# [SOLVED] IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem



## roymorgan276 (Oct 17, 2009)

Hi,

I have this problem for last few weeks. I have an IBM Thinkpad R52 (2005 model)the specs are: Intel Centrino 1.72 GHz, 2 GB RAM (Initially 256 MB, I upgraded RAM two years back), 40 GB IDE Hard Disk, Windows P Pro (SP2). My computer suddenly got very slow one fine evening and restarted. I was getting blue screen errors and my computer was restarting every now and then. I did a virus scan and even posted a thread here in the malware section but after a lot of diagnosis I found nothing suspicious. Then I posted it to the Windows XP forum and before they could offer any help the frequency of my blue screens increased and I finally had a registry error and had my Windows formatted. 

But even after formatting the problem is still there, I am still getting blue scren errors, 80% of the times its like Stop 0x0000004 error, twice I got 'Unknown_Hard-Error' and one I got a blue screen that said something about win32k.sys. 
I changed my battery a month back, cleaned my fan. Today I took out my 256 MB RAM, cleaned my 2GB RAM slot but still am getting that errror. I am not sure what to do. Please help.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

Hi as a precaution back up any data you need to save you can do this using a usb caddy and hooking it up to the drive then plug it in to another computer or use a copy of ubuntu to get what you need off,try running a hdd diagnostic available from the hdd makers support site, also check the ram use memtest86+ http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&so...34zPBA&usg=AFQjCNGU0bC_XlFBkvTVjBEyKQM0EPEeZg download the iso zip unzip it and burn to a disc use imgburn for this http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&so...jMzSBA&usg=AFQjCNFMUGPn_s6Ka8sB-2BhiJVM0Rrhng and test your ram you can also test your gpu with this http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&so..._PzSBA&usg=AFQjCNFrxaGwkeSc7IsJKa6iAI6ciAN88Q


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## roymorgan276 (Oct 17, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

Hi, 
I did run the memtest from an USB. I thought it would take a long time to run so I turned the memtest on and went to bed. When I woke up I found that my PC had hung and 67% of the test was completed with 3 Pass and 0 Error. I shall try and run the test again today. Meanwhile do you have any other suggestions?


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

Hi for the present run the tests once we know the results we can look at which way to move forward,if you have more than 1 stick of ram test them 1 at a time then swap them to the other socket and rerun,remember to test your video too


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## roymorgan276 (Oct 17, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

How do I test the video? Is it a part of the test or does it need any manual inputs from me?


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

Hi the last link in post 2 has the program for testing


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## roymorgan276 (Oct 17, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

Hello again,

I ran the full memtest and it passed without any error. Also, I downloaded the GPU test file but it only ran the CPU OCCT and Linpack test . GPU OCCT was greyed out (I was not allowed to run it). Please let me know the next steps.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

Hi see if this will work http://www.ozone3d.net/benchmarks/fur/


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## roymorgan276 (Oct 17, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

That link is not working.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

Hi sorry about that http://www.ozone3d.net/benchmarks/fur/ hope it works this time


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## roymorgan276 (Oct 17, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

Nope, it just doesn't download. Anyway, I am not sure if I had told you this - my notebook freezes up (and at times followed by a blue screen) the moment I move it, as in, lift it from one place and take it to another. Do you think it can be a hard disk problem?


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

Hi ok this is ok lets try to get the info from the bluescreen please go to C:\windows\minidump and copy the info to a folder name it minidump,next right click on the folder and choose send to zip option then on your thread page go to the go advanced button then to the paper clip icon and use it to attach to your next post


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## roymorgan276 (Oct 17, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

Hi,

The minidump folder is empty.


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## reventon (Oct 16, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*



roymorgan276 said:


> Nope, it just doesn't download. Anyway, I am not sure if I had told you this - my notebook freezes up (and at times followed by a blue screen) the moment I move it, as in, lift it from one place and take it to another. Do you think it can be a hard disk problem?


So, every single time you move it results in a freeze/BSOD?

