X31 various newb problems

Hi, I searched hi & low (including the Search tool on this forum) but couldn't find the answer to this:

(1) Is there any online diagram explaining how to detach/attach my Ultrabase? It arrived attached, and I can't find the COA, so maybe the COA is hidden between the dock & the laptop?

also:

(2) S.O.S. did I do something foolish by this:
I tried pressing various blue buttons (including the one up front) with the result that a message displayed that I've become "UnDocked"

Also stating something to this effect:
It's now safe to Detach (or eject??) from Dock.

Also, the mouse pointer froze up & isn't pointing anymore. I have NO idea what to do now.

(3) When I turned on the laptop for the first time, the top inch of the screen display was dark rather than WinXP-Blue as the rest of the screen was. Does that indicate something defective, or just that the display requires adjustment?

Thanks.

 

you probably pressed the fn+f9 at the same time and you probably hit fn+f8 for the mouse problem.

all you have to do is press them and enable them again.

 

I tried FN F9 & FN F8. It's still frozen.

A black display is stating:
Choose easy eject action.

Enclosed in a green border:
Eject thinkpad from ultrabase

Also, the battery is steadily dwindling down to 59 so I don't have much time left. Apparently it's not holding much of a charge.

I feel helpless.

Now something else cropped up HELP!
I can't shut it off. It's saying:
Other people are logged on. Shutting may cause them to lose data. Do you still want to shut? YES/NO

BUT I CAN'T DO ANYTHING!
I'M FROZEN!

 

I think you would not be able to do anything unless you detach from the dock. Once detached, Im sure you'll able to gain control of your system again.

 

Please note that I created a new SOS post due to the urgency.

Over there I'm being advised to remove the battery, no mention of detaching dock. So maybe we should all transfer to that post:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=2122634#post2122634

 

There is a lever on the side of the DOCK. Pull on it to complete the ejection.

Push the laptop back down to lock it back on.

You pushed the button on the side or engaged the EZ Eject Utility. This is designed to allow you to disconnect the dock while powered up.

Once the DOCK is ejected there is another power jack on the computer you can use to charge the battery.

Also if the system is completely frozen just hold the power button down until it shuts off. Wait about 5 seconds and push power and it will boot up and should be fine.

 

Looks like the X3x dock has the lever on the LEFT lock on the bottom.

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-44207

 

When I pulled at the lever it made a loud whistling noise and nothing happened.

When I press the Power button, nothing happens either.

I can't begin to tell you what torture I'm going thru.

 

there is a LOCK on the bottom, in order to pull the lever. You have to unlock it first, then pull the lever. The noise is a warning but if you are frozen then you must ignore it. In normal day to day use you would use the EZ eject utility before ejecting. Then there would be no alarm.

 

Also you might need to pull that lever FRIMLY to get it to release. It is not too difficult but it is a positive feeling motion like opening a car door. Just be sure the "door" is unlocked first.

 

OK, before proceeding, allow me to clarify.

While facing the screen which has that Windows Yes/No Message:

I flip the lever at the side (at the end which is approx. 2" from the red/blue/green ports)

And pull (and keep holding it while it whistles)
and ignore the whistle?
Please advise if this is correct.

 

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-44277

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-44277

 

First close the lid.

Next turn it over and make sure the RELEASE LOCK is UNLOCKED. It should be obvious in good light. There will be a LOCK symbol most likely.

After it is UNLOCKED, then proceed with what you have posted.

If you kill the battery, it will also stop the noises. It's only a matter of time, but running it down real low is not good for it's health.

 

Just so you know I am trying to find the ultrabase removal video.

ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs/options/62p8225.pdf

That's the instruction manual. Right click and choose SAVE AS. Save it to your desktop.

 

I got news for you:
after following your instructions
(I.E. after pulling that whistling-lever)
here's what happened:

The UltraBase became detached,
but I'm not sure that I removed the battery.

 

P.S. OK! Way to go!
Problem resolved!
I'll soon post more, by editing this current post.

Actually, the problem probably isn't resolved
EXCEPT for the fact that I can sigh in relief that the battery pack is removed.

The reason some of you were talking Greek to me before, was because some of you were talking in terms of the Dock having been removed whereas first now that I finally removed it did I get to see the Lock-Icon that you were discussing.

What I'm trying to figure out now, is how the heck to attach the adaptor, so I can assess the extent of damage. Meaning, can I continue with Win-XP with no sweat.

 

Additional info for your future use.

Fn+F9

Note:
This function is supported only in X31 and X32 series. X30 series does not have this function.Opens the ThinkPad EasyEject Utility screen. Buttons for the following choices are displayed:

* Eject ThinkPad PC from Dock: This button is displayed only if the ThinkPad computer have been attached to a ThinkPad Dock II or a ThinkPad Dock. You can detach the computer from the ThinkPad Dock II or the ThinkPad Dock.
* Eject ThinkPad PC from X3 UltraBase: This button is displayed only if theThinkPad computer have been attached to X3 UltraBase. You can detach the computer from the X3 UltraBase.
* Eject ThinkPad PC from Mini Dock: This button is displayed only if theThinkPad computer have been attached to ThinkPad Mini Dock and been connected one or more USB devices to the ThinkPad Mini Dock. You can use it to stop and remove all the USB devices.
* Run EasyEject Actions: User can select, stop, and remove external devices connected to the ThinkPad computer.
* Configure EasyEject Actions: User can open the ThinkPad EasyEject Utility main window.
* Fn+F9 Settings: User can configure the settings for the Fn+F9 function.

