Thinkpads Forum

Hello!

I am buying used T61.

Here is the link: http://www.bolha.com/notebook-ibm-lenov ... 1278522134

I don't know the model number. Should i ask the seller, when did he buy it? I read something that chip was fixed in year 2008? Or i can see this from the model number?

Thanks in advance.

Lp, titanium

The date of manufacture is on the bottom of the laptop at the end of the line that contain the type number and serial number. If the date is 08/08 you can be confident that it has the good chip, anything before that is a gamble at best. You will probably have to contact the seller and ask for the date.

Okay. I will call it tomorrow and post the date here.

Neil wrote:If the date is 08/08

Let me add that the first number is the year and the second one is the month.

I would inquire about one more thing because the web site says "15,4" WXGA 1680x1050", and "WXGA" means 1280x800.

EDIT: If the photos show the actual item, then it's definitely 1680x1050.

run TPFanControl at the 64 setting to spin your fan to the max when gaming on it, so that it will keep temperatures below 80 deg C. That's how I've been beating on my 07 model for 3.5 years with 55% overclocked video, LOL.

P.S. I dont believe in that rumor with the dates as nVidia will not change compound only to keep production for a month or so after 08/08 before releasing the next GPU series. If the laptop has not died yet then it will most likely not die any time soon - the bathtub curve rule for anything that can fail (i.e. if it fails then it would be either towards the beginning or towards the end of its lifetime, not likely to fail in the middle)

My Slovenian is definitely rusty, but that machine - at least according to the description in the linked ad - has Intel X3100 integrated graphics, and not nVidia...

ajkula66 wrote:My Slovenian is definitely rusty, but that machine - at least according to the description in the linked ad - has Intel X3100 integrated graphics, and not nVidia...

All GMA models of the 15.4" T61 had 1280x800, no?

No, PW...some actually had 1680x1050...and are not that rare...those are probably the best pick out of the whole generation IMO...

As george said it may have X3100,

SPECIFIKACIJE
MODEL IBM LENOVO THINKPAD T61

Intel Core 2 Duo processor T7500 (2,2GHz)
RAM 2 GB DDR2
HDD 100GB Serial ATA
DVD RW
grafična X3100, do 384Mb
15,4" WXGA 1680x1050
56Kbps Modem v.92
Gigabit Ethernet- Integrated 10/100/1000
Wi-Fi 802.11a,b,g
Bluetooth modul
ThinkPad UltraNav
BATERIJA: 6 Cell Lithium-Ion, cca do 2h.

That is strange. I swear that yesterday was written, that laptop is whit a nvidia chip.

Get the full 7-character model number from the seller, that will give you a better idea of what you're looking at...

Be careful, a lot of sellers try to hide the fact that it has nVidia.

Also when you get the full model, serial and date codes, the model will have four numbers followed by three alphanumerics, of the three are CTO, then you cannot look up the hardware unless you do a parts lookup using the serial number, but that often isn't listed, there are gaping holes in lenovo's database regarding CTO specs.

If the three are CTR, then that opens up a new level of uncertainty. CTR is a lenovo factory refurb, so even if it is dated 08/08, it's very likely a unit built weeks/months prior that was sold and returned, then fixed and relabeled with a new date, so you cannot assume the chip is good on CTR.

Unit's with Intel graphics aren't common in 15.4, and most of them are very low end, usually with T7100 or T7300 cpu, but some CTO (configure to order) systems have Penryn boards. I even found one with WSXGA and a T9300 cpu, but this is a rare combo with intel graphics.

In the order of best to worse... the best choice would be a T61p 08/08 or newer with Penryn chip, second would be a T61 with 08/08 nVidia NVS140m and Penryn. Behind that would be the same with Merom chips, as long as the date is 08/08 or newer. If you can't get one of these, then best bet is to go with Intel graphics.

As far as the improved nVidia chip goes, there is credible evidence the factories were first retooled to make them as far back as febuary 2008, but they kept the updates quiet and if they did start making them back then, it was a slow switch over and they most likely made both designs simultaneously, having the same exact numbers on the chip. This is also consistant with the fact that we see far less failed chips from the 08/03 to 08/07 era, and virtually none after 08/08, because Lenovo replaced all the boards from their manufacturing in July 2008.

I do agree if you keep the chip from overheating, and avoid a lot of unneeded heat/cool cycling, your chip will most likely last many years, even if it's the older design. None of the manufacturers publish data on failure rates, but what I have heard (unofficially) from sources inside Lenovo is that the total number of failures even today are less then 1%. As far as dollars and sense goes, this problem is very minor compared to harddrives, hinges, ram, etc... but to the person who switches their machine on and it suddenly does nothing at all... well, it doesn't seem so minor, and the fact that Lenovo wants $575 for a board doesn't help matters.

Curious why no enterprising Chinese factory could not offer new/refurb boards available with "fixed": Nvidia chips <g>, they may have a decent market considering T61/T61Ps had huge sales.

If T500 boards are compatible w/T61P frame/lower case, they maybe a suitable alternative, if prices come down to reasonable levels, ie we could have a T61/P + T500 board "Trickenpad"(with LCD Roll cage + WSXGA+ which absent in newer TPs),but unsure if T61P LCD connector/inverter would work with T500 boards.

Rgds
Ska

SKA wrote: If T500 boards are compatible w/T61P frame/lower case, they maybe a suitable alternative, if prices come down to reasonable levels, ie we could have a T61/P + T500 board "Trickenpad"(with LCD Roll cage + WSXGA+ which absent in newer TPs),but unsure if T61P LCD connector/inverter would work with T500 boards.

Rgds
Ska

Unfortunately, they are not compatible...

SKA wrote:Curious why no enterprising Chinese factory could not offer new/refurb boards available with "fixed": Nvidia chips

Rgds
Ska

There are such boards on the market now, they cost more and are far less reliable then a good unaltered 08/08 board.

The problem is complex, first issue is getting a good replacement GPU, there are fake chips available so you can't judge them by the markings alone, and also the heat needed to resolder the chip can easily destroy the board, or cause stress that leads to other failures in the future. There is one factory in Malaysia that repairs the boards and they sell quite a bit of them. I've seen reports that many of them fail shortly after the 30day warranty expires, and if you get a DOA board, you then have to deal with the cost of international shipping to return it. It's far cheaper and more reliable to get an 08/08 board, while they are still obtainable.

Ok. I didn't buy this model of T61.

I bought T61 with intel graphics.