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Problem with T500 & mini docks

T400/T410/T420 and T500/T510/T520 Series
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Tasurinchi
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Problem with T500 & mini docks

#1 Post by Tasurinchi » Sun Mar 03, 2013 3:00 pm

I have a weird issue between my two T500 with switchable graphics an my Mini Docks (2504 model). If I close the lid and attach an external monitor, the T500 won't display anything, while my 2 T61's and my Z61p will. I have 3 docks and in all of them the same issue, T61/Z61p show an image in the external monitor but the T500's won't.

The monitor is attached to the docking station with a DVI cable.

Is this a known issue? Or are both my T500 in a way defective?

Thanks in advance for the help!
IBM Convertible 5140/L40SX/220/240/240X/2*340CSE/360PE/365XD/380D/380E/380XD/380Z/390/560E/560X/2*570/2*600/600E/750Cs/755C/760CD/760EL/760XD/770E
A20p/A22p/A31/i1600/G40/R50p/R61i/S30/SL510/2*T22/4*T4x/11*T6x/6*T40x/6*T5x0/3*W5x0/W700/3*X2x/4*X3x/3*X4x/5*X6x/3*X6xT/12*X2xx/4*X30x/Z60m/3*Z61x

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Re: Problem with T500 & mini docks

#2 Post by mpcook » Sun Mar 03, 2013 3:19 pm

My T500 works fine with two monitors connected to the 2504, one via VGA, the other DVI, with extended desktop across both. Also works fine with the T500 display + one external.
Current: 2 x W520 ET, 2 x X220 i7, T420, X230 i5, T420s, MacbookPro, Dell Venue 11 Pro, Dell XPS 8930, X1 Yoga 3GEN
Past: IBM5150-8088 500 600E 600X T20 T21 5xT23 X30 3xX31 X32 T40 T42 3xT43 T43p SL510 T60p X60T X60s T61 2xT400 T410si T400s T500-3.06GHz X200 X201 X220i5 X220i7 2xT420s

Tasurinchi
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Re: Problem with T500 & mini docks

#3 Post by Tasurinchi » Sun Mar 03, 2013 3:36 pm

Thanks for the quick reply!

Is yours working out of the box? No need to update BIOS or driver or anything else?
IBM Convertible 5140/L40SX/220/240/240X/2*340CSE/360PE/365XD/380D/380E/380XD/380Z/390/560E/560X/2*570/2*600/600E/750Cs/755C/760CD/760EL/760XD/770E
A20p/A22p/A31/i1600/G40/R50p/R61i/S30/SL510/2*T22/4*T4x/11*T6x/6*T40x/6*T5x0/3*W5x0/W700/3*X2x/4*X3x/3*X4x/5*X6x/3*X6xT/12*X2xx/4*X30x/Z60m/3*Z61x

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Re: Problem with T500 & mini docks

#4 Post by mpcook » Sun Mar 03, 2013 3:39 pm

Tasurinchi wrote:Thanks for the quick reply!

Is yours working out of the box? No need to update BIOS or driver or anything else?
As far as I know, the T500 is up to date on all drivers and bios. I do not believe there is a driver for the dock itself, should be plug-n-play. The T500 is on Win7.
Current: 2 x W520 ET, 2 x X220 i7, T420, X230 i5, T420s, MacbookPro, Dell Venue 11 Pro, Dell XPS 8930, X1 Yoga 3GEN
Past: IBM5150-8088 500 600E 600X T20 T21 5xT23 X30 3xX31 X32 T40 T42 3xT43 T43p SL510 T60p X60T X60s T61 2xT400 T410si T400s T500-3.06GHz X200 X201 X220i5 X220i7 2xT420s

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Re: Problem with T500 & mini docks

#5 Post by dr_st » Sun Mar 03, 2013 5:22 pm

Did you actually tell it to transfer the image to the external monitor and it refused?
Thinkpad 25 (20K7), T490 (20N3), Yoga 14 (20FY), T430s (IPS FHD + Classic Keyboard), X220 4291-4BG
X61 7673-V2V, T60 2007-QPG, T42 2373-F7G, X32 (IPS Screen), A31p w/ Ultrabay Numpad

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Re: Problem with T500 & mini docks

#6 Post by Tasurinchi » Mon Mar 04, 2013 3:07 am

dr_st wrote:Did you actually tell it to transfer the image to the external monitor and it refused?
No, I just started it with the lid closed (while docked of course).

I also have to mention the history of these T500's. Both came damaged, with broken screens, ripped LCD covers and bent/broken LCD magnesium frames as well. I removed the complete lids from both, one of them got implanted a W500 screen and is working fine so far (apart from this issue with the dock).

