Lenovo Enhanced USB Performance Keyboard

Message

SLoweCSL · #1 Post by **SLoweCSL** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 7:48 am

Is there anyone out there using this keyboard with their T61 and Advanced mini-dock?

I am on my second keyboard and it is displaying an alarming tendency in the pre-boot environment.

Prior to windows taking over the control of the keyboard, the Lenovo keyboard will enter many characters with a single keystroke. This was anoying in the bios, as you would hit one "esc" key stroke and would find you out of the bios and rebooting.

It is now a mojor problem as I have set a power on password for the system and when I hit one keystroke, it enters 4 or key letters, so I cannot enter the password to start the system.

It does not do this undocked with the laptop keyboard and it does not do it when docked using another USB keyboard, only the Lenovo.

Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks

eecon · #2 Post by **eecon** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 12:28 pm

Which USB Port are you using? Have you had a chance to try one off the side of the T61 itself (while still docked) rather than from the back of the mini dock to see if that makes a difference?

SLoweCSL · #3 Post by **SLoweCSL** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 5:47 pm

Thanks for the suggestion. You were right. I left the laptop on the dock and attached the Lenovo keyboard to one of the USB ports actually on the laptop, not the dock, and it was fine.

Reattached the keyboard to the dock and it started adding extra characters again.

Still don't understand why it is just happening with the Lenovo keyboard and not my cheap Logitech USB keyboard.

Makes me wonder if something is wrong with the dock. There's no diagnostics to test the dock itself it seems.

eecon · #4 Post by **eecon** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 6:13 pm

I have an advanced mini dock on order and I'll test it out when it arrives. Is there anything in the documentation for your mini dock that addresses if the 4 ports are powered and if they provide you with extra USB bandwidth? Maybe they are not powered?

SLoweCSL · #5 Post by **SLoweCSL** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 7:20 am

I saw nothing in the documentation regarding this. Let me know how it goes with you.

Thanks

SLoweCSL · #6 Post by **SLoweCSL** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:20 pm

After contacting Lenovo for help after trying my second keyboard, they decided they will send me another one, although this time it would be a lower tier keyboard, the USB Prefered Pro instead of the pricier Enhance Preformance one they are wanting to replace.

It ends up that this particular keyboard seems to work fine while the more expensive model does not.

The only problem I have now is that Lenovo is requesting the more expensive keyboard back, and while I'm happy to now have a keyboard that works properly, I don't like the idea of them replacing it with a cheaper model, without a credit and loosing my multimedia and program hotkeys as well as the ThinkVantage key on the keyboard and the USB hub built in.

Tech support could give me no reason why the more expensive board does not work right. So I have no closure on the problem as well as loosing around $15 in the process.

What do you guys think?

pipspeak · #7 Post by **pipspeak** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:36 pm

Well that's easy... Lenovo owes you the difference between the old and the new keyboard, period. If they won't refund you the difference take it up with your credit card company. Basically Lenovo has not given you what you paid for, which is illegal. It's a form of bait and switch.

eecon · #8 Post by **eecon** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 5:00 pm

SLoweCSL wrote: I don't like the idea of them replacing it with a cheaper model, without a credit and loosing my multimedia and program hotkeys as well as the ThinkVantage key on the keyboard and the USB hub built in.

I'm still waiting on my enhanced keyboard and will report my results. Does the lower end keyboard have speaker volume up/down and mute buttons? A picture of each keyboard side by side might be helpful if you can do that .... I can't find any detailed photos of them on the Lenovo site.

BTW, did you ever determine if your advanced mini-dock usb ports provide any power (like for unpowered accessories like wireless mice. etc?

DAH · #9 Post by **DAH** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 5:50 pm

Do you have an external powered hub that you can plug into the advanced mini-dock, and then connect the enhanced keyboard to the powered external hub? That should indicate if it is indeed a power problem.

eecon · #10 Post by **eecon** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 6:08 pm

DAH wrote:Do you have an external powered hub that you can plug into the advanced mini-dock, and then connect the enhanced keyboard to the powered external hub? That should indicate if it is indeed a power problem.

