Upgrading a Z60m/Z60t to a Z61m/Z61t w/Core Duo CPU - YES!

[underclocker]

I'm in the middle of a fairly significant upgrade. I'm sharing this info now, because it has become an affordable upgrade option for Z60m/Z60t machines.

I have a Z60m with a dead motherboard. I was looking for a replacement mobo and started to notice that Z61m replacement mobo's were about the same cost. I took a closer look at the Z60m and realized that the only parts I'd need to upgrade it from a Pentium M machine to a Core Duo machine would be 1) a Z61m mobo, 2) a Core Duo CPU, and 3) a mini-PCI express wifi adapter. All other parts can be used with a Z61m; battery, fan, LCD assembly, base, magnesium frame (which has slight differences, but will work), AC adapter, hard drive, optical drive, modem, memory, etc. The only optional extra would be the Z61m clear plate for the LCD bezel.

With a Z60t, you wouldn't need the wifi adapter, since a mini-PCI express adapter is used in the smaller format Z60t's. Note: You can not interchange Z60m/Z61m and Z60t/Z61t mobo's.

Bottom line, I picked up an Intel GPU Z61m mobo, a Core Duo 1.83GHz T2400 CPU, an Intel 3945 abg mini-PCI express wifi adapter and a Z61m clear plate for about $125. Not cheap, but it should provide a nice boost to a machine that started as a 1.73GHz Pentium M Z60m.

Basically, I'm upgrading a Z60m to a Z61m. The same is possible with a Z60t to a Z61t.

I'll post back with the results...but I'm pretty sure it will work out.

[Terrahawk]

I would be very interested in hearing about how this goes. We have recently purchased a Z60M which I like a lot despite its bulk, and upgrading it to a Z61m would help keep it more useful for longer (the 2.0 GHz Dothan is starting to get a bit slow in some things).

[underclocker]

It's done! I'm typing this post on a Z60m that was upgraded to a Z61m!

It went as planned with two small exceptions, one that initially appeared to be rather large.

First the really small exception, in addition to 1) a Z61m mobo, 2) a Core Duo CPU, 3) a mini-PCI wifi adapter, and 4) optional Z61m clear plate, you also need two small screws to hold the mini-PCI express wifi adapter in place, the mini-PCI adapter from the Z60m was held in place with two clips, like T4x and older machines. Luckily, the person I purchased the adapter from included the screws, but they wouldn't be too hard to find, they are the typical 3mm screws found in many ThinkPad models.

The second exception seemed like a problem. When I was reassembling the machine, putting the mobo/sub-frame back into the base, everything fit except the front left corner. After a careful examination, I found that the wireless radio on/off switch on the front left of the Z60m/Z61m models was slightly larger on the Z61m mobo. Therefore, it wasn't seating properly in the plastic cut-out of the plastic switch. At first I thought that maybe the entire base was different in some way, but it turned out that only the switch, a small plastic part, is different. In fact, the switches were the exact same size and operates the same way, there was just a larger cut-away on the Z61m switch. I immediately thought about using a soldering iron to melt away a tiny bit of the plastic of the base cover switch so that the mobo switch would properly rest in the case switch. Indeed it worked. Just one quick stab with a hot soldering iron and the plastic switch opening was the correct size. I took pictures that I can post if this needs clarification. (I had a dissasembled Z61m nearby as a reference machine.)

Everything works.

Notes:
1) You may have to reinstall XP after this type of swap. I didn't have a working Z60m, so I couldn't test moving an XP image betwen the two models. Perhaps another forum member has tried this.
2) A fan modification or a new fan may be needed with some swaps. This depends upon which GPU you started with on the Z60m mobo and which you're going to on the Z61m mobo. The fans from discrete GPU mobos have an extra piece of copper where the discrete GPU would touch, the fans for the integrated GPU mobos, do not. So you can use a discrete GPU fan with either a discrete or an integrated GPU mobo (the extra copper won't touch anything, there is no GPU there, so it's OK). With an integreated GPU fan, you can use an integrated GPU mobo OR going from an integrated GPU Z60m mobo to a discrete GPU Z61m mobo, you'd probably have to build up the fan contact area for the GPU with a small piece of copper or a coin. (I went from an integrated GPU mobo to another integrated GPU mobo, so it wasn't an issue.)
3) Since I also had a discrete GPU ATI X1400 WSXGA+ (1680 X 1050) Z61m apart, I tested the LCD assembly on the integrated GPU Z61m mobo, it worked just fine. So that is another possible upgrade for Z60/Z61 owners.

