Thinkpads Forum

A T500 I have here is in need of a replacement systemboard. The current board is a 42W8131 / 63Y1433.
Intel Socket P, ATI 256 descrete graphics.


What is the best board I can put in this case? (15.4" T500). I figure since replacement boards seem to be running 200-350$ so I might as well put in the best board I can find. The only major upgrade I see the system board getting me is a better video card, figure since it needs to be replaced I might as well put in something better.


On paper it looks like the 60Y3779 board from the W500 might be the best that is listed for this frame but I am not 100% sure it will fit.

Thank you for your time.

T500 with ATI GPU is the best board you can get. Unless you want to get the W500 motherboard with slightly better GPU.

So the W500 System Board will drop in place of the T500 Board?

my suggestion is to sell the T500 as is and buy a used w500

the W500 board will drop into a T500 chassis.   physical dimensions are identical, only differing in GPUs.

richk wrote:my suggestion is to sell the T500 as is and buy a used w500

Why?

A T500 with a dead system board I would assume is worth almost nothing, After $200 for the part and maybe and hours worth of work I would have a fully working T500 with the best GPU I could stuff in it. The System boards in IBM laptop's are some of the easiest in the world to swap out. I just swapped system boards on a T60 in maybe 10-20 mins a few nights ago. It made me wonder why I waited so long to finally swap it.

While a W500 would cost me what . . $500+?

Unless you know something I do not about the W500 being better than the T500? I have yet to pull the trigger on the replacement board so I could still do what you suggest i just need to be able to justify it.

erik wrote:the W500 board will drop into a T500 chassis.   physical dimensions are identical, only differing in GPUs.

Thank you, It seems the board supplier I was talking to also confirmed this so it sounds like I know what I am getting.

Just a quick update. replacement System board from a W500 went in and fit was perfect and works great so far. FireGLV5700 video card is a nice upgrade.

awesome!   glad you got it working.   thanks for the update

I am looking into doing the same thing with my T500. Can I ask, were you got it and how much it was for the W500 MB? I have a couple reasons why I want to do this.
(1) I want to play more Live games than I can. Now, I can barely run GTA IV with this 256.
(2) My bios is half locked I can install an OS, but not much else.
I do know that the System Update and Lenovo ThinkVantage ToolBox think my T500 is a T61 for some reason. The guy that I got it from told me he "flashed" it, what ever that means.

What is the FRU number on your motherboard?

42W3131

The number you gave looks like a palmrest on a Lenovo 3000. Do you mean 42W8131? If so, that is a discrete graphics model and I'm surprised you are having game problems. I'm not sure how much improvement you would see going to a 512mb w500. If you want to replace your locked board with the same one, I have an 42W8131 (no password) in stock and can offer a trade-in on your old board to use as parts. pm if interested

It may be my sticker is a little smudged.

Bub McZombieFace wrote:I am looking into doing the same thing with my T500. Can I ask, were you got it and how much it was for the W500 MB? I have a couple reasons why I want to do this.
(1) I want to play more Live games than I can. Now, I can barely run GTA IV with this 256.
(2) My bios is half locked I can install an OS, but not much else.
I do know that the System Update and Lenovo ThinkVantage ToolBox think my T500 is a T61 for some reason. The guy that I got it from told me he "flashed" it, what ever that means.

I paid ~$200 shipped for my w500 board. I asked about a T500 board to begin with but because they have so many and the W500 fit I went with that one.

OH and I got it from a supplier in China. Let me see if I still have the email handy.

I appreciate it.