Thinkpad T420 Owner's Thread

Now im getting the battery issue less if im running 50hz refresh rate. If i run 60, the battery is way off and drops from 50% to 5%. Under 50hz, it drops from 15% to 5%. Still inaccurate but at least it doesnt do a huge dip in battery life.

 

Yes the Trackpoint buttons is part of the keyboard and is separate from the ones on the palmrest, each has their own connectors on the motherboard similar to that of the T61. The problem is strange as it shouldn't just work one time and not work the next, plus I haven't heard anyone else having such problems so it sounds like an isolated issue.

I probably would contact support at this stage, you could try requesting a replacement keyboard to see if it helps but given the Trackpad also have problems I fear it's a motherboard issue. It's a bit inconvenient but I rather if they clear out the issue once and for all rather then enduring the ongoing on/off reliability you're experiencing.

 

Quick question for those who've tried this: How many external monitors can I drive with a T420 with just HD3000 graphics? I have the Mini dock series 3 so technically I have 2 display ports and one dvi-d available. Will the HD3000 card be able to drive all 3 (if the thinkpad display is turned off)?

 

yes, i understand...there is some connection there because when i resat the touchpad cable trackpoint will also work.....the bluetooth which goes in the same connector works fine so is not from the connector in the motherboard...but from the ribbon cable in the actual trackpad.
Today worked fine even after 10 cold boots but then it stopped working again.
Is bad if i need a MB replacement as i voided warranty when i open it, althoug no "warranty voided if broken" stickers are present near the bolts like on other laptops.

 

I've had the final Windows 8 download version on my T420 for a few days now, with a clean x64 install going onto a brand new Crucial m4 mSATA. There is a LOT of nice stuff to like here...... Bitlocker is a breeze, the Modern UI actually makes a great full-screen start menu once you work out how to avoid Modern UI apps, and I seem to have a lot better time finding obscure settings that when I first switched to Windows 7 from XP. But I have found a few bugs - some possibly T420 specific, some more general.

The Win8-64 Conexant Audio drivers from Lenovo frequently flake out, with one of the services using 30% of the CPU; removing FMAP and SmartAudio CPL in the startup programs, and disabling the two Conexant services solves this without affecting audio properties too much.

Lenovo Power Manager doesn't work under Windows 8. Irritating.

A couple of small software issues with Lenovo hotkeys.

The latest Intel 6300 WiFi drivers from Intel are a bit flaky. N-5Ghz connection speeds seem to fluctuate a lot more, and I sometimes have difficulty getting a connection after resuming from sleep, but when it is up it is quite solid. WiDi stops working after sleep as well, which is very annoying.

Kaspersky IS seems to grind a lot more than it used to. Not sure if this is Win8's fault, but I am seriously considering ditching it either way.

Swipe gestures with the latest Synaptics driver from Lenovo are both a blessing and a curse. Right-swiping in the charms bar, or left swiping to switch between programs is incredibly convenient, but FAR too easy to trigger unintentionally.

In any case, I'm definitely sticking with it. A couple of months worth of software and driver updates to iron out the minor problems should bring things together very nicely.

 

I just realized that 2 of my usb ports aren't working. No flash drive responds but do with the rear and top-right ports. The left and bottom-right aren't. This could be a sudden malfunction?

 

Is there any link to get Windows 8 restore disk for T420. if any link please PM me... will very grateful to you, thanks.

 

The HD3000 supports up to 2 monitors maximum. You can only have 3 if you connect one via USB Graphics Adapter.

 

Did you meant USB Graphics adapter is Display port?

 

No, the HD3000 can only take up to 2 monitors. The third one would need an additonal graphics card. They have these USB adapter that have a small graphics chip inside them. You can use it to connect a third monitor.

Something like this: Amazon.com: Plugable UGA-2K-A USB 2.0 to VGA/DVI/HDMI Adapter for Multiple Monitors up to 2048x1152 / 1920x1080 Each (DisplayLink DL-195 Chipset): Computers & Accessories

 

Realy nice Idea....without dock it is very best choice....then actually Optimus supports 4 monitor (including laptop's monitor )

 

I got annoyed with the bumps on my trackpad so I used a gift card and tried to scrape the little bumps off. Surprisingly enough it worked! The bumps came right off and left a smooth surface. I'm happy now

 

New owner here, ThinkPad T420 (4236-GA6), is my work laptop.

