My new IBM ThinkPad T41 - making strange noises...

Hey guys --

I recently ordered an IBM ThinkPad T41 notebook (default config with an added 512mb ram).
See -- http://www-132.ibm.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=-840&productId=8665638&storeId=1&langId=-1&dualCurrId=73&categoryId=2072541

...since the general consensus on all the forums/reviews I read was that IBMs (in particular the T series) were among the best quality notebooks money could buy (that and the PowerBook, which I decided against since I didn't feel up to switching platforms). I have to travel daily so a tough reliable notebook is very important to me.

Anyhow I got the T41 a few weeks ago, but I've only actually "had" it in my possession for a few days of that time - I had to send it in for repair practically as soon as I switched it on. It apparently had (er... has) some electrical problems. I'm a very experienced computer user/builder, so I know lots about computers, though I don't know a lot about the intricacies of electricity, so maybe what I think are problems are normal - I just don't know.

The problems:

• The harddrive makes a fast series of 7 pulsing/clicking noises, in 5 second increments. It's not standard accessing or spindle noise (it makes "other" noises for those). It's not very loud, though tedious on one's sanity while in a quiet room and trying to concentrate on working - I'm mostly concerned it could be an early sign of the drive failing. I've never heard a remotely similar noise from any other desktop/notebook drive I've seen before. It happened even with all extra programs End Tasked (so it's probably not something disk caching), and continued to occur after a clean system restore.



• There is an electrical buzzing noise coming from the left/back side by the USB ports and power plug, which occurs when on battery power only. The buzz also responds audibly in intensity while using the touchpad or eraserhead mouse. Before I sent it in for repair, it made an even louder electrical "crackling" sound. It doesn't occur when the unit is plugged into the AC adaptor, and also strangely it does not occur while a USB device is plugged in.



• If the unit's volume is turned up all the way (i.e. if I were watching a DVD or something), static noise suddenly begins emitting from the notebook's speakers. It happens only on the top physical/button notch of volume (windows' volume controls have no effect on it). The noise can't be detected easily under the sound of the movie/etc, so I'm not super concerned; though if no other loud sound is present to mask it, it's quite loud.



• A high-frequency pitch occurs from the bottom of the unit while it is plugged in and OFF (happens both with and without the battery installed). It's no issue at all during the day, though very noticeable when trying to get to sleep in the same room (sounds like constant ringing in my ears). It also makes a similar noise while in hibernation mode, though I think that might be normal.

Anyhow....... this is my first notebook, and I have limited access to any other notebooks to check out and compare with. Are these problems normal? When I sent it in for repair, IBM evidently swapped out its motherboard, but other than making the "loud crackling" noise near the USB ports into more of a "line noise" type of sound, none of the other issues have changed (even though I sent them a very detailed page on how to duplicate and listen for the problems).

I could be overreacting I guess, though I don't feel like the extra money I spent on IBM (so far) was money well spent (compared to going with others like Dell, HP, Acer, etc). I went with IBM with the sole hope of avoiding issues exactly like these. As I mentioned, I've already sent it in once for repair and the problem (only one of several) was only marginally fixed. I don't want to be obsessive or anything, though $2200 is a lot of money, especially when you're in college.

So are these problems common/normal? Should I return it? Demand an exchange for a completely new one?

Thanks.

-- Dave

 

Dave,

I feel bad for you. You shouldn't be having these problems, nor should you have expected them in a unit made by IBM.

When you spend over two grand on a notebook, especially for an IBM, you shouldn't be feeling the way you're feeling now. When you make such a sizable investment, not to mention choosing a maker with a high reputation, you should feel happy about it, even joyous. At the minimum, you should feel content. You cannot have these doubts. If you have them NOW, when you've just received your new laptop and it feels like Christmas (at least for most people), think of how miserable you'll feel a year from now. If you're already unhappy after just a few days with the notebook, you'll be downright depressed a year from now.

When you spend $2200, don't settle for anything. When you buy an IBM, especially one at $2200, don't expect anything less than a high-calibre machine.

From the great disappointment that I can sense in you, I suggest that you demand an exchange for a completely new unit. That's the minimum that you should do. You should tell IBM all that you've said in your post. Make them very aware of your deep disappointment with the unit they sent you. Stress that you had a high regard for IBM and yet they delivered to you, in effect, a lemon. Tell them that you expect high quality for $2200. If they refuse to do an exchange, then return the notebook and go with another company. Make sure IBM knows that, if they appear to resist an exchange.