SLoweCSL:

That would be an excellent test of any power issues ... give that a try and let us know. I have a bunch of usb 2.0 powered hubs sitting in a spare parts drawer. Unfortunately, we are on opposite sides of the continent, but maybe a neighbor or friend can loan you one to test?

SLoweCSL · #11 Post by **SLoweCSL** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 7:47 am

Thanks for the replies. This has been a very good pro-active support forum.

I did try the suggestion this morning. I plugged in a Belkin powered High Speed USB 2.0 hub into the dock and plugged the keyboard into the hub and it still did the same thing, type a letter and it repeates it 4 or 5 times. It does make it quite impossible to type in a power on password.

I also just for fun tried a Dell USB keyboard I had lying around that also has an integrated USB 2.0 hub and guess what...

It did the same thing. So it appears to me the dock does not like USB keyboards with integrated 2.0 hubs built into them. It doesn't seem to mind USB keyboard in general, I have tried a couple without hubs and they function fine.

Can someone else confirm if this happens with their dock and a USB keyboard with a USB 2.0 hub built in before I call Lenovo again.

If it doesn't happen on other peoples' docks then I can be pretty sure it is the dock malfunctioning and get it replaced ASAP from Lenovo.

Thanks

GarryF · #12 Post by **GarryF** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:17 am

I'm using an IBM keyboard approx 1 year old with all the extra buttons, 2 USB ports etc without problems with a T61P and advanced mini dock.

keyboard P/N is 89P8837

eecon · #13 Post by **eecon** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 2:33 pm

SLoweCSL wrote:Can someone else confirm if this happens with their dock and a USB keyboard with a USB 2.0 hub built in before I call Lenovo again.

If this happens on "all four" of your advanced mini-dock's USB ports, while at the same time others here are reporting no problems (and I will know soon myself when my parts arrive), then it's starting to look more and more like a defective advanced mini-dock rather than the enhanced keyboard.

BTW, is this the keyboard causing your problems?

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-54780

Note that on the overview page it does not list Vista compatibility (but the document was published before Vista's release so I don't think the operating system would be the problem).

Also, from the Lenovo website photos of the other cheaper KB that they are trying to send you, I can't even tell if it even has sound volume control buttons.

SLoweCSL · #14 Post by **SLoweCSL** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 2:35 pm

GarryF wrote:I'm using an IBM keyboard approx 1 year old with all the extra buttons, 2 USB ports etc without problems with a T61P and advanced mini dock.

keyboard P/N is 89P8837

Thanks for letting me know. I contacted Lenovo again and they are sending me a new docking station. I hope this fixes the problem.

BTW the P/N are quite confusing. Mine is a 41A4961 (Enhanced) and the replacement was a 41A5100 (Pro).

SLoweCSL · #15 Post by **SLoweCSL** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 2:42 pm

eecon wrote:
SLoweCSL wrote:.........snipped for long quote..................(MOD EDIT)
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-54780

Note that on the overview page it does not list Vista compatibility.

That's the one, although the only thing different that I can tell from the picture is that it is now rebranded Lenovo instead of IBM.

eecon · #16 Post by **eecon** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 2:52 pm

SLoweCSL wrote:
GarryF wrote:Thanks for letting me know. I contacted Lenovo again and they are sending me a new docking station. I hope this fixes the problem.

Glad to hear Lenovo finally got it together for you!

SLoweCSL · #17 Post by **SLoweCSL** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 8:57 am

Well I received the new docking station this morning and gave it a try with the keyboard. The problem persists.

I guess I will just have to learn to live with it, because short of replacing the laptop (the actual docking connector on the bottom of the laptop is the only thing left I can think of), I really cannot think of anything else it can be.

If anyone else has any ideas, I'm more than happy to give them a try.

