Mailing List Archive

Michael wrote:
> Over the last 8-9 months I noticed an old Lenovo G505s laptop is spending a
> long time in the POST process, before eventually the OEM logo shows up on the
> screen. Last time I timed it, it took 2.5-3.0 minutes. Normally it would
> only take ~20-30 seconds. Once the logo shows up the boot process proceeds
> without further delay.
>
> Initially, this delay to POST would happen randomly and rarely. Now it
> happens every time.
>
> Things I tried:
>
> 1. Reflashing the UEFI firmware - it didn't work because it already has the
> latest firmware.
>
> 2. Removing the main battery and holding down the power button for 15 seconds,
> hoping to reset the firmware.
>
> 3. Leaving the PSU cable connected overnight.
>
> 4. Testing the RAM and HDD.
>
> None of the above improved the situation, or indicated what might be wrong.
>
> I'll reseat the RAM sticks and the HDD next, in case a contact is oxidised,
> but what else could cause this noticeable delay to POST? A failing RTC CMOS
> battery?


I recently had this issue as well on my 770T NAS box.  I ordered some
video cards and once I replaced the video card, it boots in the time it
should every time.  Before that, I tried memtest, checking the CPU was
seated properly and not running hot, checked temps with a IR thingy of
both bridge chips and several other things.  I also replaced the battery
and reset the settings to defaults and then adjusted to my way.  The
only thing that changed the long POST time, changing the video card.  I
might add, I've booted that thing a lot since I changed the video card
and it boots right up each time. 

If you have a built in video system, you stuck.  The only option I can
think of, clean the heat sink/cooler for the CPU and such and see if
that helps any.  If you doing a cold start, couldn't imagine heat being
a issue tho.  If you have a video card that can be changed, might want
to try that.  I've never seen a laptop with one of those tho. 

I hope someone else has a better suggestion. 

Dale

:-)  :-) 

On Tuesday, 28 November 2023 13:13:55 GMT Dale wrote:
> Michael wrote:
> > Over the last 8-9 months I noticed an old Lenovo G505s laptop is spending
> > a
> > long time in the POST process, before eventually the OEM logo shows up on
> > the screen. Last time I timed it, it took 2.5-3.0 minutes. Normally it
> > would only take ~20-30 seconds. Once the logo shows up the boot process
> > proceeds without further delay.
> >
> > Initially, this delay to POST would happen randomly and rarely. Now it
> > happens every time.
> >
> > Things I tried:
> >
> > 1. Reflashing the UEFI firmware - it didn't work because it already has
> > the
> > latest firmware.
> >
> > 2. Removing the main battery and holding down the power button for 15
> > seconds, hoping to reset the firmware.
> >
> > 3. Leaving the PSU cable connected overnight.
> >
> > 4. Testing the RAM and HDD.
> >
> > None of the above improved the situation, or indicated what might be
> > wrong.
> >
> > I'll reseat the RAM sticks and the HDD next, in case a contact is
> > oxidised,
> > but what else could cause this noticeable delay to POST? A failing RTC
> > CMOS battery?
>
> I recently had this issue as well on my 770T NAS box. I ordered some
> video cards and once I replaced the video card, it boots in the time it
> should every time. Before that, I tried memtest, checking the CPU was
> seated properly and not running hot, checked temps with a IR thingy of
> both bridge chips and several other things. I also replaced the battery
> and reset the settings to defaults and then adjusted to my way. The
> only thing that changed the long POST time, changing the video card. I
> might add, I've booted that thing a lot since I changed the video card
> and it boots right up each time.
>
> If you have a built in video system, you stuck. The only option I can
> think of, clean the heat sink/cooler for the CPU and such and see if
> that helps any. If you doing a cold start, couldn't imagine heat being
> a issue tho. If you have a video card that can be changed, might want
> to try that. I've never seen a laptop with one of those tho.
>
> I hope someone else has a better suggestion.
>
> Dale
>
> :-) :-)

Thank you Dale, this laptop has both an AMD A10-5750M APU with a Richland
[Radeon HD 8650G] graphics on the die and a discrete Jet PRO [Radeon R5 M230]
GPU, working with the radeon kernel driver and the vga_switcheroo. I can't
recall if the Radeon chip is soldered or plugged in a socket on the MoBo.
Until I take off the back cover I won't know for sure.

Perhaps a red herring, but it may be related to graphics: At some point in
the summer I connected an external monitor with HDMI to test it. I then
switched from both monitors, only the laptop's LCD and then only the external
monitor and back again before I shut it down. All worked as expected on a
Wayland Plasma desktop. I am not certain, but have the impression the delay
at POST started getting worse thereafter, although the problem existed
intermittently for a good 4-5 months before then. :-/

I hope the GPU is not failing, because I doubt I'll be able to source one of
these chips, while spending money on a replacement MoBo on flea-bay would not
be cost effective.

