charge between objects. Protect against ESD damage by equalizing the charge so that the machine, the part, the work mat, and the person handling the part are all at the same charge.

Notes 1. Use product-specific ESD procedures when they exceed the requirements noted here. 2. Make sure that the ESD protective devices you use have been certified (ISO 9000) as fully effective. When handling ESD-sensitive parts: v Keep the parts in protective packages until they are inserted into the product. v Avoid contact with other people. v Wear a grounded wrist strap against your skin to eliminate static on your body. Introduction

15

Safety information

v Prevent the part from touching your clothing. Most clothing is insulative and retains a charge even when you are wearing a wrist strap. v Use the black side of a grounded work mat to provide a static-free work surface. The mat is especially useful when handling ESD-sensitive devices. v Select a grounding system, such as those listed below, to provide protection that meets the specific service requirement.

Note The use of a grounding system is desirable but not required to protect against ESD damage. ­ Attach the ESD ground clip to any frame ground, ground braid, or green-wire ground. ­ Use an ESD common ground or reference point when working on a double-insulated or battery-operated system. You can use coax or connector-outside shells on these systems. ­ Use the round ground-prong of the AC plug on AC-operated computers.

Grounding requirements
Electrical grounding of the computer is required for operator safety and correct system function. Proper grounding of the electrical outlet can be verified by a certified electrician.

Laser compliance statement
Some IBM Personal Computer models are equipped from the factory with a CD-ROM drive or DVD drive. CD-ROM drives or DVD drives are also sold separately as options. The CD-ROM drive or DVD drive is a laser product. The CD-ROM drive or DVD drive is certified in the U.S. to conform to the requirements of the Department of Health and Human Services 21 Code of Federal Regulations (DHHS 21 CFR) Subchapter J for Class 1 laser products. Elsewhere, the drive is certified to conform to the requirements of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 825 and CENELEC EN 60 825 for Class 1 laser products.

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ThinkPad A20m/A21m, A20p/A21p

Laser compliance statement

When a CD-ROM drive or DVD drive is installed, note the following:

Use of controls or adjustments or performance of procedures other than those specified herein might result in hazardous radiation exposure. O uso de controles, ajustes ou desempenho de procedimentos diferentes daqueles aqui especificados pode resultar em perigosa exposição à radiação.

Pour éviter tout risque d'exposition au rayon laser, respectez les consignes de réglage et d'utilisation des commandes, ainsi que les procédures décrites. Werden Steuer- und Einstellelemente anders als hier festgesetzt verwendet, kann gefährliche Laserstrahlung auftreten.

L'utilizzo di controlli, regolazioni o l'esecuzione di procedure diverse da quelle specificate possono provocare l'esposizione a.

El uso de controles o ajustes o la ejecución de procedimientos distintos de los aquí especificados puede provocar la exposición a radiaciones peligrosas.

Opening the CD-ROM drive or DVD drive could result in exposure to hazardous laser radiation. There are no serviceable parts inside the CD-ROM drive or DVD drive. Do not open.

Introduction

17

Laser compliance statement

Some CD-ROM drives or DVD drives contain an embedded Class 3A or Class 3B laser diode. Note the following:

Emits visible and invisible laser radiation when open. Do not stare into the beam, do not view directly with optical instruments, and avoid direct exposure to the beam. Radiação por raio laser ao abrir. Não olhe fixo no feixe de luz, não olhe diretamente por meio de instrumentos óticos e evite exposição direta com o feixe de luz.

Rayonnement laser si carter ouvert. Évitez de fixer le faisceau, de le regarder directement avec des instruments optiques, ou de vous exposer au rayon. Laserstrahlung bei geöffnetem Gerät. Nicht direkt oder über optische Instrumente in den Laserstrahl sehen und den Strahlungsbereich meiden. Kinyitáskor lézersugár ! Ne nézzen bele se szabad szemmel, se optikai eszközökkel. Kerülje a sugárnyalábbal való érintkezést ! Aprendo l'unità vengono emesse radiazioni laser. Non fissare il fascio, non guardarlo direttamente con strumenti ottici e evitare l'esposizione diretta al fascio.

Radiación láser al abrir. No mire fijamente ni examine con instrumental óptico el haz de luz. Evite la exposición directa al haz.

