IdeaCentre Q150 - 4081-2GU Opening Case to Upgrade CRU FRU Parts [ Edited ]

[AriMx]

New to the discussion so hope someone can help me with removing the case cover to install CRU / FRU upgrades.

Have new Q150 model 4081-2GU

machine type 100563

configuration number 57130901

Reading the Hardware Maintenance Manual V2.0 -

http://consumersupport.lenovo.com/us/en/UserGuide/Guide_show_1275624919250.html

I can see the exploded view on page 23 and on page 27 in step 6 it says that after removing the six screws that secure the computer cover to the chassis in step 7 "Slide the computer cover out to remove it."

That doesn't seem to work or at least it is not easy. The case "cracks" open a little but it also appears there is a "lip" all around that will not allow the cover to "slide out".

Anybody know if it slides back away from the rear ports? Up from the bottom where the stand connects or ????

If someone has opened their case to upgrade hard drive or memory I would appreciate some guidance so I don't damage anything. 

With the nVidia chip, HDMI port, VESA bracket and a multimedia remote seems like a cute HTPC and will make a good addition to my Thinkpad family (many since '92) if I can only get the case open to increase the HD size and max out the memory.

thanx in advance for any help .. and don't forget - the model - machine type and configuration number are at the top of this request. (And if you answer from Malaysia - Hey is for horses and Hello is for people ;-] )

[Cleo_Lenovo Administrator]

Hi AriMx,

I've got your PM so i decided to post here instead.

I do not have Q150 thus i can't try it out whether is to slide down or to the left.. (according the page 27) Which direction did you try and it doens't work? Anyway, let me check with my colleague on this as well...

[AriMx]

Thanks for the reply. Don't mind helping everyone out by solving this in public.

I've talked to Lenovo in the Philippines - they have no experience with the actual hardware ... just script kitties. At least they admit it.

The top cover doesn't move in any direction and I've tried albeit gingerly so I wouldn't break anything. (I know it's about science not violence!). In English one generally doesn't say slide out but slide off so I wonder if it's a "pop" up "off" some tabs?

Either I'm missing something simple or there is a problem with the cover.

Appreciate anything you come up with when conferring with your colleagues. Or if someone else in the community who has opened the case sees this and chimes in.

thanx again and thanx for all your good work.

[Cleo_Lenovo Administrator]

AriMx,

As what i was told: after removing the 6 screws, we need to use a plastic tweezer or a card to unlock the latches and lift the cover up. Need to be careful...

Cleo

[Duck3]

I use guitar picks for "cracking" things like that open.

[AriMx · Accepted solution]

Thanks to Cleo_Lenovo and Duck3 for the answers.

Obviously this community is a superior place to get help then LeNOvo online or telephone support.

Been a long time but might be able to find a guitar pick somewhere in my junk draw!! ;-]

It took some homework but found a guy on line who updated his Q150 to a Linux machine with an SSD & 4GB of memory. He’s put up some interesting pictures showing the case open with the new parts.

OSS Notebook: LeNOvo Q150, OCZ vertex 2, 4Gb of Memory and Ubuntu 11.04 at -

http://ossnotebook.blogspot.com/2011/02/lenovo-q150-ocz-vertex-2-4gb-of-memory.html

Yesterday he told me all he did to open the case was remove the screws then - use a credit card as a lever to gently work around the case and POP the top UP and OFF.

When the case was open I saw there were 3 latches on the fan side of the bottom case pointing up and 3 on the leading edge near the USB / SPI connectors that needed to be released. They fit into receptacle like slots on the top cover. Reminds me of how the 15” inch T60p palmrest goes together.

So now we know the LeNOvo Hardware Maintenance Manual v2.0 is totally wrong on pg 27 step 7.

The case cover doesn’t slide at all. (Maybe some LeNOvo employee who is monitoring this forum can get it corrected before they discontinue the unit due to poor sales resulting from inferior support and a diminished reputation?)

Final thoughts?

Since '92 I've been able to brag about Thinkpad hardware, service and support but that's not happening with LeNOvo.

So some if's are appropriate ....

If #1 - Would be good if LeNOvo created a simple Thinkpad like driver matrix or write and distribute a separate System Update application and take down the outdated 2010 drivers then put the current 2011 files plus the latest bios in one easy to find and read page. (Maybe they’ll read the forum post and take it all to heart?)

If #2 - Train the telephone support people on the product so at least they've seen the hardware they're talking about. Has to be cheaper to have a tech demonstrate how to dissasemble / reassemble a unit for them then to declare it broken, ship out parts and send a repair tech for 9-5 next business day on site service when the problem could be resolved on the telephone.

