Lenovo T61 Docking Station Issue

We have around six T61 notebooks with docking stations (ThinkPad Advanced Mini Dock).The issue is, when you dock your T61 on docking stations (with LAN cable,mouse etc plugged to the docking station) and if the power to the docking station is switched off while the notebook is running, the machine freezes/hangs. You can't move cursor, use keyboard anything.The only option left is to hardboot your T61.
Has anyone seen this issue before???

 

yes I am experiencing precisely the same issue. By the way, no peripherals need be plugged into the docking station - only the power adapter. If power is cut, system freezes, sometimes with a blue screen.

would be nice to get this fixed - lots of power surges around here.

internaut

 

I just spoke with Lenovo hardware support and the rep told me that when the laptop is docked, it is normal for it to freeze when the power is cut. I told him he is an imbecile and to refer me to his supervisor. Will keep posted.

 

spoke with supervisor - this is a known problem. they are shipping me a replacement mini-dock. Will post here if problems persist.

Internaut

 

Yep, I have the same problem. Keep us updated.

 

I have the exact problem with my T60p

 

Very classy.

 

Update: Received and installed brand new replacement mini-dock. Tested by pulling out the power cord, simulating power loss to the house. Problem persists: Laptop hard freeze.

 

There seems to be a BIOS "fix" for this, as of Version 7LETB0WW (2.10-1.08). After updating, you will have an option in the BIOS setup to disable legacy device support. Once you've disabled it, you will lose the parralel and serial ports, but it is supposed to stop the hang when disconnecting the power.

Version 2.19-1.08's summary of changes includes this ( http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/MIGR-68451.html).

You should not be docked while doing the update, and if have Vista, you need the CD version of the updater.

 

The issue is if you unplug the dock's power the laptop things its undocked. If the mouse and keyboard are connected to the dock then yes they won't work. A mouse connected to the laptop will work. If plug the power back in you still have to redock the laptop by taking it out and putting it back in. You should get everything back. If you are getting a real crash like the os has froze try TH_Inc's solution.

My issue with the dock or windows in general is it doesn't remember my dual monitor settings. I have one monitor rotated and it gets this wrong all the time because it seemingly randomly picks whether DVI is monitor 1 or VGA is monitor 1.

 

Hey MaxGeek, I agree with you--my main issue with my docking is the fact that dual monitor configuration is not always "remembered" in Windows. I'm not convinced this is a problem with the dock, though, as much as a problem with Windows or nVidia's drivers. It's sort of like if you plugged in a USB thumb drive, and sometimes it comes up as "D:", other times as "E:". It's not the thumb drive's fault, it's Windows'.

I found out about the docked AC power loss problem in another thread, and confirmed it for myself. I also confirming that disabling support for legacy devices in the BIOS resolved it. However, in the week since I made that BIOS change, my docked T61p has frozen up on me once in exactly the same way, though without any AC power loss. It could be a coincidence (perhaps a software problem), but it's the only time this has ever happened to me in the 7+ months I've had my T61p. If anyone else experiences a random, sporadic system freezing while docked or undocked, please let us know! It would be good to find out if this is a widespread problem, and whether it's related to using the mini dock, so that we can do something about it.

 

Fugnuts, I agree the dual monitor issue is a software issue. I was really disappointed that they didn't design vista with multi-monitor support in mind and just left it up to the video card manufacture.

As for crashing I've had random crashing from just moving the laptop around. Like if it walk it to a printer. When I get back from the printer I find it has locked up. I've actually only had it crash on me when docking once.

 

Fignuts, if you're having issues with your dual-monitor settings not quite getting restored when redocking, you might want to give the 177.35 ForceWare a try. nVidia has been steadily improving the consistency of settings restoration with dual display setups lately and the 177.35 set is pretty solid in that respect. I'm running this driver version currently on my dual display/docked setup and have both altered monitor positioning (ie, ThinkPad display on the left, external set to the right as primary) and color correction settings applied to the TP LCD and the majorioty of the time it restores everything as it should. Not 100% perfect yet, but very close.

I don't remember what the exact driver version was, but there was at least one older set that wouldn't remember dual-display settings properly after a reboot unless the nVidia Display Driver Service was disabled. It looked like nVidia's display manager was stepping all over Vista's integrated management service. That particular issue has been sorted in newer versions.

Hope this helps, and if you try 177.35 don't forget to modify the PowerMizer settings in the .inf before you install, otherwise Aero won't run anywhere near where it should. FYI, the important keys to modify and their values are:

PerfLevelSrc=3322
PowerMizerEnable=0
PowerMizerLevel=3
PowerMizerLevelAC=1

This should make Aero nice and smooth when on AC/docked and PowerMizer will still work on battery without the clocks being locked down to minimum. The only minor oddities I've noticed are right after undocking, the GPU clocks will be stuck at full until the laptop LCD either turns off then on again (display sleep) or the laptop is put to sleep and then resumed. Other than that, everything seems to work fine.

:EDIT: Saw that you're running XP, so disregard the PowerMizer stuff above, all changing that stuff will probably do is reduce your battery life with no benefit. Eheheh...

 

Thanks UltraCow, I'll give those new drivers a shot!