You are absolutely correct in your second-to-last paragraph. You're not overreacting. With the money you've spent, you should be happy with your computer, not feeling uncomfortable with it. You're right in expecting quality and reliability from IBM. It's not right that their notebook is making you feel betrayed.

To use a car analogy, IBM is comparable to Lexus, Acura, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and BMW. People expect a lot from IBM, just as they do from the aforementioned carmakers. Would you buy a Lexus if you felt uncomfortable with it? Of course you wouldn't. So why should you live with a notebook, made by IBM and costing a considerable amount, if you weren't happy with it?

Regardless of what happens, you should write a letter and send it to both IBM's Customer Service AND corporate HQ. The letter should reflect what you've written in your post (which does a good job of explaining your notebook's problems and your feelings). IBM needs to know how you feel.

With all of that said, you should do what you think is right and what's in your heart. This post is just my opinion; I'm not Bill Gates or Michael Dell [ ].

For authoritative sources, look to Administrator abaxter (Andrew) and Voldenuit. The former has a T40 and the latter an R50, so they can give you insight on the particulars of IBMs.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>
I could be overreacting I guess, though I don't feel like the extra money I spent on IBM (so far) was money well spent (compared to going with others like Dell, HP, Acer, etc). I went with IBM with the sole hope of avoiding issues exactly like these.<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>

You're not overreacting, I bought IBM for the same reasons. I still feel it was worth getting a ThinkPad even though I've have issues (with fan noise; see the R50 review thread). I love my laptop except for the one issue.

<blockquote id='quote'>quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>
As I mentioned, I've already sent it in once for repair and the problem (only one of several) was only marginally fixed. I don't want to be obsessive or anything, though $2200 is a lot of money, especially when you're in college.<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>

I sent mine in too; didn't get fixed. It also came back with scratches on the screen. I've asked for a replacement now, and they will get back to be tomorrow (well they said 48-hr turnaround, so it better be tomorrow!). If they don't replace, I'll have to order a new fan to replace my current one myself. I'm also in uni and it's a pain to have to do this - it's a lot of money, you want it to work, and faults really stand out. My semester is starting in a couple of weeks so it's quite the inconvenience too.

<blockquote id='quote'>quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>
So are these problems common/normal? Should I return it? Demand an exchange for a completely new one?<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'></font id='quote'></blockquote id='quote'>

No, Yes, and Yes. Good luck.

 

hey,
I´m also having a T41 with exatly these strange noise growling.
After buying the machine the last december and having the first problems one month later because of some exploded pixels on the screen (I´m not joking! I´ve never seen that before!!--> and fortunately, the IBM guys fixed this by exchanging the screen, though they said first that this is not a warranty thing...so I got the machine back after about 5 weeks(!) ...maybe happended through the weather. It carried the thinkpad through minus 10 degrees celsius for about 30minutes- in a laptop bag though) I have my t41 back since a few weeks and: it is in repair again, allthough I´m carrying my machine like a baby. Now it seems to be the motherboard unit which is broken they said. Fact is the machine cannot start up the harddrive and I, first , was thinking the harddrive said goodbye. I´m broken

I´m thinking of telling the IBM guys that I wanna have a totally new machine, due to the fact that I´m using tha machine now 2 1/2 month barely and having it in repair two times still...

---moos

 

Hey guys!

I have exactly the same sound problems with my R50 that I purchased a couple of weeks ago.
Especially annoying is the electrical buzzing noise from the left/back side and it has exactly the same characteristics as described by Keyz316.

The first thing i managed to solve (although this was a software thing) was that when using windows, at some time the run32.dll would consume 100 CPU and basically hang the machine. I solved it by installing new power management drivers.

The biggest concern though is the different annoying sounds the machine makes.
Reading through the reviews I'm starting to wonder, if anybody has been able to fix this at all through warranty repairs? Is this a common "feature" that IBM has?
It is quite sad, as I had really high expectations of IBM quality and now it seems that it is not that great as the common belief is.

Would be grateful for advice, if it is worth going through the warranty process at all.

