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[GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool* (and quiet)

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[GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool* (and quiet)

#1 Post by 600X » Fri Jul 04, 2014 2:21 pm

Hello there,

Many people still love and use their T60's. This doesn't come as a surprise; they are really awesome machines and some even call them the last true ThinkPads. However, one problem that haunts many T60 owners, especially those with discrete ATI graphics (basically the majority) is heat.
Now there are a number of reasons why the T60 runs hot or at least hotter than one might like it to. In this guide I'll show you how to get your T60 with ATI to reach a maximum temperature of 55°C during prime95 and Furmark combined. Got your attention? Good, then let's get started.

1. Reasons why the T60 ATI runs hot

Most people will probably just scream "it's all the ATI's fault" but the truth is that there are a number of factors that contribute to the massive heat being produced. Yes, the ATI is one of the big culprits, but another big one is the CPU. While 65nm Merom CPU's are certainly very decent, they do run a lot hotter than say a slightly newer 45nm Penryn. Penryn CPU's are much more efficient than Merom CPU's, thus Merom CPU's tend to create more heat even when performing "light tasks" such as watching a YouTube video, despite both having a TDP of 35W. (which is quite high for a thin machine like the T60)

As I have already mentioned, the ATI itself is of course one of the biggest heat generators, despite having a relatively low TDP of about 15W for the X1300 and X1400. For comparison, the NVS140M has 10W, the FX570M has 35W and the HD3650M has 30W. Since the ATI can not be switched off and was produced using a 90nm manufacturing process, it constantly creates a significant amount of heat that needs plenty of cooling.

Next on the list is the heat sink and fan. Most people are aware that the T60 heat sink and fan assembly is inferior to what the T61 and T500 have to offer, which is why the latter heat sinks are a popular choice among FrankenPad modders. The T60 fan is relatively inefficient and loud. Furthermore, the ATI and Northbridge chips are connected to the T60 heat sink via thick thermal pads, which transfer heat a lot worse than a thin layer of thermal paste.

The locations of the big culprits certainly play a role as well since the 4 major chips (CPU, ATI, Northbridge, Southbridge) are all located next to each other. (more or less) Even the wireless card which is used in the T60 runs very hot, especially for today's standards.

It's not just the hardware however, software can have quite an impact on the heat being produced as well. Most users will probably be wanting to install Windows 7. However, the T60 does not officially support Windows 7. Nevertheless, pretty much everything works OOTB. Which is great, if it weren't for that pesky ATI. A straight forward driver installation is not possible, because there are no Windows 7 drivers for the ATI. Why would you care? Even though the ATI can't switch itself off, it does have power saving features. The catch is, you need to enable them in the Catalyst Control Center, which of course requires a working set of drivers.

2. Getting started

Now that you know why your T60 is running hot (apart from the obvious like dust in the fan) we can focus on what to do to make it run cooler. I'll be demonstrating everything on my 14" T60 with the following specs:

CPU: T7200 2GHz
RAM: 2x1GB Kingston HyperX
GPU: ATI X1400
Storage: 128GB Samsung 470 SSD
Screen: 14" SXGA+ (1400x1050)
Wireless: Intel 5100
Keyboard: T400 style
BIOS: 2.27 no 1802/no whitelist
OS: Windows 7 Pro x86

3. Parts to replace

Without any further delays, the big secret is simple: Ditch the stock fan and heat sink and replace it with a W500 or T500 ATI heat sink. (including fan) This will make the biggest difference and address the biggest issues. With the W500 heat sink, you get better heat dissipation for the CPU thanks to the dual heat pipe design. The heat spreader for the GPU now has direct contact with the GPU itself, so you can apply thermal paste and get rid of those horrible thermal pads. Since the W500 heat sink is designed for a 30W GPU, it will easily handle the 15W X1400.

