T43 Freezes/Crashes when I Dock

[blinker]

I have a T43 with a type 2878 docking station. For quite a few years I have had an intermittent problem with the T43 "dying" when I dock it to the docking station. What happens is before I dock, the laptop is asleep so you see the little green sleep light on. When I snap the machine into the dock, the sleep light goes out. If this happens, the computer is now gone, meaning I cannot force it to open or reboot - I have to pull the battery to reset it.

This does not happen all the time. I have also tried docking without the laptop being asleep and I still get mixed results.

I have wondered if there is a special technique needed to connect to the docking station - sometimes I do it right, sometimes not? I am not sure. I have talked to tech support about this years ago and they sent me a new docking station - which didn't fix the problem. I talked to tech support again and they said they would send me another docking station which I never got. I called them again about it and they said they would send it but it might take a while because they were out of them. That was about 3 years ago.

Needless to say, I have put up with this issue for a while but sometimes it happens too often and frustrates me as it can corrupts files that might have been open at the time. I am up to date on all my Thinkpad drivers.

Does anyone else have this same issue or have an idea for a solution for me?

Thanks so much!

blinker

[RealBlackStuff]

The TP should be OFF when you put it on the docking station.
With or without battery makes no difference, but with battery you would have a built-in UPS of sorts.

[blinker]

I was not aware of this. I have been using a Thinkpad with a docking station for perhaps the last 8 years and have never "needed" to have the laptop turned off to dock it. Are you saying I have been fortunate or are you suggesting a good work around for the problem?

How about hibernation?

blinker

[blinker]

Anyone else have an opinion on this?

Does it make sense that a laptop has to be turned off in order to dock it? Laptops have been hot docking for many years now. I would like to know why sometimes my laptop does a hard crash when I try it.

Any help or opinions are appreciated.

blinker

[MnR]

Hi,


Well, Being Old School I shut down my computers before I change or do anything to them.

Yes I think you have been quite lucky if you have been docking with your laptop ON...

MnR

[billp117]

I have been rather pleased with Windows 7...this might help with your docking problems. Windows 7 runs fine on the T43.