127 posts tagged with thinkpad.
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Replacement Lenovo battery hunt

My T470 ThinkPad needs a new battery. I thought this would be something I could purchase directly from Lenovo but apparently they don't sell replacement batteries for this laptop anymore. I've found a few potential sources for a replacement but I know that third-party batteries in general can be very hit or miss. [more inside]
posted by forkisbetter on Aug 11, 2024 - 5 answers

ThinkPad T470 suddenly shutting down at random

I got my current ThinkPad laptop around 2020 and have never had any issues with it. Yesterday it started just randomly shutting down with no warning. I ran Lenovo Vantage and double-checked to make sure everything (BIOS, drivers, Windows updates) are all up to date. I ran scans with Lenovo Vantage that found nothing off. Starting yesterday the laptop tray will show the battery immediately displaying 100% charged to 0% charged and will flicker back and forth between 0% and 100%. Just ran Lenovo Vantage battery diagnostics which are currently showing "the primary battery is not detected." [more inside]
posted by forkisbetter on Apr 24, 2024 - 11 answers

M.2 SSD in an external USB enclosure?

Slightly stupid computer question - if I pulled an SSD out of a (Windows-running) laptop and stick it in a USB enclosure, and then try connecting it into a new computer - it should just show up as an external disk, right? [more inside]
posted by Paper rabies on Jan 4, 2024 - 7 answers

connecting a PC to a laptop dock

I have an M710q Desktop, which has been hooked up to its own monitor and mouse etc. I also have a Yoga L13 laptop with a ThinkPad dock (and all the peripherals for the laptop go into the dock and then I connect the laptop via USB-C). Is there a way to use the dock with the M710q, so that I can switch the peripherals back and forth between the two computers just by moving one cable (or some equally simple one-step)? [more inside]
posted by Tandem Affinity on Jul 11, 2021 - 14 answers

Laptop battery won't charge.

My Lenovo Thinkpad Yoga 370 won't charge its battery! This is a used laptop, recently purchased off ebay. I tried a new battery to no avail. It works fine plugged in to AC, but immediately upon unplugging the computer turns off. Windows either says the battery is at 0% or 100%. Windows, tlp-stat and the Ubuntu Power Settings dialog all claim it's charging, but acpi says it is "charging at zero rate". [more inside]
posted by sibilatorix on Oct 22, 2020 - 9 answers

What is the guilty electronic here?

Got a new job - yay! The job is remote and came with a new laptop. The laptop came up all set up for me as far as I know by the company’s IT dept and I had it running and wifi connected quick, but noticed it would get dropped from the WiFi frequently, whereas I’d never really noticed anything like that with my old job’s laptop I had just been using the day before. [more inside]
posted by Tandem Affinity on Oct 1, 2020 - 14 answers

Help me pick a new laptop!

My 6+ year old Dell Inspiron is starting to show its age, and I'm looking to upgrade - or at least starting to entertain the idea. Willing to spend a bit more this time around but there's so many choices! I'm willing to go up to about $1600 (or a bit more if it's really worth it), more details below the fold. [more inside]
posted by photo guy on Jul 20, 2020 - 11 answers

Windows 10 is slow: hardware limitation or software issue?

I have a Thinkpad X220 Tablet with an i5-2520M CPU, 8 gb of ram, and an SSD. It's set up as a dual boot system with Ubuntu & Windows 10. Ubuntu runs fine, especially now that I've increased the ram to 8gb, but Windows 10 is often painfully slow to use even after a restart. [more inside]
posted by needs more cowbell on Jun 20, 2020 - 13 answers

Transferring OS drive from one laptop to another: will Windows work?

I appear to have fried my old Thinkpad X230 motherboard (a cupful of tea seems to have been too much for the famed spillproof design). If it's easy to just swap it with a used X230 from eBay, I'd like to do that, but not if I need to repurchase/reinstall Microsoft Windows and Office and all the other stuff on my drive. [more inside]
posted by splitpeasoup on Apr 11, 2020 - 8 answers

Finding a new wireless card for a Thinkpad T460

I have a Lenovo Thinkpad T460 with a failing wireless card (Intel AC 8260). More details on that within if needed. I would like to replace it, but am not sure which wireless card to choose. I tried this M.2 AX200 but after installing it my computer wouldn't boot up--it started booting up again when I re-installed the old one. How do I find a card that will work? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Feb 1, 2020 - 3 answers

Help me fix my Thinkpad's battery and display issues (please)

I have a Thinkpad T470s, in good condition, running Windows 10. This morning it suddenly started giving trouble: its battery (one of the two batteries is registering but not supplying power) and its display (which suddenly cycles to red and then back, sometimes immediately sometimes not). I am about to leave for a work trip overseas and would like to get it sorted quickly. Any suggestions what I should do to fix it? I am self-employed so I'm my own IT department. [more inside]
posted by tavegyl on Nov 6, 2019 - 4 answers

T42, Xubuntu, Wacom, Go!