The other is still headless, if I try it in the dock it will show no picture, but the fan starts and I'm not getting any beep errors.
IBM Convertible 5140/L40SX/220/240/240X/2*340CSE/360PE/365XD/380D/380E/380XD/380Z/390/560E/560X/2*570/2*600/600E/750Cs/755C/760CD/760EL/760XD/770E
A20p/A22p/A31/i1600/G40/R50p/R61i/S30/SL510/2*T22/4*T4x/11*T6x/6*T40x/6*T5x0/3*W5x0/W700/3*X2x/4*X3x/3*X4x/5*X6x/3*X6xT/12*X2xx/4*X30x/Z60m/3*Z61x

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Re: Problem with T500 & mini docks

#7 Post by dr_st » Mon Mar 04, 2013 7:34 am

Tasurinchi wrote:No, I just started it with the lid closed (while docked of course).
1) Go to the BIOS and change the startup screen option in the Display section from "internal" to "external" or "both".
2) When the operating boots, you can configure the displays exactly how you want them in the display properties.
Thinkpad 25 (20K7), T490 (20N3), Yoga 14 (20FY), T430s (IPS FHD + Classic Keyboard), X220 4291-4BG
X61 7673-V2V, T60 2007-QPG, T42 2373-F7G, X32 (IPS Screen), A31p w/ Ultrabay Numpad

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Re: Problem with T500 & mini docks

#8 Post by mpcook » Mon Mar 04, 2013 7:39 am

Other obvious thing to try is boot up with laptop open and ext monitor connected. Then play with your display settings. Then close lid. Once you get it set, it should be fine next time when you boot with lid closed. Also have you tried both vga and dvi?

If the dock is bad, I may be selling one in a week or two, check back with me. But most likely the dock is fine.
Current: 2 x W520 ET, 2 x X220 i7, T420, X230 i5, T420s, MacbookPro, Dell Venue 11 Pro, Dell XPS 8930, X1 Yoga 3GEN
Past: IBM5150-8088 500 600E 600X T20 T21 5xT23 X30 3xX31 X32 T40 T42 3xT43 T43p SL510 T60p X60T X60s T61 2xT400 T410si T400s T500-3.06GHz X200 X201 X220i5 X220i7 2xT420s

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Re: Problem with T500 & mini docks

#9 Post by Tasurinchi » Mon Mar 04, 2013 9:31 am

Thanks guy for the replies!
dr_st wrote:1) Go to the BIOS and change the startup screen option in the Display section from "internal" to "external" or "both".
I think I did it already, but I will check again this evening.
dr_st wrote:2) When the operating boots, you can configure the displays exactly how you want them in the display properties.
mpcook wrote:Other obvious thing to try is boot up with laptop open and ext monitor connected. Then play with your display settings. Then close lid. Once you get it set, it should be fine next time when you boot with lid closed. Also have you tried both vga and dvi?
Good ideas, but I first need to figure out how to do this in Linux Mint 13 :? Unfortunately I have no VGA cable around.
mpcook wrote:If the dock is bad
I don't think so, if I dock any of my T61's they work. And I tried in 3 different docks...
IBM Convertible 5140/L40SX/220/240/240X/2*340CSE/360PE/365XD/380D/380E/380XD/380Z/390/560E/560X/2*570/2*600/600E/750Cs/755C/760CD/760EL/760XD/770E
A20p/A22p/A31/i1600/G40/R50p/R61i/S30/SL510/2*T22/4*T4x/11*T6x/6*T40x/6*T5x0/3*W5x0/W700/3*X2x/4*X3x/3*X4x/5*X6x/3*X6xT/12*X2xx/4*X30x/Z60m/3*Z61x

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Re: Problem with T500 & mini docks

#10 Post by Tasurinchi » Mon Mar 04, 2013 1:58 pm

I just have the BIOS options in front of me. I can choose between

-Default primary video device: [PCI Express] or [Internal]
-Boot Display device [Thinkpad LCD) or (Analog (VGA)]

That's it... I'll start trying different options...

Edit: Several tries later... no luck. It's even stranger to me that T61's have far more BIOS options for Display than my T500's, although the latter are newer models. Maybe I need to flash the latest BIOS version? :??:
IBM Convertible 5140/L40SX/220/240/240X/2*340CSE/360PE/365XD/380D/380E/380XD/380Z/390/560E/560X/2*570/2*600/600E/750Cs/755C/760CD/760EL/760XD/770E
A20p/A22p/A31/i1600/G40/R50p/R61i/S30/SL510/2*T22/4*T4x/11*T6x/6*T40x/6*T5x0/3*W5x0/W700/3*X2x/4*X3x/3*X4x/5*X6x/3*X6xT/12*X2xx/4*X30x/Z60m/3*Z61x

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Re: Problem with T500 & mini docks

#11 Post by Tasurinchi » Wed Mar 06, 2013 4:13 am

Well... I think the problem is with the two T500's. I also tried a headless W500 with the same results (external display not working).

All three of these TP's came with smashed LCDs/Panels, so I think either some internal component got damaged (fuse?) when the screens got broken, or it was just me breaking them when I removed the LCDs assemblies :cry:
IBM Convertible 5140/L40SX/220/240/240X/2*340CSE/360PE/365XD/380D/380E/380XD/380Z/390/560E/560X/2*570/2*600/600E/750Cs/755C/760CD/760EL/760XD/770E
A20p/A22p/A31/i1600/G40/R50p/R61i/S30/SL510/2*T22/4*T4x/11*T6x/6*T40x/6*T5x0/3*W5x0/W700/3*X2x/4*X3x/3*X4x/5*X6x/3*X6xT/12*X2xx/4*X30x/Z60m/3*Z61x

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