Thinkpads Forum

I was reading the thread entitled: "T60/T61/p memory limitations -- the definitive answer," and while it looks like the T60 might be limited to 3G of physical memory, I read elsewhere that the architecture of the T61 will allow it to address much more than 4G of memory; the issue is that DIMMs of higher density simply were not available when the specs were written. So, I took the plunge and what I found is that it's true!

I now have 6G total in my machine, a 2G DIMM and a 4G DIMM. I have another 4G DIMM on the way, so that'll be 8G in total. Of course, you have to run a 64-bit OS to get it to see all that memory, so when I run Windows 7 Pro 64-bit, I get the full effect. It makes it very nice for running multiple VM images.

The 4G DIMM that I chose is from Crucial and NewEgg seems to have about the best price:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6820148220

You could have saved yourself the wondering - there are posts here with people using 8Gb in their T61s. Problem is, the memory has been so expensive, only a handfull of people have done it.

Managed to get a couple of G.Skill 4GB modules when the prices were low. Works well on my T61 with Windows 7 64-bit.

I'm actually thinking of going 64Bit now that i have a machine that can do 64bit as well as use more than 3GB* of RAM. I'm using a T61 now (not the T60 still in my sig - still gotta fix that ) but still not sure just yet. I know i don't need 8GB of RAM but 4GB usable (that i have now) would be good.

paulgj2 wrote:Managed to get a couple of G.Skill 4GB modules when the prices were low. Works well on my T61 with Windows 7 64-bit.

You need to make a serious assesment of your system. I get 4.2 with a 2.2GHz CPU and only 3GB of RAM, but have 1 additional from Intel Turbo. Running W764 just like you.

A T61 (T61p actually) can do better than that. I have Vista Business 64-bit and Windows 7 Pro 64-bit on my T61p and I get about 6 in all the scores except Graphics (4.3) on both operating systems. I have 4Gb of memory and Vista has a 200Gb 7200-rpm drive and Windows 7 has 500Gb 7200-rpm drive. ... JDH

Yeah I second that. My scores are about 5.9 with the GPU holding things back.

BTW, Admin, you are dual booting on seperate drives it seems. Have you tried Bit Locker on one or both OS'? I have another thread in the W7 section with questions on how to implement. Currently dual boot V32/W764 on one drive so paritioned off. V was installed first (as shipped) then I added W7. Runs fine. But I want enable BL on at least W7. Of course scared of imploding the setup too. Take a look if relevant to you. Thanks.

I do not use BitLocker. Vista Business does not come with it so far as I know. Windows 7 Pro does, but I do not need it or want it. My Thinkpad is secure (HD password) and I do not want to come to the same death others have come to (my {fingerprint, encryption, other - your choice} does not work and I have lost my data).

Otherwise, yes, I have two drives. As soon as Windows 7 is complete, it will become my main OS and I will uninstall all licenses off the smaller drive and format it. That is why my question about getting a Vista CD in Marketplace, so I have a Vista VM. ... JDH

jdhurst wrote:I do not use BitLocker. Vista Business does not come with it so far as I know. Windows 7 Pro does, but I do not need it or want it. My Thinkpad is secure (HD password) and I do not want to come to the same death others have come to (my {fingerprint, encryption, other - your choice} does not work and I have lost my data).

Otherwise, yes, I have two drives. As soon as Windows 7 is complete, it will become my main OS and I will uninstall all licenses off the smaller drive and format it. That is why my question about getting a Vista CD in Marketplace, so I have a Vista VM. ... JDH

I could be wrong but I do not think Thinkvantage is really a HDD PW. PW relative to your T but if someone steals your T and pulls the drive your data falls into the wrong hands.

Are you sure running V in Virtual PC is practical given the resource drain?

IBM has long had a hard drive password capability for hard drives outside of power on password which I also use. You need a clean room and/or very expensive equipment to defeat hard drive passwords. I generally do not worry about this eventuality.

