Lenovo T530 Owner's Thread

I have a a little issue that bothers me which is probably a software issue but I do not know how to fix it since it never happened to me before. Since I freshly installed Windows on my SSD with the T530 and each time I restart the machine, I get a sound as if I have connected a flash drive to a USB port a little while after my desktop appears. It happens every single time I restart the machine or even if it comes from hibernation. What could be possibly causing that?

Edit: I probably figured out that what is causing the sound is the DVD burner because I tried to remove it completely from the system and I did not have the sound and then installed it again and restarted the machine and now the sound is back. I have the power-saving option for the DVD burner enabled and I am not sure if this is related in anyway. Any idea how can I stop this sound from happening?

 

That is correct. I forgot to mention that you do not have to use the caddy in that case and you can just connect it directly because there is no need for the caddy in this case.

 

I would not feel comfortable putting even a 9.5mm drive in the bay without something to hold it tight. 9.5mm drives are the same width as 7mm drives, so they are quite loose without a caddy, and are bound to come loose. Not that you would need an actual caddy, but something to wedge in there to keep it tight would be a good idea.

 

You are quite right.. I honestly tried it with just the rubbery sides without the caddy and it was snugly fit without any wiggling. What I am saying is that it can fit one way or the other and it should not discourage one from buying it if it got a great offer like that. Don't you agree with that?

 

Yep, definitely. I just want to make sure it was clear what they were getting in to.

 

Hey I'm finally considering upgrading the RAM to 8GB. I've already been recommended this and this which I'm sure have little to no difference at $23.99. I looked around a bit and found a $6 cheaper G.SKILL that has higher cas latency and timing. I've read around and saw higher numbers would have no real world impact on usage. Is this the case? should I spare the $6 or is the former choices better in the long run? Thanks!

 

^^^ I would go with that Corsair Vengeance stick or this G.Skill stick.

 

Why most people always recommend either the Corsair or G.Skill and completely forget about the very high-quality Samsung though it is within the same price range especially if we are talking about 4GB or 8GB sticks?

 

I don't know about other people, but I only recommend what I have been using.

 

Hi everyone, its nice to be here.

I am considering getting the Thinkpad T530 so I have a questions. I would appreciate any response.

My main requirements in a laptop are that I want a good keyboard, a design that is portable and is reasonably cool and quiet in operation. I intend to use my desktop for gaming, although I don't play modern games as of this moment. With that, do you guys think that the NVS 5400M is a worthy upgrade over the integrated graphics 4000? I wouldn't mind having a laptop that can game a bit but that is not a priority for me. Additionally, I am concerned that the added graphics card would reduce battery life and increase heat. I am leaning away from the NVS 5400M but it would be a $50 upgrade, so I was wondering.

Also, I plan on getting the cheapest I5 I can get since I don't demand too much power from my systems. I intend to use this laptop for typing, reading and surfing with an occasional movie or game. Reading text is important so I want a good screen for that. I want to add a three year Depot warranty to this laptop. Would this be an addition to the standard 1 year Depot warranty? So it would be a 4 year Depot warranty altogether.

For the wireless cards, there is a free upgrade to the Intel Centrino Wireless-N 2200 (2x2 BGN), so I figured this is a upgrade from the standard Lenovo wireless card. I am fairly new to laptops so I believe this is a good move.

I have the following system configured based on my needs. I would appreciate any feedback on it.

• Intel Core i5-3210M Processor (3M Cache, up to 3.10 GHz)

• Windows 7 Home Premium (64 bit)

• 15.6" HD+ (1600 x 900) LED Backlit AntiGlare Display, Mobile Broadband Ready

• Intel HD Graphics 4000

• 4 GB DDR3 - 1600MHz (1 DIMM)

• UltraNav without Fingerprint Reader

• 320GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm

• DVD Recordable

• 6 Cell Li-Ion TWL 70+

• None

• Intel Centrino Wireless-N 2200 (2x2 BGN)

• Mobile Broadband upgradable

• 1 Year Depot/Express Warranty

+ Three year Depot Warranty

Lenovo Performance Backpack

Total is around $925

I would appreciate any feedback. Once again, its nice to be here. I hope to learn a thing or two from this forum.

Thanks.