Coupled with the new, more silent and more efficient fan, the amount of heat being transferred is significantly higher. Needless to say, you should try to apply a razor-thin layer of evenly spread thermal paste on both the CPU and GPU to achieve the best results. Keep in mind that some thermal paste requires up to 200h of usage time before it reaches maximum efficiency. I recommend Arctic Cooling (which needs said 200h) or if you feel like you're up to it, IC Diamond.

Image
(click to enlarge)

Next, we will replace that hot running wireless adapter. (the Intel 3965) You'll need the modified BIOS to install a different wireless card. I can recommend the Intel 5100 as it runs very cool and is quite cheap, although any modern Intel card will essentially fit the bill. Don't be confused by the pics, I took them before I installed the new wireless card. :wink:

In case you haven't done so yet, you should also install a SSD. It will keep your palmrest nice and cool and contribute to a more silent machine. Needless to say, the performance boost by itself is already worth it.

You might also want to consider replacing the keyboard with the newer T400 style keyboard which no longer has a solid steel plate supporting the keys, but instead a sheet of metal with holes in it, making it a lot lighter. This is a somewhat controversial thing to do because you will loose the advantage of having a good keyboard, which is kind of the point of having a ThinkPad. The difference is not major, but it does allow the insides to breath a bit. That being said, the new keyboard isn't all bad, and I would still recommend installing it if you want the best results possible.

One last thing you should do, in case you haven't done this either, is install a newer and more efficient Core 2 Duo instead of Core Duo. The T7200 offers good performance for little money. A T5600 or similar should be sufficient for most tasks as well. Your system will run significantly cooler with a Core 2 Duo. If you want to take your T60 one step further, then look out for a L2400. The old low voltage processors used to be the same size as the standard voltage CPU's (35mm x 35mm) and were even available as PGA models. The U7600 may be suitable as well.

4. The other hardware tweaks

After taking care of the big guys, it's time to do some smaller modifications to your T60. You should have an excess T60 heat sink with 2 thermal pads. Do not throw it away. Instead, carefully remove the thermal pads from the heat sink. Now what you may ask? Well, the time has come to completely disassemble your T60. Sadly, there is no other option, because you need to apply both thermal pads to the Southbridge. This will create a heat-bridge and allow the heat of the Southbridge to be transferred to the magnesium rollcage. This way it stays away from the bottom of the machine, which is a crucial step in achieving our goal of a T60 that stays cool to the touch. Just view this as an opportunity to completely clean your unit on the inside and get rid of all the dust. You can also use an aftermarket thermal pad with a size of 30mm x 30mm and a thickness of 2mm.

Image
(click to enlarge)

(notice the thermal pads located beneath the BIOS battery)

Although the RAM doesn't run hot on the T60 with ATI, you can still install RAM with a heat sink if you wish to. I believe G.Skill offer compatible 2GB DDR2 modules. Alternatively, you can buy aftermarket heat sinks and apply them to your current RAM.

As you might have noticed I also removed the modem and modem cables. This should aid in preventing heat congestion, especially when combined with an efficient wireless card, which is located right next to where the modem used to be.

Finally, spread a thin layer of thermal paste on top of the silver plate of the GPU part of the heat sink. When reassembling the T60, this surface will connect to the keyboard and transfer some heat from the GPU to the keyboard, thus allowing the heat sink to retain a higher heat capacity. This can be a bit messy, so be careful. As always, the trick is to use as little thermal paste as possible. I consider this step optional because I wasn't able to notice a significant temperature difference and applying new thermal paste every time you remove the keyboard is quite annoying.

