Thinkpad x20x (s/t/i) Owners Thread

Since you don't have the answer, you can't say with any certainty that Linux is not causing the problem any more than Lenovo can say it is. Until you get it happen without Linux on there, they're not going to help you. It's as simple as that. They don't support OSes that weren't sold with the machine.

 

IBM didn't either, so he can't say this is something that was started by Lenovo.

 

Come on people, get real. alexuk is not asking them to support Linux, but the original Windows install.

This is like claiming that he can't say with any certainty that it's not caused by... the phase of the moon! Of course he can't, but that doesn't make Lenovo's claim any more valid. It's pure rubbish. We are talking about another OS which is *not* running at the time and is installed on another partition. Anybody cares to come up with a possible technical explanation as to how it could possibly be affecting Windows?

alexuk, if I were you and if I wanted to solve it, I would probably try reinstalling... Windows, while keeping the Linux partition as is (I'd probably take a backup of that Linux install first just in case). That will reset your Windows install to the well known state. I guess it will also reinstall the original boot loader, so an overworked Lenovo technician would be unlikely to be able to tell that you also have Linux there unless they checked the partition sizes. If it still shuts down after the reinstall of Windows, I'd send the machine in without ever mentioning Linux.

Greetings from a fellow Linux user on x201i.

 

I don't think it's quite that implausible. The fact remains Linux is on the machine and it's quite possible that it's the cause of the problem, but there's also a very good chance it's not, but there's really no way to know.

 

So, you are saying that an operating system on another partition may be causing a switch off in the original Win7 when the original Win7 is running?

How's win7 going to see or read linux if it cannot even read or mount that partition? Win7 has access to its partition only (win7 resized its own partition as it's a feature of win7) and it's the original win7 that's running. The fact that there is another os on the same disk is irrelevant to this problem. For all that win7 knows nothing else is there.

My guess is that the problem I am seeing is either an incopatibility between Power Manager 3 (or win7's underlying Power manager) with Lenovo's HW, or its interaction with the BIOS.

 

Is it shutting down or just losing power? If it's the latter, it's more than likely a hardware failure.

 

It suddenly switches itself off (as if you pressed the power button for 2 secs or so), ie hard switch off.

 

That positively sounds like a motherboard issue.

 

I don't know why you're arguing with me. I can't do anything about it. I don't really have a clue as to why it's doing this. A faulty motherboard seems like a good answer. You'll have to deal with Lenovo and they're the ones telling you no Linux. If you want them to fix it, you'll have to replicate the problem in Windows. They sold you a Windows notebook and that's what they'll support.

 

I am not arguing with you. I was merely pointing to the fact, once again as in my original post and the follow-up, the issue is indeed with the Windows that was shipped with the machine. The problem *is* replicated in Windows. The problem only happens in Windows. It is the Windows that was shipped with the machine.

My hunch is that it's a mobo issue else it'd happen with linux too. Most likely it's buggy software, which Lenovo are unwilling to take a look at, at least in my case.

I'll do some more digging and report back to the forum in case anyone else finds this problem.

 

Just in case someone else follows this, it looks as if this is a serious and common problem on the machine.

There's several threads on the lenovo forums for the machine. Not sure posting links is allowed here; if it is, one is:

x201 random shutdown... - Lenovo Community

So nothing to do with other OSs living on the machine in other partitions. Lenovo really should know about this and avoid giving customers the sort of recommendations I've been getting from their 1st level and 2nd level support.

 

Hey guys, it seems quite a lot of people have an X201 here, so could you please let me know if I'm going crazy or if there's really something wrong with my unit?

I received my brand new X201 yesterday in the afternoon. After cloning its HDD throughout the night and for almost another half a day with Lenovo's R&R, Windows System Image tool and ATIH (the latter takes FOREVER!!!), I finally fired it up. Well, only a couple of minutes later I realized that apparently Windows 7 (which should be genuine) "cannot be activated as my product key is invalid". What's more I realized the upper left hand side of the keyboard is all bent and bloated - if I press on it I can push it a couple of milimeters and it also makes a nasty clicking sound. The whole upper part of the keyboard easily gives in when I apply a bit of pressure, and I'm not sure if that's how it should be. However, at least the upper right hand side is even - it's the upper left hand side that is definitely not.

On top of this, the screen ribbon cable seems super exposed (too exposed?), and when I again press the screen and the lower body together (after taking the battery out just to make sure it's not battery-related) I can again reproduce that clicking sound, which is now even nastier. I had a look at a couple of photos I found online (e.g. http://cms.tianjimedia.com/uploadImages/2010/116/7KK9P9FS60GR_DSC_0027.JPG, http://cms.tianjimedia.com/uploadImages/2010/116/H5J8Q7416ANI_DSC_0004.JPG) and it seems to me that the gap between the screen and the lower part of my X201 is wider than it should be...?

Here are two videos I took just now so that you can see what I'm talking about:
-keyboard: YouTube - Lenovo X201 - bent keyboard
-screen: YouTube - MVI 1781

Plus some photos:
- ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting
- ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting
- ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting
- ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting

I'm FAR from happy. Have had this laptop for a bit more than 24 hours (out of which the majority was spent imaging its HDD) and have literally used it for less than 2 hours... I've already called Lenovo's tech support and they told me to give their Sales Dept a call on Monday so that they can arrange an exchange (i.e. a brand new unit) for me... Given that the laptop is 24h old, I definitely don't want to have it taken apart and have it fixed, I spent far too much $$$ on it (I can fix pretty much everything, but I'm for sure not taking the X201 apart myself, especially as a 24h-old laptop should be in perfect condition). Well, we'll see, I hope they'll be cooperative.

 

most definitely a problem with your unit, i've got two x201's and no flex whatsoever in those areas.

completely unacceptable...send it back to have it replaced.

it's unfortunate that you got a bad one. it can happen to the best of brands. i've got an x200, x200s, and two x201's and they were all perfect on the first go.

 

Thanks for your feedback mate, I'm at least happy to hear that I'm not over-exaggerating. Been a longtime Thinkpad fan (and user) and buying one of their laptops was always a no-brainer for me: I always expected the best and I always got it.

This time, however, the whole experience of buying a laptop that retails for around $2000 has been rather disappointing. Something is obviously very wrong with the keyboard (this could be caused by improper handling by UPS though!), Windows 7 came with an invalid key, the keyboard is not as spectacular as it used to be (apparently it's a Chicony, just checked the FRU) and the "compatible" Lenovo sleeve I got is a joke (it's apparently designed for an X20x with a 9-cell battery; if you have a 4- or 6-cell one, it's way too big which kind of defeats its purpose). Anyway, I'll return the X201 and demand a brand new unit (and ask for an NMB keyboard, if that's even possible), plus I'll return the sleeve as I have no use for it. To be honest, I don't expect any problems, but I guess I won't know until Monday when I give Lenovo's Sales Dept a call...

And yeah, I also think it's just a lemon and that I was the unfortunate one that got it. Still, it would be great if everything went smoothly...

 

i think that is the only sleeve they sell explicitly for the 200/201 so it was designed to accommodate up to the 9-cell form factor. i like that they did that as there are few 12" sleeves on the market that can accommodate the extra depth needed for the 9 battery. the unused space when using the smaller battery isn't a bother to me.

i bought one about a week ago (based on some feedback from a fellow NBR'-er) and find that it also fits my 12" 4:3 laptops so AFAIC, it's a multi-function sleeve.

 

New owner here. Great laptop. Curious as to what type of ram will be comparable with the x201 tablet?

 

Ddr3 Pc8500.