IBM Docking station 2877 with a very interesting “hidden” feature…. a PCI slot!!!

IBM Docking station 2877 with a very interesting “hidden” feature…. a PCI slot!!!

I had a T420 Thinkpad and was longing for the dock with the PCIe slot. Why? Because the IGP of the i7 was bad and I wanted to play some games, while traveling. It was PCIe 1x and single slot, but it'd would have been great anyways. I went for an eGPU adapter and played Bad Company 2 on a 9600GT without issues. Wild times..

AlessandroB wrote on 2025-11-10, 19:55:

IBM Docking station 2877 with a very interesting “hidden” feature…. a PCI slot!!!

I have two of these docks, but one had a faulty PCI slot. I use the working dock for a nice DOS retro battle station with my T42 and a Aureal Vortex / Dreamblaster S2 combo.

Bought these over the last few days:

- baby AT build w/ K6-2 400MHz (K6-2/400AFR) and missing cover, slight rust on bottom that will be fixed) - also has Turbo button and display. MB used is Luckystar 5MVP3 Rev4
- PS3 CECHC03 - this thing was a total steal for the price I paid for it (100RON/~$22)
- Palit Daytona Geforce 3 Ti200 64MB - only a few bad caps and a half-seized fan. Replaced the caps and the fan with a spare thingy off a dead 7300GT, now it's cool and ready to play
- Ryzen cooler w/ copper base
- Diamond Monster MX300
- MSI MS-6195 K7 Pro

Bought a large pile of old PC equipment from an older chap for $50 AUD today. This gem was part of the haul.

He told me it's sat unused since the late 90s.

Pentium MMX 200
PCPartner MB520NH Baby AT Motherboard
64MB EDO RAM
Cirrus Logic CL-GD5446
ESS 1868F Sound Card

Bit dusty but should clean up well. PSU looks a bit suspect.

fosterwj03 wrote on 2025-11-11, 00:17:

AlessandroB wrote on 2025-11-10, 19:55:

IBM Docking station 2877 with a very interesting “hidden” feature…. a PCI slot!!!

I have two of these docks, but one had a faulty PCI slot. I use the working dock for a nice DOS retro battle station with my T42 and a Aureal Vortex / Dreamblaster S2 combo.

Nice! In fact, that's the reason I bought it (besides paying next to nothing for it). Do you happen to have the manual? I don't really understand (I looked at it for 5 minutes) how the retention system and that big button next to the power button work. One thing I love about this dock is that it has a built-in power supply.

TheIpex wrote on 2025-11-11, 06:22:

Bought a large pile of old PC equipment from an older chap for $50 AUD today. This gem was part of the haul.

Nice design, is there an LCD behind the black plastic?

AlessandroB wrote on 2025-11-11, 07:34:

fosterwj03 wrote on 2025-11-11, 00:17:

AlessandroB wrote on 2025-11-10, 19:55:

IBM Docking station 2877 with a very interesting “hidden” feature…. a PCI slot!!!

I have two of these docks, but one had a faulty PCI slot. I use the working dock for a nice DOS retro battle station with my T42 and a Aureal Vortex / Dreamblaster S2 combo.

Nice! In fact, that's the reason I bought it (besides paying next to nothing for it). Do you happen to have the manual? I don't really understand (I looked at it for 5 minutes) how the retention system and that big button next to the power button work. One thing I love about this dock is that it has a built-in power supply.

The button / laptop release works once the laptop is turned on and later turned off. Make sure the key on the side is in the unlocked position. The button pops up after pressing it down once first.

I got the dock in the original packaging. I'll have to look to see if the manual is in there.

FYI, the PSU fan is pretty loud for its size.

Update: Yes, I have the dock's documentation. Unfortunately, I don't have time to scan the stuff right now. I just read over it, and the dock does need to have power to eject the laptop properly (there is an emergency release slot next to the key). I don't think the laptop needs to be turned on now that I think about it. Rotating the key from the locked to the unlocked position should allow the eject button to pop up once you press it down firmly. Then, press the button all the way down to release the laptop.

Update 2: I scanned the Quick Start Guide (a bit got cut off in the center because I had to splice two scans together) and the Emergency Release Guide (attached). I hope this helps.

PD2JK wrote on 2025-11-11, 09:01:

Nice design, is there an LCD behind the black plastic?