Note:
This function is supported only in Windows XP and Windows 2000.

 

You would have to remove the battery AFTER you remove the ultrabase. I posted movies on how to remove and replace the battery.

 

You don't need to attach the ultrabase. Just plug the power adapter into the computer directly. Stick the battery back in and boot up.
You can attach the ultrabase anytime you want. I believe the edge closest to you goes in first, then you push the back down and it snaps in.

I posted a link to the manual for you and told you to Right Click, SAVE AS.
Youa re making this more complicated than it really is. XP likely isn't hurt by this at all. You would have had to have been writing to the disc to lose anything. Also if you had open documents they are only as good as the last SAVE. OTher than that, you should just be able to reboot and all should be well.

 

Judy, to attach the battery, plug it in to the opening next to the COM Port which is a large red port next to the blue one. Pls see the diagram below:

 

Just to add to that It's a YELLOW jack

 

Hi, proaudioguy

Prior to reading your above latest posts, I had copy/pasted the below from the IBM tutorial, because I wanted to say their tutorial is VERY unclear.
I couldn't match up their below instructions (nor their movie-picture), with the reality of my Dock.

 

The Ultrabay2000 is where your CD or DVD drive reside. They also make Batteries, Floppy drives and Hard drives that can reside there. As you have learned you cannot eject the Ultrabase, by using the controls to eject the Ultrabay2000. They are 2 different things on the same piece of equipment. Unless you have additional drives, you will never have to eject the CD drive. Also if you don't use the CD drive, or the Serial an dPrinter ports on the Ultrabase, you really don't need to carry it around either. The whole mpoint of the X31 is to be small and light. The ultrabase adds quite a bit of weight and thickness.

 

Ah, please understand I should have hit the sack 4 hours ago, except for this emergency. I'd like to take a break now, & continue when my mind is clear. Not to mention that these last several posts are way off my screen to the right & I've no idea why, since that wasn't the case before. I have a 15" screen, and these wide-screen formats cause me endless problems. Increasing resolution causes yet other problems - so that's no solution for me.

I read all the stuff above (except for the very last one by proaudioguy - I'll have to postpone reading that since I need to get to sleep);
in fact I did get the Adaptor connected VERY easily. That was no sweat.

Thanks to elixiash, proaudioguy and everyone else (I don't want to omit anyone who was helpful to me, when I was stressed due to panic.)

I'm also aware that some of you were aware that my Dock needed to get detached. Actually I also realized that, but didn't know what the heck to do.

Frankly, I still need to get my bearings regarding the hardware - which I find very scary to handle.

Get a load of this:
I still haven't figured out how to use TrackPoint, which is why I needed the Mouse (and I don't have a USB mouse which is why the Dock was good for that purpose.

So because of my non-mastery of Trackpoint, I had to resort to brute tactics again, by pressing the Power switch to shut it down. Thank heaven this time, the Power switch obeyed me!

I hope y'all don't mind if I get back here next week, because I need to take a break from the stress. Thanks everyone!!

 

P.S. I JUST REALIZED WHAT PROBLY CAUSED TEXT ON THESE LAST POSTS TO GET MUCH WIDER THAN MY SCREEN - THE DOCUMENT THAT WAS COPIED FROM IBM
mystery solved...

just adding 1 more thing in response to Proaudioguy:
A major attraction for me was that this laptop had a CDRW - this is the first one I've owned.
See, I wanted to have a CD burner to download Drivers if necessary. I just acquired a Win2000 installation disk, since I didn't want to be without an Operating Sys.

 

Take one step at a time Judy and if you have any problems, come back here and post.

Notebooks are just like PCs afterall and Im sure after a while, you'll get the hang of your X31.

 

Ah, excuse me for dredging up this old post, but since I'm at wits end (this is dragging out for weeks already) I'd appreciate if someone could respond to my Q's that I posted at the below thread.
I'm also wondering if I can order an X31 manual from IBM, so that I shouldn't be in the dark anymore.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=2273969#post2273969

P.S. Please note that because computer fluresence makes me very ill (such as varicose veins & much more), I ration my time online. In fact, that's the reason why I bought such a small Thinkpad, because several electrosensitive people had mentioned that older, thin Thinkpads were more tolerable to them. But I won't know until I try it for a period of time - yet I can't do that until I get a USB-PS/2 Dual adaptor, and until I know that the HD won't conk out on me, etc. etc.
So I've been stuck for weeks already, until I get answers to Qs on above link.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can clarify things for me.