T41 USB ports!

[thinkpad1]

I can't get usb flash sticks to work in XP Pro. Actually, there's a problem in Linux, too. I thought maybe the usb ports are the culprit.

The USB ports in these Thinkpads are 1.1, maybe?

It's really annoying. I can stress that enough.

They are detected but there's a message about the 'Hi-Speed' usb device...

I have had to do run arounds and jump through hoops to get the usb flash drive to work but I forget what I did or had to do so many things that I'm not sure what the 'actual procedure' was!

Is there any easy fix? This is the only computer in which I have this problem!

[ajkula66]

No easy fix there, I'm sorry to say...apart from getting a PCMCIA USB 2.0 card...

The Southbridge chip on the motherboard is going south, and needs re-balling. A very common problem on these machines, just read the sticky at the top of this sub-forum.

Good luck.

[thinkpad1]

Here is a thread that discusses this problem. (Just in case, more info is needed or someone thinks it's 'all me.'):

http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-6230-0 ... nt;leftCol

[thinkpad1]

No easy fix there, I'm sorry to say...apart from getting a PCMCIA USB 2.0 card...

The Southbridge chip on the motherboard is going south, and needs re-balling. A very common problem on these machines, just read the sticky at the top of this sub-forum.

Good luck.

I see. 'Glad I didn't buy another one. Also 'glad that I didn't buy that W500. Won't be looking at Lenovo when I eventually buy a new laptop...

Thanks for your quick answer, though! Many thanks..

[ajkula66]

Your money, your call - but W500 is a much better built machine than any T4x ever was, and this statement comes from someone who LOVES T4x units...and has tested out W500 very extensively...

There's no such thing as a perfect laptop. Take it from someone who went through thousands of them.

Good luck.

[thinkpad1]

Well, the W500 also only has usb ports.

I would like a laptop that also has eSATA ports to give me an option. I know they only apply to SATA hard drives, granted.

I cannot trust Lenovo even though the Thinkpad T4x series is back from the IBM days. But, I read of complaints and concerns about the usb problem and Lenovo just ignored the emails and calls etc. Not inspiring confidence...

[ajkula66]

No argument on eSATA...if you need that functionality, then it most certainly is a big deal.

On a whole another note, I don't know where you've read the complaints that you're referring to, but Lenovo (as well as IBM before them) was swapping motherboards on T4x machines for the problem that you've encountered as long as they were under warranty, no issues there. Given the fact that the youngest T41 in existence is likely pushing five years of age, I don't believe that you have that option any more, unless you've extended the original warranty coverage.

Good luck with your next laptop whatever it may end up being.

[thinkpad1]

The T41 only has TWO USB ports, though. I assume they're only working at 1.0 speeds but this has resulted in them not even 'working' with Hi-speed USB devices?

I think some of my usb sticks worked before, though. I own three usb thumb drives and two internal drives in enclosures that can connect via usb or eSATA. I've had problems when trying the usb connections.

The thumb drives have no other option so usb must work. I could get a PCMCIA cardbus device with usb ports so then I could use my Thinkpad with the thumb drives? That kinda sucks... The Thinkpad T41 I own I bought used so unless the warranty is transferable and extended, you're right, probably not applicable to me.

I am just afraid of other issues Thinkpads might have especially since Lenovo controls things now.

[RealBlackStuff]

As ajkula66 mentioned, the T4x USB ports working at 1.1 speed is a sure sign of a Southbridge chip coming unstuck.
To fix that the SB chip needs to be reballed, and USB2.0 will be restored.
As also mentioned, this happens to a laptop model that is ca. 5 years old.
Maybe the wrong comparison, but would you no longer buy a Ford, because at one time they produced the notorious Pinto?
Technology has advanced quite a bit, both in the car industry, and even more so in the computer industry.
The new Lenovo W510 now has USB3.0 ports and is probably the best workhorse laptop on the market!
But feel free to buy such POS as HP or Dell. Check how long they last, compared to IBM or Lenovo!

[thinkpad1]

Thinkpads are the POS! Overrated POS at that...

I bet HP and Dell laptops don't have this problem or have faulty usb ports that need constant fixing. There's not a market for fixing those like there is for the piece of crap Thinkpads!

I just read that I cannot use a PCMCIA usb card to boot up a usb flash drive. So, I can't even use the drive for booting an OS to test.

Can one at least use a dock for this? Probably not. The laptop is USELESS since it only has two usb ports and neither work properly.

Thinkpads have to be the most OVERRATED pieces of junk. Good P.R. there. Now, they are selling based on old technology even though they've been bought by the Chinese company, Lenovo! What a joke.

If I could get another laptop right now, I'd smash this machine on the road and run over it with my car!

[thinkpad1]

Sorry for my outburst. I'm still mad, though. I can't use my laptop and do all I want to do with it because of the 'defective' parts.

