Questionable Thinkpad purchased on EBay

[rdjack21]

Ok I've been keeping my eye out for another ThinkPad and have been scanning the X200/X201 listings when I came across one listed like this:

Lenovo ThinkPad X201 Intel CORE (TM) I3-2310M 2.10GHZ 4GB parts or repair only

It should be noted that I noticed/found this while scanning ebay on my phone (mistake one) right before I went to bed late at night while traveling (mistake two). This particular auction was ending in a few hours which would make it early morning and the price was right and bios did come up. Took a look at the pics and in my sleep induced shape it looked OK like your normal off lease machine that has had all the removable stuff removed (battery, power supply, hard drive) every thing else was there so what the heck I'll bid on it figuring I would be out bid near the end because I bid lower than what I've seen most X201's go for (FYI I bid 240 on it). Well get up in the morning check my mail and low and behold I win it for ~230 so go ahead and pay for it hopping I'm going to get at least a decent fixer upper.

So it shows up pop the box and take a look Whoa this machine looks too good to be true. The only blemish on it is where someone removed a big sticker from the lid and the lenovo brand is missing off the lid as well. So after this initial look over of WOW this thing is great for what I paid I'm one happy camper.

So I'm playing with it booting it up and such and it dawns on me that this is not a X201 it is just all wrong. So start digging on ThinkWiki looking at the pics of the various models and all I can say for sure is that it is not a X201 and it looks to actually be a X220. I took some pictures of it and uploaded them to a picasa album located here so take a look if you don't mind and let me know what you think.

So anyways back to the story so I've booted Linux (USB Stick) and find out it has ThinkPad wireless networking which well Linux does not like at all. So time to do some digging so I can fix that issue ( find a Intel wireless card for it). While doing said digging I go to Lenovo's support site to look the machine up and Oh OH.... The model number on the Machine and in the BIOS does not exist!!!! So now I'm getting a little more concerned about what I actually have. Oh for those that have not looked the Model number as shown on the label is:

TYPE 81.4KH01.021G
PRODUCT ID: 814K21G

Any ideas on what I actually have here would be appreciated! For now I'm working with the assumption that I have a X220 not a X201 even though the darn label on the screen says X201. Now the main reason I would like to have the correct Model number is so I can find what WiFi cards are white listed for this machine so I can hopefully replace the current RealTek WiFi adapter with a Intel adapter. Because that is the only thing on this machine I'm having issues with (for now that is I still need to purchase all the missing parts).

One other questions about replacement parts:
mSATA or SSD? if mSATA does anyone know if this Crucial m4 mSATA SSD will work? In the comments one reviewer states that it worked in a W520 so does that mean it will work in this machine?

I would really like to nail down what I actually have so I can start acquiring the missing parts.

Thanks in advance

[Latios]

What a strange specimen

Though the real X220 doesn't have that sort of bezel and yeah the numbers don't exist in lenovo's support or warranty databases either(with the product number not being in lenovo's form either). It's entirely possible that it's some sort of pre production or a factory flop that went on sale in Asia.

See if you can get Windows on it and check out what lenovo's software and/or speccy(for the model number) say about it.

[ajkula66]

You most likely have a pre-production unit. Engineering sample. Call it what you will.

The "non-existant" model number is something that I've seen on these in the past.

[houndkr]

From the looks of the keyboard, the lack of latch, port locations, and the screen ratio, it is indeed an X220.

Just like what Latios and Ajkula said, it seems to be a pre-production model(most likely).
Maybe the previous owner changed its casing into a crude and low quality 3rd party replacement part for some unknown reason, OR, he should have used it so, so very extensively that all the bezel's finishes became glossy, which are quite unlikely in my point of view.

If its motherboard is technically identical with mass production model, then Crucial M4 will work.
Since it's most likey an engineering sample, or pre-production(perhaps for beta-testing) model, I can't really tell for sure. Production models of X220 support mSATA for sure, however.

[dr_st]

Maybe the previous owner changed its casing into a crude and low quality 3rd party replacement part for some unknown reason

No, that's just how the plastics on most pre-production units come. That's one of the easiest ways to identify one.

[rdjack21]

See if you can get Windows on it and check out what lenovo's software and/or speccy(for the model number) say about it.