5. Setting up Windows 7 correctly

I think most of us are capable of setting up Windows 7 and installing all the necessary drivers without any hiccups. Just try not to install any unnecessary junk (ThinkVantage software). Also don't forget the important chipset drivers. If you feel like you are incapable of doing this( :roll: ), I have, in light of the recent driver sweep by lenovo, uploaded a full directory of all Windows 7 drivers and tools I used for my T60. Since even AMD has removed all drivers for older devices from their website, I don't even have any other choice than to provide everything you need in my cloud:

ThinkPad T60 full driver package for Win 7 32-bit

In my package you will find the latest Mobility Radeon X1400 drivers that are available. If you have a different card then you will need to either revert to Vista drivers or try out an experimental Windows 8/8.1/10 driver that includes drivers for all ATI cards that were equipped on the T60. (link to be added)

Before installing the ATI drivers you will need to mod them with the well known Mobility Modder. However, as if this were some cruel joke ( :?: ), even that site has been, at least temporarily, shifted, so that the download links for the tool may still work, but the instructions on how to use it are gone. I'm sure plenty of people have used the tool before. If necessary simply ask around if someone still has the instructions on how to use it. If I remember correctly you just need to extract the ATI driver and use the tool to mod the binary folder and then proceed with the installation normally.

Once all the drivers are installed properly, open the CCC (Catalyst Control Center), go to Powerplay settings and set everything to maximum power savings. That way the X1400 runs at a much lower clock rate (128MHz as opposed to the standard 452MHz) and produces significantly less heat.

At the moment though, 55°C during prime95 and Furmark is still a dream rather than reality. In order to fulfill this dream you will need to undervolt the CPU. I'm sure most of you already saw this coming. But just like getting the ATI into power saving mode, it is absolutely crucial to undervolt the CPU in order to take care of the hot nature of Merom CPU's. To do so I used the widely popular tool RMClock. I just let my T7200 run at full speed (2GHz) but at just 1.0125V instead of 1.2500V. Your CPU sample may need higher voltages or may even be able to go lower.

Finally, you need to install TPFC. You will need it because the fan will only start running when the CPU hits something like 60°C, so you will need to manually set it to constantly run at stage 1.

Image
(click to enlarge)

5.1. Linux

I can only speak for Ubuntu-based distributions. These fully support all T60 ATI variants out of the box. You only need to install TLP and use it to configure the ATI clock rates. You can choose from low, mid and high clock rates. To undervolt the CPU, you can use PHC.

6. That's it!

You should now have a T60 that runs cooler than ever before! :D You can try running prime95 and Furmark to see what temperatures you reach. Before running Furmark you will need to set the ATI to Balanced in Powerplay, otherwise it will crash. Also use fan stage 7 in TPFC.

Image
(click to enlarge)

Some side notes: You might also need to adjust the W500 heat sink a bit since it was not meant to be used in the T60. Just make sure that the heat spreaders are even and have good contact with the chips. To test if the contact is good, press down on the heat sink really hard during Furmark. If the temperature suddenly drops by a few degrees then you will need to straighten the heat spreader to make it sit evenly on the GPU. Some bending will be required. You might need a few attempts.

Instead of the stock T60 bracket which does not fit on the W500 heat sink, I am using a slightly modified version of the T61 bracket. It is also possible to not use any bracket at all since the keyboard presses down on the GPU heat spreader. (due to the higher position of the X1400 compared to the HD3650M)

For best results, follow every single step in this guide and don't skip anything.

I do not take responsibility if anything goes wrong. Proceed with these modifications at your own risk!


Moderator edit: Moved topic to this (the T6x) forum, and made it to a sticky... so that more people may see and thus benefit from it.
Last edited by 600X on Tue Jun 14, 2016 4:52 am, edited 19 times in total.
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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool*

#2 Post by RealBlackStuff » Fri Jul 04, 2014 2:52 pm

You forgot to mention that you also removed the modem and modem-cables!
To go another step further: instead of replacing the full-size Intel 3945/4965 wifi card with another full-size one, use a half-size Intel 5100/6200/6205 (or Atheros equivalent) wifi card with a half-size bracket.
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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool*

#3 Post by 600X » Fri Jul 04, 2014 3:09 pm

RealBlackStuff wrote:You forgot to mention that you also removed the modem and modem-cables!
Indeed, I have added it to the guide. Thanks for the hint!

