If I want to buy a used T420, a couple of questions

[Hans Gruber]

My old T43 had a PATA ATA-6 connection for the Hard drive. The flaw of the T43 was they used an SATA controller as a bridge that required firmware. If I buy a used laptop off Ebay, I can only imagine the filth they had on those Hard Drives. Can I put any of my hard drives in and reinstall the OS on the T420's? I have an extra 320GB hard drive off my Toshiba laptop that just died because of a power adapter in the chasis that is too much of a bother to fix. I have an extra copy of Windows 7. Has anybody had any luck with buying stuff on ebay?

Also any recommendation on a used T-Series that would be a good value. I promised myself I would buy another thinkpad.

[RealBlackStuff]

No need to go to eBay
I have just the T420 for you here: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 3&p=740862
Fresh install of W7 and absolutely no filth!

All T43/T43p/R52 with ATI graphics could be converted from PATA to SATA drives in the main HD bay.

As long as your drive is 2.5" SATA 7mm or 9.5mm, it will fit in most Thinkpads since the T60.

[Hans Gruber]

No need to go to eBay
I have just the T420 for you here: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 3&p=740862
Fresh install of W7 and absolutely no filth!

All T43/T43p/R52 with ATI graphics could be converted from PATA to SATA drives in the main HD bay.

As long as your drive is 2.5" SATA 7mm or 9.5mm, it will fit in most Thinkpads since the T60.

I really thought I could get a Thinkpad for $150 minus the hard drive and OS on Ebay. I build computers that never break for fun. The desktop gaming PC's. I just dug out my old T-43. I wiped the hard drive that was bad. I had an 80GB Seagate that was on the approved list but it didn't work. You have no idea. I have two keyboards for it, one brand new. I have a slot for the CD-RW with a hard drive caddy that slides into the super drive. I have two external USB DVD CD burners. I think I will try to figure out why my Thinkpad T43p won't go into bios. The thing is in mint condition.

I do miss this forum.

[ajkula66]

I really thought I could get a Thinkpad for $150 minus the hard drive and OS on Ebay.

A ThinkPad, yes. A decent T420, no. And they take SATA drives unlike T43/p.

I think I will try to figure out why my Thinkpad T43p won't go into bios. The thing is in mint condition.

Your mint T43p is likely in need of a replacement planar if it won't make it into BIOS...