Upgrade CPU in T40p???

[marvel]

Can I use a dothan (?) in my T40p? Got a 1,6 GHz now - would like a faster one with more cache...

Does the latest BIOS support a cpu-change? what about the MB - does it support different cpus?

Thanks!

/Michael

[gforce]

Can I use a dothan (?) in my T40p? Got a 1,6 GHz now - would like a faster one with more cache...

Does the latest BIOS support a cpu-change? what about the MB - does it support different cpus?

Thanks!

/Michael

I guess the 855 chipset does support the 2nd generation of processors (400 Mhz FSB, 2 MB L2 cache).

[marvel]

Thanks!

I suppose the T40p has a Bania, right?

BTW: Has anyone upgraded their CPU?

/Michael

[daeojkim]

AFAIK Banias and Dothan use same socket so T40 ith Banias can be upgraded with a Dothan processor.

[levimax]

I recently upgraded from Banis 1.6 GHZ to Dothan 2.0 GHz. It was very easy, just download the service manual and it walks you through it step by step. Probably takes an hour the first time and 1/2 hour if you ever had to do it again.

Performance is better accross the board but nothing earth shaking. I also upgraded to 7200 rpm HD and more RAM and the processor upgrade was the most noticable (and most expensive).

I figure this will tide me over so I won't have to buy a t43 and will wait until the next generation processors come out which by all reports are going to make all current machines obsolete

[dc81]

Where did you get the processor? For how much?

[Steve007]

Can I use a dothan (?) in my T40p? Got a 1,6 GHz now - would like a faster one with more cache...

Does the latest BIOS support a cpu-change? what about the MB - does it support different cpus?

Thanks!

/Michael

It's not worth all the hassle for a few percent increase in CPU performance. Don't waste your time. Get another 1GB of RAM instead.

[dc81]

I think upgrading from 1.6ghz 1mb cache, to 2ghz 2mb cache would bring you a more than just a few percent increase. It is a 20% increase in speed, isn't it?

[levimax]

Dothan is faster per clock cycle and 1.6 to 2.0 GHZ is 25% faster so you will have around a 30% faster CPU. From personal experience I can tell you it is much more noticable than a faster HD (7200 RPM) and especailly more than extra RAM (unless RAM is in fact a bottleneck on your system). In fact unless you need more RAM there is no difference.

To check if you need more RAM, after running your computer for a few days without rebooting open Task Manager and click on the performance tab. Look in the "Commit Charge (K)" table and look at "Peak". If peak is less than the amount of installed memory you are fine and more RAM will make no difference. If "Peak" is more than your installed RAM then RAM is indeed a bottleneck on your system and more RAM will be very helpful.

The nice thing about a faster CPU is that everthing you do is faster, including boot up (although the faster HD is more effective in this area), opening programs, and running programs. However, again from experience, it is not a huge difference and it doesn't take long to get used to it.

Whether or not it is "worth" it is very subjective. If improving the overall responsivness of your system is important to you and you don't mind spending $300 and an hour of your time on an "old" computer then there is nothing else you can do that will be more effective. On the other hand from a "practicle" point of view the increase in performance is subtle, the cost is not going to increse the value of your computer and in fact may reduce it because the warrantee is voided, and in any case your computer is going to be more or less worthless in a few years anyway.

To me it "made sense" because instead of buying a new T43 I just upgraded my old computer while I wait for the new processors from Intel which are supposed to be much better than anything you can get now.

Of course the most "practicle" thing you can do is just keep using your old computer the way it is but how much fun is that?

[dc81]

Levimax,
I think it would be very common for somebody to need a new computer after a few years, and if you can get away with spending $300 (maybe less if you wait 6 mos) and bypass purchasing a new computer for a year or two then spending that $300 is very worth it. Since an IBM Thinkpad is a business computer, I would think that a lot of tasks that people do on an IBM are not as cpu intensive as maybe a gaming machine, and therefore you would not need to upgrade as often. (Unless you want the newest machine, just to say you have it).

An example would possibly be, assume you purchased an IBM in 2001 a T41p for that matter, and you use it for AutoCAD Drafting, back then the minimum requirement for AutoCAD were about a 400mhz PII and I think 128mb RAM. Now you fast forward 4 years, and the newest release of AutoCAD has a minimum requirement of 800mhz PIII and 256mb RAM. Keep in mind these are minimum requirements and more is definetely better. But technically your T41p should still be more than enough to handle the program, and in a situation like this it might be nice the upgrade the cpu and possible RAM for $300-$400, but I don't think a new computer purchase is required.

Back to my point of people wanting to buy a new computer, I think if you really sat down and thought about what you are using it for, you might find out that you really don't need to buy a new computer, and that a much less expensive upgrade would suffice. Again, minus the hardcore gamers.

Sorry for the long winded post, just my thoughts on the subject.