IBM ThinkPad A20 Series
The ThinkPad A20 Series (comprised of the A20m and A20p) were desktop replacement laptops sold from May 2000 through February 2001.
Specifications
Note: Different configurations of each laptop often had different release and discontinuation dates. In these cases, the earliest and latest dates will be used for each respectively. See the PSREF linked in resources for the specific dates for each configuration.
| Spec | ThinkPad A20m | ThinkPad A20p |
|---|---|---|
| Release Date | May 2000 | |
| CPU | CPU Type: Socket 495 (uPGA-2) - Intel Mobile Pentium III @500, 600, or 700MHz - Intel Mobile Celeron @500MHz | CPU Type: Socket 495 (uPGA-2) Intel Mobile Pentium III @700 or 750MHz |
| Chipset | Unknown | |
| RAM | Type: PC100 SDRAM, 2 slots Standard: 64 or 128MB Maximum: 512MB | Type: PC100 SDRAM, 2 slots Standard: 128MB Maximum: 512MB |
| Storage | 2.5" IDE Requires Adapter: No Standard: 6 or 12GB | 2.5" IDE Requires Adapter: No Standard: 18GB |
| Display Options | - 12.1" TFT LCD @800x600 - 14.1" TFT LCD @1024x768 - 15.0" TFT LCD @1024x768 | 15.0" TFT LCD @1400x1050 |
| Graphics Chipset | - ATI Rage Mobility M (12.1" models) - ATI Rage Mobility M1 (14 and 15" models) VRAM: 4MB (M) or 8MB (M1) | ATI Rage Mobility 128 VRAM: 16MB |
| Audio | Crystal CS4624 - Stereo Speakers - Microphone | |
| Main Battery | Lithium Ion (6 cell) | Lithium Ion (9 cell) |
| CMOS Battery | Proprietary Lithium | |
| Power Supply | Barrel Jack | |
| Media Drives | 3 Spindle - 3.5" 1.44MB Floppy Drive - Ultrabay 2000 | |
| PC Cards | 2x PCMCIA/CardBus Slots - ZoomVideo Support | |
| Networking | - Modem (Optional) - Ethernet (Optional) | |
| Other I/O | - 1x Parallel - 1x Serial - 1x VGA Out - 1x PS/2 - 1x Dock Connector - 1x USB 1.x - 1x Mic In - 1x Line In - 1x Line Out | - 1x Parallel - 1x Serial - 1x VGA Out - 1x PS/2 - 1x Dock Connector - 1x USB 1.x - 1x Mic In - 1x Line In - 1x Line Out - 1x S-Video Out - 1x S-Video In |
| BIOS | IBM BIOS | |
| Pointing Device | TrackPoint | |
Resources
 Service Manual |
Withdrawn Models PSREF |
|---|
Common Faults & Maintenance
Blink of Death
The most common fault on A20m and A20p laptops is the "blink of death". This failure cases the laptop to fail to power on, instead just blinking a couple lights briefly. This failure is caused by the failure of one or more power regulator chips - mainly the Analog Devices ADP3421, but sometimes also the ADP3410 and the Maxim MAX1631/1632. If your A20 has this problem, you can fix it by replacing these chips. Of course, this is a difficult repair, as the chips are tiny surface mount parts, so not everyone will be able to perform the repair. If you can, first, try replacing only the ADP3421. This will almost always bring one back, but if the other two mentioned chips are also bad, the new ADP3421 will fail after only a short time and the issue will come back. If this happens, replace the ADP3421 again along with the other two mentioned. The laptop should then be reliable.
Gallery
Nothing here yet. If you own a ThinkPad A20m or A20p and would like to contribute photos, see here.
Page last updated (MM/DD/YYYY): 03/05/2025
Update Reason: page converted to php
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