SMBIOS Standards Test fails on a T61

New T61. Just got this darn laptop back from repair because they told me this test failing means I need some hardware replaced. It took forever to get my laptop back (by forever, I mean 23 days).

I ran the set of tests using the Thinkvantage software (click the thinkvantage button right after you see the first screen -- go to the hardware checks) and pcdoctor reports the CPU multicore is misconfigured and the smbios standards test fails. There is an option to save the test data. Here are the details:

CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T7300 @ 2.00GHz CPU:0
CPU: Register Test...Passed
CPU: Level 2 Cache Test...Passed
CPU: Math Register Test...Passed
CPU: MMX Test...Passed
CPU: SSE Test...Passed
CPU: SSE2 Test...Passed
CPU: SSE3 Test...Passed
CPU: SSSE3 Test...Passed
CPU: Multicore Test...Misconfigured
Warning (51): There are 2 cores in the CPU and only 1 core is enabled.
Warning (53): We need a minimum of two cores to run the test.
SMBIOS: SMBIOS
SMBIOS: Standards Test...Failed
Found SMBIOS v2.4
Testing to SMBIOS v2.4.0 standards
Error (4): Failure reported on subtest validate_t5_voltage with code 252.
Error (4): Failure reported on subtest validate_t6_err_status with code 248.
Error (4): Failure reported on subtest validate_t6_err_status with code 248.
Error (4): Failure reported on subtest validate_t17_err_info_handle with code 1.
Error (4): Failure reported on subtest validate_t17_err_info_handle with code 1.
Error (4): Failure reported on subtest validate_t20_range with code 1.

Is my machine faulty or what?
Would bios updates help at all? They supposedly replaced the bios.

If you have a T61, please run the pcdoctor test on the CPU and bios and tell me what you get. I have XP but that should have nothing to do with the results with the hardware check.

 

You have the new Santa Rosa chipset. If memory serves, when not utilized, the Santa Rosa chipset can shut down one of the two cores, leaving only one core active. It could be that during boot up, only one core is active. Your hardware testing software is probably not yet updated with this new info, since the Santa Rosa chipset is so new. And once the testing programs sees only one core is active, subsequent test results will be reported as faulty.

Just a guess.

 

Support says I need to send this machine back. I was also told the T61 doesn't use the Santa Rosa chipset.

I hope it gets fixed this time.

[edit] I guess this intel core 2 duo processor is the Santa Rosa chipset?

"The T61 uses the new Intel Centrino Duo platform (Santa Rosa) and offers a number of design updates.
Processor: Intel T7300 Core 2 Duo (2.0GHz, 800MHz FSB, 4MB Cache)"
http://www.notebookreview.com/defau...Duo+2GHz,+2GB+RAM,+160GB+HDD,+Vista+Business)

 

T60 series uses the Meron chipset.

T61 series uses the Santa Rosa chipset.

Are you having problems with your laptop? Blue screens? Crashes? If not, your computer might be fine.

 

I just got it back. I'm not using it at the moment but will over the weekend.
The support person who was helping me claims this is a hardware problem that is still not resolved. Says the failed bios is serious.

When I had it before there were random problems (like the battery power display disappearing).

 

All the error reports appeared AFTER the program stated that only one core is active.

Anyways, use your laptop for a couple of hours, and see if you have any problems with it.

 

Will do. It would be interesting if they were related. Passed pretty much all the other tests (so I didn't list them).

I am still hoping someone will run these diagnostics on their T61 and let me know what the saved report says. You can uncheck most of the tests and just run the CPU and MSBIOS tests (they take very little time).

 

go to bios and load setup default then press f10.

 

A munite ago, I did a test the same way you did. It passed all tests.

However, I got the following two "exceptions":

Network Link Test: No Connection
TCP/IP Network Communication Test: No Connection

During the whole test, my tT61 is connected to network. I am writing this post through the same network connection.

Any idea of what these two exceptions means?

Thanks!

 

Thanks for running the test! I hope a couple other people will take the time to run them too (a complete test of the drive etc. does take a while but the two tests are quick).

I'm using on battery my "repaired" but with failure reports T61 right now. I just want to make sure this thing is set up like it is supposed to be. The rep claimed even if somehow the Thinkvantage software was faulty, I would not get these failures so I guess there is something wrong with my machine.

Not sure what your results mean.

On the more complete test I ran I got this:

Network Card: Intel(R) 82566MM Gigabit Platform LAN Connect
Network Card: Network Cable Test...Canceled by user
Network Card: Network Link Test...No Connection
Warning (26): Network adapter not connected
Network Card: TCP/IP Network Communication Test...No Connection
Warning (26): Network adapter not connected

I had an automatic link to a wireless connection at the time. Have not set up networking with any other computers.

 

Seems to me like you just need to verify if both cores are working. If they are, then the information you are getting from pcdoc is bogus.

You can do this in task manager, but the free utility cpu-z provides more information: http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

Download, install, and run this program. While on the "CPU" tab use the drop down menu for "processor selection" to verify that you indeed have two cores and look at the numbers for "voltage" and "core speed". These numbers change in real-time. If you are getting numbers for both, then your system is recognizing both cores. If the speed numbers look low, don't be alarmed because your system will throttle down to conserve battery power and will throttle up on demand.