Just a trim piece unfortunately.

fosterwj03 wrote on 2025-11-11, 13:10:

The button / laptop release works once the laptop is turned on and later turned off. Make sure the key on the side is in the unl […]
Show full quote

AlessandroB wrote on 2025-11-11, 07:34:

fosterwj03 wrote on 2025-11-11, 00:17:

I have two of these docks, but one had a faulty PCI slot. I use the working dock for a nice DOS retro battle station with my T42 and a Aureal Vortex / Dreamblaster S2 combo.

Nice! In fact, that's the reason I bought it (besides paying next to nothing for it). Do you happen to have the manual? I don't really understand (I looked at it for 5 minutes) how the retention system and that big button next to the power button work. One thing I love about this dock is that it has a built-in power supply.

The button / laptop release works once the laptop is turned on and later turned off. Make sure the key on the side is in the unlocked position. The button pops up after pressing it down once first.

I got the dock in the original packaging. I'll have to look to see if the manual is in there.

FYI, the PSU fan is pretty loud for its size.

Update: Yes, I have the dock's documentation. Unfortunately, I don't have time to scan the stuff right now. I just read over it, and the dock does need to have power to eject the laptop properly (there is an emergency release slot next to the key). I don't think the laptop needs to be turned on now that I think about it. Rotating the key from the locked to the unlocked position should allow the eject button to pop up once you press it down firmly. Then, press the button all the way down to release the laptop.

Update 2: I scanned the Quick Start Guide (a bit got cut off in the center because I had to splice two scans together) and the Emergency Release Guide (attached). I hope this helps.

WOW Thanks!!!

In the sheet you sent me, in the list of compatible computers, there is no T20/21/22 series that I had read were compatible... and in fact my T22 is compatible by outputting the VGA signal from the dock.

AlessandroB wrote on 2025-11-11, 21:03:

fosterwj03 wrote on 2025-11-11, 13:10:

The button / laptop release works once the laptop is turned on and later turned off. Make sure the key on the side is in the unl […]
Show full quote

AlessandroB wrote on 2025-11-11, 07:34:

Nice! In fact, that's the reason I bought it (besides paying next to nothing for it). Do you happen to have the manual? I don't really understand (I looked at it for 5 minutes) how the retention system and that big button next to the power button work. One thing I love about this dock is that it has a built-in power supply.

The button / laptop release works once the laptop is turned on and later turned off. Make sure the key on the side is in the unlocked position. The button pops up after pressing it down once first.

I got the dock in the original packaging. I'll have to look to see if the manual is in there.

FYI, the PSU fan is pretty loud for its size.

Update: Yes, I have the dock's documentation. Unfortunately, I don't have time to scan the stuff right now. I just read over it, and the dock does need to have power to eject the laptop properly (there is an emergency release slot next to the key). I don't think the laptop needs to be turned on now that I think about it. Rotating the key from the locked to the unlocked position should allow the eject button to pop up once you press it down firmly. Then, press the button all the way down to release the laptop.

Update 2: I scanned the Quick Start Guide (a bit got cut off in the center because I had to splice two scans together) and the Emergency Release Guide (attached). I hope this helps.

WOW Thanks!!!

In the sheet you sent me, in the list of compatible computers, there is no T20/21/22 series that I had read were compatible... and in fact my T22 is compatible by outputting the VGA signal from the dock.

I have the user guide, too. It's bound pretty thick, so it would be hard to scan. It doesn't have much more information than what you see in the quick start guide, but it does say the dock is compatible with all A, T, and X series laptops up to the 30/40-series. It doesn't mention the R50-series laptops, but those are depicted on the quick start guide as compatible.

I get DVI-D from my T42 using the dock.

Update: here's a neat Wiki with more info on the Dock II:

https://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/ThinkPad_Dock_II

Getting this old Rage Pro 4MB PCI card soon:

That is a petite heatsink 😁

smtkr wrote on 2025-11-11, 22:44:

That is a petite heatsink 😁

I dont know why its there, it needs bigger or without heatsink. Main thing is, that its PCI.

Got these two EpoX socket A boards today.

The first is absolute classic, 8kha+ (KT266A). It was the board that brought EpoX truly to enthusiast market and THE socket A board to get from late 2001 until KT333 boards were released. It came with manual, IO-plate, some RAM. It should have XP 2400+ and an odd looking passive(?) heatsink on top of it.

The next one is a later 8RDA3I (nForce2 Ultra 400). I had 8RDA3+ at one point, until I broke it during one of my OC shenanigans. Good times. This is basically the same board, but without a second ethernet and firewire. It has 2800+ and it also came with some memory, manual and IO-plate.