Andy

 

Hey guys --

Well it seems when it's not one thing with my Thinkpad, it's another... I finally got those other annoying sounds fixed for the most part (on my own of course, since IBM doesn't acknowledge some of them as official problems), and now --go figure-- a new crop of problems have come up. It never used to happen until "after" IBM repaired (ah hem) my system, but over the past month or two, my T41 has been emitting a rather loud throbbing noise every 5 seconds, and recently even began going into a fit of nonstop clicking (about 2-3 clicks per second I'd say). I was quite sure it had to be the harddrive doing it, since if I tipped the system a bit and caused the Active Drive Protection system to kick in, the clicking instantly stopped (not the throbbing though). The sounds "seemed" to be coming directly from the harddrive area. I have a recording of the clicking sound I can post if you'd like.

I have since learned through various threads (including the one by jmd) that those new sounds are actually caused by the fan, though before I knew that I had IBM send me a replacement drive -- after I reloaded EVERYTHING on the new drive, suddenly the same throbbing and clicking started again, and I knew right then it had to be the fan (no other moving parts in the whole system haha). So I'm sending the replacement drive back, and made arrangements to send the whole system in to have the fan replaced. But, I'm not sure I'll be sending it, since as I understand it, they will almost certainly just replace it with the exact same flawed fan. So, like jmd, I may end up having to purchase the fan that goes with the T41p system (very expensive, like $70 or so I believe, but is compatable and pretty much solves the problem), swap it out myself very carefully, and henceforth have to manually swap it back to the original fan every time I have to send the system in for repair (since doing so voids the warranty if they know about it)... I REALLY don't want to have to do that. Not with my Thinkpad that is "supposedly" better than all other laptops. I'm pretty pissed about this to say the least. If this can't be fixed by IBM at little or no cost to me, then I'm going to make sure the world knows all about this (I run several really popular websites), and may file a class action suit against them if necessary. I can certainly guarantee that they've lost a customer for life (not to mention the business they would have got from my friends/referrals and my IT department) if they don't make this right.

There is one small ray of hope I plan to check up on tomorrow. I asked for the part number of the replacement fan they would be installing, and the number (don't have it handy at the moment since I'm at school) was one digit different than the one that's currently in my system (there's a "44" in mine, and I believe a "43" or "34" in the part number I was told... I'll get the whole number when I get home). I fear it was probably a typo though. I'm going to call back tomorrow to double check. Though I've heard of probably hundreds of people already with this fan problem, I haven't seen one mention yet of anyone getting this properly fixed by IBM (those who did fix it had to go the route of manually swapping the fan themselves).

It's a shame that an otherwise excellent laptop would have issues like this. Worse that IBM doesn't seem to care.

-- Dave

 

Hi

I had similar problems with a Apple Powerbook G4 17 inch. Nearly everything mentioned except the fan noise.

Problems like:
- PCMCIA slot didn't work
- Display went black and the powerbook stopped - mainboard broken
- Weird noise coming from the harddrive - harddrive broken
- After one repair black plasic of somekind on the screen surface that i couldn't remove.
- High frequent noice everytime i use the network/internet, i could hear it even if i listened to music.
- The best part: Without a ground connection (third pin at the powerplug) i had a tickling sensation up to electrical shocks.

Most of the problems that occured Apple wouldn't except the obvious ones.
Finally after one year and threating them to go legal. They agreed to refund my 4000 €

Now i need a new one and IBM was my first choice. But since i read your posts im not sure about that anymore.
How loud is the fan in real the IBM website states 36 dB. Is it that in fact?

Dennis

 

It's not about how "loud" the fan is. It's pretty quiet, and only runs when the system needs active cooling (many times, especially during winter or in an air conditioned house or office, the fan will not run at all... though it does run almost all the time during summer, for me at least). Compared to the fans in most P4, P4-M, or Athlon based systems, the fan is quite a bit less noisey. What it "is" about is the unnerving constant "fluctuation" in noise from the fan... I've heard it described by another owner (and I agree) as being like a mosquito that's constantly buzzing around your room - and every 5 seconds, the little bugger makes a nose dive deep into your ear, then right back out again. Over. And Over. Until. You go. Insane.

I sent my T41 in a few days ago to have the fan replaced. I'll be shocked if it comes back with a different/improved fan model. More shocked if somehow the problem is gone. My expectations regarding IBM at this point? Rather low.

Although at this point I can't really honestly recommend IBM to you... if you go with a T41p model (much more expensive) "this" problem will not be an issue.

Peace.

-- Dave

 

Hmm, That's not correct at all.
At my firm we ordered 2 T41p's. These models were working out just fine. So we decided to order 4 more of them.
3 of the last four we ordered has this noise at the left-back side (above the usb-port).

