Thinkpads Forum

I recently acquired a T460p with discrete graphics and WQHD display. I also purchased 2 Thinkpad Ultra Docks (Model 40A20090US) for my two work locations. I'm running Windows 10 Pro and have installed all of the latest drivers available through Lenovo.

I've discovered an oddity that I never saw with my previous T420 and its dock, and I haven't yet found a simple way to resolve it (apparently there's a $25 software solution, though).

The dock is connected to ethernet and an external Dell U2415 display via the DisplayPort. I extend my desktop across both the T460p and the external display.

I currently have the 460p configured to remain powered on while docked, with the screen set to shut off after 30 minutes of inactivity. When I return to my computer after the displays have gone dark, I will find all of my application windows moved to the Dell external display (which is also set as my "primary" display when docked), and expanded to full screen size (not "maximized," however). I then need to manually rearrange my desktop to place the applications back where I want them.

I've also tried setting, via power management, the displays to not turn off. The same issue occurs after unlocking Windows.

FYI, This was never a problem with the T420; I'd return to the computer and find everything right where I left it.

Thanks...

It is probably a BIOS issue. There are a lot of issues with docking and 2016 ThinkPad series. They're just prototypes You can read horror stories in Lenovo P/W forum

Try updating the firmware on both docking stations. Lenovo has the .exe update on their site somewhere.

My T460p was having a strange issue as well. After the display turned off (I set this to 30 minutes), I kept hearing the Windows 10 hardware disconnect and reconnect sounds constantly. I think it was trying to disconnect the DisplayPort as I disconnected all my USB devices. I think it still plays the sounds occasionally, but nowhere near as bad as it did before.

Before this generation, I had zero issues with ThinkPads and docking stations. Everything else was rock solid, but my current setup is doing much better after the update.

bba1973 wrote:Try updating the firmware on both docking stations. Lenovo has the .exe update on their site somewhere.

My T460p was having a strange issue as well. After the display turned off (I set this to 30 minutes), I kept hearing the Windows 10 hardware disconnect and reconnect sounds constantly. I think it was trying to disconnect the DisplayPort as I disconnected all my USB devices. I think it still plays the sounds occasionally, but nowhere near as bad as it did before.

Before this generation, I had zero issues with ThinkPads and docking stations. Everything else was rock solid, but my current setup is doing much better after the update.

I had actually updated the firmware to the most current release on both docks the day I got them, and there hasn't been a new release since then.

And yes, I hear the "device disconnect" sound effects on occasion when the lock kicks in and the screens go off. The "device connect" sounds play when I press a key or scan my fingerprint to log on.

I'm currently using the 135W power brick that came with the T460p as the power supply for the dock, and travel with the dock's original 90W brick. I read somewhere that the 135W brick can cause occasional spontaneous undock events and it's recommended to actually use the included 90W brick. I'm hoping that I can just buy an adapter for one of the 3 or 4 90W pin-and-barrel style bricks I have from earlier docks and thinkpads and use that if the 135W brick is the root of the problem.

Forgot to mention I'm using the 90 watt power supply with my 90 watt dock.

The next thing I can think to try would be the power supply swap. I think there are the round to square connector adapters, but these power supplies are pretty cheap on ebay. I bought a spare 135w for $23 and change shipped. Brand new, legit Lenovo, US sold and shipped.

There's an ebay seller with lightly used 90w power supplies for $16 shipped. That might be a good option as well.

@Dodge DeBoulet - I'm also experiencing a similar issue. Did you find a solution yet?

kit2 wrote:@Dodge DeBoulet - I'm also experiencing a similar issue. Did you find a solution yet?

Sadly, I have not. I keep checking for updated dock firmware and/or BIOS updates for the T460p. And although the T460p has seen a few BIOS updates, the latest firmware version for the dock is from May (and already installed on mine).

It's a bit disappointing. My T420 and its 2 docks never had this issue.

