Couple questions about my T61p (screen hinge/trackpoint)

[ZeroVoid]

Hi, I've had my T61p for just over a month now, and I love it. Two things though: the screen hinges seem to be loose. I've searched through a couple other topics, and it seems to be a known issue; how would I go about replacing them if I can't send my laptop in? I need it every day, and couldn't afford to lose it for even a week. Can I get replacement parts sent here then do it myself, even with little knowledge of this sort of thing?
Also, my TrackPoint mouse ball seems to "creep" at times. It will start to drift away in a direction I have no control over. Not a big issue, but it has become a minor annoyance. Is there any way to correct this? Any help would be appreciated.

[rkawakami]

Welcome to thinkpads.com!

The hinges are not considered a CRU (customer replaceable unit) item. As such, if your system is still covered by a warranty I don't know how that will affect it (the warranty). I've never taken a T61 apart but looking at the Hardware Maintenance Manual, it's about as involved as other systems I've done (remove the lid assembly from the base, take most of the lid apart). You might be able to order a set directly from Lenovo or you could try searching eBay.

As far as your drifting Trackpoint, it tends to do this (as it's supposed to) if there has been a continuous pressure placed upon it; think: keeping a fingertip on the pointing stick even if you are not actively trying to push it around. When you remove the pressure, the Trackpoint attempts to re-calibrate itself and makes the mouse pointer move. You can try changing the sensitivity of the mouse in Windows Control Panel but first see if you are resting your finger on the Trackpoint.

[sjthinkpader]

removed

[ZeroVoid]

Welcome to thinkpads.com!

The hinges are not considered a CRU (customer replaceable unit) item. As such, if your system is still covered by a warranty I don't know how that will affect it (the warranty). I've never taken a T61 apart but looking at the Hardware Maintenance Manual, it's about as involved as other systems I've done (remove the lid assembly from the base, take most of the lid apart). You might be able to order a set directly from Lenovo or you could try searching eBay.

As far as your drifting Trackpoint, it tends to do this (as it's supposed to) if there has been a continuous pressure placed upon it; think: keeping a fingertip on the pointing stick even if you are not actively trying to push it around. When you remove the pressure, the Trackpoint attempts to re-calibrate itself and makes the mouse pointer move. You can try changing the sensitivity of the mouse in Windows Control Panel but first see if you are resting your finger on the Trackpoint.

Alright, I'll look into adjusting my settings for the Trackpoint. As for the hinges, are they covered under warranty? My warranty is still good; I've only had the computer for about a month. I read somewhere on here that Lenovo has recognized the problem and is replacing hinges for free. Do you know if this is true?

[rkawakami]

Not sure about the warranty coverage on your system for this problem. It appears to be a known problem but I'm not up to speed with all of the latest issues. Try searching here and at the Lenovo forums:

http://lnv.lithium.com/lnv/