I'm hoping you can help me with a problem I'm having with one of my company's IBM ThinkPad T20 notebooks. I can't start up the unit after a hibernation under Windows 2000. All of my efforts—pressing the power button, using a paperclip in the unit's reset button, pounding the notebook with my fist—have failed. This problem occurs regardless of whether the unit operates under battery power or AC power. How do I wake this system from its hibernation?

An IBM technician informs me that your problem isn't related to Win2K or hibernation but is the result of an overcharged capacitor inside the unit. To remedy the problem, first remove any batteries (i.e., the internal battery and the Ultrabay battery, if installed) from the unit. Next, you need to drain any remaining charge from the capacitor: With the batteries removed, hold the power button down for at least 90 seconds. The overcharge should completely drain, and you can then reconnect the batteries or AC power and turn on the unit.

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Reader Comments

We are having a simular problem with IBM Thinkpad 1411's with W2K Pro installed. When we you wake it up from a hibernation state, only half of the screen appears (vertically). About 50% of the screen becomes unavailable and the only way to return the sreen to full size is to reboot. This has happened on a number of 1411's we have.

David Gallant- March 08, 2001

The IBM Thinkpad i series must be rebooted and can not recover from the hibernation process. This was one of the glitches found after the computer was manufactured.

Corrie Rovala- June 16, 2003

My T20 started like that too, it wouldn't come out of hibernation. Now, it won't come to life even if it had been shut down. I have to remove all power sources immediately after shutdown if I want it to start up again later. If it won't start up I have to let it sit without power for minutes or hours, then press the power button as I plug in the AC adapter. I long suspected that it had to do with a defective capacitor, unfortunately this started happening shortly after my warranty had run out. Obviously this is very anoying, one out of five times the Thinkpad won't start up and using it on battery only is very complicated. Also, I think it's getting worse: Is there a way to identify the defective part(s)? I couldn't just by sight.. Thanks!

Erik Jahn- March 09, 2004

I have a IBM Think Pad T20 that will not power-up. The symtom is as follows: When the power cord is plugged in the battery light appears green for 2 sec then it goes to yellow, I press the on button and it goes to green and returns to yellow 2 seconds later. This started happening gradually until it stopped powering on completely. Have any one experienced this problem? Any assistance would be appreciated to resolve this.

Naverial Rankins- June 05, 2004

my TP 390e wouldn't do anything until i tried the recommended solution- now it will boot up, however once I shut it down I have to go through the whole process again. I have tried putting a new cmos battery in - didn't make any difference.

Any ideas?

Thanks for the help so far.

Lewis

Lewis North- June 18, 2004

Your Comments (required): I have a Thinkpad A21M which shares the same problems as noted above. It will suddenly go into hibernation and nothing seems to work to revive it. After several hours without power and battery I can restart but it will only stay on for 5 - 10 minutes. Does anyone know of a fix for this before I take it to the shop?

D Keith- July 07, 2004

I have been experiencing a similar boot problem on my ThinkPad T20 (Win XP Pro, no hibernation option). When I pressed the power button (with or without the battery installed), both the HDD and battery lights would come on very rapidly (a fraction of a second) but the PC would not start at all. This is my second T20 that developed the same problem. I tried Mr. Daily's advice to no avail. But I was fairly sure the capacitor was overcharged and recalled that batteries in general would discharge more quickly under a cold climate. So, I decided to cool my ThinkPad in my refrigerator for a couple of hours (no kidding), with the HDD and battery intact. As you may have guessed, my T20 is happily running again. Although this sounds quite silly, you may want to give it a try; you have nothing to lose. It worked a magic for me, although I will probbaly have to buy a new laptop pretty soon, as my wife could not stop laughing at me as I was retrieving my T20 from the fridge.

jiwata3- July 21, 2004

Article Rating 3 out of 5

My T20 displayed exactly this problem on W98. Having tried the other suggestions without success, I resorted to the fridge overnight. This worked! But only twice. The third time, the machine remains dead and is now in the hands of a specialist.

kirwanf- September 02, 2004

Article Rating 5 out of 5

I have the same problem with my T20. This problem seems real enough that IBM should have a solution. has anyone tried to get a answer directly from IBM? Their WEB site did not help me at all.

Anonymous User- October 25, 2004

Article Rating 3 out of 5

I have the same problem with my T20. This problem seems real enough that IBM should have a solution. has anyone tried to get a answer directly from IBM? Their WEB site did not help me at all.

Anonymous User- October 25, 2004

Article Rating 3 out of 5

is there a fix on this issue? My T40 will not power on.

Anonymous User- October 25, 2004

hi my thinkpad t21 has the same problem with power up... its rally stupid to wait few hours to turn on laptop wrrr ibm do something!!!!

rudee- October 26, 2004

Article Rating 5 out of 5

For this very same problem I found myself at this website..and am sorry to say that I am glad I am not alone with this blasted problem. It is quite ludcirous that IBM have not done somthing about this and perhaps I might point them to this site to get a taster of how irritated people are. So far I have not tried the fridge option ... I was about to by a new battery. At the moment, taking the battery of does work,... after a one our interval. Any other methods suggested!!! Thanking you in anticipation

Anonymous User- October 27, 2004

For this very same problem I found myself at this website..and am sorry to say that I am glad I am not alone with this blasted problem. It is quite ludcirous that IBM have not done somthing about this and perhaps I might point them to this site to get a taster of how irritated people are. So far I have not tried the fridge option ... I was about to by a new battery. At the moment, taking the battery of does work,... after a one our interval. Any other methods suggested!!! Thanking you in anticipation

Anonymous User- October 27, 2004

I was running into the same problem with a T20. It would not start, green light on for a few seconds and nothing. Well I finally fixed the problem, well more like a workaround. It has worked for me without a problem.

Problem: computer does not restart if turned off.

Solution: if computer does not start do not turn it off at all. Like this:

1. Go to Control Panel --> Power Options --> Advance - select Hibernate for (when I close the lid and when I press the power button). Then go to Hibernate and check it so that hibernation is active. When, you press the power button (as to turn the computer off) it goes into hibernation and the same applies when closing the lid (screen).

DONE!

Now the computer does not turn off, it only goes into hibernation. The problem, I found out, was the Standby mode and not hibernation. Going forward, never turn the computer off or go into standby mode.

I hope this workaround works for you all.

Carlos Romero IEGHJENPRDMH@spammotel.com

Anonymous User- October 27, 2004

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