Is my security chip dying? Then what?

[Weasel]

I just bought a used T41, which is like a new best friend AND a pony rolled into one. I love this thing. (In fact, if I'd known how much I'd love it, I would've shelled out for a newer one). Initially, I enabled the security chip, because I like to leave things like passwords and credit card numbers lying around on my desktop in plain text.

Most of the time, everything worked fine. Occasionally, though, I would type my password on boot, it would think for a minute, then ask for the password again. Sometimes several times in a row. Sometimes I'd have to reboot to make it stop. Finally, I freaked out and disabled the chip. I wasn't sure what would happen if it failed completely.

So, is my security chip dying? Are they a known weakness? And what happens if I re-enable it and it does die? I'd like to turn it back on, but I don't trust it...

[christopher_wolf]

Welcome to the Thinkpad Forum

I haven't heard of a case of the security chip hardware actually dying by itself. Did you upgrade or change any of the CSS or Windows Logon settings before it started exhibiting that behavior?

[Weasel]

Thanks for the response.

When I got it, it was cleaned down to the bare bones. I don't think the security stuff was there at all when it arrived. One of the first things I did was download all the updates, which were considerable. The security enabling software was part of that.

But it showed the fault from the time I first I enabled the chip. It's the inconsistency that makes me worry it's a hardware flaw, but I know network stuff can be squirrelly.

Wait. Come to think of it...when I first enabled it, I didn't really pay attention and didn't know what I was setting up. So I ended up having to log in as Default User (I think that's what it was). After a while, the idea of that ugly flaw being on my nice new machine really grated on my nerves and I tried to restore my proper login name instead. I remember that wasn't easy.

Do you thinked I munged my settings in the process? Would that give an inconsistent result? I do this every time I get a new laptop, but I so want this to be set up 'just right' with no ugly kludges.

[ianf]

hello
i have a sad tale ,on my t30 which is also my best toy it stoped at bios would go no-where ( could change stuff in bios) , got 4 beeps in a cycle of 4 , ibm say new sys board so bought one when i came to fit noticed smaller daughter card , like an idiot plugged in to new board and that was locked as well.
i have a third board coming , and i will not be fitting that chip.
i spoke to some one and there working on a fix to re write data held on the chip.

but you can only fit the chip that came with that mother board .
also if it falls off etc you must re fit with speed.

ianf

[Weasel]

The daughter board was the security chip, and locked out the new system board? Is that what your'e saying?

On vacation, the machine freaked me out by rejecting my password a dozen times in a row. The moment I got a good login, I disabled and subsequently uninstalled the whole Client Security thing. It's performed fine since then. I just have to be careful not to lose it...

[ianf]

hello weasel
on my t30 the security chip is on a tiny board , on the underside of mainboard , the t30 gets moved around a bit but never switched off.
but i bought a new d/l dvd and updated nero to support ,so rebooted thats when it happened , but i was unaware that these boards are paired at point of manufacture , but the stupid thing is i thought the chip was a sound chip so this has been expensive . i wonder if i got a binary reader /write and changed data to zero i no the board works, in fact i had all ineeded glossy sxga panel.120gb hd 2x 1gb ram a 2.2ghz cpu a dock with a nvidea fx5500,256mb ram pci .
it would play all my game had films ,sat nav module . hd digital tv all hooked to my media centre, i thought life was sweet.
the thing is when you get locked out if you ask for solutions people tend to think you have a darker secret ( is stolen ) i log all my laptops at lenvo so if there stolen assets department had a problem they can come calling.

ianf..

[wackydan]

The daughter board was the security chip, and locked out the new system board? Is that what your'e saying?

On vacation, the machine freaked me out by rejecting my password a dozen times in a row. The moment I got a good login, I disabled and subsequently uninstalled the whole Client Security thing. It's performed fine since then. I just have to be careful not to lose it...

The TPM is hardware bound to the system at time of manufacture. Removing it borks the system or trying it another board does the same...... It's a security feature.... it's meant to break to maintain security.

The newer thinkpads have them soldered on to the board as every thinkpad comes with one standard now.