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ThinkPad A20m/A21m, A20p/A21p

General descriptions
This chapter includes descriptions for any ThinkPad model that has the PC-Doctor DOS diagnostics program. Some descriptions might not apply to your particular computer.

Read this first
Before you go to the checkout guide, be sure to read this section.

Important notes v Only certified trained personnel should service the computer. v Read the entire FRU removal and replacement page before replacing any FRU. v Use new nylon-coated screws when you replace FRUs. v Be extremely careful during such write operations as copying, saving, or formatting. Drives in the computer that you are servicing sequence might have been altered. If you select an incorrect drive, data or programs might be overwritten. v Replace FRUs only for the correct model. When you replace a FRU, make sure the model of the machine and the FRU part number are correct by referring to the FRU parts list. v A FRU should not be replaced because of a single, unreproducible failure. Single failures can occur for a variety of reasons that have nothing to do with a hardware defect, such as cosmic radiation, electrostatic discharge, or software errors. Consider replacing a FRU only when a problem recurs. If you suspect that a FRU is defective, clear the error log and run the test again. If the error does not recur, do not replace the FRU. v Be careful not to replace a nondefective FRU.

What to do first:
When you do return a FRU, you must include the following information in the parts exchange form or parts return form that you attach to it: __ 1. Name and phone number of servicer __ 2. Date of service __ 3. Date on which the machine failed __ 4. Date of purchase __ 5. Failure symptoms, error codes appearing on the display, and beep symptoms

19

Read this first

__ 6. Procedure index and page number in which the failing FRU was detected __ 7. Failing FRU name and part number __ 8. Machine type, model number, and serial number __ 9. Customer's name and address Note for warranty: During the warranty period, the customer may be responsible for repair costs if the computer damage was caused by misuse, accident, modification, unsuitable physical or operating environment, or improper maintenance by the customer. The following list provides some common items that are not covered under warranty and some symptoms that might indicate that the system was subjected to stress beyond normal use. Before checking problems with the computer, determine whether the damage is covered under the warranty by referring to the following: The following are not covered under warranty: v LCD panel cracked from the application of excessive force or from being dropped v Scratched (cosmetic) parts v Distortion, deformation or discoloration of the cosmetic parts v Cracked or broken plastic parts, broken latches, broken pins, or broken connectors caused by excessive force v Damage caused by liquid spilled into the system v Damage caused by the improper insertion of a PC Card or the installation of an incompatible card v Damage caused by foreign material in the diskette drive v Diskette drive damage caused by pressure on the diskette drive cover or by the insertion of a diskette with multiple labels v Damaged or bent diskette eject button v Fuses blown by attachment of a nonsupported device v Forgotten computer password (making the computer unusable) v Sticky keys caused by spilling a liquid onto the keyboard The following symptoms might indicate damage caused by nonwarranted activities: v Missing parts might be a symptom of unauthorized service or modification. v If the spindle of a hard-disk drive becomes noisy, it may have been subjected to excessive force, or dropped.

20

ThinkPad A20m/A21m, A20p/A21p

Related service information

Related service information
This section provides information about the following: v "Service Web site" v "Using Recovery CD" v "Passwords" on page 22 v "Power management" on page 24

Service Web site
When the latest maintenance diskette and the system program service diskette are available, a notice will be posted on http://www.pc.ibm.com/partner/infotips/

Using Recovery CD
To create Service Partition and install the preloaded system from Recovery CD, do the following; To create Service Partition [SP]: 1. Erase all partitions on the hard-disk drive using FDISK or similar application. 2. Boot with Recovery CD (and boot diskette if required). 3. A menu will appear stating "Your computer originally included a Product Recovery program ... Reinstall the Product Recovery Program? (Y/N) [ ]". Note: If the hard-disk drive contains any partitions, you will not receive this menu -- go to step 1. 4. Enter "Y" and Service Partition will be created and loaded with D2D files. Note: If you do not want to create Service Partition, press "N", and then go to step 8. 5. Press "ENTER" at next window to continue. v Service Partition will be created. System will automatically reboot during this precess. v Recovery process will copy some files to the Service Partition, PKUNZIP others v Follow prompts -- you may be prompted to change CDs. v System will reboot when complete, continue to step 6 to install preloaded system. Install preloaded system from CD: 6. Boot with Recovery CD (and boot diskette if required) 7. If the hard-disk drive is blank, a menu will appear stating "Your computer originally included a Product Recovery program ... Reinstall the Product Recovery Program? (Y/N) [ ]". v To install Service Partition, go to step 4. v To preload hard-disk drive without installing Service Partition, press "N".