I just happened to have a full size 5100 lying around but your advice is of course correct, these half-size cards are another step up from the full-size ones. One might even go as far installing the 7260. Works great with the X61s and even keeps the pamrest cool on those machines, so it's definitely something to consider for a T60 that is supposed to run cool.
Last edited by 600X on Wed Aug 13, 2014 6:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool*

#4 Post by dr_st » Fri Jul 04, 2014 4:56 pm

Very thorough guide, thanks. :)

I'm curious about actual numbers. Can you provide comparative CPU/GPU temps with the stock heatsink versus the T/W500 one?
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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool*

#5 Post by Saucey » Fri Jul 04, 2014 7:02 pm

Never thought about the south bridge and thermal pads...
Will do that to my next T6x Frankie. 8)
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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool*

#6 Post by 600X » Sat Jul 05, 2014 4:43 am

dr_st wrote:I'm curious about actual numbers. Can you provide comparative CPU/GPU temps with the stock heatsink versus the T/W500 one?
The last pic in the guide shows the temps with the new cooling setup (55°C). My mom has a T60 14" with the T2500 CPU, ATI X1400 and the stock cooling setup. I will test her machine and upload a pic when I have time.
Last edited by 600X on Sat Jul 05, 2014 1:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool*

#7 Post by dr_st » Sat Jul 05, 2014 9:24 am

Very nice! I would like to see the comparison numbers, but even without them - 55C at full load is a huge difference. My stock T60 15" shows similar temperatures while idling (although to be fair - it is not undervolted, and the temperatures here right now are the highest they ever get during the year).
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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool*

#8 Post by 600X » Wed Jul 09, 2014 5:36 am

dr_st wrote:My stock T60 15" shows similar temperatures while idling (although to be fair - it is not undervolted, and the temperatures here right now are the highest they ever get during the year).
It's summer here too, so I might get even better results in winter. Nevertheless, the optimized T60 usually reaches about 43 degrees while surfing and about 39-40 while idling. Also notice how the 4 major chips I mentioned (cpu, gpu, aps, pci) all have about the same temperature.

http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/eccd/n ... uy4rfg.jpg

When stressing the CPU slightly more (YouTube videos) I usually reach about 50 degrees. But it's not just the inside temperatures, the bottom of the T60 stays really cool as well.

I haven't been able to test my mom's T60 yet, but I believe it is around 50-55 degrees hot while idling as well.
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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool*

#9 Post by dr_st » Wed Jul 09, 2014 6:53 am

That's excellent.

Do you have a rough guess - how much of the difference comes from undervolting and how much from the modified heatsink?

I guess I could just try the undervolting myself using your instructions. :)
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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool*

#10 Post by 600X » Wed Jul 09, 2014 9:51 am

dr_st wrote:Do you have a rough guess - how much of the difference comes from undervolting and how much from the modified heatsink?
When idling, undervolting does not make a difference. It's when the CPU is stressed that undervolting makes a significant difference. So those 10-15 degrees of improvement during idle come from the different hardware mods that I applied. Whereas the 50 degrees during YouTube videos and 55 degrees at full load are the results of the combined effects of hardware and software tweaks.
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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool*

#11 Post by dr_st » Wed Jul 09, 2014 9:57 am

Great answer and makes perfect sense. :thumbs-UP:

My T60 is not heavily used, most of the time it's docked (BTW that in itself usually adds 3-4 degrees for whatever reason), so the heat does not bother me. But, if at some point the fan fails (this is already its second fan - they usually last for ~3-4 years), and the machine it still usable otherwise, I will probably go down the T500 fan route, because - why not?

Thank you once again for sharing this great information. :D
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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool*

#12 Post by 600X » Thu Aug 14, 2014 4:31 am

I have updated the guide and added the T60 driver package to my cloud. Now you can work through the whole guide without even leaving this page.
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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool*

#13 Post by JesseKnows » Sat Aug 16, 2014 6:59 am

Aurora wrote:I have updated the guide and added the T60 driver package to my cloud. Now you can work through the whole guide without even leaving this page.
Thank you!