 

^^^ Wise selections overall for a cool/quiet notebook that suits your usage profile. Grabbing the free upgrade from 1x1 Lenovo WiFi to 2x2 Intel WiFi is an excellent move. (The absence of Bluetooth shows that you are a sensible person: not adding things you don't need.)

All that for $925 is pretty sweet.

You may want to add a second 4GB RAM stick (virtually anything that says 204-pin DDR3 1600MHz is appropriate).

Also, if you're not reluctant about either imaging the stock HDD or doing a clean Windows 7 install, you can add an mSATA SSD for boot/OS/programs, or replace the stock drive with a 2.5" SATA SSD.

 

I will add more RAM down the road as the need comes. I also plan on getting an SSD later on as well when the want/need of faster speed becomes apparent. I think I will just replace the standard HD with the SSD since this appears to be the simplest approach. I may just clone the HD to the SSD.

I'm glad you think the config is good. Now I just have to make the move and get it.

Thanks a lot for the reply!

 

Yeah, the notebook is usable as you ordered it. The RAM and SSD upgrades may be done later. Cloning HDD to SSD is the simplest way. (I've used this.)

 

I'm configuring the T530 for my wife and have a questions about the 16g SSD for $40 through Lenovo.
Can someone explain to me the difference in purchasing Lenovo's or adding myself later?
I've added ram to our old T500 ...virtually plug-play adding ram....but I've never added a SSD drive so I just need a little assurance that this is something I'll be able to handle myself.
Thanks

ps...is Lenovo's 9 cell a good buy for $50 or do people purchase elsewhere for cheaper?

 

hi guys,i need some answers to this thread i made: http://forum.notebookreview.com/lenovo/687582-design-issue-t530-lid-flex.html
tried asking in the lenovo thinkpad forum but so far nobody has been able to address this
do appreciate if somebody can advise on this
thanks

 

Why is $40 an attraction?

Please look beyond the dollar figure and try to understand what that 16GB mSATA SSD does. In the Lenovo CTO offering, it is not a boot drive or a storage drive in the usual sense; it is a "file cache" that may help speed up access to frequently used files.

I wouldn't recommend that.

You can add a meaningfully large mSATA SSD (in the PCIe slot) or 2.5" SATA SSD (in either the primary bay or the UltraBay caddy adapter). You can then use it as a boot drive, or a storage drive, or both.

For boot/OS/programs only, the SSD should be at least 64GB or, preferrably, 128GB. It is used in conjunction with a large, likely mechanical, drive for storage.

For storage only, or for boot/OS/programs/files, the SSD can be as large as you can afford.

 

Thanks for the reply!
Not that $40 was "attractive"....

Let me re-phrase the question.....
"how easy is installing/configuring an SSD drive"?
I've added ram into her old laptop (pretty easy job.. ....)
I have not, however, performed any job like adding a SSD drive.
Just curious how easy this job would be ?

 

Well, then ask that specific question!

How easy? Very easy. Two points of note:

1. There are 2 types/forms of SSD: 2.5" SATA SSD (looking just like 2.5" HDD), and mSATA SSD (looking like a tiny circuit board).

2. If you install a SSD for storage, no more to say -- there is nothing to "configure." If you install a SSD to replace the stock HDD (which contains Windows 7 OS and various programs), you must know how to either restore the image of the stock HDD or do a clean installation on the SSD.

 

Please delete this post. It was an error

 

Hi guys, I just received my crucial M4 SSD !!! Is there a reputable guide on how to install the SSD in the lenovo t530? It will be my first time messing with a laptop.
(I can handle the software side, I am only worried about physically installing the hdd)

 

The 2.5" SSD is handled just like any 2.5" HDD.

Search for "ThinkPad T530 Hardware Maintenance Manual" and download the PDF.

 

Hey guys,
First off - I want to say thanks for all the info you guys share here - has really helped me with deciding to purchase this baby.

