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    Ideapad u330 - New owners :-)

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by sensaurabh, Sep 25, 2008.

  1. Xotica

    Xotica Notebook Consultant

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    The macbook aluminum is 1299. Most of us bought the u330 for ~$900. I would hope that for $400 more the macbook would be a better computer. The build quality on the macbook is the best in it's class imo however the u330 is still above average. Spec-wise the macbook and the u330 are pretty comparable. If I had to do it again I would get the u330 + $400 over the macbook...However, if I was going to spend $1300 I would definitely get the sony Z series which has the macbook outclassed in pretty much all categories.
     
  2. havoc531

    havoc531 Notebook Evangelist

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    ^Seconded.

    The Z is one sweet notebook, but the price is not practical for me.
     
  3. JARJAR1145

    JARJAR1145 Notebook Geek

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    Those of you that have the Zeroshock notebook sleeve for the U330, where did you guys get it from?
    If you do have one, which do you have the zeroshock III or II, etc.
     
  4. havoc531

    havoc531 Notebook Evangelist

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    ebay. search zeroshock.
     
  5. JARJAR1145

    JARJAR1145 Notebook Geek

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    Does the U330 fit easily inside of it?
     
  6. Xotica

    Xotica Notebook Consultant

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    I don't know about the zeroshock...but I just want to say that the u330 is the exact same size of the white 13'' macbook (my sister has one). I am using the "incase neoprene 13'' macbook case" from bestbuy and I'm really happy with it. The case is really snug and fits the computer perfectly the only downside is that there is no handle and it's a little expensive. Anything that fits the macbook should be fine for the u330.
     
  7. wx6

    wx6 Notebook Enthusiast

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    I believe it was Samwisegamgee who was raving about the Zeroshock III 13" sleeve. He had said it fit the U330 perfectly. I was going to order one from shinza.com but I didn't want to wait for it to ship (to Canada).
     
  8. samwisegamgee

    samwisegamgee Notebook Guru

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    Not just me. Many others love ZeroShock.

    I ordered it on ebay from a seller in Dallas. If you go the route with Shinza it will be a long wait.

    U330 fits snugly inside the 13" ZeroShock.

    I have the white color one. I think black will be perfect for U330.

    BTW - after some pain playing with the factory partitions, I finally repartition my drive and I really love my U330.

    Perfect it is not. It has its short falls. Right now I'd give it 88 to 89 out of 100.

    And I really love this laptop.

    Now if Lenovo releases 64 bits Vista support for U330, BIOS update to get rid of the loud beep when unplugging the charger as well as better battery management then I will give it a 93 to 95 out of 100.

    O... and the U330 screen is way easier on the eyes than the new Mac Book.
     
  9. Xotica

    Xotica Notebook Consultant

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  10. Chip90

    Chip90 Notebook Enthusiast

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    I bought the U330 case from ebay with MS CashBack. It is the Zeroshock III sleeve and I have to say that it is AWESOME!

    perfect fit and great protection...
     
  11. JARJAR1145

    JARJAR1145 Notebook Geek

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    Has anyone burned a dvd yet on the U330? How fast is it?
     
  12. havoc531

    havoc531 Notebook Evangelist

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    Its as fast as any of my other notebooks.
     
  13. p22dunbar

    p22dunbar Newbie

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    Hi there,

    i wrote it on lenovo forum, and i'll ask You guys here too.

    U330 owners, install Right Mark CPU util. check the 'fully charged capacity', 'designed capacity' and post Your battery times.


    My battery readings are: 56160 mWh d.c. / 46140 mWh f.c.c.
    life goes up to 4 hours at super saving mode and ~3:40 @ saving mode.

    maybe here lies the problem in various battery life times.
     
