Thinkpads Forum

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!

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.

Thanks for the quick reply!

Is yours working out of the box? No need to update BIOS or driver or anything else?

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.

Did you actually tell it to transfer the image to the external monitor and it refused?

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.

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.

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.

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...

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?

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