Is it possible to include the modified ATI file in the package?

J

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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool*

#14 Post by 600X » Mon Aug 18, 2014 2:23 am

JesseKnows wrote:
Aurora wrote:I have updated the guide and added the T60 driver package to my cloud. Now you can work through the whole guide without even leaving this page.
Is it possible to include the modified ATI file in the package?
Sadly, it is not possible. Don't ask me why, it was explained on the Mobility Modder site, but the MM basically modifies the driver differently every time, or something along those lines, so you need to do it anew on every machine and can't just upload drivers that are already modded.
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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool* (and quiet)

#15 Post by Johan » Wed Aug 20, 2014 1:03 pm

Aurora wrote:3. Parts to replace

Without any further delays, the big secret is simple: Ditch the stock fan and heat sink and replace it with a W500 or T500 ATI heat sink. (including fan) This will make the biggest difference and address the biggest issues. With the W500 heat sink, you get better heat dissipation for the CPU thanks to the dual heat pipe design. The heat spreader for the GPU now has direct contact with the GPU itself, so you can apply thermal paste and get rid of those horrible thermal pads. Since the W500 heat sink is designed for a 35W GPU, it will easily handle the 15W X1400.
Thanks very much for posting this interesting guide! :thumbs-UP:

I have one suggestion (with reference to the above quote): Would it be possible for you to provide the specific, suitable part number(s) for the:

a) T500 and/or W500 heat sink (is the heat sink by the way available "individually" without purchasing the fan?), and

b) T500 and/or W500 fan? (again: Can the fan by the way be ordered "individually" without the heat sink??)

Providing these part numbers (or FRU's) would (in my opinion!) make it a lot easier for people to do "your mod", without risking to buy the incorrect parts!

PS: A couple of related threads to modifying T6x/ps with T500 fans are My Frankenpad Conversion and Heat Sink Mods [+PICS] and New methods to reduce the fan noise in a T60 or in a T60p.

Johan
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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool* (and quiet)

#16 Post by systemBuilder » Sun Aug 24, 2014 4:02 pm

Johan wrote:
Aurora wrote:3. Parts to replace

I have one suggestion (with reference to the above quote): Would it be possible for you to provide the specific, suitable part number(s) for the:

a) T500 and/or W500 heat sink (is the heat sink by the way available "individually" without purchasing the fan?), and

b) T500 and/or W500 fan? (again: Can the fan by the way be ordered "individually" without the heat sink??)

Johan
In my experience with the T42 series, there was no separate part number for the fan or heatsink, and I believe the same holds true for the T6x and T500/W500 series.

The two (fan, heatsink) are always supplied together with a single FRU. My fans are riveted to the heatsink, or held on with bendable tabs, and sealed airtight to the heatsink by silver aluminum tape. Nevertheless, I have purchased and installed a generic fan ($4) on a T42 heatsink; I bought it based upon EBay picture and seller recommendation. The old fan was removed with a dremel and the new one was sealed with electrical tape and silicone to get an airtight seal.
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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool* (and quiet)

#17 Post by ajkula66 » Sun Aug 24, 2014 5:20 pm

systemBuilder wrote:In my experience with the T42 series, there was no separate part number for the fan or heatsink, and I believe the same holds true for the T6x and T500/W500 series.
Correct.
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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool* (and quiet)

#18 Post by 600X » Sat Aug 30, 2014 4:02 pm

I'm not sure what the part number is, but it's pretty much impossible to buy the wrong part if you are purchasing from a reputable seller that uploads pics of the actual item. There is only one part, the W500/T500 ATI heat sink with fan (it's the same item), and all you need to know is how it looks like. (which you can see in my pictures)
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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool* (and quiet)

#19 Post by Theokretes » Sat Sep 06, 2014 11:54 pm

A few questions:
#1 Is the W500 heatsink actually *that* compatible where it'll just drop into a 14" T60p without complaint?

