T440s Owner´s Thread

I think someone here mentioned that the internal battery gets disabled when you remove the bottom, but my memory could be bad. Might want to search the thread.

 

Thanks. Someone over at the lenovo forums said he'd done his upgrade with disabling the battery and no one died, so I went ahead and removed it anyway. I then reassembled it started it and disabled the battery so I could have another go. This time it took and is happily now running at 8GB. I have to day the difference is enormous. I'm surprised that so many win 8 laptops have 4GB. Before the machine has slower than my 7 year old asus (with only 2GB) but now it's as I would expect a modern system with a modern os to be running.

 

I replaced my HDD with an SSD without manually disabling the internal battery, and nothing went wrong. So it either disables itself when the bottom is removed, or it doesn't cause any harm.

 

There is a switch that is activated when you take off the bottom cover. It automatically disables the battery. The battery is then reengaged upon boot up.

 

So why do they tell you to disable it manually?

 

They who??

 

The maintenance manual

 

I have read about the automatic battery-disable feature, but I'm not so sure about it... at one point when I was debugging my T440s' mysterious RAM issue, I had the machine booted up without the bottom cover on but the external battery removed, and Windows still recognized the internal battery.

If I'm going to service the laptop, I usually deactivate the battery in BIOS unless I have no other option.

 

The "automatic battery disable feature" is called "Bottom Tamper Detection". Its found in the BIOS if someone want to enable it, however, you have to put in a Supervisor password to use it.

See: ThinkPad T440s Service Training Update RTPW1150 v06.11a Under "Technical Overview" and then "Bottom Tamper Detection"

 

Now that makes more sense. So then it's not enabled by default out-of-the-box?

 

No, its not. If it was, a supervisor password would be preset for every new ThinkPads, which obviously isn´t very pratical^^

Its not only a feature for more comfort (since you won´t have to disable the internal battery every time you open the machine), but also for security - if you enable the bottom tamper detection and set a supervisor password, and then your ThinkPad gets stolen, if the thief opens up the ThinkPad, he will be locked out from the system since he would have to enter the supervisor password once he boots the machine up again...

 

The research and development behind Lenovo’s T440s Ultrabook - Good Gear Guide by PC World Australia
"Lenovo engineers wanted to come up with a better way for the logical disconnection to happen, since many users might forget to visit the BIOS beforehand."

This seems to imply that it happens automatically without a supervisor password, but obviously without locking out the user upon booting up the system later.

 

Talking about security, what's a good way to protect your thinkpad? Anything else besides Intel Anti-Theft?

 

Ensure you require password in BIOS upon boot up.
Having a Windows User password.
Enable password requirement when bottom panel is opened.
Use a M.2 SSD in the third slot instead of a 2.5in drive(a thief would not know your data is in there).
Encrypt your data on your drives.
Have a sticker on the lid of your device saying it has anti thief protection (deterrence is important at the cost of looks).
Carry a Kensington lock with your laptop.
Don't lose sight of your laptop in the first place.

In extreme cases, you can destroy the head of every screw making it near impossible to open the device.

 

Hi Everyone,

After 6 years of using a T400 (which is still running after usual upgrades as well as a couple of speaker transplants, and a fan+heatsink transplant), I am in the market for a new thinkpad. I did buy a rMBP'13, but it just is not the same - likely will return it within the 15 day window, or give it to my wife.

The T440s seems to be the best bet, and I am looking for some advice regarding this. I was also interested in the thinkpad yoga and the new x1 carbon, but the complaints regarding ghosting issues on these machines is scaring me off those machines.

Firstly, I use Ubuntu primarily for work, and Windows for other stuff - so I will dual boot. Here's what I wanted to find out

Screen
I am planning to get the non-touch FHD screen. I am a big fan of hi-res displays, but feel that going over full-hd is still not the best bang-for-buck because of scaling issues in most OSs that are not from the fruity computer vendor. But the complaints about the LG screen are making me wary. Here are my 2 questions regarding this
1. Just how bad is the LG display ?
2. Is there any way to ensure that I get the AOU one while ordering if I don't go for the touchscreen version ? The touch version is $180 more at the time of speaking but I will get it if that means saving some headache down the line. But are there ghosting issues on the touchscreen ?

HDD/SSD and RAM Upgrade
I get really good discounts on SSDs and would like to purchase a HDD enabled model to save on the cost. Same for RAM.
3. What are your impressions on the upgrade process? Is the removal of the back too hard, as in, does it run a real risk of damaging the plastic parts ?