I have a T42 IBM ThinkPad running Xubuntu 12.04. I would like to get my Wacom Intuos CTL4100 tablet running on it. I've tried, oh Lord, have I tried. [more inside]
posted by Alvy Ampersand on Sep 18, 2019 - 5 answers

Can this laptop be resuscitated?

I've had this T-61 Thinkpad for a while. One of my several similar laptops; I buy 'em refurbished, this one still had but hardly any use - I was keeping it elsewhere, as a backup, and only used it for web access, just a few days every few months. Then it goes back on a shelf. Last time was April, everything was fine. I've just retrieved it, push the button, and nothing. Swap out batteries, different adapters - 100% brick, no response. [more inside]
posted by Rash on Oct 30, 2018 - 10 answers

Okay, laptop, do your stuff!

What are some fun open source/linux/art projects to try out on my new (to me) ThinkPad laptop, currently running Fedora? This laptop is exclusively for "take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!" purposes. [more inside]
posted by elephantsvanish on Oct 29, 2018 - 5 answers

Which laptops still have a drive activity indicator light?

I need some help looking for a 14-15.6" Windows laptop with some specific requirements, which include: Easy-to-replace storage and RAM, can hold a second drive, has a number pad or dedicated Home/End/Page Up/Page Down keys, and -- maybe the most challenging aspect -- has a drive activity status light. I've found a couple of candidates; can you help me find others? More details/criteria: [more inside]
posted by rangefinder 1.4 on Oct 14, 2018 - 3 answers

How worried should I be about my hard drive?

I have a ThinkPad. I regularly run the diagnostic tool from Lenovo to check on the system health of the machine. Today, even though it said it got a 100% pass, the check gave me yellow warning indicators on the Smart Short Self Test and the Smart Drive Self Test. So what does this mean? Is a hard disk failure next? [more inside]
posted by sardonyx on Jul 3, 2018 - 13 answers

Which Thinkpad should I get?

I am going to buy either a Thinkpad T470s or a Thinkpad X1 Carbon 2017 (5th gen). If you have used either or both of these, what do you think of the keyboard (most important consideration!), the trackpad and the robustness? I am especially interested in the views of those who can compare either of these keyboards to older generations of the Thinkpad T-series (original or chiclet) and can say whether these are better/ worse/ the same for a heavy user. [more inside]
posted by tavegyl on Nov 8, 2017 - 7 answers

Apples-to-Oranges comparison: Which should I bring to work?

Please excuse the pun in the title. I'm looking for a way to meaningfully compare two slightly older computers so I can decide which one to bring to work. [more inside]
posted by The Pluto Gangsta on Sep 15, 2017 - 8 answers

Should I upgrade to Win 10?

I have a Lenovo Thinkpad T460 laptop. I purchased it with the Windows 7 Professional downgrade because I was not ready to make the Windows 10 leap. The free upgrade option ends in two months. I am trying to decide whether or not to go for it. I welcome all opinions, but especially those of IT people who can tell me what configuration, privacy, and hardware tradeoffs I'm making. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on May 30, 2016 - 15 answers

Lenovo replacement for X201

I have had the Lenovo Thinkpad X201 for over 4 years and now it is dying :(. Hoping to get a replacement-ideas and Black Friday deals would be great. [more inside]
posted by stepup on Nov 27, 2015 - 4 answers

Small form factor computational device with USB and Wifi

I need to know what else is out there that has a USB port, and a Wifi antenna, is cheap, and can be carried with me on a trip (on foot). Keyboard, Disk drive, HDD larger than 32GB are all basically unnecessary. [more inside]
posted by shenkerism on Nov 10, 2015 - 17 answers

Macbook Pro or Lenovo or something else entirely?

