Bad motherboard?

I recently bought a IBM Thinkpad T20(2647-86U) laptop but then it crashed later that night. After looking on the IBM website, I realized that that long beep followed by two short beeps was actually a error code and not a startup sound(which im pretty sure the seller knew regardless of his deniging it). The screen is readable, it shows the tilted IBM Thinkpad logo, but when you press F1 or F12, it displays that it is loading whatever you went into then it freezes. If you just let it sit to load windows, it just locks up while displaying the "F1 for BIOS setup utility, F12 to choice boot source(or something like that)" print at the bottom. Someone said that that could mean a bad motherboard, video adapter problem, or a LCD assembly problem. Since I can clearly read the IBM logo, I think its the BIOS on the motherboard. I want to know what you people think and if you might know how much a new motherboard for that model would cost. Im pretty computer literate so I just need to know what to do and maybe some fair instructions how. Before replacing the motherboard though, I would like to know how to reinstall the BIOS using my desktop(because the laptop wont boot up^).
Any useful help will be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks for everyone's time.

 

The guy didnt give me one with it, although I have a backup copy of xp professional(dont know where the original is). The laptop is about 1 or 2 thousand miles away in California while im currently in Alabama visiting. My sister is back home though so she could lookup stuff like model#s and stuff. She doesnt know much, if anything, about computers so she isnt going to be able to open it up to get those model#s and stuff of the hardware but I can look at it when I get back. Right now im doing as much research as possible so when I get home I can try all this stuff so I can fix it pretty quick because im also in the process of trying to start a business. And also, as I said above, I can read the screen and its not blank.

 

Well, first of all, I cant do anything with the OS because I cant even boot it up. Second, I know the ram is ok because I pulled it out then tried to boot it up and it gave another error code and the screen was blank. When I put it back in, it went back to loading the logo then the commands then locking up at about the time I think it tries to load the BIOS. Last, I paid the jerk $150 for it.

 

If possible, I want to try and reinstall the BIOS using my desktop if disconnecting and reconnecting after a minute doesnt fix it.

 

Can't you just flash the bios?

 

If flashing the BIOS means reinstalling it, thats what I wanted to do first. I would have to do it with my desktop or another laptop because, as I said above, it wont boot up.

 

I'd keep alert for a better buy, then scrap this one. For $150 it was a reasonable risk. Good luck.

 

Flashing is EZ. Unplug your computer (disconnect your battery) to avoid any shorts, move the jumper on the motherboard to 'flash the bios', leave it for a good few seconds, then return the jumper to it's original placement. After that you should be able to boot your computer up with the default setting in your bios.

Now, about the jumper to flash your bios... On your motherboard, you should be able to find what looks like a connect slot. Three pins, no cord/cable just a single plastic tab positioned over two of the three pins. Next to it somewhere, should say something like "Flash Bios". That's what you're looking for. Move the plastic tab, wait, return tab and then you can plug back in (replace battery) and boot up. This information should be included within the users manual for your Thinkpad. Since you probably didn't get it along with your laptop, I'd suggest investing some time looking for the online manual for it.

If this doesn't get you going, my next thought is a bad registry. That's a whole nother story.

Good luck, TC. hope I helped at least a little.

 

But I want to fix this one so I can turn around and maybe sell it for a little more to put towards a NEW NOT USED laptop.