My Thinkpad T20 is making a noise that sounds like a stuck key at start up. It won't even get to the screen that lets me get into the BIOS setup. Occasionally it will just start up fine (usually when I'm trying to show someone else the problem!).

I recently reformatted the hard drive and reinstalled 98SE and all the drivers, which fixed the 1000 other problems I'd been fighting for a couple of months. The computer started up fine for the first few times, and now it's making the same noise and refusing to start up again.

I have no idea how to test anything when I can't get the machine to boot from my floppy drive. I'm tempted to whack it repeatedly until it stops making this sound, but I have a feeling that wouldn't be a good long term solution! ;)

Any ideas about what the problem might be? Any thoughts/help/guidance/valium would be greatly appreciated!!!

Welcome to http://www.pcguide.com/ubb/pcgubb.gif forums.

Let's start at the beginning. Does the PC post. When a computer starts up, it usually makes a single beep. Does this notebook do that?

Does anything appear on the screen?

Do any of the lights light up?

These are being sen as a big problem child by me.. A simple thing to do is apply slight twisting pressure to the left palmrest, Fingers under laptop, Thumb on top and pry slightly towards the right rear.. If it boots fine doing this let me know as Ive found a fix for these issues.. Bad solder joints are quite common on these 3 models.. (Typing on one now).. And I HATE stinkpads.. Just let us know..
Ken LaDere

Hi,
I have same problem on my T20, it makes like popping sound and lights flash and never boots up completely. What solution have you found for the fix?
You can PM me if you like.
Regards.

AAPCG:

Welcome to http://www.pcguide.com/ubb/pcgubb.gif forums.

You need to start your own thread and state exactly what problem you have when it occurred and what you have tried to solve it.