I'm trying to finalize my plans for a T42P with flexview . My computer background is a bit out of date (expert in the IBM 7094 and system 360 era).

1. will the T42 DVD writer perform the same function as a CD-RW? I'm thinking about the task of writing disks for backup and restore purposes, and for transferring data to other machines lacking DVD drives.

2. does the DVD writer record DVD+ or DVD- or both formats?

3. is the 60 gig 7600 RPM disk much more noisy or does it vibrate much more than the 80 gig 5400RPM drive?

all help and advice appreciated!

Ahhhh....The Big Blue Golden days! Those were *real* computers!



Yup...it will do everything a CD-RW does, except that it will also read and burn DVDs.



According to the specs on the IBM website: http://www-132.ibm.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?lang=en_US&catalogId=-840&langId=-1&prmenbr=1&cntrfnbr=1&partNumber=73P3294&storeId=1&cntry=840 it will read and write DVD-R, DVD-RW, and DVD-RAM. It will only read DVD+R and DVD+RW. There are other threads on this board where people have identified the exact model number, I think, and performance.



There has been much debate about this on this board and elsewhere. There is a recent thread on this discussion as well, "Difference between 7200rpm and 5400rpm." My impression of the consensus is that a properly functioning 7200rpm drive is sometimes ever so slightly noiser and hotter than the 5400rpm, but hardly noticable. There have been more defective and overly noisy 7200rpm drives, however, as well as problems in the past requiring critical firmware updates. Some people have also complained of audible clicking when the drive parks its heads (which between power saving and "air bagging", the drive does a *lot*).

The 7200rpm drive is, however, up to 20% faster under certain benchmarks (the ones meant to simulate realistic use), than the 80 GB 5400rpm. Basically, the latency in moving to a new position on the disk is less. The sustainable read/write rates are, however, nearly identical. Some people claim they can tell a difference in performance, others cannot.

Mofongo

(FYI, it is 7200 rpm, there is no 7600 rpm HD)
I have the 7200 rpm drive and it is much faster than my old 80 GB 5400 rpm drive. Is it loud? No, not really, it kinda sounds like another fan always on, but it is not loud by any means even in a very quiet room. You would have to be crazy if it bothered you to the point that you couldn't get any work done. Personally computer noises don't bother me all that much though, I am half deaf from my car stereo anyway, lol.

It doesn't vibrate at all. I know some people's have but if it does vibrate then something must be terribly wrong with theirs because mine never so much as even hints at a shudder. The Active Airbag Protection thingy is a bit over zealous and I feel like I have to turn it off to use the thing on my lap. Anyway though, it isn't really all that hot either, yeah the palm rest is warm but so is the other side, I don't think the heat is necessarily generated by the drive and it is not annoying at all.

I really like my T41p and as such I would have to prefer the 7200 rpm Ultra High Speed drive over the slower 80 gig any day. Hard drive speed in laptops is the one thing that has held them back compared to their desktop couterparts.

I feel like the 7200 rpm drive is a must.

Max

the firmware glitch does not count..
the 7200RPM 60gig is just plain super..

the 5400rpm 80gig is a good drive as well..

let your data storage needs dictate the capacity..

no drive vibrates..
if it does it does not do so for long..