General descriptions

21

Related service information

8. If a menu appears asking which operating system to install, highlight proper operating system and press "ENTER". 9. A menu will appear stating "Full Recovery:". Press "ENTER" to select. 10. Enter "Y" at the three windows which follow. 11. Follow prompts to complete Recovery.

Passwords
As many as three passwords may be needed for any ThinkPad computer: the power-on password (POP), the hard-disk password (HDP), and the supervisor password (SVP). Exception: If only SVP is installed, the password prompt doesn't appear when the operating system is booted. When any of these passwords is used, a password prompt appears on the screen whenever the computer is turned on. The computer does not start until the password is entered.

Power-on password:
A power-on password (POP) protects the system from being powered on by an unauthorized person. Without knowing the password, nobody can start the system.

Hard-disk password:
There are two hard-disk passwords (HDPs): v User HDP--for the user v Master HDP--for the system administrator, who can use it to get access to the hard disk even if the user has changed the user HDP Note: There are two modes for the HDP: User only and Master + User. You can enter two HDPs when you select Master + User.

Attention If the master HDP has been forgotten, there is no way to delete it. But you can still get access to the hard disk if you remember the user HDP. If both user HDP and master HDP have been forgotten, the password cannot be removed and the hard disk will not be accessible.

Supervisor password:
A supervisor password (SVP) protects the system information stored in the IBM BIOS Setup Utility so that

22

ThinkPad A20m/A21m, A20p/A21p

Related service information

without knowing the password, nobody can change the configuration of the computer.

Attention If the SVP has been forgotten, there is no way to reset it.

How to remove the power-on password
To remove a POP that you have forgotten, do the following: (A) If SVP is not installed: 1. Turn off the computer. 2. Remove the battery pack. For how to remove the battery pack, see "1010 Battery pack" on page 52. 3. Remove the backup battery. For how to remove the backup battery, see "1040 Backup battery" on page 57. 4. Turn on the computer and wait until the POST ends. After the POST ends, the password prompt does not appear. The POP has been removed. 5. Reinstall the backup battery and the battery pack. (B) If SVP is installed: 1. Turn on the computer by pressing and holding F1. 2. Enter the SVP. The IBM BIOS Setup Utility menu appears. 3. Select Password, using the cursor keys to move down the menu. 4. Select Power-On Password. 5. Enter the SVP, at the Enter Current Password field. 6. When the Enter New Password field opens, leave it blank and press Enter twice. 7. Press Enter in the Changes have been saved window. 8. Press F10; then select Yes in the Setup confirmation window.

How to remove the hard-disk password
Attention If User only mode is selected and the user HDP is forgotten, there is no way to reset it.

General descriptions

23

Related service information

To remove the user HDP that you have forgotten, do the following: 1. Power on the computer by pressing and holding F1. 2. Enter the SVP. The IBM BIOS Setup Utility menu appears. 3. Select Password, using the cursor keys to move down the menu. 4. Select Hard-disk x password, where x is the letter of the hard-disk drive. A pop-up window opens. 5. Select either User HDP or Master HDP. 6. Enter the master HDP; then leave the New Password field blank and press Enter twice. 7. Press F10. 8. Select Yes in the Setup Configuration window. The both user HDP and master HDP have been removed.

Power management
To reduce power consumption, the computer has three power management modes: screen blank, standby, and hibernation.

Screen blank mode:
In v v v screen blank mode, the following occurs: The LCD backlight turns off. The hard-disk drive motor stops. The speaker is muted.

Note: Screen blank mode in Windows 98 is called standby mode in Windows 95. To enter screen blank mode, press Fn + F3. To end screen blank mode and resume normal operation, press any key.