Wireless
I have been reading about the horror stories on the Intel Wireless cards on Win 8 (and also Win 8.1 if you believe reports).
4. My question is, which wifi option should I get. I realize that there are driver issues on ubuntu for the non-intel Wifi cards.

Misc
I understand that the trackpad is less than ideal, but I also see some workarounds. But if you have some specific comments about this, that would be helpful as well.


Thanks for your time, and your replies and advice will be highly appreciated.

 

1. It is a gamble on the LG or AOU screen. If you want to guarantee an AOU display, you should go with the HD+ screen and then purchase the AOU fro $100 and upgrade it yourself.
2. I would recommend purchasing the touch screen version as it is guaranteed to be a AOU display. You may find it much cheaper on Lenovo Outlet but you will have to wait till the perfect deal pops up.
3. Crucial MX100 offers the best bang for you money. Samsung 840 EVO is also great. (EDIT: I would go with the Samsung 840 EVO due to the much lower idle power consumption. 0.31 vs 1.09) Don't worry about the removal process. It just takes time and any damage my be minimal and have no impact on the quality of the laptop.
4. Intel 7260AC is the best but it is hit or miss on stability.
5. If you are a touchpad user, congratulation. It is like the MBP and maybe even better. If you are a trackpoint user, either you need to adjust or buy a wireless mouse.

 

Hello, I just bought myself a t440s for college. I'm planning on putting 2 m.2 ssd's in the two slots (one booting win 8.1, the other ubuntu/other linux distros whatever I need) and the hdd for data storage. Does anyone have an outline or guide to follow with regards to what to do with UEFI and so on? Last time I messed with this stuff we were still using MBR and BIOS... things have changed a little

 

One other thing, what kind of Passmark (Performancetest 8.0) results are people getting?

 

Something strange is going on with my batteries. I fully charge both, unplug, use until it has around 50% left and then I turn the machine off.
4 to 5 days later I boot it to find it having ~2% of power left? What the hell? This is the second time this happens.
It is as if the laptop is going to sleep instead of shutting down. Has anyone ever experienced something similar with their Thinkpad?

 

Check to see if Intel Smart Connect is on.

 

I'm using the Intel AC 7260 card on Windows 8.1 and have no issues so far. Only had it a week using it with my own AC wifi though, not tested it out on the road yet. Maybe the issues are sorted in the latest drivers. I did read somewhere that the issues could be down to the power saving settings Lenovo configure in the factory - you can tweak the wifi power saving settings to max performance in the control panel.

I for one like the trackpad. You can tap on it with one finger to click (or two fingers to right-click) if pressing the whole pad down bothers you, but I actually don't mind clunking the whole pad down, it means I can click wherever my finger is without having to lift it up. It does make a sound when doing so, which some people complain is disruptive in a work environment, but in reality I don't find it any louder than typical keyboard clacker. I don't really use the trackpoint, but for me it's not a big deal to have to press the pad instead of physical buttons. Most of the complaints are from die hard Thinkpad owners who don't want change - this is my first Thinkpad and I'm happy. For me, it's certainly miles ahead of the old knobbly surface trackpad I used on an X230 I had to borrow for work once - THAT trackpad forced me to use a mouse, it was like dragging your finger across sandpaper!

Before you buy any M.2 SSDs, make sure they will fit. I think I remember reading somewhere the longer ones commonly seen in 256GB and upwards varieties do not fit.

Myself, I ordered with the HD and cache drive; I will replace the HD with a Samsung Evo Basic 1TB SSD, and maybe keep the cache drive configured to store the hibernation file or pagefile.

 

Yeah got it, my only concern is squeezing a double sided m.2 ssd into the slot under the internal battery but I've read of people managing it so it should be alright!

 

You can order the T440 with a double sided slot. But as well as coming single and double sided, the cards also come in different lengths.

 

does anyone here know of a RAM thats recommended by users to add your T440s? right now i only have 4GB and my system is complaining that it is has been running at max capacity.

 

crucial 1600MHz are great. Good value and performance.

Crucial 4GB Single DDR3 1600 MT/s (PC3-12800) CL11 SODIMM 204-Pin 1.35V/1.5V Notebook Memory Module CT51264BF160B at Amazon.com

 

i thought it could only use 1333 mhz ram

 

No, the T440s takes PC3-12800 (1600 MHz) RAM. I added a Crucial CT102464BF160B 8GB stick to my T440s, for a total of 12GB.

