Take a look at our
ThinkPads.com HOME PAGE
For those who might want to contribute to the blog, start here: Editors Alley Topic
Then contact Bill with a Private Message

G-series hard drive upgrade/replacement question

R30/R40, A30/A31, G40/G50 and Z60/Z61 Series. NOT for AMD-Ryzen.
Post Reply
Message
Author
aptivaboy
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Dec 17, 2015 1:03 pm
Location: Trabuco Canyon, California

G-series hard drive upgrade/replacement question

#1 Post by aptivaboy » Sun Apr 16, 2017 1:39 am

Has anyone ever replaced the hard drive on a G40 or G41? I have a line on one (I can't tell which yet) and it seems to boot to bios and everything else looks fine from a distance, but no HD. Just wondering how hard it is with this particular model. Also, what is the largest size and type of HD that this beastie can handle? I've skimmed the manual and not found it.

Thanks!

Bob

Saucey
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 988
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2012 9:22 pm
Location: San Diego, California
Contact:

Re: G-series hard drive upgrade/replacement question

#2 Post by Saucey » Sun Apr 16, 2017 3:01 am

80GB seems to be max from factory, but I can't find anything higher than that.
Minimally, you just need the HDD cover, as it has screws to latch onto the sides of the HDD.
The bottom cover isn't necessary but is used just for extra protection.
I just fixed up a G41 and G40. Installing a hard drive is similar to a T30/T40.
Coffee, ThinkPads & Nikon Fan.

Current: PixelBook & Precision 7730
Old Favorites: A31p, T43p, T430s

RealBlackStuff
Admin Emeritus
Admin Emeritus
Posts: 23800
Joined: Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:17 am
Location: Loch Garman, Éire

Re: G-series hard drive upgrade/replacement question

#3 Post by RealBlackStuff » Sun Apr 16, 2017 6:31 am

That's a standard 2.5" IDE/PATA drive.
Largest available anywhere would be 320GB.
Best and fastest (IMHO): Samsung HM160HC 160GB 5400rpm
Lovely day for a Guinness! (The Real Black Stuff)
Lenovo: X240, X250, T440p, T480, M900 Tiny.

PS: the old Boardroom website is still available on the Wayback Machine
.

thinkpadcollection
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 817
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2014 8:13 pm
Location: kingston, ontario, Canada

Re: G-series hard drive upgrade/replacement question

#4 Post by thinkpadcollection » Sun Apr 16, 2017 6:59 am

I vote for WD 320GB PATA as well, based on 160GB platters, 5400rpm. Plentiful on ebay and does not cost an arm and leg.

Samsung HM160HC I can confirm it is quick on R52 and based on one 160GB platter. :) Just ordered another to see how this works in A31p. I also have a Hitachi 160GB based on 2x 80 platters 5400rpm; nothing special about performance, almost equal to 7200rpm 2x 50GB platters hitachi. I wish hitachi version had a 2x 80GB spinning 7200rpm. Or Hitachi PATA hd based on SATA 320GB (2x 160GB platters) spinning 7200?

Samsung did produce HM320HC PATA while ago but price was dear if found any.

Cheers, thinkpadcollection

ajkula66
SuperUserGeorge
SuperUserGeorge
Posts: 17303
Joined: Sun Feb 25, 2007 11:28 am
Location: Belgrade, Serbia

Re: G-series hard drive upgrade/replacement question

#5 Post by ajkula66 » Sun Apr 16, 2017 7:23 am

RealBlackStuff wrote: Best and fastest (IMHO): Samsung HM160HC 160GB 5400rpm
+1. Far less audible than WD 320 as well, IME.

G4x units are fine systems for running XP, anything newer will be severely limited in the graphics department. Having said that, if you end up getting a machine with one of the HT CPUs and SXGA+ LCD, they are one of the most underrated ThinkPads ever, and a joy to use IMO.