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ThinkPad A20m/A21m, A20p/A21p

Related service information

Standby mode:
When the computer enters standby mode, the following events occur in addition to what occurs in screen blank mode: v The LCD is powered off. v The hard-disk drive is powered off. v The CPU stops. Note: Standby mode in Windows 98 is called suspend mode in Windows 95 and Windows NT. To enter standby mode , press Fn + F4. In certain circumstances, the computer goes into standby mode automatically: v If a "suspend time" has been set on the timer, and the user does not do any operation with the keyboard, the TrackPoint, the hard disk, the parallel connector, or the diskette drive within the time set. v If the ac adapter is plugged in. v If the battery indicator blinks orange, indicating that the battery power is low. (Alternatively, if Hibernate when battery becomes low has been selected in the "Power Management Properties" window, the computer goes into hibernation mode.) Note: Even if you don't set the low-battery alarm, the charge indicator lets you know that the battery is low, and then the computer enters the power-saving mode automatically. This default low-battery behavior is independent of the operating system; so if you have set the low-battery alarm, the computer may not do what you specified. It chooses either your setting or the default setting, whichever is appropriate. Any one of the following events causes the computer to resume operation from standby mode: v The Fn key is pressed. v The LCD cover is opened. v The ring indicator (RI) is signaled by a serial device or a PC Card device. v The power switch is turned on. v The resume timer is set. In Windows 98, the Scheduled Tasks setting has priority over the Resume on timer selection in the "Power Management Properties" window. Note: The computer does not accept any input immediately after it enters suspend mode. Wait a few seconds before taking any action to reenter operation mode.

General descriptions

25

Related service information

Hibernation mode:
Note for Windows NT If you are using Windows NT in the default format, NTFS, you cannot create a hibernation file. If you want to use hibernation mode, you will need to reinstall Windows NT with FAT format.

Note for OS/2 If you are using OS/2 in the default format, HPFS, you cannot create a hibernation file. If you want to use hibernation mode, you will need to reinstall OS/2 with FAT format. In hibernation mode, the following occurs: v The system status, RAM, VRAM, and setup data are stored on the hard disk. v The system is powered off.

Notes: 1. In the ThinkPad Configuration program, the computer can be set to Suspend/hibernate while docked. 2. The computer cannot enter hibernation mode when it is powered with ac power and a communication PC Card is used. 3. If the computer enters the hibernation mode while it is docked to the docking station, do not undock it from the docking station before resuming normal operation. If you do undock it, then if you try to resume normal operation, you will get an error message, and you will have to restart the system. Any one of the following events causes the computer to enter hibernation mode: v The Fn + F12 keys are pressed. v The power switch is turned off and the mode is set to Power switch mode [Hibernation]. v The timer conditions are satisfied in suspend mode (for operating systems other than Windows 98). v A critically low battery condition occurs and the mode is set to Hibernate when battery becomes low. When the power is turned on, the computer leaves hibernation mode and resumes operation. The hibernation file in the boot record on the hard-disk drive is read, and system status is restored from the hard-disk drive.

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ThinkPad A20m/A21m, A20p/A21p

Checkout guide

Checkout guide
Use the following procedures as a guide in identifying and correcting problems with the ThinkPad computer. Note: The diagnostic tests are intended to test only IBM products. The use of non-IBM products, prototype cards, or modified options can lead to false indications of errors and invalid system responses. 1. Identify the failing symptoms in as much detail as possible. 2. Verify the symptoms. Try to re-create the failure by running the diagnostic test or by repeating the operation.

Testing the computer
The ThinkPad computer has a test program called PC-Doctor DOS (hereafter called PC-Doctor). You can detect errors by running the diagnostics test included in PC-Doctor. This section is an overview of the procedure. For details that depend on model-unique functions, refer to "Product overview" on page 35. For some possible configurations of the computer, PC-Doctor might not run correctly. To avoid this problem, you need to initialize the computer setup by use of the IBM BIOS Setup Utility before you run PC-Doctor. On the IBM BIOS Setup Utility screen, press F9, Enter, F10, and then Enter. Note: When you initialize the computer configuration, some devices are disabled, such as the serial port. If you test one of these devices, you will need to enable it by using PS2.EXE. PC-Doctor cannot be used to test a device that is in the docking station, even if the computer supports the docking station. To test a USB device, connect it to the USB connector of the computer. To test the Ultrabay 2000 device, install it in the Ultrabay 2000 slot of the computer. To run the test, do as follows: Note: In the following procedure, you can select an item not only with the arrow keys, but also with the TrackPoint. Instead of pressing Enter, click the left button. 1. Insert the PC-Doctor disk into the diskette drive; then power on the computer. If the computer cannot be powered on, go to "Power system checkout" on page 29, and check the power sources. General descriptions

