rescue CD's from IBM, A31p display issues

[malachont]

well, I got the A31p finally, ("last orders please..." remember Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy...?) probably the last customer to order a new one..
at least I have some claim for a historical contribution.
So now predictably, I have the expected barrage of Thinkpad newby questions. With a twist of course, as the part time guardian of
the "Living IBM archeological exhibits" gallery...

when I phoned IBM UK to get the windows 2000 rescue CD's within 30 days of purchase,
they said the global IBM policy is to ship them only if my hard drive
fails.
So. that means I have to lie to IBM in order to get this?

Also, after doing all the windows/thinkpad updates, the video shows little
pink dots on all of the desktop icons, and sometimes the entire windows
session gets conquered by them and I have to reboot. there are no dead pixels on the flexview. (mobility fireGL 7800, 64MB)
the display driver version is now 6.14.10.6422

also, when I go to control panel> display > advanced ,
select the monitor type, it shows the A31p LCD but it won't let me select it! if I select it, it promptly returns to "Default monitor" the next time I check this screen.

And I read again all the reviews of "the legendary IBM thinkpad Keyboard"
supposedly with the desktop key travel, because to me it seems the exact same key travel distance as a cheap toshiba notebook we have here.
is it possible that the shop have replaced the original IBM keyboard with some cheapy one? (I asked them to replace the UK kbd to US).

any ideas, anyone?

the main good thing (other than not having to pay for house heating anymore now that I've got this machine.. is that the theoretic 60GB drive turned out to be 73.4GB (usable partition). is that's how it always is?


Thanks for ANY advice...

[kchung]

The pixel/pink thing is something I've seen on a couple of Thinkpads at my office.

Step 1: Download and run the IBM PC Doctor software. If something is really bad, the video graphics tests should find it (don't count on it though, PC Doctor is not perfect "catch all" but it's better than nothing.

Step 2: Try reseating the video cable where it connects to the motherboard. You'll need to remove the keyboard and possibly one screw that holds down the connector.

Step 3: The PC Doctor test will do this but you may want to see about getting of those free "memtest" programs and test your RAM.


If neither of these fixes the problem, you may have a bad display, inverter, cable or even a bad motherboard. When this has happened, I've had the field guy come out here two times to do all of that to fix the problem. Since you just got the machine, it shouldn't do that.

-Kevin

[Jim Hope]

malachont,
It sounds like you got an 80 gig drive!
About the recovery CDs: you could order another drive and the call and tell IBM that you will need the CDs for that, then cancel the order. Or you can lie.