I was just wondering. I can get the t530 for about $800 with these specs:
Intel Core i5-3210M Processor (3M Cache, up to 3.10 GHz)
• Windows 7 Professional (64 bit)
• 15.6" HD+ (1600 x 900) LED Backlit AntiGlare Display, Mobile Broadband Ready
• Intel HD Graphics 4000
• 4 GB DDR3 - 1600MHz (1 DIMM)
• UltraNav without Fingerprint Reader
• 320GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm
• DVD Recordable
• 6 Cell Li-Ion TWL 70+
• None
• Intel Centrino Wireless-N 2200 (2x2 BGN)
• Mobile Broadband upgradable
• 1 Year Depot/Express Warranty

But, to be honest, I can wait a bit with my purchase - So I'm wondering if I should wait for blackfriday or should I just go ahead and take the leap as this 15% savings I have now won't get much better.
What do you guys think? I have till Sunday to decide.

 

Thanks Kaso!

 

I need some advice regarding a frustrating situation I am having with my wife's T530. My T530 with dual-core i7 and NVIDIA is super quiet and cool ESPECIALLY on battery (it is almost dead silent). Interestingly, my wife has the same exact configuration except for the graphics, she has the Intel HD4000 only and she does the same things I do (only browsing, e-mail and Office) but her fan is continuously on with any type of activity even on battery and it gets pretty warm as well. The only time the fan is silent is when the machine is on and she is doing nothing at all.

Is that normal? I expected her machine to be more quite with the Intel HD4000 only and is the pattern of the fan normal in her machine. For me it is not when I compare it to mine. Also, it is interesting to find someone in this thread mention a dead silent machine with quad-core and NVIDIA. If this is not normal, do you think it is worth trying to get the fan replaced for a brand new machine? Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

@pchome:
that's weird (kind of backwards) ......
From what I've been told the HD4000 was suppose to use less power and 'NOT' initiate the fan!
interesting to see what you find out!

 

It is weird unless there is some advanced technical explanation that I do not get or that the fan is a bad one! Lenovo sources the fan from several manufacturers and there could be some variability in the performance or it could be a bad fan. I am waiting for other suggestions if this is the regular behavior of the machine or if it is worth requesting a replacement of the fan because I honestly cannot go through the hassle of returning and re-ordering.

Update: I had Lenovo replace the fan for me today. I asked the technical support agent if we should look for some troubleshooting before we do that but he just recommended the replacement. The guy who did the replacement literally f... the machine in front of me and was about to break the chassis multiple times not having any experience. He actually called me in the morning asking me to wait till he reads the manual to see how to change it! Anyway, the fan he got me was the same exact one I have (probably: Foxconn) and the replacement did not help at all with the fan pulsating behavior still happening. I was hoping he will get another fan brand but anyway, I do not have time for that anymore and I am gonna learn how to live with this issue as I have accepted other issues!

Thought someone might be interested in this experience.

 

What a great thread...especially for those of us that are shopping Lenovo and the T530 for the first time...

I would like some opinions on my proposed build. I have two primary objectives... the ability to operate 3 displays simultaneously (with one of the three being the laptop screen, the other two Dell u2412's) and running as quiet (low speed fan) and fast as possible while still obtaining objective #1.

So here is my proposed build...

• i7-3520 dual core processor
• Windows 7 Pro
• FHD - 1920 x 1080 display
• NVIDIA NVS 5400m
• 4GB of RAM
• 320 gb hard drive
• 9 cell battery
• Intel Ultimate-N 6300 WiFi card

I plan to replace the 4gb of RAM with two 8gb sticks and the hard disk with a Samsung 830 SSD. If there is budget left over, I may add an mSata ssd just for fun... Oh...and I will run it off a series 3 plus dock most of the time.

This is business use only. No gaming. I will occasionally run some Photoshop/Illustrator/Acrobat, but most of my work involves working in and with VM's.

So...my bottom line question...Have I selected the combination of maximum performance components that will still run quiet?

Thanks in advance...

Brad

 

^^^ Are you certain you will definitely need the NVIDIA?

"This is business use only. No gaming. I will occasionally run some Photoshop/Illustrator/Acrobat, but most of my work involves working in and with VM's." Similar to my usage profile on the cool and quiet T520, i5 + HD 3000. (I have various ThinkPads, but the T520 is the one I use most often these days.)

 

Thanks for the quick reply Kaso...

It is my impression that I need the NVIDIA Optimus feature to get the multi-display config I want... not true?

 

Intel HD graphics supports up to 2 external monitors at a time.