Remember.... (I posted earlier...) about my optical drive not working right. Some CDs/DVDs don't get read... I never know if a CD or DVD will work because of this. It's like I'm guessing each time. The CD/DVD works fine in another computer or another optical drive.

So, my usb port is yet another component to malfunction. The optical drive can be replaced but how many parts am I going to replace this machine with?

I definitely wouldn't choose a T4x series again. No offense to T4x fans... I guess the T61 was one of the best...but, can't find any with the resolution I like 1440x900 (or similar).

I might check out Dell D620s or something. I don't want anything super old so I guess I'll keep saving my money.

[RealBlackStuff]

All your complaints boil down to the aforementioned Southbridge.
If you don't (want to) fix that or have it fixed, stop giving out about TPs.
Have the Southbridge reballed, problems solved.

[thinkpad1]

All your complaints boil down to the aforementioned Southbridge.
If you don't (want to) fix that or have it fixed, stop giving out about TPs.
Have the Southbridge reballed, problems solved.

Do all 'laptop shops' (stores that sell refurbished laptops...especially older Thinkpads, Dells, HP etc.) do this reball repair?

[ajkula66]

No. Only a couple of places have the equipment and expertise to do this type pf repair...Nick (poshgeordie) in the UK and GPU Medics (formerly Superior Reball) in the U.S.

[dr_st]

So your ancient (6-7 years old) machine developed an issue, and you conclude that Thinkpads are POS?

Good luck finding a DELL/HP from that age that still works.

Electronics don't live forever, and the sooner you realize that, the better it will be for you (less disappointment when your next system dies).

[MnR]

Hi,

You must be really hard on your laptop. i have three of the T4x series and don't have any problems with them.

You want to gto Dell or HP fine, but go to the store and take hold of the screen by the upper corners and gently twist it. you be shocked by the amount of flex there is. Also the keyboard has way more flex than a thinkpad keyboard.

If you think IBM/Lenovo is junk wait till you buy a Dell or HP/Compaq.

MnR

[hunterman223]

I love my thinkpad, but HP made some really high quality older laptops. I don't know about their current ones, but a few months ago I cleaned windows me off of an 11 year old hp pavillion and replaced it with windows xp. That thing was solid. You could pick it up by the corner with no fear of flexing(but I don't recommend doing that for fear of breaking your arm ). It ran decent enough with xp , even though it was a 700mhz p3, maxed out at 256mb of ram. Oh, I've also worked on a Dell Latitude D600. That was also a nice, sturdy machine. Fast, too.

[thinkpad1]

I'd like to send it to poshgeordie, say, to fix it but shipping costs would make it both impractical and expensive.

I don't think I've been overly hard on the laptop except for one stupid mishap that I was really mad at myself for. I watched the videos for handling it and the instructions. In fact, even with all the problems with it, I think I baby it...

I know Thinkpads get a lot of compliments for their hardware quality but other than my accident, it's had some hardware issues so I guess I'm a bit biased since I've only owned one. The usb port thing causes some major inconveniences as I like to use usb flash drives including it as a boot drive (but the Southbridge issue prevents this, I guess?). The optical drive problems also results in some CDs/DVDs not reading properly (and noise) so please, at least try to see my perspective.

I really don't know what I'll buy next but I think I'd want something newer, at least a year old. For now, I try to put up with the inconveniences...

[Harryc]

Get a USB 2.0 PCMCIA card. Problem solved.

[thinkpad1]

Which one, though?

Do some cause give more problems than others? Reading some reviews on various ones, some people report that the card sticks or gets loose or something.

Does it matter which brand?

Zonet and Startech are the brands available locally but there's not much to choose from. I'd have to order online...

Any recommendations or does it matter? Does it matter if it's 4-port?

Edit: what about a usb hub? I also could get a dock from a local store for $40 but a usb hub offers 7 usb ports... for $30.

The Dock is for Thinkpads and has the other connections like DVI.

Which option?

[Harryc]

I think a hub or a dock are going to replicate your problem, not fix it. As far as a USB card, I'd go with a large manufacturer with decent support, like Belkin. This particular card has a lifetime warranty.
http://cgi.ebay.com/BELKIN-USB-2-0-High ... 0383557610

[thinkpad1]

Is this a guarantee that it will work?

What if I boot up in Linux?

I found this thread:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 5&start=30

Sometimes I can use usb and external drives with the usb ports in Windows XP but in many cases, it's a pain to try and get it working.

In Linux, it hardly ever works...

This has really turned me off Thinkpads! I don't even want to spend the money for the PCMCIA card unless it's certain it will work.

That's more money invested and if I get it off ebay, I'm stuck with it.

I won't ever buy another Lenovo / Thinkpad product again but I am stuck with this POS until I can buy a new laptop!