Thinkpads Forum

So, unlike the workstations of today that only come with 2xDimm-slots when bought with a dual core, the W520 has all 4 DIMM slots even though it is sold with a dual core.


Has anyone tried upgrading to a quad core CPU, to get access to all of the DIMMS? Apparently all the DIMMS are wired at least.

/regards.

Rose wrote:So, unlike the workstations of today that only come with 2xDimm-slots when bought with a dual core, the W520 has all 4 DIMM slots even though it is sold with a dual core.


Has anyone tried upgrading to a quad core CPU, to get access to all of the DIMMS? Apparently all the DIMMS are wired at least.

/regards.

It wouldn't work both have different chipsets believe it or not. I burnt my dual core i7 chipset out. I had no choice but to get a quadcore chip set, by the time I had found the correct chipset they sold out. Luckly the board I got came with the cpu and heatsink. Don't try a quadcore chip it won't work.

makaveli559m wrote:
It wouldn't work both have different chipsets believe it or not. I burnt my dual core i7 chipset out. I had no choice but to get a quadcore chip set, by the time I had found the correct chipset they sold out. Luckly the board I got came with the cpu and heatsink. Don't try a quadcore chip it won't work.

Sounds strange ..
the tabook lists both dual core and quad core models of the w520 with the chipset: "Mobile Intel QM67 Express Chipset"

It can me done.

I have swapped 2620QM for 2820QM on 4270 machine. I have also bumped RAM up to 32gig.

Ted

hhhd1 wrote:

makaveli559m wrote:
It wouldn't work both have different chipsets believe it or not. I burnt my dual core i7 chipset out. I had no choice but to get a quadcore chip set, by the time I had found the correct chipset they sold out. Luckly the board I got came with the cpu and heatsink. Don't try a quadcore chip it won't work.

Sounds strange ..
the tabook lists both dual core and quad core models of the w520 with the chipset: "Mobile Intel QM67 Express Chipset"

I believe this is correct, the chipsets should be the same, I believe the reason it only took 2 dimms on the dual core was the memory lanes on the CPU itself. Should be plug and play to get 4 dimm support going from the a dual core to quad. Unless you got unlucky with some engineering sample cpu, I would make sure you get an OEM cpu.

Wait, what? They sold the dual's with a full mainboard. So including a beefier power circuit for the more energy consuming Quad's and they actually included the 3rd and 4th DIMM slot?

https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/ThinkPad-W ... d-p/433881 some one did post that dual core and quad core w520 boards are different.

According to FRU, those are the variation in motherboards for the W520:

1. nvidia quadro 1000m or 2000m
2. have AMT or not
3. have TPM or not
4. have RAID adapter or not

https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/documents/pd009237#16