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Let’s say you have an IBM ThinkPad laptop and when you turn it on all you get is a black screen with “Fan error” message. What could be wrong?
A few weeks ago, the fan in my trusty IBM T42 bought the farm. This resulted in the unit heating up considerably, as well as numerous “fan error” messages on bootup. It eventually became so bad that to boot up at all, I had to blow compressed air into the fan’s exhaust grill for 5-10 seconds, in order to fool the BIOS and make it believe the fan was actually spinning.
According to the IBM hardware maintenance guide (HMM) for ThinkPad T40, T40p, T41, T41p, T42, T42p this error message indicates a problem with the fan, you can find symptom-to-FRU index on the page58.
The symptom-to-FRU index in this section lists symptoms and errors and their possible causes.
Apparently it’s time to replace the fan assembly. The cooling fan comes together with the heat sink, that’s why you’ll have to replace the whole fan assembly.
You can easily replace the fan assembly after you remove the palm rest and keyboard.
1. Remove the battery and unplug the AC adapter.
2. Remove four screws marked with yellow circles. These screws securing the keyboard.
3. Remove eight screws marked with orange circles. These screws securing the palm rest.
4. Lift up the keyboard and upnlug the keyboard cable from the motherboard.
5. Lift up the palm rest and unplug the touchpad cable from the motherboard.
6. Remove three screws securing the fan assembly, unplug the fan cable from the motherboard. Lift up and replace the fan assembly.
You’ll find step-by-step laptop disassembly and fan replacement instructions in the HMM in the chapter “Removing and replacing a FRU” on the page 70.
You can find a new fan assembly using the FRU number located on your failed fan, it might look like 91P8393, 26R7860, 13R2919, 13N5442, or 13R2657. Just google the FRU number and find a place to buy it from. Different laptop types with different screen sizes use different fans, so you have to find the correct one witch fits your model. If for some reason your fan assembly doesn’t have the FRU number, you’ll have to refer to the HMM page 216-217. On these pages you’ll find witch fan belongs to your laptop. Here you can find new and used fans for ThinkPad laptops.
For example, if have a type 2378-FVU laptop with 15.0″ LCD screen, then you need a fan assembly with FRU: 13R2657
May 31st, 2010 at 4:53 am
Clayton,
I had the same problem with my T42. The M10 Long FU was “glued” to the heat sink. I gave up and bought a new computer, but now that I don’t really need the laptop anymore (btw: I kept it alive thanks to this article by blowing compressed air into the fan during startup)… anyway, I took it apart and used a razor knife to carefully cut unter the copper fan plate and the heat sink. I used a small vacume to clean up the debris and eventually I cut far enouph into it that it released and I was able to remove the fan unit. I have ordered a new one and hopefully will have it running soon.
Good luck!
May 22nd, 2010 at 10:21 am
Worked for me … scratched my head a bit but then stumbled on this page … used hair dryer for ~5min to heat the part glued to the motherboard and from there on was easy …. Thx
May 5th, 2010 at 7:26 am
shivasyif,
Take a closer look at the fan. Does it work at all?
If you are getting “fan error” messages, most likely you have to replace the fan.
May 5th, 2010 at 12:29 am
hi.. I really need help,, i have IBM Thinkpad G40.. but likely some trouble in start up,, show fan errors then it turn off self, but if I press Escape then it will loading again like normal start up..how it is fixed?? please help.. T_T
thank for your help
April 1st, 2010 at 1:04 pm
Calyton,
Make sure you loosened all screws securing the heat sink. If the heat sink is glued to the chip by the thermal grease, I guess you’ll have to use some reasonable force to remove the heat sink.
March 23rd, 2010 at 2:31 pm
I have my T42 open, and can easily see the FRU. What I cannot do is get it out. It is glued to the chip in the middle of the motherboard, and I cannot get it out. What should I do?
Thanks in advance.
March 20th, 2010 at 7:22 pm
thanks for Laptop Tech, i was able to start my IBM T42 as you prescribed. But definitely, i have to change the fan to work it better. it sucks everytime i blew the fan using my mouth just to start. hehe.
Anyways, thanks again.
Kwaksinator
March 16th, 2010 at 2:22 am
Hey!
I have an ibm T42 thinkpad notebook. Recently, its given me the ‘fan error message at the top left corner of my screen. Its shutting down just after I boot it. I’ve read a number of forums on the fan error issue. Anyway, I have another thinkpad (T29 – which has its own issues by the way) so I took the fan from the T42 and tried it on the T29 – its running smoothly. I then tried running the fan from the T29 on the T42….it didnt run. coz of this, im not entirely certain that my problem has to do with the fan.
I’m considering shelving the T42 till I can get another notebook but I dont want to coz I really love the notebook i was using.
Help someone before I empty my pockets unnecessarily
March 5th, 2010 at 10:54 am
jeman,
Possible memory failure.
Try removing memory modules one by one and test the laptop with each module separately. Try using different slots. One of the memory modules could be bad.
March 5th, 2010 at 1:16 am
I have an ibm thinkpad T42 notebook, when i turn on the power button I got a black screen, the power turns on the power light, battery light, and the z light, no hard drive light, and on the screen nothing comes on, not even a fun error message or the post bios test, all is black and blank.
Any advice from a friend.