27

Checkout guide

If an error code appears, go to "Symptom-to-FRU index" on page 41. On the first screen, select the model and press Enter. Follow the instructions on the screen. 2. The main panel of PC-Doctor appears. 3. Select Diagnostics with the arrow keys, and press Enter. A pull-down menu appears. (Its exact form depends on the model.) The options on the test menu are as follows: Diagnostics v v v v v v v v v v v v v Run Normal Test Run Quick Test CPU/Coprocessor Systemboard Video Adapter Serial Ports Parallel Ports Fixed Disks Diskette Drives Other Devices Communication Memory Test ­ Full Memory Test ­ Quick Interactive Tests v v v v v v v v v Keyboard Video Internal Speaker Mouse Joystick Test Diskette System Load CD-ROM/DVD Test Stereo Speaker

Notes: v In the Keyboard test in Interactive Tests, the Fn key is scanned only once. Each key should be held down for at least 2 seconds; otherwise, it cannot be sensed. v The sound card is not recognized in the Stereo Speaker in the Interactive Tests. To test it, use the audio device test in the Other Devices (Diagnostics). v Video Adapter test supports only the LCD display on ThinkPad. Before running PC-Doctor DOS, detach the external Monitor.

4. Run the applicable function test.

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ThinkPad A20m/A21m, A20p/A21p

Checkout guide

5. Follow the instructions on the screen. If there is a problem, PC-Doctor shows messages describing it. 6. To exit the test, select Quit -- Exit Diag. To cancel the test, press Esc. Note: After executing PC-Doctor, check the system time/date and reset them if needed.

Detecting system information with PC-Doctor
PC-Doctor can detect the following system information:

Hardware Info
v v v v v v v v v v System Configuration Memory Contents Physical Disk Drives Logical Disk Drives VGA Information IDE Drive Info PCI Information PNPISA Info SMBIOS Info VESA LCD Info

Utility
v v v v v v v v v v v Run External Tests Surface Scan Hard Disk Benchmark System DOS Shell Tech Support Form Battery Rundown View Test Log Print Log Save Log Full Erase Hard Drive Quick Erase Hard Drive

Power system checkout
verify a symptom, do the following: Power off the computer. Remove the battery pack. Connect the ac adapter. Check that power is supplied when you power on the computer. 5. Power off the computer. 6. Disconnect the ac adapter and install the charged battery pack. 7. Check that the battery pack supplies power when you power on the computer. If you suspect a power problem, see the appropriate one of the following power supply checkouts: General descriptions To 1. 2. 3. 4.

29

Checkout guide

v v v v

"Checking "Checking "Checking "Checking

the ac adapter" operational charging" the battery pack" on page 31 the backup battery" on page 31

Checking the ac adapter
You are here because the computer fails only when the ac adapter is used: v If the power problem occurs only when the port replicator is used, replace the port replicator. v If the power-on indicator does not turn on, check the power cord of the ac adapter for correct continuity and installation. v If the computer does not charge during operation, go to Checking operational charging. To check the ac adapter, do the following: 1. Unplug the ac adapter cable from the computer. 2. Measure the output voltage at the plug of the ac adapter cable. See the following figure:

Pin 1 2

Voltage (V dc) +15.5 to +17.0 Ground

3. If the voltage is not correct, replace the ac adapter. 4. If the voltage is acceptable, do the following: v Replace the system board. v If the problem persists, go to "Product overview" on page 35. Note: Noise from the ac adapter does not always indicate a defect.

Checking operational charging
To check whether the battery charges properly during operation, use a discharged battery pack or a battery pack that has less than 50% of the total power remaining when installed in the computer. Perform operational charging. If the battery status indicator or icon does not turn on, remove the battery pack and let it return to room temperature. Reinstall the battery pack. If the charge indicator or icon still does not turn on, replace the battery pack. If the charge indicator still does not turn on, replace the system board. Then reinstall the battery pack. If it is still not charged, go to the next section.

