4337 docking station causing screen blackouts

I've got a Lenovo T410 computer. I just bought a 4337 docking station, and I'm having a display problem that is making it almost unusable.

Every so often, for no discernable reason, the image on my external monitor blacks out. After a few seconds it reappears. These blackouts often happen in clusters of three or four, a few seconds apart; then the display works normally for as long as half an hour.

This is at least partly a software problem, not a hardware problem. I know this because when the display reappears, the desktop and inactive windows reappear first, leaving a black hole where the active window should be. A half second or so later, the active window is restored. Sometimes the order is reversed: the active window reappears first, followed by the rest of the display. Either way it couldn't happen if the problem were purely hardware.

I've noticed a few other bits of weirdness. The mouse pointer often disappears, and I have to wave the mouse around to restore it. Connecting a USB device often causes the monitor to black out momentarily. The first time I used the dock I attached a smartphone to one of the USB ports before turning the computer on. When I turned it on the smartphone buzzed and flashed its screen, then the monitor's image blacked out; when the monitor's image reappeared the phone buzzed again. The cycle repeated until I unplugged the phone.

None of this stuff happens when I'm using the computer without the dock.

The whole setup is: a T410 running Windows 7 Professional; 4337 docking station; monitor attached to the docking station by a DisplayPort-to-HDMI cable.

Does anyone know what is wrong? How to fix it?

 

I have a very similar setup (T410 and X220), and this is a common problem with the three docking stations I have when the connection has not been made properly. Does the Laptop loudly and clearly click into place?

 

My work computer used to be T410 (until last week, when the fan died). So I had an excuse to upgrade to T420.

On that T410 I've changed motherboard like three times, still had random docking problems with several docking stations in different offices.
With "new" T420 no problems so far with the docking station. I can move it right now pretty much and no issues. T410 lost connection if I sneezed at it.

Oh yea, I've had lots of customers complaining about T410 and docking stations doing the same.

 

are you using 65 watts or 90 watts power adapter?

 

Thanks to everyone for the responses. I'll answer the questions raised:

"Does the Laptop loudly and clearly click into place?"

"Loudly and clearly" is a judgment call. I would say the click is not loud, but it is certainly distinct.

"Are you using 65 watts or 90 watts power adapter?"

The power supply is a 90 watt supply. It came with the docking station.

On another forum I've been advised to update the BIOS, the power manager, and the power manager driver (the last being something that I think exists only in Windows 8). How do those measures sound here? I consider them to be like major surgery: one does them if necessary, but first one makes darned sure they are necessary.