 

Can you please provide the download link here?

 

Can you please Provide the link here?

 

It's commercial software. As in, you pay for it. There's not going to be a freely downloadable link anywhere. At least not a legitimate one.

Meanwhile, Lenovo has upgrade info for the T420 online:
Windows 8 Upgrade
Windows 8 Upgrade Instructions

Basically, you buy Win8 and add whatever additional drivers you need from Lenovo.

 

Keep us informed as to your progress. I'm especially interested to hear what kind of battery life you're getting. With the stock setup, since the lenovo stuff doesn't work. Or when they get around to updating it, as well.

 

Hi everyone,

This question is probably not T420-specific, but here goes. I have an Intel 330 on Windows 7. I'd like to clean install Windows 8 soon.

From the article below, it seems like I'd want to clean the whole SSD before installing Windows 8. How exactly do I go about that? The toolbox can't do it since it's from the boot drive.

AnandTech - The SSD Anthology: Understanding SSDs and New Drives from OCZ

 

Is there any fix for this?

I've got my HDD in an UltraBay caddy and it is showing up as 1.5GB/s. However, my 830 is in the main bay and is displaying 6GB/s, as it should.

 

I wish anybody share me the T420 recovery disk, as i can't able to purchase it from that link

 

Hearst do you think it's at all possible to get a short video showing how to replace the CPU? I'm really good with computer hardware, would just be nice to see how easy (or not) it is with my T420. Thanks!

 

Your best bet is using the Lenovo Service Training Videos which provides videos on how to dismantle your ThinkPad. The Service Training for the T420 is here but since the model was a refresh of the older T410 you'll get a more detailed guide on each component here including the CPU.

 

Thank you for your reply! However I am still having difficulty understanding the distinction between the CPU and GPU on the T420. Through a little research am I wrong in understanding the CPU and the 4200 are integrated into the same chip and share a common heatsink? This is unlike the T410 and if I am correct, then wouldn't replacing my T420's i5 with an i7 also be removing the 4200M discrete graphics?

 

2 questions:

Does anyone know the maximum speed of the 4-in-1 reader on a T-420 (device manager says is a Ricoh SDXC/MMC controller)?

I have to boot my Thinkpad into ChromeOS off an SD card (I need the portability). I grabbed a random card and ran HDTune and got 20MB/sec read speed -- There are faster cards if the reader can handle it.

Additional question -- Is there a maximum card size (i.e: 2GB 32bit limit)? I run Win7-64 as my native OS, but I have no idea how Chrome OS is going to work here.

Thanks in advance-Frisbee

 

Quick hello :hi2:

Bought a used T420 still under warranty, my first Thinkpad

Starting Specs:

i5 2540
8GB Ram
320GB HDD
Windows 7
6 cell battery

Now
First installed 16GB of RAM (2x8GB) and a Crucial M4 256GB SSD (hadn't seen an mSATA before so was amazed at the tiny size).

Then installed Windows 8 along with Lenovo power manager (needs to be under windows 7 compatibility mode). It now flies Haven't times the boot but its seconds.

Have also ordered a 9 cell battery, and will be getting two more SSD's (ultrabay & to replace the 320GB ) for RAID redundancy using the new windows feature 'Storage Spaces'

Very pleased indeed.

 

How to RAID please let us know...........

 

See Storage Spaces: Frequently asked questions

 

Thanks, Have you any video tutorial for RAID???

 

For future reference.

My T420 with a 256GB Crucial M4 mSata, 16GB Ram (10600), i5 2540 and 1600x900 with Windows 8 64 bit is giving tee following windows experience results:

Overall: 5.7

Processor: 7.1
Memory: 7.5
Graphics: 5.7
Gaming Graphics: 6.3
Primary Hard Disk: 7.8

A very capable workhorse which will last me a good few years. :thumbsup:

Also if you have any questions related to the T420 an the slice battery, feel free to ask on this thread I have started: http://forum.notebookreview.com/lenovo/708504-lenovo-slice-battery-owners-thread.html

 

Could I ask how much you paid for this battery?

