Thinkpad T420 Owner's Thread

Yeah, I'm using the Mastercard marketplace as well and configured it at $875. Still not a bad deal especially with a 3 year warranty, but like you said, might as well go for the Thinkpad Protection.

 

I used my slice battery for the first time today. It uncharged normally and everything was fine but when I plugged the computer in only the main battery charged whereas for the slice battery it says "waiting to charge" (I'm using Ubuntu 11.04). Does anybody know how to fix this? An additional battery is pretty useless if you can't charge it =o/

 

I actually managed to bring it down to $955 using the B&N link earlier in the thread. The sales rep was still very in matching it.

 

Joniho, don't you think a warranty upgrade is in order?

 

I'll be overseas in Japan, and I don't know if it would have international coverage.

 

Is it really necessary to get the extended warranty? I have no experience with ThinkPads so I have no idea if I should get it or not.

 

My battery is blinking orange. The battery manager showed 0%. I restarted the computer and it is still blinking orange.

I looked online and blinking orange meant the battery was damaged and needed replacement. I thought it couldn't be damaged this quickly because the laptop is only 3 months old. Plus it was fine yesterday and I haven't touched it since.

 

The machine type 4177 (that's the ThinkPad T420 in the US) is eligible for International Warranty Coverage, so should something go wrong your machine will still be supported by Lenovo in Japan regardless of where you bought it from originally.

It's not mandatory to have an extended warranty but it does provide that peace of mind knowing that its supported until the stage where you're probably thinking of a newer replacement. ThinkPads are normally robust machines but there will be the odd lemon that comes out of the factory, but then what manufacturer out there doesn't suffer from this too?

I bought a second hand, 3 year old ThinkPad T61 with only 4 months warranty remaining at the time (that was Jan 2010) but I never had any trouble with it and is still running fine to this day. Seeing the T61's durability enabled me to have a lot of faith for my current T420 so I opted not to extend the warranty. But then in the UK, Lenovo were offering 3 years warranty as standard so I didn't have much choice in that aspect!

Check the Power Manager, what does it say for the status of the battery? If it's completely dead then I would phone support, the battery shouldn't just die after 3 months from normal usage so there should be a defect on it.

 

I guess that's one trade-off for the cheaper price tags here in the US is the one year warranty.

 

Battery manager doesn't show anything. Every attribute says ---

 

Hmmm that doesn't sound too good. I would call Lenovo for a replacement as the battery fallen well short from its expected life cycle. Do you know by chance who made the battery (or by looking at the FRU part number on it)?

 

Is this a good price for T420i? I'm using this laptop mainly for grad school, internet, papers, etc. This is without the webcam since I already have one.


Intel Core i3-2310M Processor (2.10GHz, 3MB L3)
14.0 HD+ (1600 x 900) LED Backlit Anti-Glare Display, Mobile Broadband Ready
Intel HD Graphics 3000
4 GB DDR3 - 1333MHz (1 DIMM)8
320 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm4
DVD recordable multiburner5
6 cell Li-Ion Battery - 55+60
No Bluetooth
ThinkPad b/g/n10

For $626.53

 

For some reason a full shutdown & bootup fixed it. Pulled out the battery and re-inserted it, updated battery manager just in case.

 

Using the T420 for two weeks now. Yes the 1600x900 screen looks a little "grainy" and it could also be brighter for my tastes. But the real problem I'm having is with the touchpad. Did a clean install of Win7 Pro x64 SP1. As soon as I install the Ultranav driver, "tapping" becomes very difficult. I sometimes need to tap multiple times and/or basically hammer my finger on the pad before it clicks the damn button. This does not happen without the driver installed, but I can't drag to scroll then... I already played with the sensitivity settings in the driver but no luck. Anyone has any ideas?

 

Hey folks - Sorry to bump my own post, but I was hoping the hive might have some ideas (I don't relish talking to Lenovo Help). Thanks again.

 

^ I'm having the same difficulty with the Intel driver.

In order to find the temp folder, you have to show hidden folders. Then C: -> users -> your folder -> AppData -> local -> temp.

However, clearing that folder didn't solve the problem for me. It still says, "the driver being installed is not validated for this computer. please obtain the appropriate driver from the computer manufacturer."

Any help is appreciated.

 

Is your current driver causing you some sort of problem?

 

Hi guys, well I updated my driver from version 8.15.10.2342 to 8.15.10.2418 and it worked for me fine. Strangely this driver seems to be missing from the Lenovo support website for the T420 so here's the link for it:

- Intel HD Graphics v8.15.10.2418 (32 bit)
- Intel HD Graphics v8.15.10.2418 (64 bit)

What I did I just used CCleaner to clean up the drive which also includes the Temp folders. Afterwards I downloaded the relevant Intel graphics package and extracted the contents. Near the end of the installation it asks to begin installing the driver for me in which I unchecked since I wanted to do this manually.

