Thinkpad T30 2.4 GHz fan turns on too late to stop 1.2 GHz

[T30alive]

Is there a way to get the fan to turn on around 72 degrees instead of 76 degrees which doesn't provide enough time to keep it from rising to 80 degrees and throttling back to 1.2 GHz.

I have been able to get the computer to work stead at 2.4 GHz if I drop the load a little just before it hits 80 and then restart the load and the fan stays steady on.

TPFANCONTROL doesn't work with my unit:

CrystalCPUID
Pentium 4-M Northwood Socket 478 0.13 um
MMX SSE SSE2
Pentium 4-M 2.4 SL6LS SL6K5 SL6VC 2.4 GHz
512 KB 400 MT/s 24× 1.3 V 35 W Socket 478
January 14, 2003 RH80532GC056512 $562

Phoenix BIOS 4.0 Release 6.0 for IZBM ThinkPad
Version IBM -2100
SM Bios 1IET71WW (2.10)
Version 2.31
Motherboard IBM 2366JBU

Thermal Monitoring TM Yes
Software Thermanl Control STC Yes


Chipset Intel 845MP (Brookdale-MP)
NorthBridge /Host Bridge / MCh
8086:1A30.04 Intel 82845MP

South Bridge / ICH (ISA ... IDE ... LPC)
8086:248C.02 Intel 82801 CAM (ICH3-M) - I/O USB1.1 Ethernet PCI

Video Chip 1002:4C57.00 ATI Mobility Radeon 7500

[RealBlackStuff]

I would suggest to replace the CPU with a much cooler running 2.0GHz version.

[T30alive]

I need the higher speed processor to play flash videos without degradation. The 2.0 GHz will no do that. FYI have another T30 with a 2.0 GHz processor that never throttles back, but I want the 2.4 GHz T30 to work as well.

I use Shin-Etsu X23-7783D thermal compound so that it has the cooling ability two work. When the fan turns on to max and I lower the load just before it hits 80 deg. C, then it has time to complete cooling; it will not throttle back once I return the load to 100% while the fan is still on maximum. In other words the fan has the power to keep this unit cool! The problem is the software does not allow any adjustments to turn the fan on sooner. It really is a programming problem of the embedded controller (EC). Any programming problem of this magnitude should have been corrected in an EC release, but I am using 1.07 the latest.

So I looked into the EC:

ACPI DSDT register HFSP (8 bits, offset 0x2F:47 in the EmbeddedController address space, accessed through the standard EC interface at IO ports 0x62:98 and 0x66:102)
is read/writable and has the following meaning:

Bits 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
---------------
Value 1 0 * * * * * * - automatic
* 1 * * * * * * - disengaged
0 0 N N N N N N - manual (0..63; 0=disable fan, 1=min, ..., 7=max)

Address 47 has 128 stored in it for Bios control, but does not respond to any changes. In other Thinkpads this location is used to override the fan. Does anyone know a way to override the fan settings in this unit? I would think there is some location where I can Poke a byte to do this?

FYI I totally cleaned the fan out when I applied the Shin-Etsu X23-7783D. One of the great advantages of the T30 is that only 2 screws need to be removed to get the keyboard off and reach the fan assembly.

[ajkula66]

I need the higher speed processor to play flash videos without degradation.

Good luck with that when it comes to any P4M...regardless of clock speed.

[T30alive]

Adobe flash requires Intel Pentium 4 2.33ghz processor, which works on T30 2.4 GHz, just barely; but adequate.

Since it is possible to get the 2.4 GHz to work that gives this model of the T30 further life. The problem is to get the fan speed - temperature rates adjusted. Really this shouldn't be difficult. All the other models of the T30 that I have owned allow TPFANCONTROL to work.

Is there anyone that has a memory map of the the embedded controller memory space showing all accessible byte functions?

[ajkula66]

Adobe flash requires Intel Pentium 4 2.33ghz processor, which works on T30 2.4 GHz, just barely; but adequate.

Intel Pentium 4 2.33GHz does NOT equal Intel Pentium 4M at the same clock speed...

[T30alive]

The difference is the memory bus speed of 533 MHz for the P4 vs. 400 MHz for the P4M. Cache size and instruction set are the same. I don't think the memory bus is the bottleneck in flash video playback.

I am beginning to think if I can reduce my fan's performance a little, then I can keep the computer hot enough so the fan never turns off. Then the fan will stop the annoying cycling on (MAX) off (None) with CPU throttling.

This approach is sort of working at a temperature of 68 deg. C. steady with fan on medium. The key is to keep the bottom of the computer hot enough so the fan can't the T30 down to 59 deg. C where it will shut off.

[jronald]

Your suggestion of "blocking" the fan, is sort of like lowering your blood pressure, with the help of a tourniquet applied on your upper arm.

I know you dont want to follow our suggestions, however many of us have taken your path many years ago. 2 gig CPU, 2 gigs of memory and a 7200 RPM is about as good as you will ever get on a T30. An outstanging machine, 10 to 12 years ago.
Ron