New T400 purchase. Need some help ASAP.

Hey guys I bought a T400 today off of eBay. It was $280 with $25 shipping so I took the chance. The listing was lacking in many areas but for the price I don't mind.

1) Is it safe for me to post the type and serial?
2) How can I find out exactly what it has? I tried the parts list but its cryptic.

 

1) Just use the Model Type or Product ID number, there's no need for the serial number.

2) Try typing the Product ID in the "Quick Path" section on the Lenovo Support Page which should bring you a brief description of the specs for your system. You can also find this Product ID information on the Lenovo Toolbox or by Windows System Information under the System Model field. Though bear in mind this only shows the specs of the system from when it left the factory, not of its current state where it may have been modified by the previous user.

 

Can't find it. Here's the number 6473-C17 if you need the serial I can hook it up. Thanks for all of your help.

 

Hmmm I see your problem, you can try posting the parts lookup information here so we don't need to request for your serial number (may require some manual formatting when pasting on the forums) and we can try and decipher the parts for you.

 

Okay I'll try that. This is something weird. The seller says it was sold in the us and made in china. Lenovo says Sweeden. HMMM....

 

This is what he sent me


This is from lenovo's site 6474-c17 below it what comes up.

Important information
Product support

Product: ThinkPad T400 6474-C17 [change]


Operating system: All [change]

Original description: Based on 6474-R2U: P9500(2.53GHz), 3GB RAM, 160GB 7200rpm HD, 14.1in 1440x900 LCD, Intel X4500HD, DVD, Intel 802.11agn wireless, Bluetooth, Modem, 1Gb Ethernet, UltraNav, Secure chip, FPR, Camera, 9c Li-Ion, WinXP Pro

 

Any links to the source of where he got that information from? I wouldn't call it concrete unless you're able to replicate that information on the Lenovo website.

 

IBM Personal computing support - ThinkPad T400 6474-C17 support

this is listed.

 

how accurate is that? If that's what it is ill be so happy. It's loaded out!!! for $300

 

It should be accurate. I'd say you did pretty good for $300 provided it checks out.

 

it is accurate, as long as the seller did not change anything or caused any damages (i.e. spilling liquid on it).

 

You got yourself a great deal!! Be sure to report back when it arrives.

 

I love you guys. Thanks for the help. Just to make the deal EVEN SWEETER. Still under warranty. You know til when? 2012-06-02. I definitely plan on frequenting this forum.

So the back story was that on eBay I was browsing today and I thought let me just look at the t400 without narrowing anything down. Turns out this guy wasn't great at listing because it was mixed in with the chargers and batteries. I've already messaged back and forth with him so I see a little confident. Wish me luck guys. I will report back.

 

if the guy is really smart, then you wouldn't get the T400 for that price.

 

There can be some great deals on eBay if you've got the time to look for them. My R60 came in about half what a similar machines were getting because it was missing the hard drive and had no OS, but I got lot's of those laying around. It was also oddly listed as having less than 128MB of memory. Probably when people filtered it, it got left out of searches. It looked new, and had a year and a half of warranty. My X200t had a three year warranty with accidental coverage, a $250 upgrade, and it was not even listed in the item description.

 

Zaz you have an eye for diamond in the rough.

 

can the OP post a link so we can check it out?

 

If its up and running without damages and fully functional then youve got yourself really good deal.

 

I'm pretty dumbfounded on how the quick path works now lol, I spent the early hours always typing the product ID with the hyphen so it doesn’t come up with anything for the particular serial which is strange, for example my system works with 7661-WHC as well as 7661WHC. I guess we learn something new everyday!

Anyway the Core 2 Duo P9500 is a pretty high end processor for its generation (medium voltage too meaning power optimised compared to the Txxx C2D), along with a 1440x900 high res screen, 9 cell battery, Camera and Fingerprint for around $300 I have to take my hat off to you for finding a bargain as long everything is in order.

 

Yeah... that is a loaded T400, and the only major thing it's missing is the hybrid graphics. Still, I'm willing to bet I couldn't find a T60 with Intel graphics for that price, let alone a T400. Great deal!

 

Here is the link. If you notice there is really no info there.

Here

One more question will this computer take the 4gb stick of ddr3?

 

Yes, the maximum amount of RAM that the T400 will take is two sticks of DDR3 RAM, 4GB each for a total of 8GB.

 

Well, if you google the upc shown in the eBay listing, you get some pages with standard or very detailed specs.