I then proceeded to the Device Manager, opened the Display Adaptor Properties and directed it to the Intel folder I just extracted ("DISPLAY4" folder). From there on it just updated the driver for me normally and i'm now running on version 8.15.10.2418.

 

Try disabling the Application Gestures in the UltraNav properties. Someone here recommended TwoFingerScroll as being better for two fingered gestures.

John

 

Hearst --> Thanks for 8.15.10.2418 solution. Worked well. Thanks.

Another question: I'm using Toddler Keys to lock the DVD drive (I keep brushing the open button and it was driving me nuts). Has anyone come up with a better solution that doesn't require a 3rd party app?

 

Discovered this morning that my T420 Intel Turbo boost is not working.

I've got the i7-2620M.

I've updated the Intel AMT Firmware this morning, and the BIOS in an attempt to get it working.

Regardless of AC Power and power management settings, I can't make the Turbo boost monitor go above 2.7GHz, Prime95 Torture tests don't work, intensive visual studio tasks don't work....

If anyone else has the same CPU I'd be grateful if they could confirm that theirs is working correctly please with the latest BIOS?

Any other pointers or things to check at this stage would be very welcome too.

thanks.

 

Hey folks, my T420's touchpad temporarily stops working during a keypress. I know this is a "feature" but does anyone know how to turn it off?
Btw, this only applies to some keys. ie Ctrl still works

 

Might want to go ahead and take the built-in Webcam upgrade. It's only $30, and an external webcam can be a bit bulky if you "spontanously" want to use it.

 

"PalmCheck" under the SmartCheck settings under the UltraNav touchpad properties.

John

 

I agree. I didn't get the webcam, but only because I'd never use it. I wouldn't want to always be sticking one on the laptop, and you might find yourself without it when you needed it too.

 

Great, it worked. TY

Now I need help with a new problem. Apparently the T420 has a combined Mic/Speaker jack. If I want to be able to use just the mic, do I still need a splitter? If so, how do I make it work?

 

how to disable just the internal mic? When i press the mute button both the internal and external mic are disabled.

 

Not a good report for the T420 i'm afraid, after 5 months of usage the LCD hinges have gone really loose. I know I tend to use my ThinkPads a lot but it got to a point where it can't support the weight of the lid (and its not that heavy compared to my T61) meaning at certain angles it has an uncanny ability to close the lid by itself. While may be a nice party trick, its frustrating when you want to close the lid properly where instead it slams shut because of the lack of leverage from the hinges. Slight movement of the system also sways the lid quite dramatically too.

The hinges on my 4 year old T61, while not perfect is still very solid so this is an unpleasant surprise for the T420. I will have to contact support and see how it goes, but my general advice is not to sway the hinges on the T420 too vigorously. Unfortunately I'm starting to doubt the strength of these hinges in the long term...

 

My T420s is slightly younger than your T420 but the hinges are still pretty good. I think you need to pass the problem to Lenovo. Did you pay the extra for the on-site maintenance?

John

 

I haven't John but I still have my ThinkPad T61 with me so it's no real loss should I have to send it to the depot. I will raise the issue with Lenovo as I think the looseness of the hinge is quite extreme, I could also try and coax them to do something about my stuck pixel but the chances of that is pretty slim.

Still, at least we can test what Lenovo UK Support is really made out of...

 

This is definitely bad news. This was a known problem with the T61 (and I personally had one that failed in the fourth year). I was hoping that they'd solved it, and/or that the reduced leverage placed on the hinges by the lighter and narrower lid would help.

 

is it me or is it taking longer for my computer to wake from sleep? Takes about 4 seconds to wake from sleep. How long should it take?

 

I've noticed that with my M4 SSD, resume from sleep is rather longer than usual. I've disabled hibernation and it's still a little slow.

With the release latch, I've also noticed that when I pull the latch to the right, the left latch holder doesn't go straight completely, but goes straight then downwards. Is this normal for all T420?

 

3-4 seconds sounds about right for Windows 7. It will be dependent on processor, etc.

 

That's a shame. I've had my T420 basically since they were first available, and I've had no such issues.

 

Could've sworn it was half as much time, around 2 seconds before. By 4 seconds i mean 4 seconds between me pushing the button and the screen showing up with anything.

Edit: nvm actually timed right this time, it's more like 6 seconds

Now that I think about it, the wake up time started getting slower after I upgraded my RAM from 4GB to 8GB. Could the RAM upgrade be a reason?

 

I just timed mine, and it was about exactly 4.5 seconds to wake from standby. Come to think of it, I think it is slightly slower than before I upgraded to 8 GB... unless I'm a victim of hysteria.

Hopefully Hearst's problem is just a random manufacturing defect. I hope so, because I'm liking my T420 more every day. I'm even (shudder) getting used to the touchpad.

 

Thanks, that did the trick.

 

Perhaps. It could also be due to a different use pattern.