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ThinkPad A20m/A21m, A20p/A21p

Checkout guide

Checking the battery pack
Battery charging does not start until the Power Meter shows that less than 95% of the total power remains; under this condition the battery pack can charge to 100% of its capacity. This protects the battery pack from being overcharged or from having a shortened life. To check the status of your battery, move your cursor to the Power Meter icon in the icon tray of the Windows taskbar and wait for a moment (but do not click), and the percentage of battery power remaining is displayed. To get detailed information about the battery, double-click the Power Meter icon. Note: If the battery pack becomes hot, it may not be able to charge. Remove it from the computer and leave it at room temperature for a while. After it cools down, reinstall and recharge it. To check the battery pack, do the following: 1. Power off the computer. 2. Remove the battery pack and measure the voltage between battery terminals 1 (+) and 5 (-). See the following figure:

Terminal 1 5

Voltage (V dc) + 0 to + 12.6 Ground (-)

5
3. If the voltage is less than +11.0 V dc, the battery pack has been discharged. Note: Recharging will take at least 3 hours, even if the indicator does not turn on. If the voltage is still less than +11.0 V dc after recharging, replace the battery. 4. If the voltage is more than +11.0 V dc, measure the resistance between battery terminals 4 and 5. The resistance must be 4 to 30 K . If the resistance is not correct, replace the battery pack. If the resistance is correct, replace the system board.

Checking the backup battery
Do the following: 1. Power off the computer, and unplug the ac adapter from it. 2. Turn the computer upside down. General descriptions

31

Checkout guide

3. Remove the battery pack (see "1010 Battery pack" on page 52 ). 4. Remove the backup battery (see "Checking the battery pack" on page 31). 5. Measure the voltage of the backup battery. See the following figure.

Wire Red Black

Voltage (V dc) +2.5 to +3.2 Ground

v If the voltage is correct, replace the system board. v If the voltage is not correct, replace the backup battery. v If the backup battery discharges quickly after replacement, replace the system board.

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ThinkPad A20m/A21m, A20p/A21p

ThinkPad A20m/A21m and A20p/A21p
Product overview . . . . . . . . . . . Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . Status indicators . . . . . . . . . . FRU tests . . . . . . . . . . . . Fn key combinations . . . . . . . . . Symptom-to-FRU index . . . . . . . . . Numeric error codes . . . . . . . . . Error messages . . . . . . . . . . Beep symptoms . . . . . . . . . . No beep symptoms . . . . . . . . . LCD-related symptoms . . . . . . . . Intermittent problems . . . . . . . . . Undetermined problems . . . . . . . . FRU replacement notices . . . . . . . . Screw notices . . . . . . . . . . . Retaining serial numbers. . . . . . . . Restoring the serial number of the system unit Retaining the UUID . . . . . . . . Removing and replacing a FRU. . . . . . . 1010 Battery pack. . . . . . . . . . 1020 DIMM . . . . . . . . . . . 1030 Mini PCI adapter . . . . . . . . 1040 Backup battery . . . . . . . . . 1050 Hard-disk drive or RF ID adapter . . . 1060 Ultrabay 2000 device . . . . . . . 1070 Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . 1080 Keyboard CRU insulator . . . . . . 1090 Hinge cover . . . . . . . . . . 1100 Keyboard bezel and speaker . . . . . 1110 Microphone cable . . . . . . . . 1120 Sub card . . . . . . . . . . . 1130 PC Card slot assembly . . . . . . 1140 Fan assembly . . . . . . . . . 1150 Diskette drive . . . . . . . . . 1160 Upper shield. . . . . . . . . . 1170 TV card . . . . . . . . . . . 1180 CPU socket and CPU . . . . . . . 1190 System board . . . . . . . . . 2010 LCD assembly . . . . . . . . . 2020 Front bezel . . . . . . . . . . 2030 Inverter card . . . . . . . . . 12.1-in. panel . . . . . . . . . . 14.1-in. and 15.0-in. panels . . . . . . 2040 LCD panel . . . . . . . . . . 12.1-in. panel . . . . . . . . . . 14.1-in. and 15.0-in. panels . . . . . . 3010 ThinkPad Dock PCI cover. . . . . . 3020 ThinkPad Dock top cover . . . . . . Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 35 37 39 40 41 41 44 45 45 46 47 47 48 48 49 49 49 51 52 53 55 57 58 60 62 65 66 67 69 70 72 73 75 77 78 79 80 82 84 86 86 87 88 88 90 92 93 97