 

I had a quick question about CPU throttling. I've recently started noticing it when playing some games. Previously the same games used to work fine. It also seems like the t420 is getting hot quicker (though this could just be my imagination), which probably leads to the throttling. My idle temps are around 50. Goes up to 91 when gaming and after staying there for a couple of mins I get throttled to 800 Mhz. The same problem happens on both windows and linux (debian kernel 3.4.5)... happens much quicker on linux, probably because I'm gaming over wine.

So, my question is: Is it possible that a recent bios update did this? I've had the thinkpad for a year and a half.. would it help to open it up and clean vents/fans? How hard is that to do? Any other windows/linux specific tips that could improve performance or delay throttling? Thanks!

Edit: Its still under warranty as well... would depot service cover the aforementioned cleaning of vents etc?

 

Ammarr what is your system configuration? I did hear that having a higher rated power supply can help alleviate the throttling issue on some CPU's. Of course a bit of spring clean can help the thermal issues if the vents were clogged up to begin with.

 

Thanks for the reply. Its the i5-2540 processor. Both my power supplies are 90w so I'm not sure if a higher one would make a difference.

Looks like cleaning the insides might be the only solution. I saw the guide in your signature for the T61, and I'm wondering if I can use the t420 repair guides to follow along and do the cleaning. Your guide looks quite involved.. I've previously installed an msata, upgraded the wireless card on it, but I am not sure I trust my skills with anything more complicated ;-)

 

It does look complex but its not really bad once you get into it, the only tricky part is removing the palmrest on the T420 but the rest is straightforward. The Hardware Maintenance Manual helps a lot in situations like these, you can also use the Service Training Videos to get a visual idea too.

Just ignore where it says you need to remove the whole LCD assembly as it's not necessary to access the CPU heatsink, plus you only need to remove the left speaker so leave the right speaker alone. I found that adding copper shims to the heatsink aids thermal cooling on my T420, currently my CPU is idling around 37c which is pretty good for a Core i5!

 

Thanks for the links. Should be a fun (or not) weekend project

 

Hey everyone! I'm experiencing an issue with what seems to be the Intel HD drivers for my T420. Everytime I boot with the latest Lenovo drivers (tried Intel ones as well), I get a black screen (roughly a 20 seconds) delay before the Windows login screen. It's really annoying and it detracts from the point of having an SSD (fast boot up, etc.).

Is anyone experiencing a similar problem? I've tried reverting to older drivers (both Intel and Lenovo), however, the black screen delay is still there. Here is a thread where I have described my issue, but to no avail:
Intel HD Graphics - Black Screen

Does anyone have contact details for a Lenovo driver support technician who can escalate/investiage this issue?

P.s. I cannot replicate this black screen delay once the drivers have been removed. So I think it is safe to conclude that the drivers a causing this issue.

 

Most likely, it's the "updated" Intel driver.

I always create a restore point before applying any update. This allows me to cleanly roll back. Also, my T420 has been running well with the drivers that were loaded at the time I did the clean Windows 7 installation.

 

May I know what version and whose driver (Lenovo or Intel) you are using?

 

Hi, I'm a T420 user.Recently I upgraded my laptop's cpu to i7-2760QM.However, there were some problems occurred.I hoped you can offer me some help.The i7 cpu has 4 cores and 8 threads.If I turn on the Hyper-Threading Technology.The system can only used 2 cores and 4 threads.If I turn it off. It can use 4 cores but 4 threads. It seems there is no way for me to use 4 cores and 8 threads.The Bios has been updated the lasted version 1.43. To find out the problem, I have changed the CPU to i7-2720qm and 2820qm. But it remain the same situation. please help,thanks
Hyper-Threading off
Hyper-Threading on

 

Hi everybody,
i bought a thinkpad t420 with 1x1 11bgn pci half mini wifi card in it, and actually i've got some problems. It started a few months ago. The wifi signal has decreased suddenly and the internet speed has slowed down. I had to turn off and on the wifi or restart the laptop and it was good again, but after few hours this problem came again. I tried to reinstall the driver, but didn't help. What should i do next?
Actually i've started to think about buying another wifi card (intel centrino ultimate-n 6300) but i don't know whether would it work or not.
If somebody could please don't hesitate to help me Thanks!

 

Maybe your wifi card's temperature got too high...