Thanks

eecon · #18 Post by **eecon** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 9:32 am

Well that does not sound encouraging .... sorry to hear about that.

I just received my advanced mini docking station and enhanced KB, but I'm still waiting on the 15.4" T61 (scheduled to ship 8/2) ..... I'll report back when it arrives.

If my system works okay with the same docking station and KB, I'd be inclined to get your laptop serviced while you still have warranty available as it could a sign of bigger issues to follow.

SLoweCSL · #19 Post by **SLoweCSL** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 8:49 am

Well it looks like the whole sad affair is quickly coming to an end. After getting in touch with Lenovo support again about the problem, I was informed that it was probably the system board causing the problem.

I just recieved the depot return shipping box and I'm backing up the system now, so it looks like I'll be system less for a week or so.

I just hope this fixes the problem. I've only had this system for less than a month. After having Dells as my last 3 systems and have had no big issues and now this, my confidence in Lenovo is a little shaken.

It makes you appreciate the Dell on-site service that's for sure. I had a system in the office where a USB port broke and it needed a new system board. I called Dell and the next day a tech came with the new board and had it replaced and back up in 5 minutes.

I hate depot returns. Sigh.

eecon · #20 Post by **eecon** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 2:38 pm

SLoweCSL wrote:I hate depot returns. Sigh.

Glad to hear it will finally get resolved ..... I guess I feel a little bit better now for having spend some extra mula for the 9-5 Onsite warranty upgrade, especially if depot repair takes that long. I mulled it over long and hard about spending extra for that upgrade.

SLoweCSL · #21 Post by **SLoweCSL** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 7:19 am

For those of you interested in the ongoing saga, let's just say when you buy a laptop, pay extra for on-ste repair.

I shipped it off last Friday and they began repair on Monday, but as of Monday morning repair was put on hold with the following message...

Hold for Parts - Service call is on hold until parts arrive, estimated at: None provided

Not very encouraging. It's supposed to be a 3-5 day turnaround. I inquired regarding what was being repaired and what parts they were waiting for, I've gotten no answer.

eecon · #22 Post by **eecon** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 12:22 pm

SLoweCSL wrote:For those of you interested in the ongoing saga, let's just say when you buy a laptop, pay extra for on-ste repair.

I shipped it off last Friday and they began repair on Monday, but as of Monday morning repair was put on hold with the following message...

Hold for Parts - Service call is on hold until parts arrive, estimated at: None provided

Not very encouraging. It's supposed to be a 3-5 day turnaround. I inquired regarding what was being repaired and what parts they were waiting for, I've gotten no answer.

My enhanced KB arrived this morning ... I will finally get to try it with my new T61 and the advanced mini-dock soon and will let you know how it goes!

SLoweCSL · #23 Post by **SLoweCSL** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:12 am

Well, as an update on the situation, I am not very encouraged by the delays.

After submitting 3 times to my online service request asking for an update on the system, I finally had to call and talk to someone.

It seems that the system, only 2 months old, need an entire system board replaced. The problem is that they are awaiting the parts. They have estimated the parts to be available on August 23rd - that's 3 weeks after I shipped it back for repair.

If they do get the part when scheduled, then it will have to then be replaced on the notebook and tested etc., so it could be 4 weeks before I see my system again.

I think that's pretty outragous, the longest I every had to wait for a part replacement from Dell (even an entire D620 motherboard - broken usb port) was 2 days.

This may be the first and last Lenovo I purchase for my company.

eecon · #24 Post by **eecon** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 11:53 am

eecon wrote:
SLoweCSL wrote:For those of you interested in the ongoing saga, let's just say when you buy a laptop, pay extra for on-ste repair.............
snipped for long quote..................(MOD EDIT)........My enhanced KB arrived this morning ... I will finally get to try it with my new T61 and the advanced mini-dock soon and will let you know how it goes!

Sorry for the delay in providing an update on how my new T61 15.4" WS works with the advanced mini-dock and the USB enhanced KB. I got pulled off on another job assignment out of town and took my old T42 with me on this trip. Hope to be back this weekend to give the new unit a real test drive!