So IBM changed the motherboard at one of the t41p's. This did not help.
So we figured out that the noise only appears when running on AC-power. So IBM sent us 3 new batteries!! This did not help either. In fact, on 2 of the defected laptops the noise actually got worse!!! If we open up a command prompt and write "dir /s *.*" to list out all the files in the subdirs, the noise is extremely loud. If we do the same in a full-screen command prompt (alt+enter), the noise dissapears!!!!

So upgrading from T41 to t41p does not solve this problem at all, as the last guy wrote here...

I guess the first two t41p's we got came from a good batch, and the 3 defected ones came from a bad one.....


-robert-

 

raf - you're confusing two separate problems. The T41p "does" fix the fan noise issue (to an almost inaudible level) since it uses a different fan part than the regular T41 (although the part is completely compatable with both the T41 and T41p... of course because of "policy" IBM has refused to use this solution according to many other owners I've heard from, even though it is certain to work).

I made the same mistake as you. I sent in my system and had them swap out the motherboard because of the sound by the back-left USB ports when I first got the system. It was a complete waste of time. That sound is not from the fan, but rather from the power on the USB hub being switched off by power management (why it happens is beyond me). The solution is as follows, guaranteed to work.

To stop the USB-area buzz...
Go to:
Device Manager -> Universal Serial Buss controllers -> USB Root Hub (first one, others can be left as default) -> Power Management

Uncheck "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" -> Press OK

You should also open "Power Options" in your Control Panel and edit the power scheme settings to how you'd prefer, then save it as a custom setting (i.e. I called mine "My Power Settings"). For some reason if you use some certain default configurations, the noise comes back. If you use a custom profile, it stays away. Go figure. Note that this solution will cause you to sacrifice some battery power. Probably not too much - and if you constantly have anything plugged into your USB port (a mouse, keyboard, etc) while on battery, you won't notice the difference at all. This fix just tells the system that it can never turn the USB port's power off to save power.

Peace.

-- Dave

 

JUST AS I EXPECTED

My T41 came back today. I sent very specific instructions along with it, outlining the fact that I believed the 5 second cycle noise to be coming from the fan, explaining how to quickly recreate the problem (i.e. how to immediately get the fan to turn on), etc.

They sent it back today. They replaced the hard drive. It still has the same exact fan. They didn't even open up the system at all. They didn't read a word of what I wrote to them. I ALREADY had them send me a hard drive before I knew the fan was at fault, and quickly found it made none of the noises, it was the fan - I sent that back, again with clear details about my discovery.

Well, IBM just took my worst expectations of the outcome of all this and multiplied it by 100.

Don't buy IBM. What a joke.

-- Dave

 

Hi

This reminds me a lot about my trouble with Apple. I guess if you have problems with you notebook, you are screwed either way. It isn't even important what manufacturer. I heard similar things about Dell and Toshiba as well.

Dennis

 

Keyz316: Sorry for the sound/noise mixup [ ] I tried disabling the power-management of the USB root hub now. Most of the noise dissapeared, but still comes in for a little while (about 0.3 secs at a time) every now and then.

Great tip, but still. What's the point of having a T41p with extended battery-pack when disabling this causes the laptop to use more battery..... I shall talk to the IBM guys about this, see if they can replace something here. We have "next business day" support, so hopefully it won't take too long to fix this annoying bug. It all depends if they have the parts in stock....

One question: Why is there 3 USB ROOT HUBS listed in the device manager? I tried removing all of them, rebooted and 4 unknown devices came up. I then took an "update driver" on these devices, and voila... 4 USB root hubs came in!!!! How many root hubs are there supposed to be? Three or four[?]

-robert-

 

There is no part (I'm pretty certain) that they could replace that would fix that problem, unfortunately, other than by using a different motherboard (which they won't). The chips/parts in question are permanent parts of the motherboard. Every T41/p owner I've ever talked to has this same problem - it's a problem with the built-in part on the motherboard and/or the firmware or driver that runs it, so replacing the whole motherboard with yet another of the same thing would not fix it. It's possible that a future firmware or driver update could solve the issue properly, though none of the most current patches fix it (I've tried them all, to my knowledge).

If you do discover anything, please let me know [ ]
Don't send the system in to IBM though for this issue.... they might throw away your hard drive... or something [ ]

-- Dave

 

Hello,

In France we have also these problems, and I have an other: some directx applications make noise (T41, radeon 7500).