Hmm good Idea but sadly (or happily depending on your point of view) I don't have any usable windows software. The only copy of Windows I have in the house is the one on the original hard drive for my T410 so I'm not sure I could use that. Maybe I will just plug it in the USB port and see what happens

You most likely have a pre-production unit. Engineering sample. Call it what you will. The "non-existant" model number is something that I've seen on these in the past.

Well that makes me feel better but also has me worried that I will have compatibility issues. Think parts that are not exactly the same so don't fit ect. And I bet I would have issues upgrading the BIOS on this machine as well but then again that should not be an issue as long as everything works.

If its motherboard is technically identical with mass production model, then Crucial M4 will work.
Since it's most likey an engineering sample, or pre-production(perhaps for beta-testing) model, I can't really tell for sure. Production models of X220 support mSATA for sure, however.

Yea that's the big question. I guess I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and order one and find out. Would pulling the palm rest and keyboard give some clues? I will try to do that tonight and take a pic of it.

QUOTE "dr_st" -- sorry but can't nest quotes

Maybe the previous owner changed its casing into a crude and low quality 3rd party replacement part for some unknown reason

No, that's just how the plastics on most pre-production units come. That's one of the easiest ways to identify one.
END QUOTE "dr_st"

Cool so we now have it. I most likely have a pre-production unit which does make me feel better but also leaves me with questions about compatibility and such. So I guess I need to at least take the palm rest and keyboard off to make sure it has every thing needed to support what I want to do.

Thanks so much for the help it is greatly appreciated! I will take some more pics tonight once I get the cover off

[ajkula66]

Having owned a few "weird duck" pre-production ThinkPads in my days, here's what I'll say:

a) Stay away from updating the BIOS.

b) Use the machine "as-is" and don't dump to much $$$ into it.

It seems to be an interesting specimen indeed, enjoy it.

[rdjack21]

Having owned a few "weird duck" pre-production ThinkPads in my days, here's what I'll say:

a) Stay away from updating the BIOS.

b) Use the machine "as-is" and don't dump to much $$$ into it.

It seems to be an interesting specimen indeed, enjoy it.

Thanks for the input and to be honest I'm starting to lean towards the don't sink $$$ into it. But the question is what's a bunch of $$$ and what can I salvage if it does not work out. I think about the only thing specific to this machine that I'm going to spend money on will be upgrading the WiFi card ($30) and a battery (third party so about $50) which would put me in at about $300 that I would not necessarily be able to reuse on other machines.

Reusable parts Memory and SSD (I'm leaning SSD instead of mSata because I can be assured of reuse).

[ajkula66]

I generally advise people against using third-party batteries, especially on newer ThinkPads, but your money - your call.

Good luck with the rare bird.

[rdjack21]

Updated pictures at picasa I have now removed the keyboard and palm rest. Looks to have everything and even looks to have 3 antenna's maybe that is why it does not have a camera. I do have to say this is one clean machine I mean it really does look brand new.

[rdjack21]

I generally advise people against using third-party batteries, especially on newer ThinkPads, but your money - your call.

Good luck with the rare bird.

I would prefer original batteries as well but I'm not sure I want to sink too much into this machine until I know it is going to work out. I just may hold off on getting the battery and just run off the wall until I verify that every thing works as expected and is stable.

Besides if I hold off I just may find a good to decent deal on a battery.

[ajkula66]

Besides if I hold off I just may find a good to decent deal on a battery.

Good thinking there.

[mikemex]

Weird...

[rdjack21]

Well got all the parts I needed in to get this thing up and running (Intel wifi card, SSD, Hard drive cage and power supply).

After trying to get Linux to install on this thing most of yesterday I finally got it all figured out today. I have to say UEFI BIOS is a PITA (Pain In The A$$). I spent most of yesterday trying to get it to work the old way because the BIOS Setup indicated that it supported Legacy booting. Well it doesn't really so I spent today getting UEFI working.

Any ways the only thing that is a problem now and in my opinion it is a big problem is that the track point is not working nor are the buttons on the track point working. I happen to have a T410 which uses the same keyboard so swapped them and still no track point so I have a MB issue somewhere For now I'm just going to use a mouse until I can figure out what the problem is.

I read post here about someone that had a blown fuse now I just need to find that post and see if maybe I have the same issue. Only problem is I don't have the right tools to replace one of those small SMT fuses if that is the problem