Thinkpad manual

[thinkpad1]

Who designed this?!? What a piece of crap! I wanted to replace my wifi card (Mini PCI card) but the manual is horrible! Imho, but I don't care, I know it is SX$%^!

Let me explain. Go to page 75 and try to tell me that drawing with the HDD / security screw is any good! I don't see how that compartment comes out. My Thinkpad T41 is turned over and I just see a hole there with normal threads.

I thought these notebooks were easy to service?

I almost feel like selling it, it is making me so mad.

What a horrible design and an even worse manual!

I'll probably take it in someplace. Unforunately, it's my only notebook right now but if I get something else, I won't care.

[rkawakami]

Turn to the next page (76) . And no, sometimes you don't have to remove everything that the manual says you should in order to get that one particular item you want. It's just the recommended procedure so that you won't encounter any hang ups and/or to protect some of the sensitive items (like the disk drive) when tearing apart the system.

[poshgeordie]

I assume you have a 14" T4x, in which case you may find this document I made will help you strip down your laptop.

[thinkpad1]

I just watched a video in which it looks like you only have to remove the keyboard and the touchpad to get at the wifi card.... ?!?!?

Yes, it's a 14" T41. Good call.

[RealBlackStuff]

You are the first person I've come across, to complain about the HMM!
Try finding a similar document from the likes of Acer, Dell, Gateway, NO WAY!

Maybe not everyone is technically inclined/capable of following those instructions, but most of us, if not everyone else, agree that IBM started a very fine tradition with these manuals!

Perhaps ask here next time?

[awolfe63]

BTW - I get hung up on this one all the time. You need to open up the LCD screen a few mm. to get the HDD to slide out.

[sktn77a]

I just watched a video in which it looks like you only have to remove the keyboard and the touchpad to get at the wifi card.... ?!?!?

Correct.

[awolfe63]

I just watched a video in which it looks like you only have to remove the keyboard and the touchpad to get at the wifi card.... ?!?!?

Yes, it's a 14" T41. Good call.

Yes - but it's really not very hard to do.

[thinkpad1]

Maybe but even if it should be, it doesn't seem intuitive to me. I wish I had some old Thinkpads as extra laptops to take apart. I'd get good that way.

But, trust me, I was going by the manual and I could see what needs to be taken apart but the hard drive compartment (really close to the DVD ROM drive) didn't look like it would budge at all.

[jdhurst]

I guess you got a different manual than I did.

I replaced the WiFi card on my T41, opened the manual, expanded Remove/Replace FRU, clicked on miniPCI and did the work. ... JDH

[thinkpad1]

I guess you got a different manual than I did.

I replaced the WiFi card on my T41, opened the manual, expanded Remove/Replace FRU, clicked on miniPCI and did the work. ... JDH

How many times have you done it?

Want to do mine?

I used the pdf manual (the one Lenovo provides online). I didn't like page 75-76. Maybe I would have no trouble if I tried it again. Perhaps, it was just one of those days.

[LegendaryKA8]

There's no need to take out the HDD compartment to get to the MiniPCI slot for your wireless card. I'm assuming you have a 14" T4x, so all you have to do is the following:

Unplug your Thinkpad and remove the battery. Make sure you properly ground yourself before working on internal components... this is very 'newbie' information, but I'm including it out of caution.

Look at the bottom of the notebook; there will be four screws that have a little marking that looks like a keyboard right next to them, as well as another one that looks like 'a little box with slots cut into it'. Remove those screws, as well as ALL the screws that have that 'box' marking next to it. you don't have to remove anything else to get at the palmrest.

remove the keyboard by gently pulling it upwards... it's attached to the motherboard by a ribbon cable, so gently remove the connector.

After removing the screws, the palmrest should come off in much the same manner. The touchpad has a separate connector that plugs into the motherboard so be sure to remove this as well.

the MiniPCI wireless card is located directly underneath the touchpad.

[thinkpad1]

There's no need to take out the HDD compartment to get to the MiniPCI slot for your wireless card. I'm assuming you have a 14" T4x, so all you have to do is the following:

Unplug your Thinkpad and remove the battery. Make sure you properly ground yourself before working on internal components... this is very 'newbie' information, but I'm including it out of caution.

Look at the bottom of the notebook; there will be four screws that have a little marking that looks like a keyboard right next to them, as well as another one that looks like 'a little box with slots cut into it'. Remove those screws, as well as ALL the screws that have that 'box' marking next to it. you don't have to remove anything else to get at the palmrest.

remove the keyboard by gently pulling it upwards... it's attached to the motherboard by a ribbon cable, so gently remove the connector.

After removing the screws, the palmrest should come off in much the same manner. The touchpad has a separate connector that plugs into the motherboard so be sure to remove this as well.

the MiniPCI wireless card is located directly underneath the touchpad.

You assume correctly! Very good explanation.

I have a question though. I discovered when I did this and when I re-examined the bottom of the laptop that it is missing some screws. Should I try to find some or order the missing ones on ebay? It can't be good missing some screws. I think there's around three missing. This is when I bought it. I didn't take any out yet. I didn't think of flipping the notebook over. I guess I'm a newbie ultra. Although, that shouldn't cost the seller a sale, that suggests I wasn't very observant or thorough with my examination, eh? :-/

[sizzleman]

@ Thinkpad1

I would like to make some points if I could.

First off, you want to replace the wi-fi card? Could I ask if this is an original IBM part for your TP or is it something you would like installed, like aftermarket? Reason being is that if this card is non-ibm, then you will run into the 1802 error, which is an easy fix for the t41.