I have one question about this :" * A high-frequency pitch occurs from the bottom of the unit while it is plugged in and OFF (happens both with and without the battery installed). It's no issue at all during the day, though very noticeable when trying to get to sleep in the same room (sounds like constant ringing in my ears). It also makes a similar noise while in hibernation mode, though I think that might be normal."

Have you got always this problem or not ? (I want to change th AC adapter)

Thanks a lot.

 

Same noises with a just received T41. I believe the throbbing noise is the fan being updated by the fan control software every 5 seconds or so when the fan is in low-med speed. Some software is probably running every 5 seconds, reads the temperature sensor, and commands the fan to whatever speed it calculates. When the fan controller gets this command it probably powers the fan off and on instantaneously causing the speed to surge then settle down. If the fan would just remain at a constant speed, unless it really needs to change, then it would be less irritating. They could probably make us happy by patching the fan control software (BIOS?) to first check to see if the fan was already running at the required speed before commanding it again. This would eliminate the periodic surge (my guess). The only other noise I get is from the speakers and sound device when the volume is at max. Sounds like some electrical noise (maybe from the wireless antenna or circuits near the sound chip) bleeding into the audio amplifier input. If I go to the sound control panel and turn off all the devices (CD, Mic, etc.) it goes away. This is nothing more than an electrical noise issue on the motherboard, some normal digital circuit or RF noise being picked up by the audio amplifier at high volume levels. Better shielding or filtering (with bypass capacitors) would probably solve this. One area of disappointment not related to this is the use of Software MIDI synthesixer instead of a hardware synthesizer card. The SW synth causes jerky or uneven playback. My old Dell Inspiron5000 had a nice hardware synth card. Unfortunately it seems like all the new laptops are going with the SW synthesis audio chip these days.

 

In Feb 04 I purchased the T41 for my daughter. Then in March 04 I purchased the T41p for myself.

1. The T41 fan runs much faster and louder when plugged into AC as compared to the T41p.

2. When running on batter power, the T41 fan runs slower than when plugged into AC, but still much louder than the T41p.

3. The T41p fan is very quiet under all conditions.

4. The T41 fan does rev up a bit every 5 seconds.

I think that the T41 fan noise issue has to do with the following:

1. There is a better fan model in the T41p

2. The controls for the T41 are causing it to run faster than required, and cause it to rev up every 5 seconds.

Any feedback, comment, or suggestions would are appreciated!

 

The T41p fan is better than the T41/40 fan,
but if (i have a T41) you change your fan for the T41p fan you will
be avoid your warranty [ ] ?

 

With normal noise in a room (TV, air conditioner, etc.) I don't notice it that much, but when it's real quiet and trying to concentrate, the 5 second throb gets more noticable. Guess I'm just too sensitive. Need more rock music. The damage you could cause if you mess up the fan or heat sink could be severe, basically the chip could do a melt down. So I think you need to really know what you're doing. I've taken apart a Dell laptop before, it's not too hard, but never a Thinkpad, which is probably more compact inside. I've seen some downloadable freeware that lets you control fan speed and override things, but that can be as bad as taking the fan out by hand. I would have gotten the T41p except the price was too high and I didn't need or want SXGA (too hard to read those tiny characters). So, what if some smart person could discover what program it is that's controlling the fan, analyze the code, and devise a patch to stop the 5 second surge, without defeating the heat protection? I could be happy with that. What program is it that does control the fan? Power management? BIOS?

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Keyz316

 

You'll only void your warranty if IBM knows/finds out that you switched the fan. You don't have to tell them. The bad part is though, that if you ever need to send in the system for repair, you'd have to re-swap the old fan back in first every time. You would have to know what you're doing and be able to do it carefully without damaging anything or leaving oily fingerprints, or of course, they'll know what you did. Replacing the fan is not necessarily hard (and there are illustrated instructions as well as a publicly available technical manual for Thinkpads) but you do have to know what you're doing. You have to disassemble quite a few stages of the system to fully uncover the entire fan assembly... not to mention the heatsink part of the fan is directly touching the fragile CPU core (you may also have to reapply thermal compound, like arctic silver, to the cpu each time).