 

I can't select the processor (see attached). It's faded and while it reads processor #1, there is no dropdown or selection option available.

Maybe a further indication there's a problem?

Oh, and what's with the "code name Merom"?

So we don't have the Santa Rosa chipset afterall? [edit - looks like Merom is a family and Santa Rosa belongs to it. Where is Big Eddie when we need him?]

 

That's really strange that you can't select between processors. I think it could indicate a problem. It says you have a T7300 processor (which is a Santa Rosa processor). I wouldn't put to much thought into it saying "Merom". It is possible that the CPU-Z utility needs to be updated.

I can't try this personally since I don't have my laptop yet.

On my dual-core desktop PC, I can select between processor #1 and #2.

Hopefully someone with a T61 will try it out.

How about task manager. Do you have two graphs one for each processor?

 

I just tried the CPUZ program and I, too, cannot select between the two processors. It just shows that I have 2 cores and a Merom core. I have the T7300 Santa Rosa. However, in task manager, I do have two graphs that show up as stallen indicated.

 

Ditto Rkumar. I do have two graphs and it looks like something is going on with both processors (thanks for posting the pic -- very clear what you wanted me to look for).

Rkumar, do you have the thinkvantage software? Can you run hardware diagnostics for the CPU and bios?

 

Something else you guys could try out is pcmark05. This is a benchmark program that tests various hardware (including CPU multithreading tasks). You could compare results. It is a free utility and widely used. I'm sure if you searched with google you would find some users or reviews that have posted their pcmark05 results using the T7300 processor. At least this would tell you how both cores are actually performing. Then you can compare to other users to make sure your numbers are similar. I think that is more important than what pcdoc has to say.
http://www.futuremark.com/products/pcmark05/

 

I have some thinkvantage software, but I cannot find where to run the hardware diagnostics for CPU and bios.

 

Rkumar, go to my first post on this thread. It's option 2 (run all diagnostics -- I unchecked the hard drive and other things I was not interested in). Leave in place the one to check the cpu and SMbios.

I'll look at pcmark a little later (on my desktop at the moment).

 

i can't run pcdoctor, because the only version on lenovo's website (for the T61) is a bootable Diskette and I do not have an external Diskette drive. If you know where I can get a bootable CD with pcdoctor let me know. thanks.

 

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/MIGR-56222.html

 

Rkumar, not sure if the above will work or not. I used pcdoctor accessed with the Thinkpad button. I notice the pcdoctor in my program files has different selections.

Temporarily gave up on downloading pcmark05. Slow connection. Extremely large file.

 

Okay, I've been using this laptop all day yesterday and some today. Things seem to be working fine. Redid the hardware check using the thinkpad button, it still reports a misconfigured cpu and failed smbios standards test. Pcdoc check in windows has the cpu passing (don't see a smbios check).

Can't find anything concerning the smbios error codes. The support rep had also told me the version of smbios reported by pcdoctor doesn't even exist:

SMBIOS: SMBIOS
SMBIOS: Standards Test...Failed
Found SMBIOS v2.4
Testing to SMBIOS v2.4.0 standards
Error (4): Failure reported on subtest validate_t5_voltage with code 252.
Error (4): Failure reported on subtest validate_t6_err_status with code 248.
Error (4): Failure reported on subtest validate_t6_err_status with code 248.
Error (4): Failure reported on subtest validate_t17_err_info_handle with code 1.
Error (4): Failure reported on subtest validate_t17_err_info_handle with code 1.
Error (4): Failure reported on subtest validate_t20_range with code 1.


Using the windows pcdoctor, I get BIOS: LENOVO 7LET39WW (1.09 ) 05/14/2007. A different version, it seems.

Has anyone else run hardware diagnostics besides MDDZ?

 

ezlynx, i ran the pcdoc test in windows with pcdoc 5. everything for me passed with both the CPUs. pcdoc detects that I have two processors and runs the multicore test accordingly. I have BIOS: LENOVO 7LET39WW (1.09 ) 05/14/2007.

SMBIOS is different from the regular BIOS in the system, which is why you get different version numbers. Follow this link for info on SMBIOS: http://www.dmtf.org/standards/smbios/.

i was not able to run the pcdoc in DOS, because the bootable CD did not work for the T61.

it looks to me like everything in our computers is O.K. as long as you are not getting anymore errors in windows, lenovo hopefully did their job.

 

Just to clarify, the pcdoctor version I used to get the smbios errors is in the hidden partition. You interrupt startup by hitting the thinkvantage button. There is an option to diagnose hardware. I did the full check but unchecked the things I didn't care about testing. The very last item to test is the smbios.

 

A link was posted on another site to a utility to print out the SMBIOS info and an explanation of it. I found it quite useful.

http://pcpitstop.com/faq/smbios.asp

This does make me think a failed SMBIOS should be common if they used the same data for us all. And it may be it's not affecting my T61 at all.

 

from http://www.pc-doctor.com/faq.php (under the section "Tests & Devices")

and

hope this helps you sleep better at night

 

Thanks for bringing threads back from the dead lol.