Upgrade T9600 CPU for T400

[owen8961]

I am thinking upgrade CPU of Thinkpad T400 from Intel Core 2 Duo T5670 to T9600, an if it possible, migrate whole system from original hard driver into a new SDD, it was shipped with windows vista business, I upgraded it to Windows 7 professional and with all ThinkVantage stuffs in last year. I already finish some upgrading, add a docking station, upgrade RAM to 8G, connected it with 1920*1080 Samsung display, then I realized the CPU already reach its limit when I tried to drag any windows or open browser in the new extend display, even if I switch it into ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3470 on board, it still moving slow and show almost 100% CPU usage in task manager.

I have migrated a macOS from hard driver to SDD, it worked out as I expect, but never done with windows, anyone know how to do this in the windows, without damaging any data in the hard driver?

Has anyone done CPU upgrading and migrating windows before? Want some opinions and advice before I start it.

ThinkPad T400 2765MU3

[ajkula66]

Welcome to the forum!

The CPU upgrade is fine.

I would, however, suggest a fresh install on W7 as opposed to cloning the image that you currently have on the HDD.

[kfzhu1229]

The CPU upgrade to T9600 is just drop-in upgrade on these, I don't believe any BIOS updates are required.
The fastest it supports is T9900 but those go for insane amounts of money and no one should buy one at those prices, so T9600 is kinda the sweet spot.
While cloning the current installation of Win7 to the SSD will already give you a night and day difference, I agree with the fact that doing a clean installation will make another night and day difference on top of that. The junk that you have build up on older installations will dramatically slow down these things as these days the T9600 is most certainly not a powerhouse by any stretch of the imagination.

[axur-delmeria]

If you have to clone from HDD to SSD, you should remove junk files from the disk first. Windows has its built-in Disk Cleanup, and you can use CCleaner as well. Then defragment the HDD.

[Omineca]

Has anyone done CPU upgrading and migrating windows before? Want some opinions and advice before I start it.
ThinkPad T400 2765MU3

I upgraded from a P8400 to a T9600 on a ThinkPad R500 (so the same generation as your T400). As kfzhu1229 said, it's a drop in replacement. I didn't notice any increase in heat production either, probably because I cleaned out a completely plugged up fan at the same time.

I can't speak to the Windows issues.

[Ignorant]

I am planning to changing the cpu...it has aged to a ripe old age.. p8400.
Are there NO heat problems with the T series cpu?.
I am first trying with a p9500 cpu..will arrive in 15 days...
but i want to better that substantially if possible...

p8400,250GB SSD,8GB,1400X900 (tubelight lcd)...works fine but NO status lights.
mumbai,India

[Omineca]

Are there NO heat problems with the T series cpu?.

As I understand it, the T series do produce more heat. In my experience (which is with the T9600 only), if the fan is properly cleared out and you do a half-decent job with the CPU paste (and I'm no expert in that respect), any additional heat is dissipated very well.

[kfzhu1229]

I do imagine the T400 should have more than enough cooling capacity for a T9600 for darn sure. Its hella crappy of design if it doesnt.
I suppose the bigger downside for T9600 is a slight reduction in battery life due to higher tdp

[owen8961]

I do imagine the T400 should have more than enough cooling capacity for a T9600 for darn sure. Its hella crappy of design if it doesnt.
I suppose the bigger downside for T9600 is a slight reduction in battery life due to higher tdp

I never consider T400 as a mobile computing machine that I will carry around everyday, no worry about its battery life, it stays on my desktop for almost 12 years. just love those keyboard, cannot find it in the market anymore.

[atagunov]

if the fan is properly cleared out

Hiya, what do you guys lubricate the bearings on your fans with?

[TPFanatic]

My T400 came with a T9600. It's got a fine cooling system on par with the T500.

[Omineca]

if the fan is properly cleared out

Hiya, what do you guys lubricate the bearings on your fans with?

I don't know. I've never had to do it on a ThinkPad. I tried following some instructions to lube the fans on my wife's Macbook Pro a few years ago, but the fix didn't last long and I ended up buying replacements.

[kfzhu1229]

I don't know. I've never had to do it on a ThinkPad. I tried following some instructions to lube the fans on my wife's Macbook Pro a few years ago, but the fix didn't last long and I ended up buying replacements.

Huh really? Even when I just used unprofessional household olive oil, my T43 fans are all still perfectly working till this day.
I believe how it lasts depends on the fan type though. Lubricating has little effect or outright impossible on Maglev fans; Usually prolongs instead of quietening the bearing type fans, and works the best on the brushless type, which all T4x fans that I have had in contact use.

[TPFanatic]

Dad had some sewing machine oil on hand, I remember using that on a T42 fan back in the day.

[Omineca]

Lubricating has little effect or outright impossible on Maglev fans

It turns out that's what they were: https://laptopparts.ca/products/new-app ... medium=cpc

[kfzhu1229]

It turns out that's what they were: https://laptopparts.ca/products/new-app ... medium=cpc

Yes that's a Sunon MagLev fan exactly like what I talked about. Many of my Dell collection also used this fan and I have very little success lubricating them with most completely sealed off to begin with. For these even if you can drip inside, what it does is really to dampen the grinding noise it makes rather than fixing it.