#2 Did you try the first revision T60p heatsink? There were discussions about non-T60p heatsinks having a different formula inside the heatpipes actually leading to inferior performance from the original heatsinks.

#3 Are there any instructions on modifying the BIOS to accept other wireless cards? I think I might want to upgrade to a 6205 in my old T60p. Or perhaps a 7260 if it's compatible.

I found the ATI drivers problem curious. Since I've only ever used the FireGL boards, I was unaware of the whole ATI mobility modding aspect. The T60 windows vista/7 FireGL drivers worked instantly with no modding required. It was a Lenovo package: later T60s were vista capable. Although since my T60p had the very first original vintage motherboard that had a catastrophic failure, it may have posed more of a problem than this later one I got. Those ones supposedly cannot take 64-bit CPUs, among other things. But I still am fine with running a yonah at the moment.
2x T60p, 1x T61, loads of 701Cs, 1x WorkPad Z50, 2x TransNotes other random thinkpads...

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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool* (and quiet)

#20 Post by ajkula66 » Sun Sep 07, 2014 12:09 am

Theokretes wrote:Those ones supposedly cannot take 64-bit CPUs, among other things. But I still am fine with running a yonah at the moment.
All of the T60/p boards will take a C2D CPU if they have a fairly recent BIOS. There's also Zender's modded BIOS that enables the use of non-whitelisted cards, and 7260 has been proven to work in a T60.
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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool* (and quiet)

#21 Post by Theokretes » Sun Sep 07, 2014 12:21 am

ajkula66 wrote:
Theokretes wrote:Those ones supposedly cannot take 64-bit CPUs, among other things. But I still am fine with running a yonah at the moment.
All of the T60/p boards will take a C2D CPU if they have a fairly recent BIOS. There's also Zender's modded BIOS that enables the use of non-whitelisted cards, and 7260 has been proven to work in a T60.
Someone made the comment that early T60p mobos can't use 64-bit procs even with the latest BIOS. Unfortunately since my old board is dead and long since thrown out, I won't be able to confirm this.
2x T60p, 1x T61, loads of 701Cs, 1x WorkPad Z50, 2x TransNotes other random thinkpads...

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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool* (and quiet)

#22 Post by ajkula66 » Sun Sep 07, 2014 1:13 am

Theokretes wrote:Someone made the comment that early T60p mobos can't use 64-bit procs even with the latest BIOS. Unfortunately since my old board is dead and long since thrown out, I won't be able to confirm this.
I don't know who "someone" is, but seriously doubt that he/she has seen more T60 planars from all eras than myself. Before 2.20 or thereabouts, one needed a Rev. 3 board to run C2D. Then came the newer iterations, along with Zender's thing of beauty, and all is well... :lol:
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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool* (and quiet)

#23 Post by Theokretes » Sun Sep 07, 2014 2:13 am

Also I'd like to add that the T2600s run cooler and require less power than the T7200s (which is also why the first revision heatsinks have a smaller CPU heatpipe in favour of giving the GPU more of a benefit): http://www.cpu-world.com/Compare/844/In ... _M%29.html

I still use T2600s a result of the less TDP.

EDIT: It looks like the T2700 is an even better alternative to the T7200 for performance and TDP, asides from the fact it is x86 only (http://cpuboss.com/cpus/Intel-Core2-Duo ... -Duo-T2700).

Anyways, if the W500 heatsinks are actually a drop-in for the 14" T60ps, let me know and I may give it a shot to pit against an original T60p cooler.

I'd also like to add that... with a thicker T60 keyboard, you could use the 'thermal pads' to adhere some of the heatsink to the keyboard to transfer more heat. Much like the T61.
2x T60p, 1x T61, loads of 701Cs, 1x WorkPad Z50, 2x TransNotes other random thinkpads...

