Need computer help!

"If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent" (essextee)
07/15/2015 at 19:15 • Filed to: None

I’m having a most interesting issue. My laptop is losing all power almost exactly 19 seconds after power on. It doesn’t matter if I enter BIOS, startup repair, safe mode, or regular boot. I’ve timed it with my phone about 15 times and it’s always 19 seconds. No hardware changes have been made since last sucessful boot.

Machine is a Lenovo Thinkpad W500.

DISCUSSION (25)

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
07/15/2015 at 19:17

Your computer is probably tripping the thermal switch on the CPU because it’s overheating. Check the air flow underneath and maybe spray it with dust cleaner.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts.
07/15/2015 at 19:24

Ok I’ll try that. Could it be humidity related? We’ve been running at 90%+ for the last few days and I’ve heard of humidity messing with electrical stuff.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
07/15/2015 at 19:27

Unless you don’t have any A/C in the house I don’t think it is the humidity. Also once you’ve cleaned it out find a way to keep the machine elevated so the fan has some air flow.

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
07/15/2015 at 19:28

I agree with Thebloody. Also, the W500 seems to have problems with the thermal compound on both the processor and graphics chip drying up. You may have to take it apart and replace with paste with some fresh stuff if a good fan/vent clean doesn’t work.

I should add: Nibby works with Thinkpads a lot, although they tend to be the earlier models. He may be able to shed a little more light on the issue if it’s a known hardware fault rather than a temperature problem.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts.
07/15/2015 at 19:34

Haven’t put in the ACs yet because until recently it’s been rather cool.

It’s definitely been running warm lately but I don’t have any canned air. Might have to take it to the garage and use the air hose on it.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
07/15/2015 at 19:41

That works too.

Nibby > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
07/15/2015 at 19:42

Lucky for you, W500s are super simple to work on. Make sure you have a can of compressed air, a screwdriver set, and some thermal paste (I recommend Arctic Silver 5). Unplug + remove battery, then remove the keyboard, palmrest, and keyboard bezel, then the heatsink, take out the processor, clean the old thermal gunk from it AND the bottom of the heatsink and gfx chip too, remove as much dust as you can from the innards, the fan, heatsink, etc. Place a small line of thermal paste across the center of the processor and gfx chip after cleaning. Spread it out evenly as you can, making sure the entire die of both CPU and processor are covered with a thin line of thermal paste. Reassemble.

Nibby > 4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30
07/15/2015 at 19:48

I replied to him, I’ve had a W500 or two in my time.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Nibby
07/15/2015 at 19:49

Don’t have thermal paste or canned air but I DO have a key to a garage with air lines.

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
07/15/2015 at 20:39

You can easily buy thermal paste for just a couple bucks.

Nibby > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
07/15/2015 at 20:39

You can buy ‘em both online for cheap...

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest.
07/15/2015 at 21:46

I get out of work at 5. The only place around that sells it closes at 5:30. It’s a 25 minute drive there from work when there’s no traffic. It’ll have to wait until my next day off.

R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet > Nibby
07/16/2015 at 00:03

W500 series heat up like a motherfucker.

Nibby > R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet
07/16/2015 at 00:35

Last gen C2Ds heat up like crazy.

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
07/16/2015 at 16:02

Buy it online then.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Nibby
07/16/2015 at 20:36

Replaced thermal paste (it was all flaky and dry) but issue still persists. See video for reference:

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Nibby
07/16/2015 at 20:37

Replaced thermal paste (it was all flaky and dry) but issue still persists. See video for reference:

Nibby > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
07/16/2015 at 20:42

Hmm, that’s a strange one. Could be faulty RAM? Try removing one of the RAM sticks (if you have multiple) and see what happens.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Nibby
07/16/2015 at 20:50

No dice. Could the thermal switch itself be faulty?

In the meantime I’ve switched my SSD into an old, mostly functional T400 I have.

Nibby > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
07/16/2015 at 21:15

Hard to tell from the video, but when it is on, is the fan running loudly?

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Nibby
07/16/2015 at 21:19

Nope. Quiet hum. No dust in it either.

Nibby > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
07/16/2015 at 21:24

Try removing the battery and leaving it plugged in.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Nibby
07/16/2015 at 21:27

No dice. I even tried the secret power button code.

Nibby > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
07/16/2015 at 21:29

Honestly it might just be bricked. If you want though, put your RAM and processor in the T400... they’re compatible.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Nibby
07/16/2015 at 21:49

When I said “mostly functional” I meant that the USB ports are broken and there’s a massive swath of dead pixels. Also, ewww, generic integrated GFX chipset.