HELP! IBM ThinkPad T23 will not boot!!!

Sorry to hear that no restore CD is handy. Sadly to reinstall XP or repair Windows required such. Try Linux LiveCDs.

Bob

try removing the ethernet/modem card (access from bottom of unit).

this is a long shot but try it anyway. Unplug power and remove battery. Then press "on" switch 10 times. Then press on switch and HOLD for 30 sec. Now, plug in power but do not reinstall battery. Let's see what happens. I have a an IBM g41 that runs perfect without the battery 'cause it appears to be shot. Good luck!!

I bought a lot of 5. They had a password (all the same) and I fried one of them trying to solder on a EPROM reader to get the password - then succeeded on the second one. So when one of them went bad like this yesterday, I had one for parts. When cold, boots - eventually (2-3 minutes later) freezes in black with fan spinup/spindown and even power button nonfunctional (have to pop the battery to turn off). Right after that - doesn't boot or anything, fan updown, but at least the power button turns it back off.

I tried replacing the fan, and even the CPU - no go. Searched, found this msg, reporting progress. Next try: leave it in the freezer, see if it lasts longer when I take it out (overheat problem).

hi i have the same problem, i have an IBM thinkpad t23 that i recently bought from someoen n Ebay, and it ran good until yesterday, when i turn it on all of the lights turn on for a second, then only the power, and one other light turn on, and the fan sounds as though it is turning on and off, so i need help too ... what is the problem? and how do i fix it? anyone?

I used to have the same exact problem you did with my IBM Thinkpad model T23 laptop AFTER it came crashing off of my bed to the floor around Thanksgiving of this year. For a while, whenever it was on and received even the slightest jolt or brush it went crazy, became unresponsive, and the screen turned funny colors. Of course, this came as a great annoyance to me. So, using my own igenious cleverness, (basically I just shook the computer like a wrapped present) I discovered a screw had gotten loose and fallen out. Then, I hit it. I know it sounds stupid and unhelpful, but it made it work... at first. After a while it began to not start up and just kept making the same whirring noises with the vent. That made me cry. Then, I stepped on the keyboard in anger, held my foot there, and pressed the power button. It worked... sort of. Whenever I moved my foot it did the same thing it was doing before with the screen. So I began to focus pressure on specific parts of the keyboard, using my heel. I narrowed it down to the Tab, Caps, Q, and A keys. Whenever I held them down and pressed the power it would work, of course this presented some major problems. So, I began thinking about how to overcome this new dilemma, leaning on my elbow on the left side of the computer, right below the keyboard. Just out of boredom, I pressed the power button while in this position and it worked! I held this for about one or two hours (ouch) so I could check my email and everything, not daring to move. Then, I forgot what I was doing and moved my elbow so I could streach and yawn. In mid streach I realized I had moved and looked down, only to find it was still working. Its been working fine ever since. So I'm pretty sure its not the software, it some part underneath the area where I mentioned that seems to come a loose.

This may come a little late, but someone on the following forum seems to have found the solution. http://www.ozzu.com/hardware/ibm-thinkpad-t23-boot-problem-t55332.html