 

With Hyperthreading on, how many CPU bars show up under Task Manager -> Performance tab? It could be CPU-Z is not correctly reading the processor...

 

Possibly useful info if anyone runs into trouble performing a HD to HD+ screen upgrade:

I've had a T420 for a while, picking up a bargain from the lenovo UK outlet (2520M, 4GB RAM, webcam, FPR, smartcard for £400) - the only issue being that it came with the crummy 1366x768 screen. Having read this thread, I knew it was possible to do the upgrade manually so planned on doing that when I saw a good price for a matte HD+ screen - that happened on ebay about a couple of weeks ago (brand new matte HD+ for £64.50 - turned out to be an LG). I knew I needed the HD+ cable upgrade as there aren't enough wires in the standard cable for the required LVDS channels (got via ebay from China for about £15).

Was fairly easy to take the machine apart (except around the headphone jack) and I did the swap fairly easily. Then I ran into trouble - I tested the new panel before I put the laptop back together fully. All was good, so I went ahead with putting it back together. From that point on the screen wouldn't work. It would boot up fine (and play the windows jingle), but all I got on the screen was the backlight but no image. All was OK on an external monitor.

Reading around the subject, it seemed likely I'd blown a fuse, but not the "normal" F3 backlight one. I stripped the machine down to the bare mainboard and set about with a multimeter. For reference, F3 is on the reverse side of the mainboard, near the LCD socket. In my case it continuity-tested fine - as expected, seeing as all I was getting was backlight... I studied the front side of the mainboard, near the LCD under the black sticker. F19 is right in front of the socket and my multimeter showed I'd blown that fuse (0.5A 24V as printed on the mainboard). I duly ordered a replacement (or 10) part number SF-0402F050-2. I just about managed to solder it piggybacked on the side of the original - running my multimeter across the terminals of the original fuse proved I'd done it well enough.

Having fully reassembled the laptop before testing all is now well, so I thought I'd share the info.

If you lose the backlight, check and replace F3 (I don't recall the rating, but it's printed on the mainboard).
If you only have the backlight, check and replace F19

A further word of warning. These fuses are tiny. The repair was on the absolute limit of my soldering skills (but way cheaper than replacing the mainboard).
Moral of the story - you really do need to disconnect power and remove the battery if you're going anywhere near the LCD connector on a laptop.

 

Is there anybody who tried get Ivy Bridge CPU to that last really ThinkPad ? Thx for answer

 

The chipset in the T420 is not compatible with Ivy Bridge.

 

One thing there : Intel outs backwards compatibility for Ivy Bridge | ITProPortal.com

second thing is T60/61 with Penryn Memron and Yonah. After some times appears modded BIOS and impossible comes possible.

 

Wrong. Other Sandy Bridge chipsets could get by with a BIOS update, but the QM67 in the T420 is listed as non-hardware-compatible.

Ivy Bridge’s Backwards Compatibility Explained
"Unfortunately, only the H61, H67, P67 and Z68 chipsets will be “Ivy Bridge-upgradable” with the Q65, Q67 and B65 chipsets being left behind (UPDATE: HM67, HM65, UM67, QS67, QM67 chipsets are also reportedly excluded from the update)."

 

That's pretty cool you got it to work at all. Hopefully you don't cook the laptop.

You might compare this benchmark.

PassMark - Intel Core i7-2760QM @ 2.40GHz - Price performance comparison

Hyperthreading does not help a lot in a lot of cases. So if you just run it off with 4 cores you should do quite well.

 

I also want to upgrade to i7-2760QM. But I care about the temperature. I don't want to cook my laptop. So please tell your laptop's temperature and the battery life.
By the way, that might be CPU-Z's problem.

 

Having the Quad Core in the T420 will certainly eat the battery life more, I lost about 2 hours worth of runtime for less strenuous work such as internet browsing for instance over the Dual Core setup. Temperatures is quite good on idle, I got around 45c on average which is not bad in a small chassis. But on more stressful activities it can get quite hot, on Prime95 I got it as high as 98c which is close to the max TJunction plus it was throttling too.

I did hear having a higher rated power adapter can help solve the throttling problem (I had a 90w AC with mine which probably wasn't enough), maybe adding copper shims can help slightly with the CPU temperatures too.