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Thinkpad T60 gets stuck while booting Slackware 14.0

Hello,

my T60 ran without any problems for months until yesterday, when it started to get stuck during the boot process. Sometimes it gets stuck while loading the kernel, other times after already having mounted the file systems. I ran ``smartctl -t long /dev/sda'' and it passed. I am currently running memtest, it has been running for 2 hours now, 3 passes, 0 errors. Any idea what that could be?

lems

This may be relevant

Hey,
I have a T61 that exhibits similar problems. If it fails to boot I usually see kernel-type error messages flying by. Do you see anything like that?.

I have determined (empirically) that the problem is thermal ... not too hot but too cold!
If I am booting up after having been shutdown (overnight say), I hit F1 to drop into the BIOS setup and leave it there for 5 minutes or so ... enough time for all the hardware to warm up, and then everything just boots nicely.

If I don't do this, it takes several attempts before it will boot properly.

I hope this is relevant

cheers
pete

pete hilton
saruman@ruvolo-hilton.org

Hi,

I did not see any error messages. I also updated to Slackware -current, but the problem persists. Thanks for the tip, though, I did not think about that, it might indeed be thermal.

This could be some sort of hardware failure. Slackware current and 14.0 (when it was current branch) works like a charm on my T60.

Well, apart from few kernel crashes that occurs from time to time and sudden freezes while waking up from hibernated state (I suspect intel graphics drivers). I still don't know what triggers them, but since I track current I know these things might happen.

To rule our hardware failure, try another distribution and see if it boots fine and how it actually works. Although as far as I experienced Slackware is really rock-stable and versatile distribution. On my older Dell laptop (manufactured 2005) only distro that works is Slackware (14.0, not sure about -current). Other distros just mysteriously fails during boot, which probably means that there is something definitely wrong with hardware. And Slackware amaze even more for surviving it.

Greetings, Thinkpad bretheren!

lems,
If you've never replaced the thermal paste in your T60, it's way past due.
Here's a great video on the subject:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hNgFNH7zhQ
It's also a good opportunity to oil the fan spindle. It should lift right out once you free it from the housing (no need to cut the foil tape either, just fold it over with the silver housing).

Once you get it booting again, you can use this handy file I got from thinkwiki.org
Put this:

Code:

chip "acpitz-virtual-0"

  label temp1 "CPU_0"

  label temp2 "CPU_1"

chip "thinkpad-isa-0000"

  label fan1  "FAN"

  label temp1  "CPU"

  label temp2  "APS"

  label temp3  "PCM"

  label temp4  "GPU"

  label temp5  "BAT"

  label temp7  "BAT"

  label temp9  "BUS"

  label temp10 "PCI"

  label temp11 "PWR"

in a file called:

Code:

/etc/sensors.d/tpsensors

then when you run sensors, the output will be formatted specifically for the T60.
I use it on my T60p and it's a bit incomplete, but at least I can check on all the hottest chips easily. BTW, I run pretty hot (especially after a resume from suspend --the internet knows not why):

Code:

acpitz-virtual-0

Adapter: Virtual device

CPU_0:        +52.0°C  (crit = +127.0°C)

CPU_1:        +58.0°C  (crit = +99.0°C)



thinkpad-isa-0000

Adapter: ISA adapter

FAN:        3490 RPM

CPU:          +52.0°C  

APS:          +39.0°C  

PCM:          +41.0°C  

GPU:          +68.0°C  

BAT:          +50.0°C  

temp6:            N/A  

BAT:          +26.0°C  

temp8:            N/A  

BUS:          +45.0°C  

PCI:          +54.0°C  

PWR:          +51.0°C  

temp12:          N/A  

temp13:          N/A  

temp14:          N/A  

temp15:          N/A  

temp16:          N/A

Also, I know from experience an updated BIOS can affect performance, too. For these "newer" kernels it can help to have the latest BIOS version. The last one for the T60p was made in 2011.
HTH

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I also installed Debian: after the install, I could boot into it without any problems, but the next morning it would freeze while activating swap and another time while starting X. So it is not slackware-related, I guess.

As for flashing the BIOS, I think you need a charged battery, no? Unfortunately, my battery is broken and I would have to replace it.

This is my output from ``sensors'' after having run for maybe two to three hours:

Code:

thinkpad-isa-0000

Adapter: ISA adapter

FAN:        2818 RPM

CPU:          +47.0°C  

APS:          +42.0°C  

PCM:          +38.0°C  

GPU:              N/A  

BAT:              N/A  

temp6:            N/A  

BAT:              N/A  

temp8:            N/A  

BUS:          +41.0°C  

PCI:          +47.0°C  

PWR:          +46.0°C  

temp12:          N/A  

temp13:          N/A  

temp14:          N/A  

temp15:          N/A  

temp16:          N/A  



acpitz-virtual-0

Adapter: Virtual device

CPU_0:        +47.0°C  (crit = +127.0°C)

CPU_1:        +46.0°C  (crit = +99.0°C)



coretemp-isa-0000

Adapter: ISA adapter

Core 0:      +46.0°C  (crit = +100.0°C)

Core 1:      +44.0°C  (crit = +100.0°C)

Thanks for the link to the video, will look into it (I have absolutely no experience with opening laptops).

Quote:

Originally Posted by lems (Post 5003871)

As for flashing the BIOS, I think you need a charged battery, no? Unfortunately, my battery is broken and I would have to replace it.

[...]

Thanks for the link to the video, will look into it (I have absolutely no experience with opening laptops).

Thinkpad laptops are designed with easy maintenance/disassembly in mind. So don't worry, they are made like a jigsaw :) If you are in doubt how to do it, read excellent Hardware Maintenance Manual from IBM.

I'm not sure about flashing the BIOS, but it could also be in Maintenance guide.