Docking station hardware manual

Message

#1 Post by **daeojkim** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 1:46 pm

I got a docking station for A31p. It works great and makes cable management and availability of extra ultrabay is a big plus. However, the fan noise is excessive. It is the noisiest component of all. This has the built in power converter in the unit.

I used it by stopping the fan by shoving a piece of paper on the fan. The case gets slightly warm but not hot so I don't think there will be much of a problem using without the fan.

I would like to disconnect the fan or add a switch to turn on and off the fan manually, or add a temperature sensor to control the fan operation.

I can't figure out how to dissasemle the case to get to the fan and power supply. Is there a published manual for this? I tried to search in IBM site without much luck.

Thanks.

JHEM · #2 Post by **JHEM** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 4:32 pm

YGM!

Regards,

James

shadowlight · #3 Post by **shadowlight** » Fri Apr 15, 2005 3:44 pm

Please let us know about your solution!

I'm very interested in it. The noise is really annoying.
Could the fan be necessery with a hot PCI-card plugged into the Docking Station?
I'm also interested in the manual.

Regards,

Jens

#4 Post by **daeojkim** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 1:55 am

So I looked at the manual and disassembled the docking station and unplugged the power to the fan. It is so much quieter now.

Also Since my old desktop is being used as a file server I took out the PCI USB 2.0 card and installed it in the docking station. It worked well w/o any problems. it works better than PCMCIA USB 2.0 card which would intermittently hesitate and it requires extra power cord fi the USB device draws much power, which was kind of annoying.

I must say I could not be happier with the mini dock.

Thanks James for sending me the HMM fo docking station.

shadowlight · #5 Post by **shadowlight** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 8:52 am

That sounds great!

Can you please forward the manual to me?

Greetings,
Jens

#6 Post by **daeojkim** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 10:14 am

shadowlight wrote:That sounds great!

Can you please forward the manual to me?

Greetings,
Jens

Please pm me your e-mail address where I can send the HMM

Also so far I am not concerned with PCI USB card and playing Diablo II. It gets warm but not hot enough to concern me. I am planning to put another HD in the ultrabay in the docking station, then I would have to keep a close watch since it will block the air flow through the bay and it will generate and draw more power, i.e. a hotter power supply.

Thanks.

JHEM · #7 Post by **JHEM** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 11:17 am

shadowlight wrote:That sounds great!

Can you please forward the manual to me?

YGM Jens.

Regards,

James

The Weissman · #8 Post by **The Weissman** » Fri May 06, 2005 12:44 pm

I just got the Dock II and would like to disconnect the fan as well. May I have a copy of the hardware manual too? Thanks,

Steve

shadowlight · #9 Post by **shadowlight** » Sat May 07, 2005 12:52 pm

What's your e-mail address?

The Weissman · #10 Post by **The Weissman** » Sat May 07, 2005 3:03 pm

It's in my profile: steveweiss at comcast.net.
Thanks,

Steve

shadowlight · #11 Post by **shadowlight** » Sat May 07, 2005 5:20 pm

YGM Steve!

Regards,

Jens

jack NYC · #12 Post by **jack NYC** » Tue May 24, 2005 6:10 pm

does anyone have a clue for places to find half height PCI cards for the Dock. I have looked all over and cant find much of anything.
Thanks
Jack

raggar · #13 Post by **raggar** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 7:54 am

hi, im just buying my long awaited x31... and wanna plug a gaming card into it. so i have the same problem.
here is a list of solutions i have found:

http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/ThinkPad_ ... ideo_Cards

please note, that the Dock accepts "low profile" cards. these have special brackets to fit in. Normal cards wont fit!!!

if anybody knows more pls post it.
and pls. could ppl post their game performance on an x31 system?
specially for ppl who have 3d-PCI cards in it! but also ones with the normal card.
games im interested in:

CS Source
Doom3
Americas army

thanx!

jtreble · #14 Post by **jtreble** » Sun Nov 06, 2005 7:24 am

raggar,

**Lots** of the newer PCI video cards fit the Dock II (even though they're **not** called "half height" cards) but if you're looking for a dual monitor DVI setup the choice is a lot more limited: Matrox G/P 450/550/650, nVidia NVS 280-based cards, ATI VE 7000-based cards....

tar1827 · #15 Post by **tar1827** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 10:35 am

I recently found this excellent forum, and this thread in particular. I would be grateful if I could get a copy of the maintenance manual for the docking station. I'm not sure if it is a Dock I or Dock II; however, it has "Type 2631" on the side. I use it merely as a port replicator and the fan noise is driving me nuts. Also, I have another one that someone broke a key in, so I'd like to play around trying to fix it. Thanks!