motherboard identification on late model T30?

[rickpaulos]

I'm a bit confused as to what motherboard to get for my T30
model: T30 Type 2366 QU5. 2.4 ghz 14". mfd october 2003.

The HMM was published 10 months before the mfd date of my T30 and does not list that particular model code (QU5) or the mother board numbers I found.

I took the covers off and found a sticker attached to a plastic tab by the wifi card labeled:
PN 91P7687
FRU 91P7698

I have found both numbers listed for motherboards for sale via google/ebay.

So which is it in my computer? Or is there a more definitive place to look for the number if/when I more fully dismantle the T30?

Also, any recommendations for a seller?

Background. The computer slowed way down this winter. Memory bound due to losing half the ram probably due the typical dimm slot solder issue. More recently the problem progressed to messed up video, then external mouse losing power with the computer locking up, finally to not being able to boot if even a little warm. I assume a new motherboard will solve all these problems.

Thanks,
Rick

this message sent from an IBM iSeries.

[nom]

Hi,

Entering product/model number on the IBM/Lenovo support page gives me:

Product: ThinkPad T30 2366-QU5
...
Original description: Based on 2366-JBU: P4-M 2.4GHz, ...

So I would suggest you take a motherboard replacement for the 2366-JBU, which would be 91P7698 according to the T30 service parts list.

HTH!

Nom

[rickpaulos]

Successful followup.

I dismantled my T30 and did a pretty thorough inspection of the dimm solder joints with a pretty high power iluminated magnifying lense. I could not see any problems. I decided to order a replacement board (91P7698) from ACS ($70) and installed that today. It's working fine now. Sees all the ram, no video issues, no lockups. Yet. I let it run for several hours and no problems. I guess it will take some time to see if heat is an issue. My T30 is running so much better now with a full 1 gig. 512 just didn't cut it for XP.

Rick


sent from my Thinkpad T30.

[RealBlackStuff]

Why stop at 1GB, that machine can take 1GB in each RAM slot!

[rkawakami]

Shhh!!! I'm trying to score several 1GB DDR modules on eBay right now for a couple of A31p systems .

@rickpaulos: And by the way, Welcome to thinkpads.com!

[rickpaulos]

Why stop at 1 gig you ask?

Well because the computer works great as is for all the apps I use. I'm running IBM's version of XP with updates turned off. Experienced XP users know that keeping automatic updates on causes XP to need an ever increasing amount of memory over time. At some point that updating of XP causes the computer to get memory bound, ie, not enough ram so it starts running the virtual memory swaping non stop which can greatly slow your computer.

Odd that my old iSeries Thinkpad only has 192 meg (max) and works fine with XP sp2. It used to crash due to lack of memory after about 10 minutes on the www using dial up. Now I use wifi and it works fine for hours on end. After 1 hard drive failure in the iSeries, I tried an SSD drive. That particular drive disabled Virtual Memory Management and the 192 meg wasn't sufficient for XP to run. Now that the T30 is working fine, the iSeries is back in storage.

Rick

[ajkula66]

rickpaulos wrote:

Why stop at 1 gig you ask?

Well because the computer works great as is for all the apps I use. I'm running IBM's version of XP with updates turned off. Experienced XP users know that keeping automatic updates on causes XP to need an ever increasing amount of memory over time. At some point that updating of XP causes the computer to get memory bound, ie, not enough ram so it starts running the virtual memory swaping non stop which can greatly slow your computer.

While the point made here is a fair one overall, I believe that what RBS was referring to - and I'd be asking the same thing myself - is why not max the machine which is a high-end T30 to begin with. I've had them with 2GB RAM, 7200rpm drives and until it comes to video games (which I don't play anyway) or some serious streaming, these units are perfectly capable of performing almost anything you throw at them...and the upgrades are actually quite inexpensive nowadays...

My $0.02 only...

Your ThinkPad - your call.