 

did you feel a big performance increase? how does it compare to having 4GB running asynchronous?

 

There was a big difference compared to running with just the soldered 4GB. Applications these days (particularly browsers) are more memory-hungry than they have been in the past.

In modern RAM implementations, having 4GB + 8GB will allow the first 4GB to run in dual channel mode, so you won't see performance decrease with an asymmetric arrangement.

 

thanks for ur answers, what would be the difference in having 8GB vs 12GB? it seems kind of overkill, but i do use my t440s to edit video and photo, and run less intensive computer games.

 

I generally don't think there's much of a difference between 8GB and 12GB. That said, I put in 12GB because if I'm going through the trouble of upgrading it anyway, why not spend a little more and max it out? After all, if I put in a 4GB module, I'd need to replace it to go any higher. You don't loose anything other than another ~$30 on the RAM.

And just remember... DDR3L 1.35V is mandatory for it to work.

 

Yep, that was my thinking as well. I plan to use this computer for years to come, so ~$25-30 more now is a better investment than having to buy a new larger module down the road.

 

Out of curiosity, what M2 SSD are you using?

 

This seems like without a doubt the best Ultrabook around right now for someone like me who prioritizes a good keyboard, good screen, and good battery life. I was wondering if there's any way to get the FHD Touch version with 8 GB of RAM for any less than $1375. That's just so much higher than so many other computers with better performance (Y40), I have a hard time justifying it. Even after the $50 first-time-lenovo-purchase-over-1000 discount it's still almost twice the price of the Y40. Is there anywhere that sells it for cheaper? Whatever happened to Barnes and Noble Gold?


Also, what is the difference between the 6 cell cylindrical battery and the 3 cell polymer one? I assume the 6 cell has more capacity but is bigger/heavier? Why is it $5 cheaper than the smaller capacity one?

Finally, is there any way to get the 730M version that notebookcheck tested? What are people's thoughts around here about the T440s vs the T440p?

 

MyDigitalSSD SC2 Super Cache 2 42mm SATA III 6G M.2 NGFF M2 SSD Solid State Drive

 

I've searched the forum and cannot seem to find out if I am able to install a dedicated graphics card in my t440s. If so, what model gpus fit? I do mostly picture editing, light to medium HD video editing, and no gaming at all, so I don't need anything too powerful. I'm not versed in anything gpu-related, so your help is very much appreciated.

 

"Install" as in add aftermarket? None. In certain markets (ie: not North America), you can get the T440s with an Nvidia GeForce 730M dedicated GPU, but as in 99.9% of laptops out there, the GPU is soldered to the motherboard. For light to medium picture and HD video editing, you won't benefit all that much from a discrete GPU. Better to just spend a bit more on a faster CPU.

 

Yes, aftermarket. In some other laptops, i've seen that they bring dedicated gpu in addition to the onboard intell 4400, but I suppose those laptops have an addition slot, which the t440s does not? Anyway, thanks for your help. I ordered an i7, 12gb ram, so your reply re-assures me that those specs are good enough for my uses. Thanks again.

 

I don't see any m.2 entry in my t440s, when I ordered I didn't select it, but thought the ports would be present. Are they hidden somewhere?

 

unfortunately a 4GB module is $60 in my country, and $100 for a 8GB.

 

Well, folks, after reading your couple hundred posts, I decided to jump in and buy a T440s. While the knowledge in the thread is indispensable, I wanted some clarification to ensure upgrade success. I have a few items to ask of you because I am planning to upgrade both the RAM (crucial 8gb) and the HDD to a Samsung EVO 500gb. I have the version with the m2 cache in my mini pcie slot.

1. The order of operations should be as follows:

1. Clone my HDD (to SSD)
2. "Initialize" the m2 cache drive using the commands in the thread - Appendix I
3. Upgrade BIOS to latest version
4. Go into BIOS and enable tamper detection (after setting pw)
5. Unplug AC power, remove back battery, and unscrew 7 screws. Use plastic spudger to pry case apart.
6. Pull out RAM chip and reinstall both modules atop each other (?)
7. Remove screw holding HDD in and slide HDD out. Install SSD in its place.
8. Place bottom back on (pushing firmly to connect tabs) and screw 7 screws back in.
9. Download Synaptics driver to correct touchpad issues

Appendix I (from earlier in this thread)
diskpart

to enter the diskpart program. This program is a low level partition management program so be careful what you're doing here, but you just need to know a few commands.

list [disk|partition|volume|vdisk] lists whatever you specified.

