IBM ThinkPad A30 Troubleshooting

The IBM Thinkpad A30 laptop has a 14.1” screen, 128 standard RAM, Intel(R) Mobile Pentium(R) III Processor-M at 933 MHz, 1 GHz, 1.13 GHz, 1.2GHz with enhanced Intel S, and weighs about 7 pounds.

Test the laptop with PC-Doctor for Windows.

Steps:

• 1. Click on Start.

• 2. Move the cursor to Programs and then to PC-Doctor for Windows.

• 3. Click on PC-Doctor for Windows.

• 4. Choose either Quick Test or Standard Test and follow the instructions to solve any problems found.

The computer will not turn on.

Before turning on the laptop, make sure it is intact and not missing important parts.

Make sure that the power button is pressed for at least four seconds. If the computer does not turn on, there may be a problem with the the power cable, battery, or a bad component in the laptop.

Check that the power cable is properly plugged in. Make sure the laptop is plugged into a working wall outlet. Afterwards, check if there is any damage on the power brick or cables. All of the connections should fit snugly.

First, try charging the battery. It could be that the battery isn’t charged.

If that doesn’t work, try re-seating your battery. This can be done by unplugging the power adapter, taking the battery out, and replacing it.

If the battery is still having issues, you might have to replace your battery. This can be bought easily at your local computer hardware store or online.

If any of the options above do not work, then it may be a problem with a component malfunction within the laptop. A replacement of the hard drive disk, RAM stick, or motherboard may be needed.

Battery does not charge, or cannot be fully charged.

Make sure that the battery is properly installed.

The surge protector in the battery may not be allowing the battery to charge. Turn off the laptop for at least one minute, then turn it back on.

One problem may be the temperature of the battery. It will not charge if it is overheated. If the battery feels hot, remove it, and let it cool down. After it cools down, reinstall and recharge the battery. If it still does not charge there may be a problem with the power adapter or the battery itself.

If there is a problem with the power adapter, take out the battery and plug in the power adapter. If it does not turns on, then the power adapter may not work. If the power adapter works, yet the battery does not charge, the battery may be dead.

The only way to repair a dead battery is to replace it. Use the steps above to determine if the battery is dead.

The trackpoint on the laptop does not work properly or does not work at all.

The device may be disabled on the laptop. In order to enable it, go to the device properties in the control panel.

The proper drivers for your operating system may not be installed. This will cause the trackpoint to malfunction. Download the proper drivers from the Lenovo website.

If the trackpoint is broken, then you will have to replace the whole keyboard.

The keyboard does not work properly.

There may not be enough memory in the laptop. If there is not enough memory, the computer will not run fast. In this case, more memory needs to be added. If more memory has been added, make sure it is compatible with the laptop.

If this problem started immediately after the laptop returned from standby mode, enter the power-on password if one was set. If the problem persists, you may need to replace the keyboard.

A “fan error” message appears or the fan is very loud.

There may be something jammed in the fan, like dust or debris, that may not be allowing the fan to move properly. The fan needs to be cleaned.

The cooling fan may have broken, causing the laptop to overheat. If the message continues to be displayed when booting the computer, it may need to be replaced.

No sound can be heard from the laptop’s speakers.

Make sure that the volume is turned on. In order to check, open the Mater Volume Control by clicking on the speaker icon in the taskbar. Verify that the mute box is not checked. You can also adjust the volume from here. If external speakers are connected, make sure they are properly connected.

If the above solution does not work, the speaker may be blown. The speaker will have to be replaced.

The screen does not seem to work when the computer is turned on.

First, you should check to see if you have bad RAM. You can do this by following the repair guide, taking out and re-seating the RAM.

The problem may be because of your motherboard. Hopefully this shouldn’t happen; but if your motherboard is at fault, it is quite difficult to replace. Follow the repair guide for instructions on how to disassemble it, and replace it with a new one.

Despite following proper procedure, the drive does not want to come out.

The CD Drive or Floppy Disc drive should be very easy to remove (see the guides for the CD Drive and the Floppy Drive). If the tab that is in place for removal is broken and does not assist in removing the drive, the drive must be carefully pried out. Using a thin plastic object, like a credit card, carefully pry the drive from out of its housing. Apply pressure to the outer edge of the drive if possible to avoid damage to critical areas.