Run the following hard drive test


> Download *SeaTools for DOS* from here: http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.j...toid=720bd20cacdec010VgnVCM100000dd04090aRCRD
> 
> Save it to a CD/USB
> 
> Boot from the CD/USB. After it has detected the drive, select Basic Tests, then Long Test and let it run.


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## roymorgan276 (Oct 17, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

I copied the ISO file to my flash drive but it doesn't boot, it gives some message SYSLINUX..... and says it can not find a boot image. I tried extracting the contents of the ISO file to my flash drive as well and boot but no luck (I booted the memtest program from my flash drive before so I know my BIOS supports USB booting). Can't use a CD here as my CD drive doesn't work. Any other way?


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## marcus.lewis (Sep 11, 2010)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

Edit: My bad didn't see you want to create a usb stick. Will update in couple minutes with instructions.


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## reventon (Oct 16, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

Hmm, I was sure there was a USB version.

No matter, simply use *SeaTools for Windows* instead.

You can get it from the same link - http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.j...toid=720bd20cacdec010VgnVCM100000dd04090aRCRD


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## roymorgan276 (Oct 17, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

I shall run the windows test soon. Meanwhile I ran a program called HD Tuner Pro and wanted to share the 'Health' of my hard drive (snapshot attached)


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

Hi from your report there could be a cable problem it may be worthwhile checking the cables and connections just to rule it out as a possible cause of any issue


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## roymorgan276 (Oct 17, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

I ran the Seagate hard drive tests from Windows and all of them were passed. 

Joeten, my HDD does not have a cable, it has pins. I got it taken out and re-fitted.


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## reventon (Oct 16, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

Ok, what is the status regarding the BSODs.

Do you still get them everytime you move your laptop?

And at other times too?


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## roymorgan276 (Oct 17, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

Yes. I still get those BSOD's every now and then under same circumstances - moving my laptop, running two or three programs at a time. At times I get an 'Unknown Hard Error' and sometimes the 'critical thread' error. Also during boot up when I get the Windows XP screen it gets super slow.


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## night_shift (Sep 8, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

Hi roymorgan276

How old is your laptop and does it run hot?

Carry out step 2 and 4 at the moment of this procedure - *Black Screen Issues and Troubleshooting *


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## roymorgan276 (Oct 17, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

My laptop is five years old and it used to run pretty hoy until I got my fan cleaned up a few weeks back. It still run hot though.


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## night_shift (Sep 8, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

Hi

reventon said:


> Ok, what is the status regarding the BSODs.
> 
> Do you still get them everytime you move your laptop?
> 
> And at other times too?


roymorgan276 said:


> Yes. I still get those BSOD's every now and then under same circumstances - moving my laptop, running two or three programs at a time. At times I get an 'Unknown Hard Error' and sometimes the 'critical thread' error. Also during boot up when I get the Windows XP screen it gets super slow.


roymorgan276 said:


> My laptop is five years old and it used to run pretty hoy until I got my fan cleaned up a few weeks back. It still run hot though.


I'm not going to beat about the bush here, simply your motherboard is suffering thermal stress (cracked solder joints). I have seen this in many old and overheated laptops.

Solution - 

1. Replace motherboard (not an economical option for a 5 year old lappy).

2. Get the motherboard BGA Professionally reflowed (a heat treatment that remelts the solder around the chip arrays). This can be expensive.

3. Or, as a last resort, a home DIY reflow. As a professional electronic tech I have carried out my own reflowing under control conditions with success, there are also very successful methods using your domestic oven. I still have reservations about this but the success rate is very high.

Have a look at the link and judge for yourself, remember your laptop is 5 years old and the process is a last ditch approach to gaining a little more time out the old girl. Any questions, were here to help. The laptop in the post is not yours but the process is the same.

*Motherboard re-flow*


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## roymorgan276 (Oct 17, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

Thank you very much for explaining me the condition and to be honest I kind of guessed that my laptop was running on life support for a while. The link you have posted is interesting but I am not too sure whether I can execute it correctly as I had never tried any hardware related activities before. 
I had a quick question, someone at work suggested that I get my hard disk checked, he thinks the read-write process in my hard disk has gone slow and I should get a new IDE hard drive. Do you think this might be the case as well?


