What yo do with old T4X Machines.

[Thinkpad4by3]

I have some old Thinkpads. What do you use them for? I don't see them as anything of decent for web browsing with all the javascript now adays. Also, what os do you use. I have so many sitting around with no use.

And no, using a T42 to play this gif 24/7 isnt an acceptable use ->






Sent from my SM-G550T using Tapatalk

[w0qj]

One can dedicate an old T42, paired with Port Replicator II and permanently connected to LCD projector,
specialised in showing Power Point Slide presentations from different guest speakers (stored on their own USB thumbdrives).

This is especially useful in church & charity settings!

[karotlopj]

They are still quite usable for word-processing/text editing.... Getiing a faster machine does enable you to type any faster

They are reasonable machines for doing testing on. It's great having a PXE server so that you can check out disk without having to boot up from local media.

[kfzhu1229]

depends on what specs of T42 you have. Forget about any modern use if you have the Radeon 7500 and worse than Pentium M 735. My maxed out T43p can still be used for modern apps and Windows 10. Though Windows 10 isn't an option on T42, Windows 7 is still usable on T42 and aero works with the 9600 variant and FireGL variant.

[AlphaKilo470]

You could always use it as a terminal to RDP/VNC into a more powerful but less portable machine in your house. You might also find renewed functionality with some versions of Linux.

[Thinkpad4by3]

You could always use it as a terminal to RDP/VNC into a more powerful but less portable machine in your house. You might also find renewed functionality with some versions of Linux.

I thought about writing a sorta RDP for youtube and just let tge machine render some JPEGs from my main machine. Realized it would take too much time.

[exTPfan]

Use it for your work --- then you are not tempted to waste your time browsing the web (too slow) especially if it's running XP (!!).

[Thinkpad4by3]

Use it for your work --- then you are not tempted to waste your time browsing the web (too slow) especially if it's running XP (!!).

No point in that, I just use my mechanical keyboard for typing needs. A Thinkpad keyboard is great until compared to a mechanical keyboard.

[Dekks]

15in 4:3 IPS great for writing SOP + FMEAs

[kfzhu1229]

I also personally find my UXGA display to fit more vertical content in terms of tables, which is especially helpful for timetables in my case.

[darry1966]

Been using my T42 with Linux distros like Puppy, Debian and Devuan.

[Callahan]

Not to start an argument over 'older ThinkPads' ... I have one T41 and two T42s as my main computer(s) in 2017 ... with WinXP on all three. I seem to be getting along OK so far. I use the K-Meleon browser mostly ... versions KM 18.24, KM 75.1 and KM 76 Pro. I have a little trouble with some web pages but it doesn't happen often.

I guess I will stay with these old ThinkPads into the future ... I have thought about getting a T43 or getting a 'FrankenPad' from someone here. I think I read in another post that RealBlackStuff might do this or does build these machines. For now, I still enjoy using my older ThinkPads ... I got them in fairly good condition in 2010 ... one T42 - 15 inch was like new.

Just to add ... anyone still using WinXP ... over at the MSFN forum under the Windows XP thread ... there is a new project just started two months ago ... it may go nowhere but maybe in time it might. It is called 'Extended Kernel for XP (ExtendedXP)' ... there are several goals, if I understand it correctly ... have USB 3 work on WinXP, newer browser versions like Pale Moon and such. I am following it but I don't understand 'everything' being discussed for now.

There is also a new thread of 'Browsers still working with WinXP in 2017'.

http://www.msfn.org/board/

Older Windows NT-Family OSes

Windows XP

http://www.msfn.org/board/forum/34-windows-xp/

Extended Kernel for XP (ExtendedXP)

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/176757- ... xtendedxp/

List of Web Browsers Working with XP 2017

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/176386- ... h-xp-2017/

Also ... to add about the K-Meleon browser ... there is a newer version being worked on by Dorian but it has had some setbacks. However, rodocop has released a version in April ... in everyone of his posts (at the bottom) he has links to older and current KM browsers. I like KM 1.8.24.22 © adodupan for a really light, fast KM version and then v75.1 and his K-Meleon 76 Pro is good ... till we hear from Dorian again.