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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool* (and quiet)

#24 Post by dr_st » Sun Sep 07, 2014 9:47 am

ajkula66 wrote:I don't know who "someone" is, but seriously doubt that he/she has seen more T60 planars from all eras than myself. Before 2.20 or thereabouts, one needed a Rev. 3 board to run C2D.
Have you, or anyone, for that matter, ever seen a board that was not Rev.3?
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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool* (and quiet)

#25 Post by ajkula66 » Sun Sep 07, 2014 9:50 am

dr_st wrote:Have you, or anyone, for that matter, ever seen a board that was not Rev.3?
No idea but I haven't really looked at that aspect either... :D

The fact that even the lowly R60e that I FrankenPadded for my twin boys - which originally came with a Celeron, no less - took a T7200 without complaints leads me to believe that it was only the early planar/BIOS combo that gave people grief at the time.
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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool* (and quiet)

#26 Post by Theokretes » Sun Sep 07, 2014 4:13 pm

So it looks like nandaiyo (http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=101788) wrote:
nandaiyo wrote:I replaced my T60p fan/heatsink with a T61/T61p 42X4685 42W2028 Fan Assembly from eBay. Put some AC5 and so far under heavy CPU/GPU load the temps are staying at 72/74C with the fan running at about 80% of max speed. At idle, I'm getting around 50C/60C for CPU/GPU temps with the fan silent or very slow speed.

[edit]
After a few days with the T61 fan, I've noticed that the noise level is much higher than the stock T60p fan. And it's more of a whining sound compared to the T60p fan, which doesn't sound as high-pitched. I'd rather have a quiet and warm machine than a loud and cool one. So I've put back the T60p HSF and took apart the T61 fan to see if I could make it quieter. Thanks to a guide posted here on lubricating the T60 fan, I put some mineral oil on the fan axle, and also cleaned up the magnetic plates which had some rust on them. So far, the T61 fan is much quieter.
This was sort of the information I was looking for with heatsink & fan mods. And if you browse elsewhere in the forum, you'll see how others stated they were not as effective as first thought (this is presumably due to the fact the heat pipes have a differently calibrated fluid not contoured for the T60p temperatures).

And it looks like my theory is somewhat correct. I get 44C for my CPU and 60C for my GPU on idle. And this is with the *stock* 41V9932! I haven't even done anything to address the thermal pillows yet (which you have to be careful if you exclude them as you risk cracking the dies). I'm already getting a lower CPU temperature than the other heatsink by SIX degrees... and the same temperature for the GPU! I have not been able to get my CPU to exceed 70C on load. The GPU can hit 71C though.

I did replace the thermal paste with arctic silver on the CPU; I simply put a *tiny* blob and put the heatsink down and let the pressure spread it. Using a knife or credit card reduces the effectiveness.

Once my fresh 41V9932 arrives I will be attempting some things to increase the effectiveness of the GPU cooling and will report back. I am convinced any other heatsinks offer less effectiveness at cooling due to the shrunk GPU heatpipe. That's the most critical one. The CPU is less of a concern.

I am not sure if nandaiyo is inferring that he also replaced the heatsink (I think not), but it's unlikely the 41V9932 was used.

EDIT: I should also add that I run my thinkpad on my bed in a dock (which would undoubtedly also increase temperatures). It's very comfy.
2x T60p, 1x T61, loads of 701Cs, 1x WorkPad Z50, 2x TransNotes other random thinkpads...

