From: Ronald W. Heiby (heiby_at_falkor.chi.il.us)
Date: Tue Apr 03 2001 - 22:55:31 EDT
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Hello ThinkPad,
Got my A21p the other day, and have a few simple questions about it.
The thing came with an A20p manual, which I understand to be normal.
It may just be my imagination, but it seems to be even more "sparse"
than my 770ED docs. (I do like the big error message section, though.)
Lights and Connectors
This thing has lots of lights and connectors. I love it! However,
there are a few mysterious ones that maybe someone could help me with.
There are two connectors on the right side, between the DVD drive and
the front corner of the unit. My guess is video. They have a weird
icon next to them that is small enough to not be legible in plastic. I
certainly can't tell whether one is input and one output, etc. One of
my clues is the inclusion of a "Conversion Cable", a picture of which
does not appear in the "A20 Setup Guide". The ASG does have the
cryptic remark that "With the ThinkPad A20p model, a ThinkPad Video
In/Out Conversion Cable is also included." One end of the cable in my
hand certainly looks like it would fit either connector on the system,
and has a yellow RCA jack at the other end, which conventionally means
Video. I don't quite see how it would be used as an In/Out cable, with
just one of each type of jack -- more of an In OR Out cable, perhaps.
On the right side of the system, next to the PCMCIA slots, there is a
green light. I have no clue as to what it is trying to tell me.
On the Xircom combo Ethernet / Modem, there is a solid green light and
a blinking amber light. My guess is the the green is power (redundant)
or 100 Mbps speed, and that amber is either activity or collision.
The IrDA port seems to be on the left side of the system. I've never
had much luck with IR and ThinkPads, and this positioning is likely to
encourage me not to try again with this system. Is there another IR
port hidden somewhere else that I missed? (Is the IrDA port a light or
a connector? :-) )
Next to the Intel and Microsoft ads on the palmrest are two very small
slots. I assume that there is a microphone behind them. Right?
I know Microsoft wants vendors to get rid of them, but I *REALLY LIKE*
having a real live RS-232 port and a real live parallel port
physically part of the system.
ThinkPad Button
Cool button with prime real estate that brings up so-so information on
the system. At least, that's my early impression. The program is
called "Access ThinkPad", and for the amount of time I expect to refer
to it, I'd just as soon start it from the Start Menu button. So, how
to I re-define what happens when I press the ThinkPad button? I'd like
to make it do what *I* think I will use a lot.
Dock
When the A20p was current, and even today, the description of the Dock
for it talked about IEEE 1394 (FireWire) capability via the Dock, if
using the A20p (as opposed to a lesser model). What about the A21p? Do
I have 1394 by adding the dock to it?
Reset
One of the things I really enjoy about using Microsoft Windows is the
opportunity to bend a paper clip to poke at a recessed reset button on
my 770ED a couple of times a week. I have not seen something that
looks like a Reset button on the A21p. So far, holding the power
switch in for 5 seconds has forced the system down, but there have
been times when the 770ED power switch was ineffective, and the paper
clip (later, a Palm stylus) was my only salvation. What's the story
here?
Right Shift Key
Under Win98SE, when I depress either Shift key and click the mouse,
Windows selects everything between where the cursor was and where the
mouse cursor is. On the A21p under Win2K Professional, this still
happens with the Left Shift key, but not with the Right Shift key.
What's up with that? Is right shift assigned some other meaning? Have
I accidentally defined myself to be using some odd-ball keyboard that
treats the two Shift keys differently? I like being able to one-hand
select blocks, etc.
(Not Really) Used Mini-PCI Modem Card
The first thing I did (even before re-installing the Recovery Disc)
was to replace the IBM PC Modem with Voice with the Xircom combo
Ethernet / Modem ($20 less than the same unit with an IBM label). Is
there any reason why I might want to keep the original modem-only
card? Is there any sort of market for such a thing? (I.e., could I get
enough for it to be worth my time messing with it?)
Well, that's about it for the first week. I'm having "fun" learning
Win2K and how to do things there that are different from Win98SE.
Also, trying to find software to do some utility sorts of things under
Win2K (like swapping Ctrl and Caps Lock, making Right-Alt into the
Microsoft Windows key, etc.) Also, trying to find some of my original
distribution media to do full installs of things I use. (I do have
most of these, but found one missing, so far, which the vendor will
replace for me at a nominal charge.) Also, trying to decide what
version of Linux to install as dual-boot. (I've been using RedHat 6.2
with reasonable success on the 770ED, but every reference I've found
to Linux on the A21p is for RedHat 7.0 or another entire flavor. I've
been contemplating installing Wolverine or just waiting for it to
become product and continuing to use the 770ED for my Linux box until
then. But, I'm getting tired of hauling two ThinkPads.)
Anyway, thanks much for any help. This is a great group!
Ron.
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