Thinkpads Forum

I would love to max this one out. I have 256mb + 64mb but want to max it out to it's 500+mb of RAM.

I have a 500 mhz PIII and read up on making this a 800mhz PIII. I may have read something on startup problems and would like to avoid that. Don't know if there is a happy medium as far as putting in a 650 mhz speedstep PIII or at least something over that that won't generate any errors or freezes.

This is a fix for my dads first ever computer and Thinkpad

XP Pro runs...um... okay- however a Linux distro I tried actually feels spunkier with the 600X. However Windoze is familiar to my father so he'd probably be lost with something new. I took the 600X for a test drive yesterday and I know it is capable of running better with more RAM and a faster processor. Even stripped and lite OS' benefit with more RAM. A 5400 or 7200 hard drive will come later

TIA.

EDIT:

Add a battery that at least has enough charge to flash BIOS. I can't do it with the battery it has now

If the machine you are thinking about upgarding is the one in your signature, you will have a small issue with upgrading the CPU, as it is not a speed-step unit. A simple key stroke combo on initial boot-up and an adjustment of the CPU driver will allow you to run the CPU at full speed (on main power).

If you want to go all out, there are 850 mhz CPU s that will work (I have one in my 2645-8EU) but they are rare and dear.

There is a pretty exhaustive thread in the legacy hardware forum that will give you a menu from soup to nuts about upgarding a 600. I used it to good advantage when working on mine.


I have a few thinkpads, and honestly, my 600x is my favourite. I am typing this on it right now, and the keyboard is a joy to use. For surfing and E Mail its my preference.

Have fun and good luck

I'm typing on mine now too. Its a proper laptop as you can use it on your lap (and it keeps your legs warm )
What hard drive do you have, if its the original upgrading it will make a massive difference. I exchanged the original 12gb for a 40gb 7200 and it makes a lot of difference, more than upgrading the ram. I'd love a faster processor but it seems to much trouble. The only thing you can do is look out for one of the (rare) 650mhz models.

Any questions post in the Legacy forum.

cheers
Paul.

E.G.

As you can tell from my sig, I am a bit of a 600-series buff, with 3) 600X, 2 of them @ 650 mHz. I agree that if you have the original 12 GB HDD in yours, you should change it out. Even a 4200RPM 30 or 40 GB is a definite improvement.

I will search my spare parts to see if I have an extra 256MB low density DIMM. I know I have a bunch of 128's........

IMHO: the keyboard on the 600 series is one of the best!

I plan on installing integrated wifi in one of my 650 mHz machines when time permits.....

Regards....

Old Sparky, is there a real difference between the 650 and 500mhz models. Mine is maxed out RAM of 576, and a 7200 HD. I'd love some more speed for internet browsing.
As for installing wi-fi, there's a few threads about it. Good luck and let us know how you get on.

The 650Mhz system is the only 600X which natively supported the Intel SpeedStep processors.

rkawakami wrote:The 650Mhz system is the only 600X which natively supported the Intel SpeedStep processors.

If you have a 650 mhz model, what is involved in upgrading it to a 850 mhz processor, and secondly, will it then run without problems at that speed. Will you notice the difference in performance.