K-Meleon Forum

http://kmeleonbrowser.org/forum/

Development - New K-Meleon 76 Pro on the go!!!

http://kmeleonbrowser.org/forum/read.php?2,141328

Posted by: rodocop
Date: April 02, 2017 04:06AM

Hi, comrades!

Well, this time we feel some stagnation in development again. But once again we shouldn't stop ourselves!

I'm glad to present you new K-Meleon Pro 76 build - even better and more powerful than previous version!

KM 76 RC2 base.
New look!
New Pro-menu for added options.
New extensions out of the box: HTML5 management, censorship circumvention, saving of embedded videos, quick page translation with Google or Yandex - and more.

Try and enjoy new -----> K-MELEON 76 PRO RC

And I'm not pranking you!
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Also, to add to my post ... with the KM browser, if you like the older, simple look of XP then try the 'Klassic' skin in the Skins folder. It's always a pain setting up a new browser with fixes and settings but worth it in the end.

If you like a Lighthouse throbber going around ... it is here.

Graphics

K-Meleon Lighthouse Throbber

http://kmeleonbrowser.org/forum/read.php?10,110908

...

[kfzhu1229]

I guess I will stay with these old ThinkPads into the future ... I have thought about getting a T43 or getting a 'FrankenPad' from someone here. I think I read in another post that RealBlackStuff might do this or does build these machines. For now, I still enjoy using my older ThinkPads ... I got them in fairly good condition in 2010 ... one T42 - 15 inch was like new.

same here but in my personal experience, due to better driver support, newer chips (Sonoma with NX, DDR2, PCIe, expresscard, etc.) in a T43, my T43 fares a lot better in terms of modern use. Where it really shines over T42 are video playback (the maxed out T43 can play 1080p video locally and 720p30 YouTube videos at fullscreen with no constant lag), Windows Aero support (which you have to aim for the 9600 version of T42 to get), and NX support thus capable of running the latest version of Windows 10 as of now (something T42 could ever dream of). Though at the cost is the amount of extra heat it delivers.
Finally, while early T4x can be prone to GPU desoldering, while T43 can be prone to southbridge desoldering.

[RealBlackStuff]

I still have some T4x/R5x stuff laying about.
Laptops:
T40 (2373-EU9) 14.1"
R52 (1860-A13) 14.1"
R52 (1860-CAU) 15"
R512 (1830-Y18) 15", "Frankie" from R51 base with R52 mobo
Parts:
T42 14.1" complete lid, SXGA+, also incl. an empty base
T43 14.1" complete lid, XGA
8x R52 mobo (Intel GPU)
The above laptops and parts are all working.

The whole lot just sitting in a cupboard doing nothing.
Someone make me an offer I cannot refuse?

[kfzhu1229]

Same here.
14.1" restored units:
T42 (Radeon 7500)
T43 with ultrabay hard drive caddy + sata drive with broken primary hdd slot.
2xT43p NOS systemboards.
those above are used for functionality testing and random download safety testing occasionally otherwise sitting inside my shelf doing nothing

[sdfox7]

My 14 year old ThinkPad T40 finally had the dreaded southbridge failure, and I have replaced it with a T41, identical machine but with a 1.6GHz vs 1.3GHz in the T40.

I have used XP Professional on both machines, with 2GB RAM and 7200RPM IDE drive, these machines aren't obsolete in my opinion. I believe the 7200RPM drive makes a world of difference; most of these machines shipped with 4200RPM or 5400RPM; I'm not sure if 7200RPM even existed in 2004.

XP is no longer supported by Microsoft but I couldn't care less. I'm using the final release of Chrome 49 for XP (49.0.2623.112) and Firefox ESR 52.x which is still supported and updated on XP. Both browsers run great and can correctly display any website.

