Thinkpad 380XD issues

My friend gave me his old laptop, a Thinkpad 380XD, to install Linux on it so he could play some different games than the ones already on windows 98. Here is a list of issues:

- The battery is dead. Not a real problem, he's just fine with plugging it in when he uses it.

- The boot up process is muffed up. Here are the steps required to actually get into windows:

1. Click "on" button. Shows the "32MBs ok" for the RAM, and then goes directly into an "ERROR" window with the codes 00161, 00192, and 00163 below the "ERROR" text. It gives me the option to either click "OK" or "RESTART". I click "OK".

2. I have to set the date and time. I press "OK". The computer automatically restarts.

3. "ERROR" sign again, only this time it just displays the error code 00192. I can press either "TEST" or "RESTART". I press "TEST".

4. It comes to a testing screen, where i can test the various components of the laptop. I have already done this, and the only error that come up are when the systemboard is being tested, and those errors are "DEV 001", "ERR 96", and "FRU 3810". Every other component of the laptop checks out A-OK.

5. From the testing screen, I can either click "RESTART" or "EXIT". Clicking "EXIT" leads me to what I assume is a BIOS setup screen, with minimal configurable options, the most I can change is boot order, date/time, and password. Other than that it just gives me info on the BIOS and various other aspects of the laptop. From the main menu of the BIOS setup screen, I click "RESTART".

6. Same "ERROR" screen as step 3, I click "RESTART".

7. Boots up into a different screen, it kind of looks like this:



8. I have to manually reboot.

9. WINDOWS!!!

How can I fix this so it boots up into the OS every time without having to reboot it 4 times? I was thinking maybe the BIOS battery was dead, where can I get a new one?

 

The error codes are as follows: 00161 is "dead battery," 00163 is "date not set," and 00192 is "fan error." Sounds like you've got a dead fan. A quick search on ebay may find you a replacement. As for the time and date, the mobo may have been using the normal battery to keep the CMOS active enough to store settings, rather than a dedicated one.

Source. Hope this helps!

 

And for the record, I too have a Thinkpad (T61, last of the original IBM designs). If the only things wrong with this laptop after a decade is a dead battery and worn out fan, it stands as a testament to how awesome Thinkpads truly are. Too bad the quality has dropped since it got into Lenovo's hands.