(By the way, Optimus has nothing to do with the graphics card capabilities. It is a software feature that facilitates the switching between integrated and dedicated graphics.)

 

No, 3, if you turn the internal-LCD off.

 

So... are saying that the T530 can support 3 simultaneous displays (2 external and the laptop screen) on the Intel 4000 chip?

 

If you order a T530 don't expect it any time soon. I ordered one on 8/24 and keep getting the runaround as to when and if it will ship. The last time I talked to them they told it had shipped when in reality it hadn't. So if you need one soon you might want to go to Newegg. They have a nice setup for not to much, though it is not your i7 or FHD. Sorry for my rant, but Lenovo needs to work on communicating better and more truthfully.

 

Yeah yeah.

Right.

True. If you can live with i5 and HD+ 1600x900, it's faster to buy a "Top Seller" model from a reseller.

 

I hope someone with dual-core CPU and Intel HD4000 only can share with me if he has observed pulsating behavior of the fan that it runs for few seconds every other minute or so. Though it is not so noisy, the pulsating behavior makes me really irritated! If anyone experiences the same behavior with other configurations, please share that too.

Thanks

 

I've got the dual-core I7 with HD4000 and I don't even notice the fan at all. Hopefully the issue you are having can be resolved, I would be annoyed too. The fan noise was one of the reasons I got a new laptop, because my old one had become unbearably loud.

 

Thanks Kaso...I don't "need" the discrete graphics chip, so as long as I can hook up two external and still use the laptop LCD at the same time, the Intel would be fine.

Fortunately, I have the luxury of time in receiving a custom ordered laptop. I currently use a Dell E6410 with integrated Intel graphics and everything moves along ok. I always like to future proof a little when I order a new laptop so that is why the FHD LCD and i7. I wonder how much the NVIDIA chip contributes to the heat of the unit? If I don't have the discrete graphics in the T530 maybe I could upgrade to quad core and still have a quiet system. That would be sweet!

And thanks to mightaswell for sharing his experience on the quiet side of things...

 

Good thinking. And your plan of adding RAM and SSD is right on the money.

 

Three months ago my wife purchased a T530 with a 500GB HDD and a 32GB Micro SSD SATA3 drive. My understanding was that the purpose of the MSATA drive was that the OS (Windows 7) would be loaded on that drive which would improve boot times (and I assumed certain Windows OS functions would also see a performance boost). Our problem started when, in a fit of passion, she hit the keyboard. No external damage was visible. However, the next time she tried to boot the system she got the following error message and the system would not boot:
PXE-E61: Media Test Failure, check cable

I called Lenovo who eventually sent a technician to install a new 500GB HDD and a new 32GB MSATA drive. The tech used a Recovery Disk Set to reinstall the OS, and the system boots now and seems to run fine.

I am now questioning whether he repaired the machine to the same state it was in when we purchased it.

I have read in forums that an MSATA drive can be used either as a cache for a HDD or as a stand-alone boot drive (which was my expectation). However, I only see the 500GB drive under "my computer". The boot order (which Lenovo service had us restore to the original configuration in the BIOS) shows both drives but the 500GB HDD is listed before the MSATA drive. When we reinstalled the OS, both drives were present, so I believe the OS was installed on the larger drive. I read on this forum that if the OS is to be installed on the MSATA drive, the recovery should be performed with the 500GB HDD removed from the machine, and the MSATA drive needs to be earlier in the boot order than the 500GB HDD.

So, my questions are, how should I have expected Lenovo to have setup my MSATA drive when the system was first configured by them? As I have restored this system, am I gaining any benefit from my MSATA drive, and how can I measure or detect that benefit? Should I be able to see the MSATA drive under "my computer"?

thanks for any help you can give us.

 

You purchased a CTO model with a 32GB mSATA SSD included as a "file cache." In this case, no software (OS and/or programs) is installed on the cache. This cache is managed by BIOS together with special software (provided by Intel or another party that Lenovo licenses from).

Your primary drive (a "mechanically rotating platter" HDD) contains the boot record, the Windows operating system, various application programs, and your wife's personal documents. It is the drive.

The mSATA SSD, in your wife's T530 configuration, is a file cache, as I said earlier. (Its effects are not quite perceptible. The drag is the main drive. Sorry to disappoint you.) You do not see nor able to use it as a regular drive.