Happy hunting.
...Knowledge is a deadly friend when no one sets the rules...(King Crimson)

Cheers,

George (your grouchy retired FlexView farmer)

One FlexView to rule them all: A31p

Abused daily: T520, X200s


PMs requesting personal tech support will be ignored.

kfzhu1229
Senior ThinkPadder
Senior ThinkPadder
Posts: 2477
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2015 10:59 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada

Re: G-series hard drive upgrade/replacement question

#6 Post by kfzhu1229 » Sun Apr 16, 2017 6:52 pm

If you can't find those for cheap, you can try HITACHI HTS541680J9AT00 as well which is what I have in my T43p as I'd like to keep everything consisting of the motherboard original. Picked 2 of those up for $10 each at a local store and they run pretty good for me.
And yes those machines will run Windows 7 fine, but unless you have the GeForce Go 5200 variant, you can't use Windows Aero. It also depends on if you value modern or performance more. The modern end would be Windows 7 (no XD-bit enabled here thus no 8 and up) and the performance end would be Windows 2000.
Dell Lat CP MMX-233 64mb 40gb W2k
600 PII-266 416mb 40gb WXP
T23 PIII 1.13ghz 1gb W7
Precision M4300 X9000 8gb 160gb WUXGA Ultrasharp fp W10
T530i 15.6" i7 16gb fp W10
UXGA:
A30p PIII 1.2 1gb W7 (IDTech)
T43p 2.26 2gb fp W10 (Sharp)
Lat C840 P4-2.5 2gb 60gb W7 (Ultrasharp)

aptivaboy
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Dec 17, 2015 1:03 pm
Location: Trabuco Canyon, California

Re: G-series hard drive upgrade/replacement question

#7 Post by aptivaboy » Thu Apr 20, 2017 11:15 pm

Thanks everyone! The one without the HDD fell through although there is a similar one being sold locally that is also in need of a HDD that I'll be taking a look at next week. But, I did run across this guy on the Bay of Evil. The seller claims to have installed an Nvidia card. I didn't think that was possible. Hmmm... Your thoughts?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-ThinkPad-G4 ... SwkShY8qFl

Many thanks,

Bob

kfzhu1229
Senior ThinkPadder
Senior ThinkPadder
Posts: 2477
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2015 10:59 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada

Re: G-series hard drive upgrade/replacement question

#8 Post by kfzhu1229 » Fri Apr 21, 2017 12:05 am

Well that's a motherboard swap. those boards are extremely hard to find and at that point I'd say you are better off with a T43p which has native support for IPS displays, UXGA option, more powerful processor with less tdp, thinner, and easier to find.
Dell Lat CP MMX-233 64mb 40gb W2k
600 PII-266 416mb 40gb WXP
T23 PIII 1.13ghz 1gb W7
Precision M4300 X9000 8gb 160gb WUXGA Ultrasharp fp W10
T530i 15.6" i7 16gb fp W10
UXGA:
A30p PIII 1.2 1gb W7 (IDTech)
T43p 2.26 2gb fp W10 (Sharp)
Lat C840 P4-2.5 2gb 60gb W7 (Ultrasharp)

Saucey
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 988
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2012 9:22 pm
Location: San Diego, California
Contact:

Re: G-series hard drive upgrade/replacement question

#9 Post by Saucey » Fri Apr 21, 2017 2:19 am

Yes, that G41 has an nVidia card and yes a T43p an out perform it.
Makes an awful heater in the summer :wink:
i think im gonna auction it after i edit/upload fiddling with it
Coffee, ThinkPads & Nikon Fan.

Current: PixelBook & Precision 7730
Old Favorites: A31p, T43p, T430s

kfzhu1229
Senior ThinkPadder
Senior ThinkPadder
Posts: 2477
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2015 10:59 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada

Re: G-series hard drive upgrade/replacement question

#10 Post by kfzhu1229 » Fri Apr 21, 2017 9:31 am

I think at this point it depends on what model each of you want to collect for unique features, not performance. For example, I still have my A30p in great shape and stuff while my T43p is much more powerful for performance, especially under UXGA, while still unique at the same time
Dell Lat CP MMX-233 64mb 40gb W2k
600 PII-266 416mb 40gb WXP
T23 PIII 1.13ghz 1gb W7
Precision M4300 X9000 8gb 160gb WUXGA Ultrasharp fp W10
T530i 15.6" i7 16gb fp W10
UXGA:
A30p PIII 1.2 1gb W7 (IDTech)
T43p 2.26 2gb fp W10 (Sharp)
Lat C840 P4-2.5 2gb 60gb W7 (Ultrasharp)

ac12
Sophomore Member
Posts: 238
Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2011 2:06 am
Location: San Mateo, CA

Re: G-series hard drive upgrade/replacement question

#11 Post by ac12 » Wed May 10, 2017 11:09 pm

The other option is to put a mSATA SSD into a mSATA to PATA adapter.

I have one in my T23 and Dell C400. It really made a difference in how fast the OS boots and on drive intensive activities, I can really see the speed increase on these older PCs. On the PC with a HD, I can just seen the disk light flashing or solid, and I know it is choking at the drive I/O.

I was contemplating moving the SSD to the G40. But the T23 goes mobile, so needed the lower power consumption of the SSD more than the AC powered G40.
BUT, XP does not support SSDs, so there is no TRIM function as you have in Win7 and Win10. You have to rely on the firmware in the SSD to do the garbage collection for you.

Is it worth the cost?
Only if you really want to keep using the G40/41, and want to squeeze more performance out of it.
As much as I like the G40, I decided to stop putting more $$$ into my G40, as it cannot upgrade beyond Win-XP.

kfzhu1229
Senior ThinkPadder
Senior ThinkPadder
Posts: 2477
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2015 10:59 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada

Re: G-series hard drive upgrade/replacement question

#12 Post by kfzhu1229 » Fri May 12, 2017 8:59 am

Technically it can run Windows 7 just fine, just aero isn't supported. So far no complaints for Windows 7 in workstation as old as A30p
Dell Lat CP MMX-233 64mb 40gb W2k
600 PII-266 416mb 40gb WXP
T23 PIII 1.13ghz 1gb W7
Precision M4300 X9000 8gb 160gb WUXGA Ultrasharp fp W10
T530i 15.6" i7 16gb fp W10
UXGA:
A30p PIII 1.2 1gb W7 (IDTech)
T43p 2.26 2gb fp W10 (Sharp)
Lat C840 P4-2.5 2gb 60gb W7 (Ultrasharp)

ac12
Sophomore Member
Posts: 238
Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2011 2:06 am
Location: San Mateo, CA

Re: G-series hard drive upgrade/replacement question

#13 Post by ac12 » Mon May 15, 2017 5:57 pm

But with only 2GB of RAM, performance would suck :(

kfzhu1229
Senior ThinkPadder
Senior ThinkPadder
Posts: 2477
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2015 10:59 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada

Re: G-series hard drive upgrade/replacement question

#14 Post by kfzhu1229 » Tue May 16, 2017 9:24 am

depends on what you use it for. for office use I have absolutely no trouble with 768mb of ram to run office 2007 and Windows 7. But for 10 tab browsing yes 2gb will not work great. lower your expectations and Windows 7 will work very fine
Dell Lat CP MMX-233 64mb 40gb W2k
600 PII-266 416mb 40gb WXP
T23 PIII 1.13ghz 1gb W7
Precision M4300 X9000 8gb 160gb WUXGA Ultrasharp fp W10
T530i 15.6" i7 16gb fp W10
UXGA:
A30p PIII 1.2 1gb W7 (IDTech)
T43p 2.26 2gb fp W10 (Sharp)
Lat C840 P4-2.5 2gb 60gb W7 (Ultrasharp)

ac12
Sophomore Member
Posts: 238
Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2011 2:06 am
Location: San Mateo, CA

Re: G-series hard drive upgrade/replacement question

#15 Post by ac12 » Mon May 22, 2017 2:34 pm

hmm
Maybe worth a try, to get a more current OS on the G40.

Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to “ThinkPad R, A, G and Z Series”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 30 guests