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## night_shift (Sep 8, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

Hi roymorgan276



> I had a quick question, someone at work suggested that I get my hard disk checked, he thinks the read-write process in my hard disk has gone slow and I should get a new IDE hard drive. Do you think this might be the case as well?


As reventon noticed and suspected a hardware issue and joeten has suggested backing up all your data you can guess something horrible is around the corner.

Do you really want to start throwing money at this old lady. If you feel sentimental about this and want to prove to yourself a HD issue I would as already suggested run the seatools app (if its a seagate HD)first, but run the dos version, this will carry out all the repairs in depth. Warning - Running the dos version can cause data loss during the repair process (backup, backup).

After that then buy your HD.


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## roymorgan276 (Oct 17, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

I have a Hitachi HD, not a Seagate one. And I could not boot up from my flash drive while trying to run the dos version.


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## night_shift (Sep 8, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

Download Ubuntu live disk, put it on your usb stick then remove your HD. Run the live disk. Once it has loaded, navigate around it, open some apps and see if you BSOD. Also move your lappy around and see what happens.

Download Ubuntu *Try it!* option* here*.

Set up the usb stick *Here*.


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## roymorgan276 (Oct 17, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

Thanks !! Will try it and post back the results


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## roymorgan276 (Oct 17, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

I am yet to try out Ubuntu but here is one interesting observation. Yesterday I took out my battery (it is not original IBM battery but a compatible one, manufactured by Amigo, USA) and inserted my original 'dead' IBM battery and turned on my laptop with my adapter. It worked fine, I ran more than fifteen Chrome windows, Outlook and MS Office programs without any slowdown. I re-inserted the IBM compatible battery and once Windows loaded it ran fine. However, this morning it again got slow as usual but I had lesser blue screens.


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## night_shift (Sep 8, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

Do you get the same problem with the battery removed and running on ac adaptor only?


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## roymorgan276 (Oct 17, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

I tried that once and it ran smoothly. But I wouldn't into a conclusion yet as I ran my system on ac adapter for a very short time.


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## night_shift (Sep 8, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

Try running it on ac with battery out for a while, see what happens.


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## roymorgan276 (Oct 17, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

I am really sorry for not getting the time to test Ubuntu. Work has been crazy. But today I found some time to run chkdsk from Windows Recovery console and repaired errors in my hard drive, I also did a memory swap, but the problem still remains.


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## night_shift (Sep 8, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

I Know the feeling  There are no time pressures here.


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## roymorgan276 (Oct 17, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

Hello Night shift, I ended up formatting my hard drive and reinstalled everything. Its working fine now. (I still believe the whole thing was a little weird) 
Thanks.


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## night_shift (Sep 8, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

Laptops are strange beasts, at least your lappys working now.


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## night_shift (Sep 8, 2009)

*Re: IBM Thinkpad Blue Screen - Hardware Problem*

If you you are happy that your laptop is fixed -
Could you please mark this thread as *Solved*.
Go to the first post on this page.
On the tool bar above, open *Thread Tools*.
Click in the box *Mark this thread as solved*.
You are now solved.

Thanks

Steve :smile:


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## timili (Feb 9, 2011)

The one caused of blue screen error or popular known as BSOD on IBM/Lenovo
ThinkPad with IEEE 1394 model is BIOS. Most BSOD problem people experience on ThinkPad because of an older BIOS version installed. The first thing you should do to avoid
is checking your BIOS version. Once you know the version is older than
this list you need update to the version listed. 
Turn off the system; Turn on the system; While the message “To interrupt normal startup, press the blue ThinkVantage button” is appeared at the lower-left area of the screen, you can press the F1 key.
- Now you should see the BIOS Setup Utility menu will be appeared. If you have set a supervisor password, you require entering the password to make the BIOS Setup Utility menu appears.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Hi timili welcome to TSF,and thank you for the input but this thread is many months old and the op has probably moved on with their reinstall so is unlikely to respond


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