Three thoughts:

1. Had you simply removed the "damaged" 32GB mSATA SSD, the system would work fine. (You use the main drive as usual, like most people.)

2. I would never spec that 32GB cache in my CTO. I would buy a 64GB or 128GB mSATA SSD (very afforable now) and make it my boot/OS/programs drive. Speed is where speed is needed. Fast boot. Fast program launch.

By the way, 32GB is plenty for a Linux installation. I would simply flip a switch in BIOS to treat the mSATA SSD as a regular drive, then set the boot order to put it on top. Done.​

3. Don't bang on the keyboard. There are sensitive stuff underneath.

 

Is there any good calibration, color profile, or suggested adjustment that I can do to get rid of the little bluish tinge on the HD+ display for the T530?

 

I would also like some input on any good calibration profiles for the 1600x900 screen on the T530?

 

Unfortunately, you cannot have a quad-core CPU without having the 'mandatory' NVIDIA dGPU. I find it very weird but that is the case with any brand if you decide to opt to the quad-core.

 

Good catch... I hadn't tried that config on the Lenovo site yet, but when I did, it was mandatory as you said (not that I doubted) lol

Looks like it's back to dual core for me...thanks.

 

Just got off two chats at Lenovo...one with Sales and one with Tech Support that said that I could only use 3 simultaneous displays if I get the dGPU option. So if I go with an i5-3360 and the NVIDIA dGPU will it run cool enough to keep the fan on low? (I would expect video streaming to boost heat levels) If anyone has experience with this combo, I'd love to hear from you...

Thanks.

 

I have two configurations in my house both are dual-core i7 (I intentionally opted to), one with Intel HD4000 only and the other with the dGPU and interestingly, I can tell you that the one with the dGPU runs quieter! The other one is still Ok though..I just get become a little annoyed with the fan pulsating behavior that kicks in every other minute. To cut it short, it seems like that the configuration with or without the dGPU does not matter a lot.. It depends on the fan you get and the BIOS version I guess. So if you really need the dGPU, I would say go for it and just learn how to live with what you get (just a word of wisdom from someone who got very tired of looking fot the perfect machine). The last thing I wanna share is that I really get very good battery life with the Intel HD4000 only and 9 cell battery (about 7 hours) which is very good for me knowing that I have the wifi on and the brightness is from 11-13. Battery life is not that bad with the dGPU though.

I hope this helped you more than got you confused

 

A most EXCELLENT response pchome! Just the answer I was looking for...

After some further research at this site, I have decided to back off of the i7 dual core as the benchmarks don't put it more than a couple percent faster than the i5-3360...and the i5-3360 is about $125 cheaper. Could save another $50 if I wanted to drop to the i5-3320, but I don't think my boss will miss $50...especially since I am saving almost $350 over a similar configured Dell...lol

Thanks to all that have helped this Lenovo noob in this thread...

 

i5 FTW. ($125 is SSD money. I still hold that NVIDIA is not needed.)

You're no noob. You're getting dangerous.

 

Now I have the i7 dualcore (3520m) with HD4000, HD+ display. Basically the fan is silent, finally I found a notebook like this! (The hard disk is not very silent...)

Of course the fan will start running in case real CPU power is requested. It is helpful to have a look at the windows ressource monitor, there you can observe the CPU frequency, too. When the CPU runs at low frequency the fan stays off, basically. Core temperature is about 40 degrees (comparison: quad 3612 fujitsu was 55 degrees!). If applications are asking for CPU power periodically, the fan will turn on periodically as well, I guess. So it's up to the user to configure energy options and applications in order to obtain the best result.

All in all I think this model provides really a good base for a quiet desk. There is still the option of upgrading to SSD drives... let us see...

 

I already have an SSD and I do not do anything that requires bower unless you can say that browsing only consumes that power that requires the fan to kick in every other minute. It is a pulsating behavior rather than a continuous noisy fan but it is still there. I am not sure what do you mean by saying that your fan is silent?! Try browsing the internet for a while but keep refreshing things and opening new pages (not just reading a page with no activity) and let us know how frequent your fan kicks in (definitely if you have some time to do so or during your regular browsing activity) and I have nothing else running with that.