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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool* (and quiet)

#27 Post by jiejie » Sat Sep 20, 2014 7:51 pm

Newbie poster but long-time forum lurker, finally gathered courage to wade in, seeking help/advice. My beloved T60p is in need of (yet another) fan replacement. Originally purchased in April 2007, it's had two replacement fans, the last back in early 2012. (both replacements were original Lenovo, new T60pfans). Machine hasn't been used much in the 18 months but fan has been a bit noisy lately, and I just got the dread black screen and "Fan Error" message when trying to boot it up. I need a better fan solution. Specs for my machine, in same format Aurora presented (all parts original except as noted):
CPU: T7200 2 Ghz Core2Duo
RAM: 2 x 2 GB Kingston (upgraded new memory from original 2 x 1 GB and yes, I know the T60p can't make use of 4 GB but it was inexpensive at the time and I decided to parallel the sticks rather than run asymmetrical.)
GPU: ATI FireGL v5250 256 MB
Storage: 100 GB HDD Seagate 7200 rpm
Screen: 14.1" SXGA+ (1400 x 1050)
Wireless: ThinkPad 11a/b/g/n Wireless LAN Mini-PCI Express Adaptor (the Atheros)
Keyboard: NMB (a real one, with which I shall never be parted even though the lettering is off half the keys :) )
BIOS: not sure current version--I haven't upgraded or looked at since late 2012.
OS: Windows XP SP3 but this is going to be blitzed and Windows 7 installed

The machine has been and will be used mostly for general work, maybe a bit of CAD graphics but not much gaming, no heavy duty 3D stuff. Questions that I'm still confused about--be gentle, I'm not a tech person but I am a quick learner:
1) That the T500 fan will actually physically fit in the T60p without having to hammer it in. The specific point of concern is that my T60p is 4:3 configuration but the T500 is made for a 15.4" widescreen chassis that I assume may be roomier.
2) That the part number I'm finding for the T500 heat sink/fan is FRU45N5492 (discrete graphics). If somebody has a different number, please advise!
3) That with appropriate BIOS updates, I'll be able to install Windows 7 (Home Version) 64-bit. Hopefully being able to find compatible drivers for the ATI GPU and Catalyst Control Center.

If anybody can spot any pitfalls, please please let me know. Right now I'd like to try to just replace the fan/sink, but not replace the GPU, wireless, or HDD...which haven't given me grief except for the ATI's penchant for trying to heat the house by itself and sound like B737 engines spooling up for takeoff. I'll take Aurora's other suggestions for hardware modifications under advisement as potential later improvements.
Thanks.

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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool* (and quiet)

#28 Post by ajkula66 » Sat Sep 20, 2014 7:59 pm

Welcome to the forum!
jiejie wrote:3) That with appropriate BIOS updates, I'll be able to install Windows 7 (Home Version) 64-bit. Hopefully being able to find compatible drivers for the ATI GPU and Catalyst Control Center.
You won't even need a BIOS update. Having said that, given the RAM cap, you're likely better off with a 32-bit version. Vista drivers will work fine in W7, as far as the GPU goes.

Do yourself a favour and get a SSD, though - they've gotten quite inexpensive - you'll be amazed at a difference that it will make on your machine.
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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool* (and quiet)

#29 Post by jiejie » Sat Sep 20, 2014 8:29 pm

Thanks for the welcome and thanks for the advice. On your recommendation to install Windows 7 32 bit vs 64-bit....is it because the 64-bit will cause a cascade of additional incompatibilities and problems? Anything specific to watch out for? I've actually got a 64-bit product in hand and ready to go as soon as the fan issue is resolved, but if deploying it will cause me to pull my hair out, I will certainly reconsider and re-buy the OS.

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Re: [GUIDE] Make your T60 with ATI run *cool* (and quiet)

#30 Post by ajkula66 » Sat Sep 20, 2014 8:38 pm

jiejie wrote: On your recommendation to install Windows 7 32 bit vs 64-bit....is it because the 64-bit will cause a cascade of additional incompatibilities and problems? Anything specific to watch out for?
No. My opinion is that the 4GB is a bare minimum for W7 64
I've actually got a 64-bit product in hand and ready to go as soon as the fan issue is resolved, but if deploying it will cause me to pull my hair out, I will certainly reconsider and re-buy the OS.
No need to re-purchase anything. COA is valid for both 32 and 64-bit versions of the same OS.
...Knowledge is a deadly friend when no one sets the rules...(King Crimson)

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