T-42 Ultrabay Removal No Tab

[SlamX]

I just got this T-42 off lease form a company and it appears the ultrabay removal tab has been removed. How can I get the drive out without the tab puller thing?

Maybe they removed it for security reasons.

Thanks

[Robbyrobot]

Are you sure the removal tab (can I call it a lever to distinguish it from the release tab?) is really missing? There's a release tab for the removal lever just underneath the lever. Move it to the right and the removal lever pops out.

Since you have to practically dismantle the entire computer to remove the Ultrabay removal lever, I really doubt that this was done. Unless of course someone actually broke off the removal lever, which I would think difficult to do by accident.

[carbon_unit]

Make sure the Ulrtabay security screw is not installed. It is right under the release lever and it keeps the release lever from popping out. If there is no screw and no lever, eject the optical drive tray and gently wiggle it from side to side while pulling out on it. Be very careful when doing this but it will come out. I don't know how you would pull out an ultrabay battery or hard drive adapter.

[SlamX]

Robbyrobot. Yeah there is no blue pull tab at all. I can see in there. The slide latch moves but no tab lever pops out. I know this since my sister has a T-40 and the pull tab does pop out on hers. And there is no retaining screw on the bottom to hold the drive in.

In looking at the service manual it states that the lever sort of has a cable extening to the back of the drive bay that ejects the ultra bay device. And in looking in there as much as I can see I see no evidence of it breaking off. I don't see any part of an assembly thus I think it has been removed.

Service manual does also says practically the whole laptop has to be disassembled to get to it like you mention.

I may call IBM and see what the recommend. Maybe I can install the part.

Thanks all for the replies.

Are you sure the removal tab (can I call it a lever to distinguish it from the release tab?) is really missing? There's a release tab for the removal lever just underneath the lever. Move it to the right and the removal lever pops out.

Since you have to practically dismantle the entire computer to remove the Ultrabay removal lever, I really doubt that this was done. Unless of course someone actually broke off the removal lever, which I would think difficult to do by accident.

[carbon_unit]

Robbyrobot. Yeah there is no blue pull tab at all. I can see in there. The slide latch moves but no tab lever pops out.

I have seen an R50E that was like that from the factory. It did not have a release lever at all. That is where I figured out you can just pull them out.
The locking screw does not lock the drive in but it locks the release lever from coming out.
I have also seen units where the release lever was dragging on the inside of the case and not coming out. You had to slide the little release tab and use a small screwdriver to "help" the release lever come out.

[SlamX]

The more I look at it I think maybe it was never installed from the factory. I see no evidence of damage from it being broken off. I have looked and looked and do not see the blue release tab anywhere.

Thanks

Robbyrobot. Yeah there is no blue pull tab at all. I can see in there. The slide latch moves but no tab lever pops out.

I have seen an R50E that was like that from the factory. It did not have a release lever at all. That is where I figured out you can just pull them out.
The locking screw does not lock the drive in but it locks the release lever from coming out.
I have also seen units where the release lever was dragging on the inside of the case and not coming out. You had to slide the little release tab and use a small screwdriver to "help" the release lever come out.