Not sure if you saw this yet or not, but on the Lenovo Quick Pick site, they list the 90w version of the Ultra Dock as compatible. However, when hovering over Footnotes, it says "Does not support ThinkPad T460p quad-core models with discrete graphics. Please use ThinkPad Ultra Dock 170w".

https://www.lenovoquickpick.com/usa/sys ... ccessories

We are receiving a 170w Ultra Dock soon to see if it makes a difference.

kit2 wrote:Not sure if you saw this yet or not, but on the Lenovo Quick Pick site, they list the 90w version of the Ultra Dock as compatible. However, when hovering over Footnotes, it says "Does not support ThinkPad T460p quad-core models with discrete graphics. Please use ThinkPad Ultra Dock 170w".

https://www.lenovoquickpick.com/usa/sys ... ccessories

We are receiving a 170w Ultra Dock soon to see if it makes a difference.

Must be new information. I worked with a Lenovo sales rep to order the T460p and docks, and he assured me the version with the 90w adapter would be fine.

Regardless, the dock that's been the most problematic is using the 135W adapter that shipped with the T460p. The other dock (with the 90w adapter) is the more reliable of the two.

I just bought a T460p and the 170w ultra dock about a month ago and have had no problems. However I use three external monitors and keep the T460p closed. Have you tried using two external monitors instead of the thinkpad's screen?

skm67 wrote:I just bought a T460p and the 170w ultra dock about a month ago and have had no problems. However I use three external monitors and keep the T460p closed. Have you tried using two external monitors instead of the thinkpad's screen?

I haven't tried two external monitors yet (although I likely will be switching to that configuration soon, at least on one of my two docks ... but I'll hate giving up the fingerprint reader for logon). The problem has diminished significantly since I originally posted, most likely because there have been multiple updates to video and other system drivers since then. I still get the occasional rearrangement of open applications, but it's not happening every day now.

I should also mention that when I'm working from one of the two dock locations, I'm there for 3-7 days at a stretch and the laptop never leaves the dock during that time.

Were you running W10 on your T420?
It might be a W10 and/or related drivers issue.

bit_twiddler wrote:Were you running W10 on your T420?
It might be a W10 and/or related drivers issue.

Yes, I was. Different chipset with a different level of DP support than the T460p though, so the driver issue is a possibility. The docking station is a different model as well.

Just a quick followup ... I purchased a ThinkVision X1 27" 4K display to replace the 24" Dell WUXGA connected to the UltraDock at one of my work locations, and now use my T460p there with the lid closed.

At the other location I now have 2x24" WUXGA Dell displays connected to my T460p's UltraDock. I keep the lid closed when I'm there, too.

The problem appears to be completely resolved

I have a fair amount of experience using a T460p/WQHD in various docked/external-monitor configs. Here's what I've found:

1. When using the Ultra-dock I have three monitors - 2 x 1600x1200 + 1 x 1920x1200. I use this with the laptop closed. I run everything at 100% scaling and all is good.
2. Sometimes I use the machine open with a 24" 4K monitor conneted via the mini-DP. This is nice as both screens are running at a comparable DPI so I don't need different scaling on each screen and things still look sharp when dragging them between screens (I think I use 150% scaling on both screens). One minor problem is that my external screen takes so long to wake up from standby that Windows gives up and moves all the windows back to the laptop's internal display. I think this is just a quirk of my monitor (an HP Z24s)... probably other monitors wake up faster and would not have this problem.
3. Sometimes I use the machine open with a 24" 1920x1200 (Dell U2415). The good news is that this monitor wakes up quickly enough that the windows don't get rearranged. The bad news is Win10 doesn't handle the mixed dpi scaling well... when you drag a window from the hi-res to the low-res screen everything ends up looking really fuzzy on the low-res screen.
4. If I use the machine docked and then put it to sleep and wake it up undocked, things look like crap. Windows just can't handle switching over from lo-dpi to hi-dpi scaling without logging out and back in (or rebooting). This is a pain - it means I've gotten used to saving and closing things a lot more than I used to. This is certainly something Microsoft could fix, but they haven't bothered to do it yet.


- Jay