Thinkpads Forum

I have to replace the fan of my T500 (Intel graphics) which looks exactly like this - note the profile of the ring around the edges of the fins.

But I can find localy only this type of fans (note the flat ring), so can I use one of these or it has to be just like the original one?

And aren't these fans and their mounting plates the same as the T61's fans wich are cheaper on ebay?

Just answered my qustions myself - Thinkpad T61 and T500 (both Intel graphics) have the same FRU fans and both of the fans linked in the pictures are compatible. It's just that on ebay fans listed as a T61's compatible start from 2.6 USD and T500's fans start from 8.5 USD!

EDIT: the really cheaper ones are for 14" widescreen T61 wich are not compatible with T500. Only the 15.4" and 14" 4:3 are compatible.

The fan from my T500 started to rattle lately, so I think it's time for a change.

My t500`s fan also was rattling, but i replaced it when it died, it took just 2 years for him
I bought similar one http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/aUEAAOSw~ ... -l1600.jpg. It didn`t exactly fit to the radiator, there was about half an inch gap left, so I used a bit of insulating tape and it solved the problem. The original vane fit to this chineese fan, but it rub the speaker above while working, so it won`t work properly.
Also, mine came with 5 point connector, and the t500 motherboard has 3 point socket, so you`ll have trim the edges with scissors e.g. This connector is made from plastic so soft, that you han damage it while mounting.
Results - fan working quiet, you can hear only whisper, temperatures very cool but if you don`t like to play just buy the original replacement.

Aren't these with 4 or 5 pins for T400?

No idea. Mine had 3 wires, but 5 pin plug. Just simply cut what not nedeed and it is working well.

Do you really need a fan? The cheapest solution is to just unplug the fan.

Just want to reply that I ordered both of the fans for T500 - the cheapest one and the one that was about 9 USD, the difference is only in their propeller as shown in the pictures; and both of them weren't exactly compatible with the heatsink - the ends of the aluminium plate on which the fan is mounted were bended (these ends), so I had to remove the propeller in order to straighten the ends. And maybe because of that removal now the "expensive" fan is giving me a "fan error" on two different machines although on both of them starts spinning for a few seconds during post without any noises or something else (the cheaper one is not doing so - no "fan error" although also removed it's propeller)

The conclusion for me is that next time when I have to replace some fan, I'd better get a new heatsink assembly!

Now may I aks if someone has a working link (or just could send me the file) to the latest T500/W500 modified BIOS without whitelists etc., bootable CD preferably as I don't have Windows on this machine. The link on this post doesn't work although it's reported to be fine; and on this thread the BIOS version is too old.

Here is a working link to Win64 ver, so can I just use the .FL1 file and plash16 to update the BIOS and EC?