UPDATED:Thinkpad Advanced Dock w Lenovo ATI x1300 Video Card

[Aent007]

Hi,

I recently purchased a Thinkpad Advanced Dock (Link) to go with my T60 Laptop. I also purchased the Lenovo ATI x1300 Graphics Card for the pci-e slot in the docking station (Link).
The idea is that I would like to use the dual dvi-out feature on the video card to support two LCD monitors when my computer is docked in my home office. The Advanced Dock has a slot for a PCI-e card in it and then I would connect my two LCDs directly to the video card DVI-out using a dongle that came in the video card packaging.

Here is the problem I am having. I originally plugged the ATI card into the docking station and tried to dock the computer. Every time I did, the computer would immediately blue screen (IRQL not less than or equal) and then when I'd attempt to restart, it would blue screen with NMI Memory Parity Error. I called Lenovo support and they told me they thought it was the motherboard on my laptop which I thought was not the case, since it is fine the rest of the time.

I hung up with them and removed the video card from the docking station. Tried docking the computer and only plugged one of my LCDs into the single DVI out on the docking station and it worked - I got video on the laptop screen and the one LCD I had plugged directly into the docking station. I then tried putting the video card back in and I had exactly the same problems as before when docking - the blue screens came back.

I don't currently have the video card drivers for the ATI video card installed on my T-60 because when I try to install them when the computer is off dock, it says it can't find the hardware and so it aborts driver installation. When i dock the computer so I can install them that way, it blue screens. I don't know if the drivers are the problem, but that was my initial guess. I suppose the card could also be bad, but I don't know.

Does anyone had any suggestions as to what to do? From reading other places online, it sounds like the PCI-E slots on the docking stations may not provide enough power and require cards of semi-special size and so buying an off-the-shelf card may not work. I would ideally like to figure out how to get the parts I have in front of me work, rather than looking at buying new equipment.

Please help. I will provide any other information you need to help.

Thanks.

007

System: T60 200764U / Intel T2500 @ 2.00 ghz / 1.50 GB of RAM
OS: Windows XP w/ SP2
Laptop Video Card: ATI Mobility Radeon X1400 (if it helps)

[akhavan]

Hi,

I got exactly the same setup as you without any problem. Once I got a blue screen and that was it. I'm using the LCD of T60P with two LCD monitors connected to the card's DVI.

I updated the driver of T60P first and then installed the latest driver for the card. It works great.

Try making a dock profile. Maybe that will help.

Sepehr

[Aent007]

Thanks for the response. A few questions:

What do you mean when you say you updated the driver of the T60p first? Driver for what?

Can you walk me through exactly what you did step by step please?

I tried booting into safe mode, and was able to put the computer on the dock with the video card in, but then when i tried not to be in safe mode, I had the blue screen problem again. As a side note, when I checked in safe mode, it said the ATI x1300 drivers were installed and working properly.

Thanks!

[Aent007]

Got a call from support suggesting I change the Display settings in the BIOS. Switched from Internal to PCI-E.

So now when i put it on the dock, it starts to boot and i get the Windows boot screen on both LCDs. Was very excited to see this.

HOWEVER, the computer now freezes at various stages of the boot process when on the dock. Sometimes at the first screen (before Windows loads), sometimes when Windows XP is on its loading screen and sometimes right after I login to Windows and am waiting for my startup programs to run (while I'm looking at the Desktop).


Can anyone help now? I also tried booting into safe mode and the same thing happened while on the dock. T-60 is fine when not on the dock (I'm on it now).


Thanks!!!

[RonS]

First, know that you cannot "hot-dock" or "hot-undock" your T60 with a video card in the Dock's expansion bay. You have to power down your Thinkpad, then dock, then power on. You will have to power down to undock. Video cards are not hot-pluggable under Windows.

Second, it may be that you're running up against the power limit of your dock. Try unplugging all USB and other devices (parallel, serial, etc) from your Advanced Dock. Also remove the device from the dock's slim bay. With your Thinkpad undocked, unplug the power from your dock for a minute or so. Then, re-dock your Thinkpad and see if it will boot.

[akhavan]

Hi,

The latest Video driver for T60p is

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-62841[/url]


The latest Video driver for 256MB ATI X1300 Dual-VGA or Dual-DVI, TV-out, PCI-Express Graphics Adapter (p/n 41U5028) is

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... -68588[url]

Its best if you have the latest drivers.

When I installed the ATI X1300 I didn't have anything connected to my dock no USB and no monitor. Just the T60p and the dock. Also, I didn't have to go through safe mode or changed anything in the BIOS.

Have a look at this as well

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-67464[/url]

Its 'How to setup four external monitors when using ATI X1300 display adapter and ThinkPad Advanced Dock'. It gives you an idea for your setup.

Sepehr