On 11/28/23 03:38, Michael wrote:
> Over the last 8-9 months I noticed an old Lenovo G505s laptop is spending a
> long time in the POST process, before eventually the OEM logo shows up on the
> screen. Last time I timed it, it took 2.5-3.0 minutes. Normally it would
> only take ~20-30 seconds. Once the logo shows up the boot process proceeds
> without further delay.
>
> Initially, this delay to POST would happen randomly and rarely. Now it
> happens every time.
>
> Things I tried:
>
> 1. Reflashing the UEFI firmware - it didn't work because it already has the
> latest firmware.
>
> 2. Removing the main battery and holding down the power button for 15 seconds,
> hoping to reset the firmware.
>
> 3. Leaving the PSU cable connected overnight.
>
> 4. Testing the RAM and HDD.
>
> None of the above improved the situation, or indicated what might be wrong.
>
> I'll reseat the RAM sticks and the HDD next, in case a contact is oxidised,
> but what else could cause this noticeable delay to POST? A failing RTC CMOS
> battery?

We have had a few of these at work and these symptoms were cured by a
new CMOS battery. The voltage on the battery has likely dipped to
2.9-3.0 volts; they get unreliable then (i.e. it's dead.) If you leave
it long enough you'll start getting RTC errors on POST.

I'd try that first, assuming you can still get the CMOS battery for these.

Dan

On Tuesday, 28 November 2023 15:49:10 GMT Daniel Frey wrote:
> On 11/28/23 03:38, Michael wrote:
> > Over the last 8-9 months I noticed an old Lenovo G505s laptop is spending
> > a
> > long time in the POST process, before eventually the OEM logo shows up on
> > the screen. Last time I timed it, it took 2.5-3.0 minutes. Normally it
> > would only take ~20-30 seconds. Once the logo shows up the boot process
> > proceeds without further delay.
> >
> > Initially, this delay to POST would happen randomly and rarely. Now it
> > happens every time.
> >
> > Things I tried:
> >
> > 1. Reflashing the UEFI firmware - it didn't work because it already has
> > the
> > latest firmware.
> >
> > 2. Removing the main battery and holding down the power button for 15
> > seconds, hoping to reset the firmware.
> >
> > 3. Leaving the PSU cable connected overnight.
> >
> > 4. Testing the RAM and HDD.
> >
> > None of the above improved the situation, or indicated what might be
> > wrong.
> >
> > I'll reseat the RAM sticks and the HDD next, in case a contact is
> > oxidised,
> > but what else could cause this noticeable delay to POST? A failing RTC
> > CMOS battery?
>
> We have had a few of these at work and these symptoms were cured by a
> new CMOS battery. The voltage on the battery has likely dipped to
> 2.9-3.0 volts; they get unreliable then (i.e. it's dead.) If you leave
> it long enough you'll start getting RTC errors on POST.
>
> I'd try that first, assuming you can still get the CMOS battery for these.
>
> Dan

Thanks Dan, will do. I was planning to take it apart soon to replace the HDD
with an SSD, so this would be the first thing to check. I expect finding a
replacement unit will be difficult. Every Lenovo RTC battery seems to have a
different part number.

On 29/11/2023 00:16, Michael wrote:
> Thanks Dan, will do. I was planning to take it apart soon to replace the HDD
> with an SSD, so this would be the first thing to check. I expect finding a
> replacement unit will be difficult. Every Lenovo RTC battery seems to have a
> different part number.

I know laptops are different from desktops, but I think every desktop
mobo I've come across uses a 3032 battery.

See if you can find out what the standard definition of the lenovo
battery is, hopefully they just use internal part numbers for a totally
standard item.

Cheers,
Wol

On 11/29/23 00:20, Wols Lists wrote:
> On 29/11/2023 00:16, Michael wrote:
>> Thanks Dan, will do.  I was planning to take it apart soon to replace
>> the HDD
>> with an SSD, so this would be the first thing to check.  I expect
>> finding a
>> replacement unit will be difficult.  Every Lenovo RTC battery seems to
>> have a
>> different part number.
>
> I know laptops are different from desktops, but I think every desktop
> mobo I've come across uses a 3032 battery.
>
> See if you can find out what the standard definition of the lenovo
> battery is, hopefully they just use internal part numbers for a totally
> standard item.
>
> Cheers,
> Wol
>

Lenovo laptops usually use a small battery pack. Sometimes it's a 2032
shrinkwrapped, but not always...

-Dan