  14. jmayer88

    jmayer88 Notebook Geek

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    interesting...mine is:

    designed capacity: 56160
    fully charged capacity: 48620
     
  15. zyncmaster

    zyncmaster Newbie

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    is Lenovo doing something to increase battery life on U330 once they have been send back with complaints...??? just read a post by "wex" over at Lenovo forums... somebody need to check this out for sure.. he claims to get 4hr 50 mts on power saver mode now!!! that's cool... :)
     
  16. JARJAR1145

    JARJAR1145 Notebook Geek

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    Hey guys I finally got my U330. Am doing the bloatware removal routine. I checked my HDD and I see that my local disk has a capacity of 252 GB and the partition is 30.5. Thats a total of 282.5 GB. I order a 320 GB HDD. Whats up with that? Has anyone else have this issue?
     
  17. Xotica

    Xotica Notebook Consultant

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    This is from Lenovo Forums:
    Why does my Hard Disk Drive (HDD) capacity appear to be smaller than expected?

    (This tip applies to Lenovo 3000 Y410, IdeaPad Y510, IdeaPad Y710, and Lenovo 3000 K100 Desktops)



    Lenovo creates three partitions on the installed Hard Disk Drive:



    1. The smaller drive commonly known as the C drive which contains Windows and your pre-installed software. The C drive should NOT be resized otherwise your OneKey recovery may no longer operate.



    2. The larger drive known as the D drive which is ready for storing your personal data files such as videos, music, pictures etc. Both the C and D drives are visible in Windows but the D drive is MUCH larger to hold all your personal data. The C drive should NOT be resized otherwise your OneKey recovery may no longer operate.



    3. The Service Partition (the partition without a drive letter) is used by the OneKey recovery system to backup and recover the C partition. This invisible partition requires only 18GB to 20GB of HDD space. The service partition should NOT be deleted otherwise your OneKey recovery will no longer operate.



    One advantage of having these partitions is the protection of your personal data. In the event you need to use the OneKey recovery system, the personal data stored on the D drive will not be erased as the files on the C drive are restored.



    Disk Management is an installed tool which will allow you to view these three partitions. You may access Disk Management by selecting Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management -> Disk Management.



    * Actual size of the invisible partition may vary based on the model and preload.


    Message Edited by nonny on 03-29-2008 10:45 PM
     
  18. JARJAR1145

    JARJAR1145 Notebook Geek

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    Thank you Xotica.
    Is it possible to turn off the bluetooth and just have the wifi on, instead of both of them coming on at the same time.
     
  19. cdislater

    cdislater Notebook Enthusiast

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    To turn off bluetooth just do Fn F5.

    I also have a Zeroshock III case and it fits the U330 perfectly.
     
  20. JARJAR1145

    JARJAR1145 Notebook Geek

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    Thanks.
    I noticed that when I use the touch controls to turn down the volume, it raises up back by itself, why is that?
     
  21. radyoactive

    radyoactive Notebook Consultant

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    Hit the FN and F5 at the same time and you have the choice to have either one or the other on, both off or both on.

     
  22. EzTargut

    EzTargut Notebook Guru

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    for anyone that cares..

    what was thought to be a faulty right speaker just turned out to be a loose screw. I tightened the one beneath the speaker and now it sounds fine.
     
  23. shoehopper

    shoehopper Notebook Enthusiast

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    Man, how many times have you opened yours up already? ;) You ever install that SSD or BR?
     
  24. JARJAR1145

    JARJAR1145 Notebook Geek

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    I hope that if Lenovo does have a BIOS update on the way, that they figure out how to end this HDD activity all the time.
    - That LOUD beep isnt mch of an issue, am in my college library right now and I have my U330 on mute, no sound when unplugged, but we still have to deal with that annoying boot jingle.
     
  25. JaneL

    JaneL Super Moderator

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    HDD activity? If you're running Vista or XP, did you leave indexing turned on? If so, turn it off. If you're running Vista, also turn off Superfetch.
     
  26. JARJAR1145

    JARJAR1145 Notebook Geek

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    I am running Vista, you said to turn off indexing and superfetch... doing it now.
     