Sorry for stating the obvious, it's been drilled into my head by my professors. Easy solutions first.

I have the T43P which is pretty much the same as yours hardware wise. With the HDD, if there is an open hole with threads, then the screw is missing. Which is common. What is more common is the harddrive slightly sticking in the bay. There are 2 half circles on either side of the screw for your thumbs. You can use these to rock the cover from left to right until it comes loose. I also had some trouble getting the drive back in properly. The caddy kept hanging up on something, but with care and patience, the drive slid into place and all was groovy.

As far as missing screws, you can get away from some screws not being installed. It really depends on with ones are missing. For example, you could be missing a keyboard and a couple handrest screws and be ok. But if you were missing some from the LCD hinge then the TP won't close properly. It just depends. I bought a new set of screws for 6 dollars shipped on ebay if you wanted to get some.

I would gladly help you repair the TP. But I live about 4 hours away. Hope your repair goes well.

[seaweedsl]

Of all the things you disassemble on the T4x/R5x series, the hard drive R&R is the trickiest and most poorly engineered element in my experience also.

The main trick, as was said is that the screen MUST be open. The manual shows that, but does not emphasize. It's easy to overlook.

The other thing is how the cover is supposed to unplug and pull the drive out. The cover seems to be loosely screwed to the drive caddy, but not really, it just kinda loops around these big screws like they are lugs. it's an odd arrangment that I've not seen in other laptops or devices. And then yes, it often needs rocking and coaxing.

Once you get used to it, it's no big deal, but the first couple times....

Nothing's perfect and there are a few other minor gotchas, but the notebook is a nice design on the whole. Try disassembling a Toshiba sometime. No manual and everything is snap together with parts designed to be assembled once, often broken on disassembly...

Steve

[poshgeordie]

I've disassembled most makes now and by far the worst are the Apple G3's. You have to use a plastic tool called a 'spludger' to part various bits of case from their mated other half without for instance cracking the very delicate corner.
Then having got the plastic bits apart there's the inner metal shields which have a combination of Kapton and copper tape to hold everything together!
Nowever they look incredibly sexy....

On a general theme many manufacturers' motherboards are snapped in place and need bending slightly to do this - Dells and Toshibas come to mind.

So I think all in all Thinkpads do very well with the more modular approach - OK it makes them look more angular and chunky but give me a black brick anyday!

[thinkpad1]

@ Thinkpad1

I would like to make some points if I could.

First off, you want to replace the wi-fi card? Could I ask if this is an original IBM part for your TP or is it something you would like installed, like aftermarket? Reason being is that if this card is non-ibm, then you will run into the 1802 error, which is an easy fix for the t41.

Sorry for stating the obvious, it's been drilled into my head by my professors. Easy solutions first.

I have the T43P which is pretty much the same as yours hardware wise. With the HDD, if there is an open hole with threads, then the screw is missing. Which is common. What is more common is the harddrive slightly sticking in the bay. There are 2 half circles on either side of the screw for your thumbs. You can use these to rock the cover from left to right until it comes loose. I also had some trouble getting the drive back in properly. The caddy kept hanging up on something, but with care and patience, the drive slid into place and all was groovy.

As far as missing screws, you can get away from some screws not being installed. It really depends on with ones are missing. For example, you could be missing a keyboard and a couple handrest screws and be ok. But if you were missing some from the LCD hinge then the TP won't close properly. It just depends. I bought a new set of screws for 6 dollars shipped on ebay if you wanted to get some.

I would gladly help you repair the TP. But I live about 4 hours away. Hope your repair goes well.

No, not an original part. The seller took the original one out for some reason. I wasn't thinking and didn't ask him to include it. So, now there is a Dell 1370 MiniPCI network card in there now (the Broadcom BCM4318 chipset). I suppose that means that the seller applied the fix. Still, I wanted to replace it with one of the Intel-based cards which means 2200bg or 2915abg hoping either would be compatible. I found it difficult at first to find one with the 'right' part number but now I'm better at recognizing it. I knew about the 1802 error but at least, it's an easy fix if I have to do it.

Yeah, everything is put together rather well so I was concerned with putting things back, too. If I order new screws, I just buy the entire set and find which ones I need, then? I hope there is a way of identifying them or maybe it is easy?

Thanks for the info and offer!

[thinkpad1]

Of all the things you disassemble on the T4x/R5x series, the hard drive R&R is the trickiest and most poorly engineered element in my experience also.

The main trick, as was said is that the screen MUST be open. The manual shows that, but does not emphasize. It's easy to overlook.

The other thing is how the cover is supposed to unplug and pull the drive out. The cover seems to be loosely screwed to the drive caddy, but not really, it just kinda loops around these big screws like they are lugs. it's an odd arrangment that I've not seen in other laptops or devices. And then yes, it often needs rocking and coaxing.

Once you get used to it, it's no big deal, but the first couple times....

Nothing's perfect and there are a few other minor gotchas, but the notebook is a nice design on the whole. Try disassembling a Toshiba sometime. No manual and everything is snap together with parts designed to be assembled once, often broken on disassembly...

Steve

Steve, that is awesome info you inlcude! Thanks! You guys really are life savers if I decide to do it myself and pursue the wireless card replacement. Now, I 'get' the mechanics and at least I have a better guide to go by then just the manual itself. Many thanks! Also, it does make sense and you're right, I was wrong about the design. I shudder to think if I bought a notebook from a different brand and had to do a mod or replacement on it.

[seaweedsl]

Should be emphasized again that pulling the hard drive is not necessary to change the wireless. Just pull the battery, keyboard and palmrest.

Steve