I need a new, powerfulish laptop, and I'm finding myself confused by the options. The consensus in previous AskMe's seems to be either Macbook or Lenovo, but I am wondering if there are newer options that I am not considering. I probably need this spelled out to me as if I am a not particularly bright child. [more inside]
posted by arha on Jul 25, 2015 - 13 answers

Help me buy my next laptop

My current laptop, a Thinkpad SL510 bought in March 2010, is starting to blue-screen a lot, and the diagnostics are saying I have disk problems, so I am looking for a replacement. Please help me choose a new one, and possibly get over some unreasonable fears. [more inside]
posted by ubiquity on Dec 1, 2014 - 10 answers

Best Alternative to Thinkpad T440s

What is the best alternative to a Thinkpad T series under $500 for someone who has been satisfied with a T420 until now? [more inside]
posted by CtrlAltD on Nov 29, 2014 - 5 answers

In search of replacement batteries for older ThinkPads

The hive mind was a major help when I was in the market for a couple of used ThinkPads...It's time for the inevitable follow up question: Any recommendations for good Thinkpad battery sources? [more inside]
posted by ferkit on Jul 24, 2014 - 5 answers

Looking for a light, Linux-friendly laptop with trackpoint

My Lenovo Thinkpad X220 has been falling apart for awhile, but I've resisted replacing it because shopping for laptops is annoying. But now it's definitely time for something new. I'm overwhelmed by the options, but maybe someone else who's done some laptop-shopping recently can help? I'm looking for something small and light (12-14", less than 4 lbs.), Linux-friendly, and (here's the hard part) with a trackpoint-style mouse. I use my laptop mostly for writing and general Internetting, but also for processing photos, so a decent processor and display is nice. Price isn't a huge issue. I could go with one of the newer Lenovos, and I might still, but I'm interested in other options, as well. I'm not interested in any of the Chromebooks. Any suggestions?
posted by rhiannonstone on Apr 3, 2014 - 10 answers

Is the 13" MacBook Air the right laptop for me?

Needing to get a new portable, because the battery in my workhorse laptop is borked, I ordered a refurbished 13" MacBook Pro - which I am typing on at the moment. So far, it seems fine for what I need, but I was wondering whether the hive mind could think of a better solution. Generic snowflake detail inside. [more inside]
posted by running order squabble fest on Jan 24, 2014 - 10 answers

Mysterious scroll bar appears when I use two fingers on the trackpad

I apologize for the sheer banality of this question, but when I use two fingers to scroll through a web page using my work-supplied Thinkpad T430, a small floating scrollbar appears. When I place my pointer over it, I get that rotating circle "busy signal." It's always there, like a fly on a screen door. How do I get rid of it? [more inside]
posted by craniac on Sep 21, 2013 - 9 answers

ThinkPad Edge or faster cheap laptop?

Is the quality of the ThinkPad Edge worth the performance hit? Critique my nearly-made laptop purchasing choice! [more inside]
posted by Busy Old Fool on Mar 13, 2013 - 10 answers

Win 7/ Thinkpad X1 Unexpected Shutdown

Win7/ Thinkpad X1 problem driving me crazy - at some random time in sleep mode, my Thinkpad will reboot and give a "Windows has recovered from an unexpected shutdown" message when it's back up. The Reliability Monitor returns that this has happened 7 times so far this month. I'd be grateful for any assistance in troubleshooting - a few additional details inside. [more inside]
posted by forallmankind on Dec 24, 2012 - 11 answers

A Laptop To Study Monkeys By

I am looking for a relatively rugged laptop (or tablet?) that I can use for data entry, word processing, internet browsing, and music playing while in the US, and then use for data entry, arcGIS, and music playing while in the rain forest in West Africa. It would be wonderful if it was less than $700. I do not want a Mac. What should I be looking into? [more inside]
posted by ChuraChura on Oct 8, 2012 - 19 answers

The switch from Mac to Linux, 2012

After a couple of mind-changing conversations I'm ready to give Linux another shot. Old hands, please help me pick a laptop, a distro, and offer a little advice for some transition issues. A few details within. Thanks! [more inside]
posted by finnb on Jul 16, 2012 - 27 answers

Best ThinkPad laptop for a student?

Best ThinkPad laptop for a student? [more inside]
posted by rainbowbrite on Jun 27, 2012 - 8 answers

Help me; help my battery

Laptop battery filter: My Lenovo SL510 wasn't charging my battery, and I foolishly assumed it was the battery's problem and bought a new one. But the new one wouldn't charge either. Any advice? [more inside]
posted by ubiquity on Jun 14, 2012 - 7 answers

Thinkpad X200 Max Screen Resolution

At work I use a Dell Latitude 5400 on XP Pro. In it's dock - which has twin DVI outputs - it can output to a 32" and a 24" monitor at a resolution of 1920x1200 on each. I want to switch out the Dell with a Thinkpad x200 on Win7. It has a VGA output, and if I buy the dock, it too has a single VGA output. How do I determine the maximum resolution I will be able to achieve from the Thinkpad (understanding that dual monitors would not be possible), and will buying the dock enable me to achieve a larger resolution?
posted by forallmankind on Mar 24, 2012 - 3 answers

Ubuntu display setting problem

How can I get my screen back to bright? [more inside]
posted by ackptui on Nov 30, 2011 - 2 answers

How feasable is a RAIF (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Flash media) on a T40 Laptop?