To my surprise, caps are externally in relatively good condition. Seller tested both of these to boot screen/BIOS, so the stability is unknown. 8kha+ has Teapo, 8rda3I has handful of Sanyos and rest is OST. Both Teapo and OST are basically trash, but in my experience Teapo is tier 1 trash. It was very common in PSUs too and although I have recapped them, they have been regularly always in spec. Of course PSUs have zero ultra-low ESR electrolytics, so they use inherently much more stable caps compared to MB VRM caps.

Although perhaps only one cap in 8kha+ looks perhaps just slightly swollen, they obviously need to go. Still it is surprising to see them in visually such great condition. I have previously recapped 8rga+ which had bunch of swollen GSC crap and my 8kra2+ is also now polymodded due to same phenomenon. I also have 8k9AI which I haven't even tested and for the life I can't remeber anything about the caps and I don't bother to dig it up from my parts boxes.

Anyways, I'm pretty damn happy about these boards, especially the 8kha+ is something you don't bump into that often nowadays.

An OmniKey in great condition at a decent price finally popped up. It was listed as having an inoperable 'O' key but before trying anything else I blew into the switch and it's working now!

The 102 differed from the others in that the function keys on the left side. It's gonna take some getting used to the location of the ctrl, alt, caps lock, and \ keys.

But now there's some more Northgate synergy for my 386 even though it's only a Northgate board and not an actual Northgate system!

CharlieFoxtrot wrote on Yesterday, 17:08:

Got these two EpoX socket A boards today. […]
Show full quote

Got these two EpoX socket A boards today.

The first is absolute classic, 8kha+ (KT266A). It was the board that brought EpoX truly to enthusiast market and THE socket A board to get from late 2001 until KT333 boards were released. It came with manual, IO-plate, some RAM. It should have XP 2400+ and an odd looking passive(?) heatsink on top of it.

To my surprise, caps are externally in relatively good condition. Seller tested both of these to boot screen/BIOS, so the stability is unknown. 8kha+ has Teapo, 8rda3I has handful of Sanyos and rest is OST. Both Teapo and OST are basically trash, but in my experience Teapo is tier 1 trash. It was very common in PSUs too and although I have recapped them, they have been regularly always in spec. Of course PSUs have zero ultra-low ESR electrolytics, so they use inherently much more stable caps compared to MB VRM caps.

Although perhaps only one cap in 8kha+ looks perhaps just slightly swollen, they obviously need to go. Still it is surprising to see them in visually such great condition. I have previously recapped 8rga+ which had bunch of swollen GSC crap and my 8kra2+ is also now polymodded due to same phenomenon. I also have 8k9AI which I haven't even tested and for the life I can't remeber anything about the caps and I don't bother to dig it up from my parts boxes.

Anyways, I'm pretty damn happy about these boards, especially the 8kha+ is something you don't bump into that often nowadays.

That's a throwback to me. The 8KHA+ was my first motherboard build for my college PC, which I also watercooled. First time I turned it on, my brand new Thunderbird 1333 smoked itself, literally, because I mounted the waterblock wrong and it wasn't in contact. I didn't make the same mistake with the 1400 that replaced it. Then, the 5V lines in the ATX 20-pin Molex smoked and melted. I soldered a pair of 12Ga wires to the CPU power plane on the backside of the motherboard using a zero-loss RC quick connect mated to the 5V lines on the PSU.

I kinda hated that board...

AlessandroB wrote on 2025-11-10, 19:55:

IBM Docking station 2877 with a very interesting “hidden” feature…. a PCI slot!!!

Is a shame manufacturers don't produce laptops with TRUE docking stations anymore.
Would be easier to expose 8 PCIe lanes with less travel distance for eGPU usage instead the limited Oculink with only 4 PCIe lanes, or the *new* capped (and expensive) Thunderbolt 4 which still doesn't match the current old Occulink. These solutions would offer laptops with cooler iGPU solutions who wouldn't destroy themselves after just 2 years of usage, while the raw horse power would be separated in the dock, with a better cooling solution. This would also enable the use of a bridge switch chip for proper hotswap, which the Oculink doesn't seem to offer in a standard way.

I acquired not that long time ago some laptops including this little fella. Sadly original hdd was dead so i couldn't test it if it works. But i bought some pin44 to cf card adapter recently. And here we are Tosh libretto is alive 😁. Can't wait to mess with it and use it as my little machine for games.