Identifying my ThinkPad?

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Varghjärta · #1 Post by **Varghjärta** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 8:32 am

Hi, just registered as I recently aquired an old ThinkPad via an ad in my area.

I knew it would be an old thing but it had cd-rom and usb so I figured I would atleast be able to use it to write my massive amounts of essays and such for school. I can't bare sitting infront of a monitor locked in my room all day long I needed more freedom physically.

Anyway, I would like to identify the exakt model and such so that I have a frame of reference when for instance I will be getting more RAM for it later on.

HOW, do I identify my little thinkpad???

After very close inspection I can make out that it's appearently an "i Series" and on the under-side it says that the model is "2611".

But when I search for thinkpads matching the info I know I seem to be getting hits for "1400" thinkpads. BUT, the problem is that those doesn't seem to match my own and sometimes _far_ from it.

## This is a few specs I know:
iSeries - "2611"
Intel Pentium (1), around 166Mhz
32mb SO-DIMM Ram (the one installed is made by samsung).
13" or 12" lCD

## Two things that sets it apart from those other 2611 thinkpads I've seen.

- It has a strip of stereo speakers on each side of the lcd (and holes on the side for when the lid is closed).

- It has some sort of autonamous music-mode where there is this display on the front side, where you can flip the switch, and then operate the CD-rom, insert a music disc and play the music (via controls near the display) without turning the computer on.

______________

Any ideas?

Website · #2 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 9:06 am

I believe that the 2611 is part of the i1400 series.

Try looking on the bottom at the label near the bar code for the longer number like 2611-412. (and post it)

Then you can look through the tiwbook.pdf here for more info on it:
ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pcinstitu ... iwbook.pdf

#3 Post by **jdhurst** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 10:41 am

A 2611-410 fits those specs, although there well could be others.
... JD Hurst

440roadrunner · #4 Post by **440roadrunner** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 2:37 pm

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... IGR-488QAL

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... idate=true

Varghjärta · #5 Post by **Varghjärta** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 5:30 am

-- been away on buisness, so please excuse my delay --

Thanks guys!

Here's a few pics of it;I have a hard time making out the number on the back, the second number is probably a "1" but since it's a wee weird it might be a "7" too?

So this is indeed a 1400? Does anyone know whatthe maximum RAM load might be in it?. I've been looking into getting 128mb for it as I figured that must be supported anyway. But is it PC100?

#EDIT: I appologize for posting the largish pics, here they are in link form instead:
http://www.varghjarta.com/ThinkPad_001.jpg
http://www.varghjarta.com/ThinkPad_002.jpg
http://www.varghjarta.com/ThinkPad_003.jpg

Website · #6 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 10:17 am

Welcome back.

It appears that the type number at the top is a 2611, and the model/type number at the bottom is 1141-8SW.

I tried keying this information into Lenovo/IBM's website and couldn't find anything matching your system.

Can you get into the BIOS and write down the ID information and post back? I believe that even your system might use F1 at boot to get into the BIOS.

Also, you might want to either change your pics into links or put an image warning in the subject line. You pics might get removed, since it is against forum policy to post pics without warnings in the subject line.

Varghjärta · #7 Post by **Varghjärta** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 10:42 am

Hey!

Thank you for the pointer about the images, I think I was a wee late though. But I've changed it now (eek, how embaressing).

Anyhow, I looked into the BIOS and I saw _nothing_ about any ID. I think it's a quite old BIOS by the looks of it. It had only the most funamental settings and no imformation that I could see aside from pure component settings.

Do you have any idea where one would find the info, and I'll go back to confirm that it isn't actually there.

Thanks!

P.S. Good call with the F1, it worked.

#EDIT: Perhaps the reason we can't seem to nail the info is becouse it's some sort of regional-bound model. Such as one made specifically from n.europe or something.
I know that some models of HP laptops doesn't exist here and equally some are here that can't be found in America.
Kind of like this version of Windows XP-SP2 i'm running, it's the "Northern European Edition" lol.