33

Front view . . . . . . . . . Rear view . . . . . . . . . Bottom view . . . . . . . . Parts list . . . . . . . . . . A20 and A21 series model matrix . . LCD FRUs . . . . . . . . 12.1-in. SVGA TFT . . . . . 14.1-in. XGA TFT . . . . . 14.1-in. XGA TFT (for MT2628-Gxx) 15.0-in. XGA TFT . . . . . 15.0-in. XGA TFT (for MT2628-Fxx) 15.0-in. XGA TFT (LG) . . . . 15.0-in. SXGA+ TFT . . . . 15.0-in. UXGA TFT . . . . . Keyboard . . . . . . . . . Miscellaneous parts . . . . . . Optional FRUs . . . . . . . Common parts list . . . . . . Tools . . . . . . . . . Power cords (system) . . . . Power cords (docking station) . . Notices . . . . . . . . . . Trademarks . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . .

. 97 . 98 . 99 . 100 . 100 . 108 . 108 . 108 . 108 . 108 . 109 . 109 . 109 . 109 . 110 . 111 . 112 . 114 . 114 . 114 . 115 . 116 . 116

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ThinkPad A20m/A21m, A20p/A21p

Product overview

Product overview
This section presents the following product-unique information: v "Specifications" v "Status indicators" on page 37 v "FRU tests" on page 39 v "Fn key combinations" on page 40

Specifications
The following table lists the specifications of the ThinkPad A20 and A21 series:
Feature Processor Description v Intel® Celeron® processor 500 MHz, L2 256-KB cache v Intel® Celeron® processor 550 MHz, L2 256-KB cache v Intel® mobile Pentium® III 500 MHz, L2 256-KB cache v Intel® mobile Pentium® III processor 600 featuring Intel® SpeedStepTM technology v Intel® mobile Pentium® III processor 650 featuring Intel® SpeedStepTM technology v Intel® mobile Pentium® III processor 700 featuring Intel® SpeedStepTM technology v Intel® mobile Pentium® III processor 750 featuring Intel® SpeedStepTM technology v Intel® mobile Pentium® III processor 800 featuring Intel® SpeedStepTM technology v Intel® mobile Pentium® III processor 850 featuring Intel® SpeedStepTM technology PCI Bus v v v v 64 MB (on the system board) 128 MB (on the system board) 64 MB (64 MB SO-DIMM × 1) 128 MB (128 MB SO-DIMM × 1)

Bus architecture Memory (standard)

Memory (optional) CMOS RAM

64 MB, 128 MB, or 256 MB DIMM card (maximum of 512 MB) 114 bytes + 128 bytes

(continued)

ThinkPad A20m/A21m and A20p/A21p

35

Product overview Feature Display Description v 12.1-inch, 16M colors, SVGA (800×600 resolution) TFT color LCD v 14.1-inch, 16M colors, XGA (1024×768 resolution) TFT color LCD v 15.0-inch, 16M colors, XGA (1024×768 resolution) TFT color LCD v 15.0-inch, 16M colors, SXGA+ (1400×1050 resolution) TFT color LCD v 15.0-inch, 16M colors, UXGA (1600×1200 resolution) TFT color LCD 1.44 MB (3-mode), 3.5-inch v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v 6.0 GB, 2.5-inch, IDE interface 10.0 GB, 2.5-inch, IDE interface 12.0 GB, 2.5-inch, IDE interface 18.0 GB, 2.5-inch, IDE interface 20.0 GB, 2.5-inch, IDE interface 32.0 GB, 2.5-inch, IDE interface External monitor Line-in Headphone Microphone Mouse or keyboard Parallel or diskette drive Port replicator connector Serial Universal serial bus (USB) connector RJ11 RJ45

