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8GB memory upgrade source for X61

X60/X61 and X60t/X61t Series
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Scratchmonkey
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2020 4:18 pm
Location: Regina, Canada

8GB memory upgrade source for X61

#1 Post by Scratchmonkey » Sun Aug 30, 2020 5:17 pm

Hi guys,
in the past this forum helped me a lot when I was searching for answers regarding my various ThinkPad questions. So, thank you for that. This time I thought that I can give something back. If you are in need for a memory upgrade for your trusty X61, please read on.

Recently I got myself a - new to me - ThinkPad X61. It came with 4GB of RAM. My plan was to use this machine running FreeBSD and I wanted to make sure that 4GB of RAM would not be the reason for a slow performance. So, I started to hunt for a set of two Kingston 4GB modules (KVR667D2S5/4G - I found online that those are supposed to actually work without any problems). In addition, I also like to max my machines out. And I knew from the get-go that this would neither be cheap or easy. I searched high and low and the results I got were not very satisfying. Even over time the results did not get any better (yes, I was still hoping). Some sources claimed to have them in stock, when they did not. Other sources used different but similar looking store fronts, trying to sell me their overpriced and "refurbished" modules. One store in the UK wanted 120 pounds for one module, new though. Well, I was not willing to pay that much. And the ones I found on eBay did not really tick the "trust-worthy box" in my books.

One thing I read multiple times was the fact, that some of the used 2GB modules came from Apple laptops. Since I own various Apple computers and I also help friends to upgrade their computers to use them a bit longer, I bought from OWC several times in the past. Well, I went to their website, looked for the specific machine and found out that the maximum the compatible Apple machines from that era can handle is 6GB. I compared the technical details that I could find on their website for the 4GB module with the specs of the Kingston modules. And I could not find a difference.

After some thinking I just took my chances. I could loose 15% restocking fee, plus shipping charges. I could win brand new memory modules from a trustworthy store to make that itch for 8GB go away. When they arrived last week, I tried them immediately. And they worked. No issues, no problems. And I paid 68 dollars US per module plus shipping and tax. Less then what other places had to offer.

Let me know if you have any question, if you need more information, etc. I am not affiliated with OWC. I don't work there, I don't know anybody who works there and they did not pay me to write those lines here. This is just my modest attempt of giving something back to the ThinkPad community.

Cheers,
Scratchmonkey
Current ThinkPads:
T420 * X230 * X220 * X200 * X61
Former ThinkPads:
600E * 600X

Kingair
Freshman Member
Posts: 83
Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2020 3:00 pm
Location: Mexicali, MX (Coachella)

Re: 8GB memory upgrade source for X61

#2 Post by Kingair » Wed Sep 09, 2020 5:31 am

I just bought a set of Crucial DDR2 2 x 4GB
Found them locally
Guess you just need to have a little bit of luck
But definitely the 4GB DDR2 sticks are getting pricey

kfzhu1229
Senior ThinkPadder
Senior ThinkPadder
Posts: 2484
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2015 10:59 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada

Re: 8GB memory upgrade source for X61

#3 Post by kfzhu1229 » Wed Sep 09, 2020 2:03 pm

Kingair wrote:
Wed Sep 09, 2020 5:31 am
I just bought a set of Crucial DDR2 2 x 4GB
Found them locally
Guess you just need to have a little bit of luck
But definitely the 4GB DDR2 sticks are getting pricey
Yup that's very much correct, though they are slowly coming down now. But I did get a pack of 3 of them from an Apple sheep who's too ignorant about the T61/p ThinkPads and thus got mine for cheap and then sold 2 to fellow member olex126, despite me already telling that guy about the 4:3 T61/p models being sought after. Sheep gets scammed Ha!
The one stick that I kept for myself has an interesting behaviour though that it will not get detected if you put it in DIMM B, and works perfectly for DIMM A, even though they are the exact same model as the ones I sold and those work in DIMM B just fine, but that's not an issue for me and it's living in a Latitude E6400 DIMM A slot anyway.
Dell Lat CP MMX-233 64mb 40gb W2k
600 PII-266 416mb 40gb WXP
T23 PIII 1.13ghz 1gb W7
Precision M4300 X9000 8gb 160gb WUXGA Ultrasharp fp W10
T530i 15.6" i7 16gb fp W10
UXGA:
A30p PIII 1.2 1gb W7 (IDTech)
T43p 2.26 2gb fp W10 (Sharp)
Lat C840 P4-2.5 2gb 60gb W7 (Ultrasharp)

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