R50p 2022

[TPFanatic]

Playing with an R50p model 1833-HG2 build date 04/05 with IBM branding (some late cases are Lenovo branded).

Successfully running Windows 7 Ultimate on a LITEON LMH-256V2M 256GB mSATA (bought on eBay for $33 back in 2019) in the main bay through an mSATA to IDE 2.5" adapter (bought on eBay for $11.99 couple months ago).

Running the CMD line "fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify" returns 0 confirming TRIM is enabled, thanks to 7's support of it.

Dell's R153383.EXE driver installs a Vista/7 compatible Mobility Radeon 9600 driver, practically the same as the FireGL T2.

Two-finger scroll works using the method in my signature, despite the IBM-era UltraNav not meant to support it.

The desktop experience is speedy enough thanks to the SSD, but browsing the Internet is rather awful.

But the real nail in the coffin is the symptoms of Southbridge detachment. The machine will randomly but reliably lose connection to the keyboard, or the drive, or worse, requiring some reset to use again. Despite their unsucceeded style and feel... It is for this unfortunate vulnerability that the T40 and R50 series are best left unbothered with.

[mikemex]

Interesting. I'm not even sure what processor an R50p has. Didn't T series jump from T4x to T6x?

Anything that old can fail just by pure physical degradation. Board lacquer, PVC wrapping for wires, pieces made of rubber... all of that just crumbles when it reaches some age.

It'd be very interesting to investigate methods for producing really long term reliable electronics.

[dr_st]

Interesting. I'm not even sure what processor an R50p has. Didn't T series jump from T4x to T6x?

Yes, it was exactly to unify the series numbering and prevent the confusion.

Before that, R5x series (and some late R40) was parallel to T4x and partially parallel to X3x/X4x.

So they just moved all R, T and X to 6x. But Z6x was also confusing because Z60=T43=R52 and Z61=T60=R60=X60.

[ajkula66]

Interesting. I'm not even sure what processor an R50p has.

Every single one I've ever seen sported a 1.7 PM with a Banias core from the factory. One can swap in a Dothan and a heatsink from T42p/T43.

I loved those machines back in the day...