Thinkpads Forum

Finally, I don't have to check the lenovo website every 3 minutes...

My configuration:

1. Intel Core 2 Duo T7500 (2.2GHz 800Hz 4MBL2)
2. Windows Vista Ultimate
3. 2 x 512MB 667MHz (1 GB)
4. 100 GB Hard Disk 7200rpm
5. Intel Turbo Memory 1GB
6. PC Card Slot & Express Card Slot
7. Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN
8. Bluetooth
9. 9 cell Li-ion battery

Questions:

1. Is Vista Ultimate 32 or 64 bits? I heard I can install 64 bits version from Vista Ultimate DVD. Does lenovo provide it or I have to buy it?

2. I want to buy 4 GB 800MHz memory. I heard that newegg has it. Which brand is the best? when i replace it with the 1 GB that i have, do I need to change Bios setting?

3. Does T61p have UWB? I didn't see it anywhere.

I am new to the forum. Can anyone answer my questions, please?

Thank you very much!!!

Vista Ultimate has both 32 and 64 bit version on the DVD "in the box", according to MS but I've no idea if both versions are included in the OEM image. The only 64-bit version offered explicitly by Lenovo is Vista Business 64.

You'll need 64-bit to be able to use the full 4GB of RAM from what I've read. That 4GB of 800MHz RAM is gonna be VERY expensive right now -- $480 at Crucial, which is one of the cheapest and most reliable memory suppliers.

Can't help you on number 3.

1. 32 bit.

New lenovo notebooks are being shipped with a anytime upgrade DVD of vista--ofcourse without ANY license--. Whether it would let you install 64 bit or not, you need to buy 64 bit license.

2. I would say Crucial but it mostly depends on personal preference. No you don`t need to change anything in the BIOS.

3. I`ve not seen T61p personally yet but reports said UWB is built in.

From my limited research, you're wasting money getting 800MHz RAM. The FSB (front-side-bus) speed of the Santa Rosa platform chipset is 800Mhz, but the maximum RAM speed supported is 667Mhz. That means 800MHz RAM is, clock for clock, useless compared to 667Mhz RAM; and there are no immediate plans with for a Santa Rosa/Penryn refresh to support faster RAM.

I'm not 100% sure about this, but I'm willing to bet that by the time you can use your 800MHz sticks (if you ever can) we may already change RAM standards and 2GB sticks might be inadequate for whatever new laptop you need to get

Kenn wrote:From my limited research, you're wasting money getting 800MHz RAM. The FSB (front-side-bus) speed of the Santa Rosa platform chipset is 800Mhz, but the maximum RAM speed supported is 667Mhz. That means 800MHz RAM is, clock for clock, useless compared to 667Mhz RAM; and there are no immediate plans with for a Santa Rosa/Penryn refresh to support faster RAM.

I'm not 100% sure about this, but I'm willing to bet that by the time you can use your 800MHz sticks (if you ever can) we may already change RAM standards and 2GB sticks might be inadequate for whatever new laptop you need to get

Well Mr Kenn, no worries as you are right. Lots of people have bought 800mhz RAM and have it only run at 667Mhz because even tho the FSB is 800mhz the RAM will still only run at 667mhz till they update the Santa Rosa chipset.

two of these will do the trick: http://www.crucial.com/store/partspecs. ... 25664AC667

i'm curious about vista ultimate 64 being on the included DVD as well.   i won't know for another few weeks as my T61p is still being assembled.

erik wrote:two of these will do the trick: http://www.crucial.com/store/partspecs. ... 25664AC667

i'm curious about vista ultimate 64 being on the included DVD as well. i won't know for another few weeks as my T61p is still being assembled.

Thank you everyone.


Thank you for providing the link, erik. Only about $250. It isn't that bad at all. I'm trying to buy the best machines in a reasonable price and less trouble. That's why I was thinking to buy the memory from 3rd party instead of on the lenovo's web site (they are expensive). If I have to buy a new Vista ultimate 64. It is too much trouble. I want to have 4 GB memory but it sounds stupid if I can only use 3 GB. Is it a software issue or hardware issue? Should I just go ahead and buy 4 GB memory even though I am using 32 bits windows?

Another question:

Does T61p provide built-in camera? I don't see it on the lenovo web site.

him2678 wrote: Is it a software issue or hardware issue? Should I just go ahead and buy 4 GB memory even though I am using 32 bits windows?

Another question:

Does T61p provide built-in camera? I don't see it on the lenovo web site.

Warning: Probable gross oversimplification follows...

A 32-bit architecture can only address up to 3gb of RAM, so it's sort of both (in some cases the system is limited to 32-bits by the hardware, some by the software).

The reason it can only address up to 3gb is because a 32-bit architecture only has 32 bits to store/pass a memory address. Each "bit" is either 0 or 1, so the largest value possible that can be expressed in 32 bits is 2^0 + 2^1 + ... + 2^31, the decimal value of the binary number consisting of 32 1s (Bit order and signs come into play somewhere, but let's pretend they don't for the sake of this explanation).

Each "byte" of memory in RAM has an address (number), so the "highest" address accessible is the address with the value of the number mentioned above. The value of an address can only be so high before it requires more the 32 bits to express, and that value just so happens to be right around 3gb (or somewhere near there).

Mind you, this explanation is based on what I remember from a C programming class I took a year or so ago, but I'm pretty sure the idea is right. Any experts out there, please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

Poking around wikipedia or google with undoubtedly reveal a much clearer and more accurate description, but this was a nice mental refresher for me and hopefully a good enough explanation to answer your question

And as of now the T61p does not come with a built in camera (can't say for sure if they will in the near future).

2^32 is more than 4 GB, so that isn't the problem.

The problem is that the total address space must be mapped to all devices inside a computer, not just the installed memory. So, any pheripheral which utilize a databus needs address space. With GPUs containing more and more memory, one would realise this is a major problem.

Modern processors feature Pheripheral Address Extension, which provides an extra 4 bits of address space, which more or less could eliminate this problem. Your OS needs to support PAE to make this work properly, and even then it is totally up to the developer if they want to limit the amount of memory one can see and use, in Windows, it's named "Advanced Windowing Extension", which is a virtual memory map of a given size.
But the basics are correct, yes.
Also, the chipset must also be able to address all 4 GB of RAM.

One correction - 2^32 is not more, it's exactly 4GB.

My order includes this:

42V8600 SBB UWB ANTENNA
42X0842 SBB NVIDOAFX570MW/WWAN,W/AMT

So the t61p should have uwb.