-- Dave

 

Well if so many of these Thinkpads have this fan surge noise, then it's not a defective motherboard, it's defective DESIGN. And that's why when you send it back for repair it will come back the same. A better design would have been a quieter fan, or a change to the fan control software to change the way it controls speed. This is DESIGN, not a component failure. From what I've read here, the newer T41p does not have this issue. So they fixed the DESIGN apparently. Now what about the rumbling noise in the speaker on max volume? DESIGN ! Too bad, otherwise this is a fantastic laptop... I love the small size, low weight and the excellent keyboard ! I sent a new Dell 600m back because of terrible keyboard and got this Thinkpad instead. While we're comparing, IBM needs to improve their on-line support a lot .. missing pages, faulty page links, slow downloads. It's like they fired their web page developers and saved one technician to try to keep the web site going all alone.

 

One more thing.. it's normal I think for the fan to speed up when running on AC, The power management will normally keeo the CPU at slow speed (600 Mhz) on battery to conserve energy. So the chip runs cooler, and so the fan doesn't need to run as fast. Go to AC power and the CPU will usually jump to full speed, so it will then heat up, making the fun need to run more/faster. You can control what happens with CPU speed in the power management tool.

 

The design don't change, i know T41p user that have the problem
http://cgi.zdnet.de/forum/viewtopic.php?t=25&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15&sid=6316278ed08f6368da00ae4005893455
(thsuter)
On AC or battery (600 mhz all the time) i could have the fan problem [V]

 

I Just confuse, I just check out many review site and I don't find the similar problem as I read in this website.

I'm planning to Buy ThinkPad T41, I've crosschecked with my mates, that previously has purchased around 40 units of T41 that none has a problem. also in most of review sites, especially C-Net, ZD-net, and also in Spymac.com/forum , and in many other commentaries site

This problem is not seems to be an issue.

I Just need your commentaries about ThinkPad T41 persistent noise, why don't u ask for a replacement (return policy) my brother in US able to returned as it before 30 days of purchase?

heh?

 

Turn your volume to maximum (using buttons above keyboard). Do you not hear occasional crackling or rushing noise that comes and goes?

I will probably try the 30 day return.

 

I just got my system back from IBM repair this morning. They completely replaced the fan assembly as I requested (at least they got that much right this time haha... last time they "accidentally" replaced my harddrive instead).

And surprise.... the 5 second cycle/throbbing noise is still there on this completely new fan (that is, unless they lied about actually replacing it... I haven't yet opened the system to check the part's serial number). While on the phone with IBM support the other day, the tech I spoke with confirmed that the T41 "does" have this fan problem (he even said he heard it himself in a T41 he had worked with a few days earlier). He also said it's unlikely that IBM will ever agree to replace the fan with the compatable T41p fan that fixes the problem.

Anyhow, just an update.

I'm substantially past any hope of 30 day return (I've had mine for several months). So I'll have to live with it... and will probably never buy an IBM product again, and make sure quite a few people know about this. I'm thinking of starting an official petition to have all T41 users with this issue sign - maybe IBM will listen then.

-- Dave

 

Don't quit just now. It took me nearly a year to get Apple to agree on a refund, because they couldn't fix the problem properly.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Keyz316

 

Hi.

I Really consider every review as an input for me for assorting notebook , well its tough.

Since I've heard my friends and families using ThinkPad T41, I Wish to hear

1.The specific model that you've purchased
2.The date you've purchased and the country/state

so this report is more reliable and could be depended on by many users, I think its very useful

 

Here is the IBM reponse due complains contained in this website
I just have cross-checked it. and here is IBM response

As I want to buy T41, its requried for me to do indipendent research and hear fair responses, and for fair justification i've provided this email response from IBM.

PLEASE READ THE [8]===[8] PART FOR IMPORTANT INFO

please comment
-------------------------------------------------------

Dear (name remains hidden)

Thank you for contacting IBM.

In regards to your inquiry regarding the T41 IBM
ThinkPad, we consider this one of the top ThinkPads.
Rest assured any issues with a brand new machine
bought directly from IBM will be covered under warranty
for at least one year. You also have the option of
purchasing extended warranty and ThinkPad protection
which covers even liquid spills and damage from dropping
the machine. Our telephone technical support is 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week.

In researching the website you have referred to, please
note, [8]we were unable to find the actual 7 digit model/type
number of the machines they are referring to[8]. We did,
however, look in our databases for any recalls or ECA
(engineering change announcements) for the T41 and
[8]no such documentation exists for common recurring issues[8]

Also, please note this website is a forum where anyone
may post comments, there is no guarantee this is a college
student, competitor, where they purchased the machine, the
usage and treatment of the system, etc. I would not consider
a online posting between a select number of individuals concrete
evidence that an entire line of ThinkPads are "lemons".