  27. JTrix

    JTrix Notebook Enthusiast

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    How do you go about doing that?
     
  28. JARJAR1145

    JARJAR1145 Notebook Geek

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    To stop Indexing: Right-click on the C drive and uncheck the box labeled [Index this drive for faster searching].
    Now, to disable the Superfetch it is: CONTROL PANEL > ADMINISTRATIVE TOOLS > double click SERVICES. Scroll down to find Superfetch, right click on it and go to properties. From the Startup type drop down menu, select Disabled. And under Service status select Stop. Then apply and OK.
    Hope this helps, maybe some of the guys on here have other ways.
     
  29. JARJAR1145

    JARJAR1145 Notebook Geek

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    People of this forum I bring good news and some bad news... Our friend Mark over at the Lenovo forums has given us an expected date for a U330 BIOS update, that will deal with that boot jingle. He said that it should be availble for download by next week.

    -By the way battery life issues however are not covered in this BIOS update.

    Marks Comment:
    http://forums.lenovo.com/lnv/board/message?board.id=ideaPad&message.id=5681#M5681
     
  30. wx6

    wx6 Notebook Enthusiast

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    One thing I noticed, much to my chagrin, is that the border of the touchpad and touchpad buttons make contact with the screen when there is enough pressure. So far, the marks have been removable (probably from moisture left behind by my hands) but I am a bit concerned about the effects over time.
    Anyone else experience this?

    I hope Zagg comes out with something for the U330 soon :(
     
  31. JTrix

    JTrix Notebook Enthusiast

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    Thank you for your help.
     
  32. Xotica

    Xotica Notebook Consultant

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    If you are concerned about scratching the screen any screen protector would do.
     
  33. jmayer88

    jmayer88 Notebook Geek

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    fyi new bios update will be arriving next week (info courtesy of Mark_Lenovo):
    http://forums.lenovo.com/lnv/board/...&view=by_date_ascending&message.id=5679#M5679


    also he is looking into the battery life issue: http://forums.lenovo.com/lnv/board/...&thread.id=3474&view=by_date_ascending&page=6

    i recommend everyone download RightMark CPU Clock Utility (RMClock) from here and under Battery Info check designed vs fully charged capacity...post your results here and on the lenovo forums so Mark_Lenovo has more info!



    edit: more people posted responses on the lenovo forums, again with reduced full charge capacity...our batteries are wearing down quickly or something else is seriously wrong!
     
  34. samwisegamgee

    samwisegamgee Notebook Guru

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    I got Designed Capacity at 56160 mWh, Fully Charged Capacity at 56330 mWh.

    My U330 lasts on average 4.5 hr on battery with bluetooth off, wireless on, 20 to 30% brightness, Intel graphics and set max processor power at 32%.

    At 32% the laptop still running smoothly and responsive while on battery.

    I have been using the laptop for about a month now.
     
  35. JARJAR1145

    JARJAR1145 Notebook Geek

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    Is anyone having trouble using their p2p programs, I am using Ares version.1.9.0.3008. Its the same program I've been using for a while now on my desktop and it works just fine. But on the U330 it wont connect to the Ares server. It is allowed through windows firewall, for both inbound and outbound connections. Is anyone here using Ares?
     
  36. samwisegamgee

    samwisegamgee Notebook Guru

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    Hey Havoc, as I recalled you said undervolting U330 is not possible. Remind me why this is the case. Any update?

    Anyone else here tried undervolting their U330?
     
  37. pacsuen1

    pacsuen1 Newbie

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    Long time lurker, but I've posted maybe once or twice. I finally pulled the trigger on one of these just this past weekend. It's going to be my first laptop ever coming from a custom-built desktop 6 years ago...

    I know, I know.

    I'm a bit out of the loop, but the compy did its job.

    Supposedly, the U330 (320 GB, 3 GB RAM) is going to ship today, but from what I've seen on the forums it might be a while.

    Here's to hoping it comes without any of the hitches I've been seeing on here.
     