Start by typing `list disk` to get a list of your disks. It should be obvious which one is the cache drive. Then you can use

select disk #

where # is the number of disk that your cache drive is at.

The last step is REALLY DANGEROUS so make sure you've selected the right disk. You can run list partition to see what partitions are on the drive to make sure you're in the right place.

clean

will erase the entire partition table or whatever on the drive, as if it was brand new out of the factory. Then if you run the disk management snap-in (search for Disk Management under settings or win+r diskmgmt.msc) it will prompt you to initialize the disk, and then you can do so and create a new partition. I think I'll probably throw my page file or hibernation file on there just to save space on my main SSD, might as well since it's there

Appendix II

Lenovo Service Manual:

HTML:

http://www.lenovoservicetraining.com/content/CourseWarePublic/23392/player.html

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These are the steps I am planning to take when my machine arrives. If you guys have any addition tips or suggestions on reordering my steps, please do so. Finally, I am not sure how to get the pagefile (virtual memory) on that drive but would like to know how to do that. I included the current service manual for reference. Thank you for your comments and I am very interested in hearing your suggestions.

 

I got 2 of those myself. Just wondering if there was another entry into the market.

I ordered the T440s with the 500GB HDD. This choice came with a 16GB M2 SSD cache device. That is hidden under the battery. Not difficult to get to. The other M2 slot is next to the WiFi card directly under the base.

 

So I recently purchased a T440s and used it a couple times but unfortunately I need to sell it for rent and college tuition money -___-

I used it a few times, and it has maybe 3-5 battery cycles. It's in brand new condition. Still got the box and everything. It has the 1920x1080 AUO display, multitouch. i5-4200m and 8GB RAM, and I tossed a space 256GB Samsung 840 SSD I had in there as well. It also has extended warranty until 2017.

Anyone know how much I can sell this unit for? I was thinking around $1100 since it has the 3 year warranty and the SSD, and since it is pretty much brand new with no signs of use. Would love an appraisal if you guys have one!

Gonna drive back up to college and pick up the box this weekend and put it on sale on eBay.

 

So, I have the LG screen in my T440s now - some of my thoughts about it:

- Viewing angles are excellent - with the exception of when you tilt the screen. if you do so, it will loose much more brightness then the AUO screen

- Brightness and contrast - very good, maybe even better than the AUO screen

- Zero backlight bleeding

- The colors are more neutral than with the AUO screen, which has slightly warmer, yellowish colors

 

i did some testing between the stock 8+4Gb and new 4+4Gb ram using superpi, cinebench r15 and maxxmem and here are my findings. every test is repeated.

maxxmem (latency and memory score)
12GB: 68.2ns, 12.25GB/s
12GB: 69.9ns, 17.98gb/s

8GB: 64.4ns. 13.91gb/s
8GB: 69.8ns, 15.82gb/s


superPi 32m
12GB:10min 07.043s
12GB:10min 12.206s

8GB 10m 03.159s
8GB 10m 03.331s

cinebench r15

12GB: 259cb
12GB: 257cb

8GB: 264cb
8GB: 265cb


8GB or 12GB? i mean, the test results isn't very conclusive. not sure if i will be able to utilise the "extra' 4GB

suggestions?

 

There will be no [noticeable] speed differences between 8GB and 12GB of RAM. In the 4+8 GB configuration, the first 4GB on each stick will run in asymmetric dual channel mode. Get as much memory as you need. If you don't come close to using 8GB of RAM and don't foresee using that much in the future, just stick with that.

 

Hey guys, I'm wondering whether anyone can help me with a problem I'm having with the T440s screen.
When I'm not plugged in and only using battery, the screen brightness changes sometimes. This problem appeared after I executed a system update through the Lenovo app. Anyway to fix this issue? I remember seeing posts about changing the screen refresh rate to 0, but I'm pretty sure I did that right when I first bought this laptop...
Thanks in advace.

 

That is a power-saving feature of the Intel integrated graphics. Right-click on the desktop > "Graphics Properties..." > "Power" > "On Battery". Turn off "Display Refresh Rate Switching" as well as "Display Power Saving Technology."

 

I recently purchased mine. I can't seem to make tap to click to work with the trackpoint. I have the latest drivers installed and have both the touchpad and trackpoint enabled. I am using Win 7. Any ideas on how to fix this?

 

Thanks, that seemed to fix the problem. I had "Display Refresh Rate Switching" disabled but still had "Display Power Saving Technology" active.