[ajkula66]

And you've done it again!

Congrats on a job well done! Enjoy!

[dwilsonfl]

So which motherboards would support the Core 2 Duo processors? Just took a glance at eBay and once you cull the ridiculous priced ones, it looks doable as an incremental deal (which is how I roll ) acquiring parts over time.

Just need to nail down which parts.

Thanks

[underclocker]

Well, according to the HMM, all Z61m's support C2D cpu's (all Z61m's use the same BIOS/EC). In particular, these processors are listed in the HMM (others might work, but be no guarantees);

Intel® Celeron® M410 (1.46 GHz), 1-MB L2 cache
Intel Celeron M420 (1.6 GHz), 1-MB L2 cache
Intel Celeron M430 (1.6 GHz), 1-MB L2 cache
Intel® Core™ Solo processor T1300 (1.66 GHz), 2-MB L2 cache
Intel Core Duo processor T2300 (1.66 GHz), 2-MB L2 cache
Intel Core Duo processor T2300E (1.66 GHz), 2-MB L2 cache
Intel Core Duo processor T2400 (1.83 GHz), 2-MB L2 cache
Intel Core Duo processor T2500 (2.0 GHz), 2-MB L2 cache
Intel Core Duo processor T2600 (2.16 GHz), 2-MB L2 cache
Intel Core 2 Duo processor T5500 (1.66 GHz), 2-MB L2 cache
Intel Core 2 Duo processor T5600 (1.83 GHz), 2-MB L2 cache
Intel Core 2 Duo processor T7200 (2.0 GHz), 2-MB L2 cache
Intel Core 2 Duo processor T7400 (2.16GHz), 2-MB L2 cache
Intel Core 2 Duo processor T7600 (2.33GHz), 2-MB L2 cache

[dwilsonfl]

Thanks for the help. I'm going to take delivery of the Z60t Friday, play with it a while and see if I'm going to keep it. If I do, I'll start the accumulation of the parts necessary.

have a T41 all over the desk now trying to decide - reflow? Replace w/another mobo? Replace with R51 mobo?

You are an inspiration.

[underclocker]

You are an inspiration.

That is very nice of you to say, I do what I can

Below is the list of processors for the Z61t (your first posting didn't mention whether you were working with a "t" or "m") - although, I'd bet that any processor from either list will work.

As I mentioned in the first post of the thread, for the Z60t, all you should need is the mobo and the CPU. Definitely post back any results and good luck.

Intel® Celeron® M Processor 410 (1.46 GHz), 1-MB L2 cache
Intel Celeron M Processor 420 (1.6 GHz), 1-MB L2 cache
Intel Celeron M Processor 430 (1.73 GHz), 1-MB L2 cache
Intel® Core™ Solo processor T1300 (1.66 GHz), 2-MB L2 cache
Intel Core Solo processor T1400 (1.83 GHz), 2-MB L2 cache
Intel Core Duo processor T2300 (1.66 GHz), 2-MB L2 cache
Intel Core Duo processor T2300E (1.66 GHz), 2-MB L2 cache
Intel Core Duo processor T2400 (1.83 GHz), 2-MB L2 cache
Intel Core Duo processor T2500 (2.0 GHz), 2-MB L2 cache
Intel Core 2 Duo processor T5500 (1.66 GHz), 2-MB L2 cache
Intel Core 2 Duo processor T5600 (1.83 GHz), 2-MB L2 cache
Intel Core 2 Duo processor T7200 (2.0 GHz), 4-MB L2 cache
Intel Core 2 Duo processor T7400 (2.16GHz), 4-MB L2 cache