  38. JARJAR1145

    JARJAR1145 Notebook Geek

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    Don't worry, any problems just e-mail Mark he'll will save the day.
     
  39. havoc531

    havoc531 Notebook Evangelist

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    RMclock will not recognize the P7350, so no undervolting :(
     
  40. pacsuen1

    pacsuen1 Newbie

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    Thanks. He seems to be the guy to go to in both forums. And it looks like I might need his help. Shipping date came and went by yesterday and when I called to ask why, they didn't really tell me much.

    "Just wait until tomorrow and the online status indicator should update."

    ...yeah, it updated alright. It updated the shipping date to next week.

    That won't do. I'm already having some reservations.
     
  41. JARJAR1145

    JARJAR1145 Notebook Geek

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    Just got my Zeroshock III case. I order it on amazon, from yap, same guy from ebay. Heres some pics. If you want any particular picture taken just post what you want and I'll take them.

    -I will post more.
     

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  42. AminF3

    AminF3 Newbie

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    I am, apparently, one of the few that really loves my U330. I am, however, waiting with bated breath for the BIOS update.

    After I got my U330, I did a clean install of Vista because my university offers Ultimate for free so I figured I might as well install that. Since then I haven't been able to get my volume controls to work. Pressing the buttons (Fn + L/R arrow or the touch buttons at the top) brings up the volume bar and does appear to be increasing/decreasing the volume but the actual volume doesn't change. It's as if the buttons are changing the volume on a device that isn't actually playing the sound. A related problem, if I unplug by speakers from the headphone port, the volume control only allows me 2 options: max and one level below max. If I keep pressing down, it stays at that second to max level. These also don't change the volume of the speakers, but I thought it might be helpful.

    Any ideas how I could remedy this? Thanks in advance.
     
  43. JARJAR1145

    JARJAR1145 Notebook Geek

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    Here's some Zeroshock III with U330 inside pictures
     

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  44. JARJAR1145

    JARJAR1145 Notebook Geek

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    Zeroshock III and U330, I won't lie but it is a tight fit inside the case. But, with that it is snug and holds the laptop secure. The outside cover is smooth and the zippered pocket is small, maybe for headphones, small items like flash drive etc. The power supply is not gonna fit in that.
     

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  45. samwisegamgee

    samwisegamgee Notebook Guru

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    Did you install U330 drivers after the clean install? I assumed you did. If this is the case do another clean install then install U330 drivers in the correct order.

    I am running Vista Ultimate and everything is running fine.

    And I don't think you are one of the few who loves their U330.
     
  46. JAdmiral

    JAdmiral Newbie

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    I needed a case that I can hold a couple things along with the laptop, like the power supply and a travel mouse. It's pricey, but I chose the AcmeMade Cargo. Search for acmemade(dot)com. Find the "Cargo" model. $120.

    Getting the one for the MacBook fits the Lenovo perfectly. I got the all black one. Very stylish (I work in the corporate world).

    Just sharing!
     
  47. jb124

    jb124 Newbie

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    Quick question: are the U330 RAM slots easily accessible or do you need to pull up the keyboard/etc?

    Thanks!
     
  48. wx6

    wx6 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Thanks for the pics, JARJAR. I kinda regret not getting this one instead of the Tucano.

    Super easy to upgrade the ram. On the bottom there is a cover panel held in with 4 screws. Has a little ram icon beside it.
     
  49. JARJAR1145

    JARJAR1145 Notebook Geek

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    This case is alright so far, its real test is gonna be on tuesday when I go back to my college. I use the subway, (MTA, NY) so I have to see how its gonna handle being braced against the doors and seats.
     
  50. evoMR

    evoMR Notebook Guru

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    just wondering, for all the people that very recently got their U330, do u guys still get only arounf 3.5 hours on battery? I was hoping mayeb the first batch of batteries might have some problems and that lenovo has solved the battery issue. Its one of the issue right now between choosing the U330 or the X200
     
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