Here it goes:

Lenovo ThinkPad T400 7417 - Core 2 Duo P8400 2.26 GHz - 14.1" TFT

Product Description:
DETAILS:

The ThinkPad T series notebooks are designed to enhance productivity and change the way you work. To begin with, they feature 14.1" LED-backlight widescreen displays that help to lower power consumption and offer brighter colors. In addition, the notebooks come equipped with a range of technology that includes Solid State Drives (SSDs), an integrated camera, DDR3 memory modules, DisplayPort technology and a wider Touchpad for improved ergonomics.

Product Description: Lenovo ThinkPad T400 7417 - Core 2 Duo P8400 2.26 GHz - 14.1" TFT
Dimensions (WxDxH): 13.2 in x 9.4 in x 1.3 in
Weight: 4.6 lbs
Localization: English
Platform Technology: Intel Centrino 2
System Type: Notebook
Built-in Devices: Wireless LAN antenna, ThinkLight, Bluetooth antenna
Embedded Security: Trusted Platform Module (TPM 1.2) Security Chip , fingerprint reader
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 / 2.26 GHz ( Dual-Core )
Cache Memory: 3 MB - L2 cache
RAM: 2 GB (installed) / 8 GB (max) - DDR3 SDRAM - 1066 MHz - PC3-8500 ( 2 x 1 GB )
Hard Drive: 160 GB - 7200 rpm
Optical Storage: DVD±RW (±R DL)
Display: 14.1" TFT 1280 x 800 ( WXGA ) - 24-bit (16.7 million colors)
Graphics Controller: Intel GMA 4500MHD
Memory Allocation Technology: Dynamic Video Memory Technology 5.0
Audio Output: Sound card
Networking: Network adapter - Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n (draft)
Wireless NIC: Intel WiFi Link 5100
Input Device: Keyboard, TrackPoint, UltraNav
Power: AC 120/230 V ( 50/60 Hz )
Run Time (Up To): 4.3 hour(s)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Business / XP Professional downgrade
Manufacturer Selling Program: TopSeller

UPC: 0884343007694

MANUFACTURER NAME: Lenovo Group Limited

=====

7417TRU This alone is all the info you need to know! You can track the official specs down in tabook. I think this is a preconfigured model.

It sells "new" for around $950! And you got it lightly used for $305 shipped??? omg!!!! Well done!

 

Thanks! I'm just honestly excited to get away from my $2500 Macbook Pro waste of money. I realized that there are better things out there.

Are there any accessories you guys recommend? I'm scoping out the docking station and I already ordered the 90w slim car and air adapter.

I am definitely also looking at getting a SSD and getting the multibay hd adapter. I think this with the external optical drive enclosure would be perfect for me. I rarely use the optical drive anyways.

Thanks again guys. I know it's not much but I have been repping all of you guys.

 

did someone mention Multibay (HP) rather than ultrabay? this is like BMW CEO talking about VW .... not good

 

Oh I guess I got confused lol. Sorry! I'll have to do some more reading. Is there somewhere good to start for this particular model?

 

I don't see it as a serious irk, for instance I still adamantly call Dell's Track Stick the Trackpoint. It’s one of those things that can stick with you for a bit until you can shake it off (though I don’t see myself changing this at all!).

But anyway to mount a second hard drive you do need the Ultrabay Slim Hard Drive Adapter (or officially known as the ThinkPad Serial ATA Hard Drive Bay Adapter II [43R1980] / III [43N3412]). They can be a bit pricey through official sources, you can have a try on eBay though I believe the majority of them are the unofficial aftermarket versions. Not all of them are bad though, I use a Fenvi PATA-SATA hard drive adapter and it generally works fine alongside with my SSD.

As you're getting the T400 soon you may as well have a read of the Hardware Maintenance Manual so you get to know your system inside out. This guides your through the basic procedures of upgrading the RAMs to a full chassis disassembly.

 

but in the land of Thinkpad calling Ultrabay as Multibay is sacrilege ... obviously that previous post is just for a bit fun, i meant nothing serious by that...

 

Yes, the Ultrabay is a very nice feature on ThinkPads. There's also a secondary bay battery you can get if you need extra runtime, or a travel bezel which shaves off some weight if you're really on the go.

I tend to use the secondary HDD bay almost exclusively, unless I need to install some software I only have on the optical drive. Having a full terabyte available in a notebook this small is a very nice thing.

 

You might want to check here.