Weird T42 (with a R51 motherboard?)

[nfraser01]

Quick story...

My first ThinkPad was T42 that I bought during lockdown as something to tinker with. It was always a bit odd - never seeming to be happy with it's install of Windows XP Pro.

I recently looked up the Type/Model code displayed in the BIOS as I noticed it was different from another T42 I now have. Weirdly it claims to be a motherboard from an R51! Having looked at images of both motherboards they do seem essentially identically in form factor.

I haven't yet fully disassembled it yet (that's a job for the weekend) but is it possible that I have an R51 motherboard in my T42?

TIA

[TPFanatic]

It's certainly possible as the systemboards are 100% compatible between T4* and R5*, and it is possible that the original systemboard had been replaced in the past due to the common Southbridge or ATI solder failures.

[axur-delmeria]

I myself had transplanted an R52 board into a T42 chassis, so yes, they are interchangeable.

[nfraser01]

It's certainly possible as the systemboards are 100% compatible between T4* and R5*, and it is possible that the original systemboard had been replaced in the past due to the common Southbridge or ATI solder failures.

That's good to know.

As I understand it the R5x series were budget versions of the T series with integrated graphics and only 10/100 Ethernet (at least on most models). Is there a good reason to keep the R51 motherboard in there? I think I'll all have this nagging doubt that it's "wrong"

T42 motherboards are not cheap though (at least not in UK). Should I avoid certain models if going ahead and replacing with correct planar?

Thanks

[nfraser01]

I myself had transplanted an R52 board into a T42 chassis, so yes, they are interchangeable.

Thanks for the confirmation...

[TPFanatic]

R51 had up to Radeon 9000 gfx and Gigabit Ethernet option. You could load both Model codes to the MTM tool linked at the top of the forum and see if ur R51 board is actually missing anything compared to the original config. Even if the R51 board has worse options I find it unlikely the marginal performance difference is of substance today.

I believe the BIOS flash tool allows you to set the Model number to whatever you want.

[nfraser01]

R51 had up to Radeon 9000 gfx and Gigabit Ethernet option. You could load both Model codes to the MTM tool linked at the top of the forum and see if ur R51 board is actually missing anything compared to the original config. Even if the R51 board has worse options I find it unlikely the marginal performance difference is of substance today.

Sounds like a plan...

I believe the BIOS flash tool allows you to set the Model number to whatever you want.

That sounds like asking for trouble...

[dr_st]

I believe the BIOS flash tool allows you to set the Model number to whatever you want.

Not the regular BIOS flash tool. It's a special tool. It was called Maintenance Diskette back in the day, now called Maintenance Key (as it comes on a USB flash drive) or simply Maintenance Utility.

You can set model type and serial number with this tool. It was specifically designed for situations of motherboard replacements.

[RealBlackStuff]

And you can get this HMD here.
And you can get an EFI version here, should you ever need it.

[nfraser01]

And you can get this HMD here.
And you can get an EFI version here, should you ever need it.

Thanks for the links - I'll download them now in case they go AWOL in the future...