Just as with my T40, I use my T41 for web browsing, email, YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, and Office. This machine is able to handle all of that.

[w0qj]

Wow, that was very useful. Thank you!

...XP is no longer supported by Microsoft but I couldn't care less. I'm using the final release of Chrome 49 for XP (49.0.2623.112) and Firefox ESR 52.x which is still supported and updated on XP. Both browsers run great and can correctly display any website.
...

[sdfox7]

Wow, that was very useful. Thank you!

I couldn't tell if you were being sarcastic, but it's the truth. My T41 has the factory install with just SP2 (image warning: image 1 & image 2). It is blazingly quick with 1GB, and Chrome 49 and Firefox ESR 52.x both fly. (For XP SP2, due to SHA 2 transition, you first install Firefox 43.0.1 and then update to Firefox 52 from within Firefox)

You can download TaoKaizen's Advanced Chrome for Windows XP, it is newer than 49 and has a lot of great functionality. The user agent is detected as Chrome 60. I tried it myself on my TP: (image warning) Advanced Chrome

[kfzhu1229]

Well I would say if your older T4x machines do not have a high-res IPS display, there isn't much of a point using them for your main daily tasks, because in that case the T6x machines do much better and the non-IPS versions are pretty cheap.
Instead for that kind of machine, I would suggest you to use them as things such as spotify streaming, file downloading for the files that may end up be viruses/ransomware/etc, and background uploading/downloading while you use your main computer for other uses.
If your T4x is considered as more collectible, with top IPS displays, then yea it is at least more worth it to spend more effort and get every single bit of performance out of it to do today's main tasks.
I don't know if this is just me, but when I use any T4x as my main machine (in this case T43p), I would at least load Windows 7 or 10

[sdfox7]

Well I would say if your older T4x machines do not have a high-res IPS display, there isn't much of a point using them for your main daily tasks, because in that case the T6x machines do much better and the non-IPS versions are pretty cheap.
Instead for that kind of machine, I would suggest you to use them as things such as spotify streaming, file downloading for the files that may end up be viruses/ransomware/etc, and background uploading/downloading while you use your main computer for other uses.
If your T4x is considered as more collectible, with top IPS displays, then yea it is at least more worth it to spend more effort and get every single bit of performance out of it to do today's main tasks.
I don't know if this is just me, but when I use any T4x as my main machine (in this case T43p), I would at least load Windows 7 or 10

But they weren't manufactured by IBM, and they don't have the coveted IBM logo.

[RealBlackStuff]

This what you're looking for? http://www.ebay.com/itm/162622969255

[shawross]

Yes the magical IBM badge coupled with the "Manufactured for IBM" label on the underneath of the Thinkpads. How much this values the machines now and in the future is interesting and up for conjecture.

[kfzhu1229]

Another thing you can do with low end T4x is to make them into digital gallery. 14.1" XGA is low end, but they get photo displaying jobs done, especially if you just have a working GMA motherboard with a whole other bunch of parts that isn't enough for a full laptop.

[sdfox7]

In my opinion, the problem with using these machines today has little to do with the speed of these machines. A ThinkPad with 2GB RAM is still quite fast.

The real problem is how inefficient and bloated web advertising has become. It wastes bandwidth and makes reading articles more difficult than it should be. This is why I am a fan of technologies such as Firefox's Reading View and Safari's Reading Mode.

According to a WSJ (Wall Street Journal) article, more people than ever are using ad blocking software.

It is truly ridiculous when one browser window consumes 1GB of RAM or more. Like, seriously?

The benefit to dial-up in the old days was that the connection was barely fast enough to serve pages, so trying to serve ads was futile.

Here's How Oversized Web Ads Are Encouraging Ad Blocking

Bloated web: One article shouldn’t need 55 pages of code to show up on your phone

[shawross]

Blocking Javascript for everything other than required sites will help.

[jwjensen356]

Re the $1.95 IBM Thinkpad sticker, I put them on my T420 and T420s. Reminds me of my previous Thinkpads.