Cannot Create a DOCKED Hardware Profile in XP

[Creepy Gnome]

Hello,

I have a ThinkPad T60 2007-WBZ running Windows XP with SP2, it connects to a 250510W ThinkPad Essential Port Replicator. I have the latest T60 BIOS, and ThinkPad specific drivers.

I need to be able to Hot Dock/Undock my Laptop and have it switch between a Docked and Undocked profile. The biggest difference being that it is in dual monitor mode when docked and is using the NIC in the port replicator. When it is undocked I only use the built in display and use the Wi-Fi NIC.

My first problem that prevents be from being able to do this is that I cannot create a DOCKED hardware Profile. All profiles created end up being an Undocked profile.

When I do the following:

1. When I am not docked I go to System Properties -> Hardware -> Hardware Profiles
2. I copy the default one provided which is an undocked profile and give it a new name
3. I select the new profile and click the properties button

This is where the problem is. The "This is a portable computer" check box is checked and grayed out, along with its three radio buttons. I can not tell it which profile is docked and which one is not docked.

It does this when I only have a single profile and I hot dock it and it auto generates a new profile. It has the same results.

Also the Dock ID and Serial Number are shown as "Unavailable" on the profiles properties dialog.

I have never had a problem doing this with other laptops. This is my first ThinkPad so I do not know if there is something special or different that I need to do.

There are no special drivers on Lenovo's support site for this Port Replicator but for some reason Windows doesn't seem to properly recognize it.

If anyone can help me get my laptop to Hot Dock/Undock and switch the hardware profiles automatically I would appreciate it.

Regards,

-Creepy

[claudeo]

Maybe it's because the port replicator is not a dock? AFAIK the dock has extra slots, etc. whereas the port replicator just, er, replicates or brings out ports that already exist on the base machine. AFAIK a different configuration of USB devices doesn't qualify for a different hardware profile unless the devices are actually uninstalled logically as well as physically in the profile.

[Creepy Gnome]

I had considered that, however, I have never truly had a "REAL" Docking station. I have always had Port Replicators, and as far as Windows is concerned they are the same. The term DOCKING and DOCK doesn't just mean with a docking station, you "DOCK" and "UNDOCK" from a Port Replicator. This is the first laptop/port replicator combination that doesn't seem to allow setting up docked and undocked hardware profiles. I can setup hardware profiles but they will only be useable if I reboot. I am looking for hot dock and hot undock, which is only achieved if you can tell windows that a hardware profile is docked or undocked, and then you can hot dock and hot undock just fine.

Therefore either the Port Replicator is defective, The installation Windows XP SP2 is defective, IBM intentionally doesn't want this to happen, or it requires a different method to configure ThinkPads than all other laptops.

[WPWoodJr]

Why do you need to create a profile? I didn't.

[Creepy Gnome]

What do you mean why do you need a profile?

You need at least two hardware profiles so that windows will know what hardware you have when you are docked and what you have when you are not docked.

Examples:

While docked:

Dual Monitors
Web Camera
External Hard Drive
Wired Network

While Undocked:

Laptop display only
No web camera
no external hard drive
Wireless Network

The USB stuff takes care of itself, however the display and network items do not. I have to manually change the display properties from dual to single or single to dual. I also have to enable and disable the wireless. Now on my thinkpad the wireless is a switch i can flip on the front of the laptop so not to bad. The biggest hassle and the one the makes me think twice about if it is worth the hassle to undock is the display issue. I would take my laptop to every meeting if I can have hardware profiles so I could hot dock and hot undock and not have to do any thing special.

I assume that you do not use two displays while your laptop is docked. (i.e. The built in display and an external display.)

[SeanM]

Only the Advanced dock will build a profile.

The mini dock and port replicator will not.

Set up your display profiles using presentation director, and your network connection using access connections. (Fn+F7, Fn+F5)

[Creepy Gnome]

What are those and how can they replace a hardware profile?

On a side note:
Is there a reason why IBM/Lenovo decided to not allow there port replicator to not create profiles when all other brands that compete with them that I have used do?

[WPWoodJr]

What do you mean why do you need a profile?
I assume that you do not use two displays while your laptop is docked. (i.e. The built in display and an external display.)

Sure, I use a Dell 27" monitor over DVI and a Dell 19" monitor over VGA when I'm docked. I use Presentation Director to switch to the external monitors. As for wireless, why bother turning that off when you are docked unless its connected and you'd rather use the ethernet connection?

Forget about hardware profiles, they aren't necessary anymore with plug and play as far as i can tell.

Presentation Director comes preinstalled on the TP. Hit FN-F7 to activate it.

[Creepy Gnome]

Well it doesn't come pre installed on a corp imaged laptop sad to say. I will have to go find and download it from lenovo.

FN-F7 just switch between the displays, both, or one or the other, when it is on both it requires them to be the same. FN-F7 doesn't work when the displays are an "Extended" desktop. I think you are thinking about using ONE or the OTHER display not both as an extended desktop, unless FN-F7 works differently with the presentation director installed.

If you have a dual display setup this is understood to mean an extended desktop, not having two monitors and only display to the external when docked, and then switch to the built-in display when undocked. That is still a single display setup since only one display is in use at a time.

Does this normal FN-F7 functionality get overridden by presentation director? I will download it and see what it does.

Which Thinkpad has a DVI port?

[Creepy Gnome]

I installed presentation director, however I am out of the office until next week so I cannot test it with my port replicator. However looking over the settings it looks like this should take care of my my docked / undocked issues.

And yes it look like it extends the default functionality of Fn-F7.

Thanks WPWoodJr for pointing out this application to me.

[WPWoodJr]

Which Thinkpad has a DVI port?

DVI comes on the dock, not the TP.

[SeanM]

Only the Advanced dock will build a profile.

The mini dock and port replicator will not.

Oops, sorry, I was wrong.

The Advanced dock and mini dock build a profile.

The port rep does not.

FWIW.