How would placing two (or more!) Compact flash drives in my T40 laptop and using them as a striped RAID 0 compare to installing an equivalent (PATA) SSD? Is there some other thinking-further-out-of-the-box way of getting lightning-fast disk performance into a Pentium M-class laptop? [more inside]
posted by Orb2069 on Nov 24, 2011 - 7 answers

Laptop got wet. Now the screen is really bright.

About a month ago, I spilled some water on my laptop. So I let everything dry out. It works again, but now the screen is very bright, as if the contrast is turned way up. After searching the internet, I learned that the problem could be a damaged inverter so I ordered and installed a new one. But no dice. The screen is still really bright. Any ideas of what might be the problem? [more inside]
posted by mcmile on Nov 10, 2011 - 8 answers

Help, my Thinkpad's on life support!

Completely stumped: I can't boot *any* OS from my laptop's hard drive. What am I doing wrong? [more inside]
posted by pinsomniac on Oct 6, 2011 - 16 answers

Should I get a Thinkpad x120e or do I want something else?

I want a small, lightweight, Windows-based computer that's cheap, durable, and a pleasure to use. I need it for basic productivity, in-class note-taking, and web browsing. Am I looking a Thinkpad x120e, or am I missing something crucial? [more inside]
posted by Scientist on Sep 5, 2011 - 11 answers

Talk to me about the trackpoint

Thinkpad users -- talk to me about the trackpoint (also known as the little red eraser thingy on the keyboard). [more inside]
posted by missjenny on May 31, 2011 - 31 answers

Can you recommend an airplane power adapter for my Lenovo Thinkpad T410?

Can you recommend an airplane power adapter for my Lenovo Thinkpad T410? [more inside]
posted by Pontius Pilate on May 18, 2011 - 4 answers

What do I do with an incredibly old laptop?

I have a Thinkpad 755c, dating from 1995 or so. Is there anything remotely useful/interesting I can do with it? [more inside]
posted by hoyland on Apr 22, 2011 - 13 answers

Do I really need a T series thinkpad?

Will I be missing out much if I buy an SL series or Thinkpad Edge laptop instead of a T series thinkpad? [more inside]
posted by kitcat on Apr 18, 2011 - 10 answers

Linux flavor for old laptop

I have an old IBM Thinkpad T30-2366-21U 1.6 Ghz 256 Mb ram, came with Windows 2000 Pro SP4 which MS no longer supports. I wonder which Linux distro would be a good fit for this machine to get a little more useful life out of it. Thanks for your opinion.
posted by ackptui on Apr 15, 2011 - 11 answers

My hinkPadhas aproblem with i's keyboard.

I just bought a used Thinkpad T61 and the e,t, and space bar keys work intermittently. The keyboard is reasonably clean and nothing is obstructing the keycaps underneath. I have taken out the keyboard and reseated the keyboard connector. Is this just a bad keyboard or should i be worried about something else? (os is linux/ubuntu)
posted by ennui.bz on Mar 1, 2011 - 11 answers

ThinkPad Mystery Parts ID

My ThinkPad was repaired, and I got some mystery parts back along with it. Picture inside! [more inside]
posted by themel on Jan 13, 2011 - 2 answers

How To Fix Error 1802 on Lenovo T60

I need to upgrade the WiFi card on my Thinkpad T60. When I try to replace it, I encounter the Lenovo BIOS whitelist which prevents you from booting the PC if you install parts from other suppliers (Error 1802). Does anyone have experience in bypassing this for a T-series Thinkpad? [more inside]
posted by Susurration on Oct 20, 2010 - 5 answers

How much can I get for my computer?

I've got a laptop that I purchased in September 2008 that I paid $1,629 for. How much can I ask for it on Craigslist? Realistically? Ideally? Is there anything free I can do to increase its value before I sell it? [more inside]
posted by citywolf on Aug 22, 2010 - 18 answers

which ibm laptop should i get?

Which new IBM laptop should I get? [more inside]
posted by pintapicasso on Aug 17, 2010 - 17 answers

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