Many customers and businesses are extremely happy and satisfied
with their ThinkPad purchases. Please see the following link for
further information regarding news and awards:

http://www.pc.ibm.com/us/news/index.html

The returns policy when purchasing brand new ThinkPads online
in Canada is 30 days, if for any reason you are unsatisfied with
your purchase.

____________________________________________________________________

Any comment??... well .. I don't questioned the review on this site, but just want to make sure...

 

Sure.

I have an IBM ThinkPad T41, model 2379DJU with 768MB of RAM.
I ordered direct from IBM by phone on 01/17/04 from a sales rep named Jamison. I live in the state of California, USA. I can produce the names of each rep, case numbers, dates, etc for each of the 3 times my system has already been sent to the repair depot, each time with detailed instructions and explanations of the problems that were summarily ignored. I treat my Thinkpad like solid gold -- it has never been dropped or injured in even the slightest way, I carry it in an expensive padded Targus Matrix laptop backpack within an extra neoprene sleeve, I maintain extensive security with an antivirus, firewall, TDS trojan scanner, consistent defrags and system checkups, etc etc.

Regarding who I am: My name is David Dunkerley. I'm a student at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA (IBM, feel free to call and check if necessary). I am also a well-known designer in the web/graphic design industry... my website, AbsoluteCross.com, is one of the original online graphic design resources and a search on Google for "photoshop tutorials" will bring up my name directly or several steps below (it fluctuates daily) Adobe Inc. themselves (the company that makes Photoshop). I also run one of the largest web development forums on the internet - TutorialForums.com. I am a reputable source.

The issues outlined in this forum thread have also been brought up many times on the Thinkpad unofficial forum (which I believe was put into use when IBM closed their official forums)... http://www.thinkpads.com

There is quite a bit of evidence supporting the fact that the T41's stock system fan is flawed.

1) A considerable number of users on multiple unrelated discussion groups have brought up the same issues.

2) An IBM staff member (I will not name names unless necessary... you can check my call logs) agreed that the T41 fan had this distinct problem, and said he even heard it himself in a T41 he had worked with on the previous day.

3) I, as well as other T41 owners on Thinkpads.com and other forums have had my system fan completely replaced by IBM. The exact same problem was present in the new fan. The rest of the system has been thoroughly checked and it is 100% positive that the fan is the problem, and not some other part.

4) The T41p uses a compatible but different fan model by the same manufacturer, and the problem is confirmed by many T41p owners to be minimized to the point of not being an issue.

While it's possible that some of the T41 fans do not exhibit this problem, I have yet to find a T41 owner who hasn't noticed the problem... and for those who haven't noticed, they may have simply never used their system in an adequately quiet environment, or again, may have got lucky.

-- Dave

 

Hello,

I have an IBM ThinkPad T41, model 23731FG, manufactering date: 04/02,
made in China.
(http://www5.pc.ibm.com/fr/products.nsf/$wwwPartNumLookup/_TC11FFR?OpenDocument)
I received from Systemat the 18/03/04, I live in France, I'm a student.
In France Forum I know 11 people that have the problemes (cycling 5 second noise and long fan).
http://forum.tt-hardware.com/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=11&t=012978
(In Deutchland http://cgi.zdnet.de/forum/viewtopic.php?t=25)
Thanks.

 

Hello.

Today I've tried to once again contact IBM and put some detailed information so they could recall the documentation and not telling me that they couldn't find such documentation to be exist.

I'm pleased with your open and fair judgement, I never consider it as a lie or fake report. Anyway I'm pleased with your comment so far and very helpful as everyones input.

If you would recommend me other notebook beside T41, perhaps you would recommend R/X Series or even other brands to replace T41

Thanks in advace

 

I purchased the T41 in Jan 2004 from IBM's USA website. The model number is 2373AEU.

This laptop has loud fan noise when plugged into AC power.

This noisy fan mars an otherwise excellent product. I am hopeful that IBM will offer to correct this problem.

 

I just got a T41 laptop and it is making clicking noises in the hard drive area. I wanted to ask Keyz316 (and others): if the fan is causing this problem, why does the clicking stop when:
(a) I tip the laptop up (active hard drive protection engaged)
(b) the hard drive is reading/writing data

Is there a separate fan for the hard drive?

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by ry2867n