If for some reason things don't go well and the T61 needs repairs, I wonder if my 4 year 9-5 Onsite Repair warranty will at least let me keep the T61 at home and use it as-is while waiting on parts? (and the repair tech has to make a second or third or even fourth trip out to my house to until it's right)?

SLoweCSL · #25 Post by **SLoweCSL** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 12:28 pm

That's ok eecon. I hope all works properly once you get back and try it out.

Meanwhile I'll just sit here and ...

SLoweCSL · #26 Post by **SLoweCSL** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 9:58 am

Suprise, Suprise. Guess what showed up at my door this morning?

In the repair action report it lists that they did bios/embedded controller updates as needed, but I am unsure of exactly what part was replaced.

It mentions the part "Planar Card", does anyone know what it is exactly?

Thanks

creed_mty · #27 Post by **creed_mty** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 8:18 pm

SLoweCSL wrote:Is there anyone out there using this keyboard with their T61 and Advanced mini-dock?I am on my second keyboard and it is displaying an alarming tendency in the pre-boot environment. Prior to windows taking over the control of the keyboard, the Lenovo keyboard will enter many characters with a single keystroke. This was anoying in the bios, as you would hit one "esc" key stroke and would find you out of the bios and rebooting. snipped for long quote..................(MOD EDIT)

Did you install the CD before pluggin in the keyboard? I also have the same that came with the advanced mini dock bundle, so the fisrt thing I did is install the CD that came with it and plug it in because when is thru usb it depend on drivers and when you connect to PS2 you don't need driver .

eecon · #28 Post by **eecon** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 9:11 pm

creed_mty wrote:
SLoweCSL wrote:Is there anyone out there using this keyboard with their T61 and Advanced mini-dock?I am on my second keyboard and it is displaying an alarming tendency in the pre-boot environment. Prior to windows taking over the control of the keyboard, the Lenovo keyboard will enter many characters with a single keystroke. This was anoying in the bios, as you would hit one "esc" key stroke and would find you out of the bios and rebooting. snipped for long quote..................(MOD EDIT)
Did you install the CD before pluggin in the keyboard? I also have the same that came with the advanced mini dock bundle, so the fisrt thing I did is install the CD that came with it and plug it in because when is thru usb it depend on drivers and when you connect to PS2 you don't need driver .

creed_mty:

What CD are you talking about? My T61 Advanced Mini-Dock did not come with a CD. However, the USB enhanced KB did come with a CD, so I presume you mean the KB CD .... Right?

creed_mty · #29 Post by **creed_mty** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 11:56 pm

eecon wrote:
creed_mty wrote:

sorry, I was referring to the keyboard (of course) that it came with a Installation CD. not the minidock. In my above post I put that I bought the minidock Bundle which uncludes this type of keyboard. sorry if you misunderstood. everybody knows that the minidock DO NOT need a CD.

eecon · #30 Post by **eecon** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 12:17 am

eecon wrote:
creed_mty:

What CD are you talking about? My T61 Advanced Mini-Dock did not come with a CD. However, the USB enhanced KB did come with a CD, so I presume you mean the KB CD .... Right?

creed_mty wrote:sorry, I was referring to the keyboard (of course) that it came with a Installation CD. not the minidock. In my above post I put that I bought the minidock Bundle which uncludes this type of keyboard. sorry if you misunderstood. everybody knows that the minidock DO NOT need a CD.

Okay .... I'm getting reading to install the same bundle this week and thanks for reminding me to do the USB KB CD first.

Lenovo Enhanced USB Performance Keyboard

Lenovo Enhanced USB Performance Keyboard

Re: Lenovo Enhanced USB Performance Keyboard

Re: Lenovo Enhanced USB Performance Keyboard

Re: Lenovo Enhanced USB Performance Keyboard

Re: Lenovo Enhanced USB Performance Keyboard

Who is online