[Ubuntu 8.04.3] Hardware or software bug in IBM Thinkpad T43?

[Detlef Lechner]

Hi,

Last night I had my T43 in a local Ubuntu computer club. When I started
it this morning, it came up normally, but I had no Internet access. I
noticed that my ADSL modem plus router was in an error condition. Thus I
restarted my ADSL modem plus router. I restarted my T43 in order to see
if I had obtainded Internet access under normal conditions.
My T43 did not come up fully. Rather, it showed after the startup
messages a blank screen. For the first time ever. When I lifted the
computer's body, the display showed in a colorful 80x25 VGA text mode a
barely recognizable Grub screen with some characters blinking with a 1
Hz clock frequency. I could not proceed the startup process. I could not
get access to a virtual console. I switched off. I switched on. I
obtained the same result. I started the computer anew. Now it works.
Is this a hardware bug or a software bug?

Regards
Detlef lechner