Perhaps my thinkpad is one of those. A slightly modified version for this market, perhaps. But even still, there should be info available about it I reckon.

Website · #8 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 10:45 am

Can you take pics of the BIOS, so that I can help you find your way around?

I really have no idea what the BIOS would look like in the iSeries, as mine is dead.

Varghjärta · #9 Post by **Varghjärta** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 10:58 am

Had to mount my cam on a tripod so as not to get blury pics, and turn of the flash.

http://www.varghjarta.com/ThinkPad_BIOS_001.jpg
http://www.varghjarta.com/ThinkPad_BIOS_002.jpg
http://www.varghjarta.com/ThinkPad_BIOS_003.jpg
http://www.varghjarta.com/ThinkPad_BIOS_004.jpg
http://www.varghjarta.com/ThinkPad_BIOS_005.jpg
http://www.varghjarta.com/ThinkPad_BIOS_006.jpg

As you can see, a very basic BIOS.

Website · #10 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 11:09 am

Wow, that is the most basic BIOS I have ever seen in a Thinkpad. It doesn't even identify it as an IBM.

Hopefully, someone else can chime in, as I am at a loss. Sorry.

Varghjärta · #11 Post by **Varghjärta** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 11:16 am

Yup, it's weird.

Perhaps it'd just be easier to buy a new thinkpad

. But then again, it kind of does it's job as a word processor and sometimes other nerdy activities.

It feels very robust, and evenough it's not a new one, if it's the same quality today on these pad's I can understand why they have such a good reputation.

Website · #12 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 11:19 am

If you are ever interested in getting rid of it, let me know. I might be interested. I have been slowly working on my own little "museum" style collection.

Varghjärta · #13 Post by **Varghjärta** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 11:51 am

I can see that you do! (in your signature). Does collecting ThinkPads in particular strike some kind of special vibe inside you? -- well obviously, just curious what it is about them.

Website · #14 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 12:12 pm

I just really like the quality of the IBM Thinkpads and I have a pure fascination with them.

I guess part of it is that if I end up working on an older system, it would be nice to already have one of them that I am familiar with....for reference.

In a nutshell, I am just plain addicted.

Varghjärta · #15 Post by **Varghjärta** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 9:47 am

BTW:

Would anyone care take a guess upon previous knowledge or something about these older ThinkPads, what kind of memory it takes.

Would my guess that '128mb so-dimm pc100' type ram would work in it?. And even that 128 might be the maximum it can take?

I want to upgrade it and looking throu used-parts-adds and auctions and such and need some idea.

Also. Would anyone care to guess or inform me how to OPEN one of these things?. I want to open it and take a look at it's main board and such

. But nomatter how many screws I take out from the bottom it still won't come apart. It's a [censored] robust thing it is..

Varghjärta · #16 Post by **Varghjärta** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 9:59 am

Wait a minute.. The thinkpad in this pdf:
ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs/mo ... 7l5192.pdf

Looks alot like mine, hm.. I might be getting closer!

#17 Post by **AlphaKilo470** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 7:30 pm

My guess is that your laptop has a 300mhz Pentium MMX since that's what many other early iSeries laptops had. You can see for sure what CPU and chipset are in your system with various diagnositcs utilities.

The RAM your computer uses will most likely be 144-pin EDO SODIMMs as that's what most all of the PCI-bus Pentium/Pentium MMX ThinkPads used.

WCPUID is one that at minimum lets you know clock speed and chipset:
http://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA002374 ... nload.html

Aida32 is a pretty good overall diagnostics program:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download181.html

Website · #18 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 10:37 pm

You might be able to use the pdf file that you listed as a guide to disassemble your "Thinkpad?"

I just tried googling your model number again and this time, I found this:
IBM Notebook 11418SW IBM TP1400 P300MMX 32/4.3GB 12.1" CD W98

From this site:
http://www.serco.se/prislist/pr-d-v09.txt

It appears to be a foreign model, which might explain why we can't find much on your model.

Identifying my ThinkPad?

Identifying my ThinkPad?

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