Laptop shutting down exactly after 30 min (even when left in BIOS)

[Sunil1]

Hello All,

Happy New Year to all

I have a Think pad that shuts down EXACTLY every 30 minutes.

Ruled out power config sleep setting, fan, heating of laptop etc.

Tried safe mode-Shutdown 30 min

Tried leaving laptop in BIOS mode-Shuts down 30 minutes.

Internet forums suspect Intel Management Interface / Intel Vpro causing it.

Specs,

Windows 10 Home

Core I5 Sandy Bridge platform 

South Bridge QM67 chipset

Any suggestions / fixes

Thanks

[Sunil1]

Hello all,

Let me start by saying a big thankyou to all you inputs- you all are NOT giving up and so am I.

I will continue to persevere with trying to fix this issue.

Taken this up as a challenge as you fine gentlemen are not giving up in trying to help me resolve this.

Here is the latest as of today June 06th

*Upgraded to Win 10 pro  64 bit (image attached)

*Ran the SOL software( error attached)

*Ran the F/W update from CMD (error attached)

*Ran CSME ( image attached)

Side note

Laptop still runs like a champ in W10 except for the 30 min shutdown.

If I put it to sleep in 29min and wake it up and continue to do so while working I am fine.

Look forward to your replies.

Regards

Sunil1

[SJack2]

Okay. Thanks for that.

The SOL software is not required if the device manager shows no error. The driver pack I linked to assumed you were on Win 7.

We will proceed with the Clean Dump with Initialisation method.

Kindly await further instructions.

[SJack2]

@Sunil1 I'm afraid although I have the files and a guide, it would appear we would need the BIOS dump of a working T420. Unsure if a dump of your own BIOS would be sufficient. 

[Guide] Clean Dumped Intel Engine (CS)ME/(CS)TXE Regions with Data Initialization - Special Topics / Intel Management Engine - Win-Raid Forum (level1techs.com)

Pay attention to Section A. The ME 7 repository is available as are the ME 7 System Tools.

I have used the FIT to dump BIOS before, it's quite trivial but I will post a zip of the working ME Analyzer as that can be involved (without the .exe it requires Python).

[lfb]

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@SJack2 wrote:

@Sunil1 I'm afraid although I have the files and a guide, it would appear we would need the BIOS dump of a working T420. Unsure if a dump of your own BIOS would be sufficient. 

.....

I have used the FIT to dump BIOS before, it's quite trivial but I will post a zip of the working ME Analyzer as that can be involved (without the .exe it requires Python)

---

Yep. that's the way to go. You'd need fpt(w(64)) to dump a firmware image but that's mostly not as trivial since the ME region normally is locked in the fd. So if you don't find a FDO jumper or another routine to unlock it at least writing back or even reading the ME region will give some problems. Unlocking the FD is described in another guide on the mentioned site.

You normally don't need adump of another machine, that may only happen if the ME region is too corrupted to be opened in FIT.

[SJack2]

@lfb yes, to be fair I have used FIT for BIOS region only now I think back.

I guess I’ve just been fortunate not to stuff the ME region.

[lfb]

@SJack2 Thanks for the answer. This forum(?) software is a little difficult to handle- I have some of my older posts under the latest posts- sorting is confusing and difficult to understand (but maybe it's my browser).

TO hasn't answered yet, i'd think it'd be better to continue in the forum where the guide is located. This forum is 'Intel vpro platform' and a corrupted ME region isn't directly a vpro problem (even if QM67 and i5-2520 should be vpro capable...).

[n_scott_pearson]

I answered this question previously. Updating the ME F/W when the ME is not operating usually requires a BIOS recovery process. A normal BIOS update cannot do it because the ME is needed to support the operation and isn't available. Unfortunately, I have no idea whether Lenovo provides a BIOS Recovery process; you might have to resort to the FWUpdate utility...

...S

[bhhassell]

Sorry for replying here.

I have the exact same symptoms on a Sony VAIO.  I just discover the problem a few weeks ago.

While searching for an answer I ran across other posts talking about the same problem on a variety of other laptops.  Makes me wonder if there might be a virus contributing to the problem.

I tried finding the continuation of this thread after page 2, but couldn't find it.

Thanks

bhhassell@gmail.com

[Sunil1]

Hello bhhassell (sorry do not have your name)

Welcome to the community!

Great bunch of people here and sure someone will chime in.

Now as per my Laptop I do not think its a virus issue- Have removed HDD and left laptop in Bios mode and its still shuts down in 30 minutes.

Have installed new BIOS battery and latest Bios update-no go.

My hunt on the web points to re-flashing the Bios chip but that is beyond my expertise.

My Laptop is in great condition and do not want to discard the same.

Hoping you get responses from other experienced members as I did get some great advise on troubleshooting this issue.

Hope this helps,

Regards

Sunil 1

[bhhassell]

Hi....the name is Bruce.  I was not meaning it was an active virus but a virus might have set whatever bits needed to engage a timer.  There are to many different machines shutting off at exactly 30 minutes.

Yes looks like a responsive group...I read thru the whole thread.

Thanks

bhhassell@gmail.com

[AlHill]

@bhhassell You do not want to post your email address, unless you want screen scrapers to harvest it and start spamming you.  I will leave it to you to decide if you want to remove it or not.

Doc (not an Intel employee or contractor)
[Maybe Windows 12 will be better]

[Sunil1]

Hello Bruce
Now you do have an interesting theory about the virus issue.
Let’s hope someone chimes in with their thoughts and if possible a solution.
Regards
Sunil 1

[SJack2]

Not a virus. As has been pointed out higher up the thread, the 30mins is no coincidence, it is due to the ME issue. I’m still subscribed hopeful that someone with the access or know how confirms that and succeeds using said method. But I think if more less relevant posts ping me I shall simply unsubscribe and be left wondering.

[n_scott_pearson]

Folks, I have confirmed this previously umpteen times. If the ME is not operating, the chipset's watchdog will power off the system after exactly 30 minutes. This virus talk is absolute rubbish. Why do (supposedly) intelligent people listen to this kind of idiotic speculation?

Look, if you have this problem, there is a way to verify the condition. Most BIOS Setup implementations have an informational page that, amongst other things, will display the ME's firmware revision. Since this is information that the BIOS obtains from the ME, if the ME is not running, it will display as blank or 0.0.0.0.

In most cases, the ME is not running because its firmware is unavailable (read: corrupted). The only way to get around this - to restore this firmare - is to perform a BIOS Recovery operation. Most Recovery BIOS (well, at least those for Intel products, I can't answer for other companies or their shortcuts) have a method for restoring the ME's firmware in cases where the ME is not operating. If the BIOS recovery process is successful and the firmware is restored, a system reset will result in the ME loading this firmware and becoming operational again. Again, this is presuming that the BIOS Recovery support has the ability to load the ME's firmware into the flash part and the flash part hasn't been corrupted to the point where this process cannot be successful (sadly, I have seen this situation as well).

...S