Diskette drive Hard-disk drive

I/O port

Internal modem Audio

56.6 Kbps v Internal microphone v Internal speaker v Software control volume IrDA 1.1 One Type-III or two Type-II 56-watt type or 72-watt type v 6 x DVD drive v 8 x DVD drive v 10-24 x CD-ROM drive

Infrared transfer PC Card AC adapter Bay device

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ThinkPad A20m/A21m, A20p/A21p

Product overview

Status indicators
The system status indicators show the status of the computer, as follows:

Indicator 1 Battery

Meaning Green: The battery is fully charged. Blinking green: The battery has enough power to operate, but is being charged. Orange: The battery power is low. The battery is to being charged. Blinking orange: The battery needs to be charged. when the indicator starts blinking orange, the computer beeps three times. Green: The computer is in standby mode. Blinking green: The computer is entering standby mode or hibernation mode, or is resuming normal operation. This indicator does not blink in Windows 98, Windows 2000 and Windows Me. Green: Data is being read from or written to the hard-disk drive, the diskette drive, or the drive in the Ultrabay 2000. When this indicator is on, do not put the computer into standby mode or turn off the computer.

2 Standby status

3 Drive in use

Note: Do not move the system while the Green drive in use light is on. Sudden physical shock could cause drive errors.

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ThinkPad A20m/A21m and A20p/A21p

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Product overview Indicator 4 Num lock Meaning Green: The numeric keypad on the keyboard is enabled. To enable or disable the keypad, press and hold the Fn key while pressing the NumLk key. Caps Lock mode is enabled. To enable or disable Caps Lock mode, press Fn + Caps Lock key. Scroll Lock mode is enabled. Arrow keys can be used as screen-scroll function keys, but not to move the cursor. To enable or disable Scroll Lock mode, press Fn + ScrLk key. Not all application programs support this function. This indicator stays lighted whenever the computer is on. If the power-on indicator is on and the standby indicator is off, the system is ready to use. If both the power-on indicator and the standby indicator are on, you can use the computer after it returns from the standby mode and the standby indicator goes off.

5 Caps lock

Green:

6 Scroll lock

Green:

7 Power on

Green:

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ThinkPad A20m/A21m, A20p/A21p

Product overview

FRU tests
The following table shows the test for each FRU.
FRU System board Power LCD unit Modem Applicable test 1. Diagnostics --> CPU/Coprocessor 2. Diagnostics --> Systemboard Diagnostics --> Other Devices --> IBM AC Adapter, IBM Battery 1 (IBM Battery 2) 1. Diagnostics --> Video Adapter 2. Interactive Tests --> Video 1. Make sure the modem is set up correctly. 2. Replace the modem jack and the modem card in turn, and run the following test in Diagnostics --> Communication: a. Lucent Modem (M2) Loopback b. Lucent Modem (M2) Dialtone/DTM c. Intel Modem Register d. Intel Modem Loopback/DTMF e. Intel SP Modem Register f. Intel SP Modem Loopback/DTMF g. 3Com MiniPCI Modem Test h. 3Com MiniPCI Dialtone Test 1. Interactive Tests --> Internal Speaker 2. Diagnostics --> Other Devices --> Crystal SoundFusionTM Test Interactive Tests --> Internal Speaker Diagnostics --> Systemboard --> PCMCIA, PCMCIA External Loop 1. Diagnostics --> Systemboard --> Keyboard 2. Interactive Tests --> Keyboard If the TrackPoint does not work, check the configuration in the ThinkPad Configuration program. If the TrackPoint is disabled, select Enable to enable it. After you use the TrackPoint, the pointer may drift on the screen for a short time. This drift can occur when a slight, steady pressure is applied to the TrackPoint pointer. This symptom is not a hardware problem. If the pointer stops after a short time, no service action is necessary. If enabling the TrackPoint does not correct the problem, continue with the following: v Interactive Tests --> Mouse Hard-disk drive Diskette drive Diagnostics --> Fixed Disks 1. Diagnostics --> Diskette Drives 2. Interactive Tests --> Diskette

Audio

Speaker PC Card slots Keyboard

TrackPoint or pointing device

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ThinkPad A20m/A21m and A20p/A21p

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Product overview FRU