I fly with my T420 a fair bit, and certainly carry it around a whole lot during the day -- but I don't, for example, take long train rides with it. (Frequent train travel has historically been a chronic killer for laptop hinges.) I also never pick it up by the screen (yes, people do that...) or carry it about with the screen open. So it's possible that I just haven't subjected it to stresses that would prove problematic.

I did have to get my keyboard replaced recently (a key stopped activating consistently), but that was a simple CRU replacement and left me as impressed with their customer service as I have been in the past. (That was my first keyboard failure ever, BTW. Bound to happen at some point I suppose...)

 

A quick update on the support issue with the loose hinges, I explained my problem with one of the Lenovo reps and they told me that hinges are not covered under the warranty and therefore, wanted a charge for the repair. Asked whether I to agree with the fees so I can have it repaired I said no and had the case escalated. Obviously i'm dissapointed since the T420 only survived 5 months of usage before the hinges became intolerable. Having a stuck pixel is bad enough but now this?

I haven't lost my cool though, remember they're only human on the other side so there's no point giving them grief. I got my case reference number and waiting for some call backs. If we're still in stalement then I will probably have to raise the issue in the Lenovo forums and hope for a reasonable answer. This is my 6th ThinkPad and I never come across an unlucky combo rolled into one machine...

Edit: Uploaded 2 videos to demonstrate my problems with the hinges (vs T61

).

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<param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lCq-yiRp2RA?version=3&amp;hl=en_GB"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lCq-yiRp2RA?version=3&amp;hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width='560' height="345" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>​

 

I'm amazed by Lenovo's (or is it IBM who provide the UK support?) response. Hinges that become so loose within the warranty period that they won't hold the display in place must count as a manufacturing period. If one contacted Dell about a similar problem on a Latitude then they would arrange replacement without argument.

So keep escalating the issue.

John

 

They're wrong. Slightly loose hinges aren't covered. Hinges so loose that they no longer function are. The only exception to this would be due to rough handling, drops, abuse, etc.

Try another rep.

Edit: I just noticed you're in the UK. Yeah, that explains it. IBM UK... well... I don't have good things to say based on my dealings with them. The 2011 wording changes for European warranties seems to have confused a lot of reps -- the "cosmetic" exception that they're likely citing is intended to cover damage to case plastics and damage due to intentional abuse, not normal hinge wear. Contact Mark or Jamie over at Lenovo forums.

 

Haha, point the rep over to this forum thread. I would think that with how much information you are providing for their product, they would want to keep you as a customer.

Seems like a pretty serious problem. I hope this situation isn't universal with the others.

 

So, I've had my T420 for about a month or so and love it. I have the fingerprint reader and am curious about securing a particular folder on my laptop. (Don't judge, a girl has to do what a girl has to do).

Is there a way to password protect or "fingerprint" protect a certain folder without having to buy costly software? Does this machine come with something I could use already?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

If you've got Win7 Ultimate, it comes with a feature called BitLocker that should be able to do that. Alternately you can look into free encryption software. TrueCrypt is good and free.

 

So any ideas on what could make wakeup times (from sleep) longer?

I remember hearing the beep sound a lot quicker than it is now. It used to be
*press button* wait 2 seconds *beep*
Now
*press button* wait 5 seconds *beep*

Huge noticeable difference. It shouldn't have anything to do with the drive so I don't think reformatting will help.

 

Indeed I have escalated the problem John so the case is still open for the time being. IBM still covers warranty work for Lenovo in the UK as I heard some references on the phone. Dell support is very good from experience, my friend buys Dell Latitudes and is pleased with the support work they provided him over there no matter how big or small the issue is.

I went over to the Lenovo Forums as unfortunately we couldn't settle on an agreement on how to resolve this. It seems we're making some progress as one of the Lenovo Staff asked for details about the case via PM. Hopefully we hear some good news, so in the future should someone else falls foul with the hinges they can use my case as reference to get it sorted too.

You guys can follow any updates should arise on this particular thread.

 

Now I know i'm not crazy! I can check the event logs w/ Windows Performance Diagnostics.

Checking the Standby Performance Monitor tasks:
resume times before 9/7 ~800ms
resume times after 9/7 ~ 4500ms

I installed the new RAM at 9/7. Hmmmmmmm

However my standby duration (going to sleep) are around the same ~5000ms, it's just resume duration that's 5x longer on average.

Edit: saw an error w/ the bios that occurs during standby resume. I updated my bios and the problem is fixed! Getting super quick 700ms resumes, i'm happy again

 

Don't trust closed-source crypto.

Use TrueCrypt.

Also, don't bother with the fingerprint reader. It's only really good for show, not real security.

 

It's a convenience and does a decent job at that. Avoid it, why? It's no more or less secure than any other form of password, at least in the context of being used on the laptop. Using a fingerprint for other forms is a different problem (and ones to avoid).