On the VM front, I use VMware, not Virtual PC, and there is no resource drain. I can run several machines at once and not see any impact on the host machine unless I do something in a VM to drive up usage. But doing things is normal whether host or VM. I have been using VMware for 10 years now and have a great deal of respect for it.
... JDH

So you are telling me my T61 HDD is already protected if my TP is stolen and the HDD is taken out and placed in another computer?

Try to look for a Vista Anytime Upgrade disk. $10 from CompUSA in past and came in 32 and 64 depending on what you prefer. I think its possible to install using your license key with this as have read others doing it.

Can you tell me which VM (free version) to install to tinker around with? Am not familiar with it but want to try.

Yes, if your hard drive is removed (and has a password) it will not work in another computer. Been there and done that one.

I will look at CompUSA. I have an eBay question out as well. So long as it is full retail (with Microsoft support), Business, 64-bit and 100.000% legal, I will go with it.

I do not use the free version of VMware. I want flexibility, robustness, and support, so I use the paid version. I have V6.5.3 on Vista and I will pay the upgrade to get to V7.x on Windows 7 Pro.
... JDH

jdhurst wrote:Yes, if your hard drive is removed (and has a password) it will not work in another computer. Been there and done that one.

I will look at CompUSA. I have an eBay question out as well. So long as it is full retail (with Microsoft support), Business, 64-bit and 100.000% legal, I will go with it.

I do not use the free version of VMware. I want flexibility, robustness, and support, so I use the paid version. I have V6.5.3 on Vista and I will pay the upgrade to get to V7.x on Windows 7 Pro.
... JDH

I want the VM freeware. Can you direct me?

Go to www.vmware.com and then select Products. There is a free download for ESXi but that is a Server tool. I don't think there is a free version of VMware Workstation. VMware Player is free, but you need an already working VM for this. You cannot create a machine with VMware Player. ... JDH

What can I do with ExSi?

You need to go the VMware site and study up.

VMWare Workstation is for personal computers with a personal computer OS (XP, Vista, Windows 7)

VMWare Server is for a server with a server OS (Server 2003 or Server 2008)

VMWare ESXi *is* a server OS. You buy a machine, put ESXi on, and then load Virtual Machines on it.

All of these products are for running virtual machines.

So I have VMWare Workstation (6.5.3) and with that, I run Windows 98, Windows NT4, Windows 2000, Windows XP, SuSE Linux, Ubuntu Linux and an old RedHat machine all as virtual machines.

If you want quality, value and capability, purchase a license for VMWare Workstation. If free is more important than these things, then use Virtual PC.

... JDH

Someone on another board claimed they dont need Virtual PC since they got Exsi free and am running it.

If you are still looking for free VM software, I would recommend you Sun VirtualBox. For a great deal of things it is IMHO just as 'good' as VMware Workstation, and it is free

Marin85 wrote:If you are still looking for free VM software, I would recommend you Sun VirtualBox. For a great deal of things it is IMHO just as 'good' as VMware Workstation, and it is free

thanks!

jdhurst wrote:IBM has long had a hard drive password capability for hard drives outside of power on password which I also use. You need a clean room and/or very expensive equipment to defeat hard drive passwords. I generally do not worry about this eventuality.

On the VM front, I use VMware, not Virtual PC, and there is no resource drain. I can run several machines at once and not see any impact on the host machine unless I do something in a VM to drive up usage. But doing things is normal whether host or VM. I have been using VMware for 10 years now and have a great deal of respect for it.
... JDH

The HDD PW is still not really encyption in a full drive sense. Example if someone took your laptop and took the HDD apart they could still read the platters.

GrandMasterKhan wrote:<snip> The HDD PW is still not really encyption in a full drive sense. Example if someone took your laptop and took the HDD apart they could still read the platters.

Yes, I know that can be done, but you need a clean room to do. Usually when I take a hard drive apart, things move around a bit, so it takes good equipment, skill and clean to do it. I have never heard of someone casually dismantling a hard drive and getting the data. It might have happened, but I have not heard of it.
... JDH