If #3 - Assign a trained, informed and literate employee to monitor the forum. Then customers like BillyP12 who owns 5 machines and has posted 6 unresolved messages since June 9 -  about the 6/03/2010 bios rev D7KT12AUS that won’t take 4Gig modules and pass the post and the 11/17/2010 bios rev D7KT14AUS that will - won't get the run around for a simple answer that would maximize his satisfaction with and use of the investment.

Last If #4 - and here's the complaint - If a factory rep can’t read or understand the question and doesn’t know that post = Power On Self-Test and kept asking for data already given and why I needed a BIOS update I’d walk away shaking my head wondering why in the world I spent a couple of thousand dollars with - as we say in Texas - these yeah-hoos.


Thankfully there are people here that helped me solve the problem. The on-site warranty is good thru 07/31/12, but hopefully I won’t have any new hardware or software issues that require dealing with LeNOvo. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

[Cleo_Lenovo Administrator]

AriMx,

Sure i'll cascade the information about the step 7 in page 27. It's not 'slide', and it should clearly convey to which direction should users remove the case.

1) We did have a plan of implementing the ability to filter drivers by date and OS in the next enhancement phase  - you may want to post your feedback about new esupport site in this discussion board.

2) Appreciate your suggestion on this matter. I"m not sure about the training materials for call centre,however, service centre folks are required to take such training before a new launch of a product.

3) You're right, a know-everything staff is be good. However, it's not possible a person could know everything considering we have plenty of products ranging from mobiles to desktop, server, accessories,etc.  To make the situation more complicated, we have more than thousand of discussion topics per month. Morever, there are different types of question from sale to services, support.  It's not easy.

We're learning each and every day. We help each other in the forum, and most importantly this forum is solely for peer-to-peer discussion. Some lenovo staffs do sometimes spend their leisure time(non-working hours) checking out our forum though. Currently, there are a few staffs working on forum specifically on commonly faced issues, another is expected to help individual customers as much as he could.

Anyhow, I get your point though. It definitely needs some times to go to the extend of officially supporting customers in forum.

4) I'm sorry for you didn't get what you need (bios update). But Factory rep? What do you mean? Do you mean service centre folks? Could you send me the details in PM and i'll see if can escalate your problem to our customer resolution team.
It is good if can get it ecalated and the team will have the data and act on it.

Thank you so much for your suggestion. You have good instincts for improvement, and we always like to hear this type of feedback with suggestion.

Best regards,

Cleo

[Cleo_Lenovo Administrator]

AirMx,

Could you share with me a picture of showing the steps to unlock the latches with guitar picks or whatever you use in order to remove the case? Can i have this picture included in a knowledge base article that i'm going to create in this forum based on this current discussion thread? It'd be very great to have end users participation

Let me know. Many thanks!

Regards,
Cleo

[ronaksf]

I notice that the Q150 can support 4GB of memory with the Linux, install. Is that correct with a windows installation?

If so do I need to use a DDR2-6400 or will a 5300 be OK?

Trying to increase the memory on mine.

[AriMx]

ronaksf -

Max out the system with a single 4MB chip for both Linux and W7HP64 and you'll get more bang for the buck then with any other upgrade. (Well an SSD might making booting quicker but the real limitation will always be the processing power of the Atom CPU).

Speed of memory - Gee - it's  been a long time and honestly don't remember the speed rating of the chip but the logic is that whatever you put in will run (single chip) at the speed it has. Mo and faster is always better but unless you're trying to do some stuff that demands lots of ram effort you're again limited by the CPU.

This machine ain't no work horse but it's doing a fine job place shifting from a Monsoon Vulkano Platinum (Dallas to Mexico with a 10MB ISP on both ends - the Vulkano always reports downloads in the range of 1.5MBs) - playing the online TV programs / movies I access via browser from Europe and the ones I download off the p___bay site. (since the internal junk wi-fi card is a single band n Realtek USB device the Q150 is connected to a Netgear WNDR37AV router restricted to the n 5gHz band via a Linksys AE1000 dual band wi-fi dongle and consistently transfers between 200-300mps @ 70% signal quality which is superior to the internal 10/100 NIC.)

After the memory upgrade the real deal should be to max out the HD storage capacity and its rotation speed.

Good luck - hope I've helped.

~ A

BTW - If I had to do it all over - money aside - I'd go for a Q180 with a 1T drive. Better Wi-Fi card and antennas plus the mated CD/DVD is sweet.

"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."
— Robert Heinlein