IMac – Can a Lenovo T430s with Thunderbolt use 2011 iMac in target display mode

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I just purchased Lenovo T430s laptop with Thunderbolt and I'm wondering if I should be able to use my 27" 2011 iMac with Thunderbolt as an external display using target display mode.

So far, no luck.

What I've done:

  1. I connected computers to each other with Apple's Thunderbolt cable.
  2. I booted T430s and made sure that Thunderbolt is enabled in BIOS

What I found out:

  1. iMac says that there's nothing connected to Thunderbolt
  2. Pressing Command+F2 to enable target display mode does nothing
  3. Windows 7 in T430s does not detect any additional displays and there's not a word about Thunderbolt anywhere in Windows.
  4. Windows device manager is not showing any devices that are not functioning properly or missing drivers

Any help or ideas would be much appreciated.

Best Answer

Just got off the phone with Lenovo tech support after unboxing my T430s/i7 because it didn't have a Thunderbolt symbol on the back... just a DVI symbol. Confirmed: NONE of the 430's they're shipping even HAVE it yet. I'm sending mine back, suggest you do the same. The internet is saturated with references that they have it that all sound as though they are informed by press releases... and Lenovo chat even tells you they have it... but no joy. Technology never fails to disappoint.

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