x31 keyboard pops out & other newbie ???'s

[JSC]

Hi all... I'm new to this forum and recently acquired a used x31 in pretty good shape. I just added 256mb of RAM to the existing 256mb and everything seems to work pretty well.

However, there is a slight annoyance with the keyboard. Since the laptop is so small, I take it around the house and literally use it on my lap. But when I press down a bit on the right palmrest area, the keyboard kinda pops up/out where the arrow keys are. I can just gently pop it back down, and the keys themselves work fine, but it is a nuisance more than anything else at this point. Is there a clip or something broken? Can it be fixed?

Also... a couple more questions on a slightly different note...

Since I use the x31 on my lap, it gets VERY hot. Especially compared to other ThinkPads I've owned in the past and a Gateway (gasp!) I owned briefly. Is this normal?

And lastly, in order to preserve the battery life, I took it out of the unit (at around 40% charge to store) and run on AC only. I plan to only put the battery in when I'm away from home and need to use it on the road. Can anybody tell me if this is a bad thing? In any case, I may try to pick up an older x31 battery to put in there because without one, the palm area seems a little flimsy, and may be exacerbating the keyboard popping out problem above.

Thanks for reading, and if anyone has any insight to the above questions, I'd appreciate your help!!!

[hishamh]

Is there a clip or something broken? Can it be fixed?

Sorry, can't help you here.

Since I use the x31 on my lap, it gets VERY hot. Especially compared to other ThinkPads I've owned in the past and a Gateway (gasp!) I owned briefly. Is this normal?

Pretty much - what I've done is make a custom power profile, with lowest CPU speed and reduced LCD brightness. This helps A LOT - the fan almost never comes on, and temperature at the base of the laptop is at worse warm.

And lastly, in order to preserve the battery life, I took it out of the unit (at around 40% charge to store) and run on AC only. I plan to only put the battery in when I'm away from home and need to use it on the road. Can anybody tell me if this is a bad thing?

I do this a lot as well. You might also want to store the good battery in a really cool place to reduce the chemical reactions.

[JSC]

Thanks for the info hishamh. Now if I can figure out the keyboard issue, this x31 would be perfect!

Anyone?

Thanks in advance.

[aceyx]

Was the system ever taken apart?

When I took my x32 apart to install the BMDC, I had the same problem when it was all back together (except it was the left palmrest). I loosened the keyboard mounting screws, adjusted the keyboard so that the sides and bottom near the FN key was underneath the plastic lip of the keyboard bezel. It's just an adjustment problem, very easy fix.

Haven't had issues since.

[JSC]

I don't think so, but I have no definite way of telling since I picked it up used. One other thing I noticed was that there is a break of sorts in the plastic housing along the right edge of the unit (directly to the right of the "Enter" key, and directly on top of the edge of the hard drive bay).

I don't have another x31 to compare it to, but it does seem like a small crack, and that may be the cause of the issue.

[Quattro]

any screws missing from the bottom?

[_erazor_]

you can obtain a new palmrest (that is the piece of plastic that also includes the frame around the keyboard, which for you seems cracked) for some dollars/euros/pounds from IBM/lenovo.

it`s easy to replace, so just go for it. you just have to find out what the correct FRU is on the ibm site

[JSC]

Quattro,
No screws missing that I can tell.

erazor,
A new palmrest might be the solution. However, I have a tendency to pick up the notebook by one corner of the palmrest, and I can feel quite a bit of flex. I'm trying to make a conscious effort not to do it, but it's habit, and it seems like a new palmrest would crack again pretty quickly.

I just replaced the old dirty original TrackPoint cap with a new soft dome one and I'm happy for now. I guess I'll just have to live with the keyboard popping out for now and try and see if I can compare it to another x31 when I can.

[doodles113]

JSC,
Avoid to pick up the machine from the corner...generate a torsion on the machine, forcing it to broke some plastics.
I see a lot of T2X with palmrest broken near to arrow keys , or the control key due to extreme torsion...
Take care with the machine and handle it as a "pizza",and the risk will decrease a lot...
Good luck with the new palmrest!