Thinkpads Forum

Hi to all... I am interested in doing the memory mod (disabling internal RAM) on my 240x to bring it to 256 MB. I read very interesting opinions, from people that did NOT successfully make the mod and other that DID.
I would like to hear from the people that made it and now are happy camps! Maybe a photo guide (2-3 pics detailing the mod) would be fantastic. I am also sure that many more 240x owners are interested, so guys speak up!

Welcome to the Forum!!!!

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... light=240x

Actually, if you buy a low density (16 chip) 512MB module it seems to work as 256MB without cutting anything.

That's a clean option.....

synchromesh wrote:Actually, if you buy a low density (16 chip) 512MB module it seems to work as 256MB without cutting anything.

The same PC133 one that the T23 uses? How many people have tried this?

synchromesh wrote:Actually, if you buy a low density (16 chip) 512MB module it seems to work as 256MB without cutting anything.

My experience is that 240x recognizes only 128mb out of 512mb low density chips if the onboard memory modules are present, which makes total usable memory 192mb.

I've modded three 240x's by cutting one onboard mem chip by using utility knife and they all recognize 256mb memory after mod. It's a five-minute job. As long as you have steady hands and do it carefully with sufficient lighting, it's not a really tough job.

teetee

phool@round wrote:Welcome to the Forum!!!!

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... light=240x

Thank you!
I read that, the conclusion is... "dont do it".... but, I'm sure the mod should work

teetee wrote:

synchromesh wrote:Actually, if you buy a low density (16 chip) 512MB module it seems to work as 256MB without cutting anything.

My experience is that 240x recognizes only 128mb out of 512mb low density chips if the onboard memory modules are present, which makes total usable memory 192mb.

I've modded three 240x's by cutting one onboard mem chip by using utility knife and they all recognize 256mb memory after mod. It's a five-minute job. As long as you have steady hands and do it carefully with sufficient lighting, it's not a really tough job.

teetee

Hi Teetee, that is what I wanted to know, do you have a pic that shows a disabled chip? I do have a steady hand, used to build very detailed Tamiya and Verlinden models.
Thank you!

I don't have any 240x with me right now but I did find some photos online:
1. discussion thread from Thinkpad forum in Taiwan:
http://www.tpuser.idv.tw/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=20141
2. 240z notes from Japan
http://www.mars.dti.ne.jp/~ayase/tp/tp240z.htm
3. some more 240 series mod(japanese):
http://monkung.hp.infoseek.co.jp/tp_ind ... kPad%20240

You only need to cut one onboard memory chip off to make the inserted 256mb module work. My preference is the one on the right(the one that's closest to the usb port).

Ref: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=19137
I don't encourage you to do this because I found many people don't really care about the static which could easily destroy your mainboard during the operation.

So do this at your own risk.


teetee

teetee wrote:

synchromesh wrote:Actually, if you buy a low density (16 chip) 512MB module it seems to work as 256MB without cutting anything.

My experience is that 240x recognizes only 128mb out of 512mb low density chips if the onboard memory modules are present, which makes total usable memory 192mb.

I've modded three 240x's by cutting one onboard mem chip by using utility knife and they all recognize 256mb memory after mod. It's a five-minute job. As long as you have steady hands and do it carefully with sufficient lighting, it's not a really tough job.

teetee

But I saw it work! Well, I already ordered my 512MB chip so will let everyone know if it works out.

Could you give us a blow by blow account of the job, especially the type of 256 memory you used?
Any observations as to speed increase and general running info would be useful as well. I don't think the additional 64MB will make that much of a difference, but it just might.
Tim S

Well, I'll try to do the mod, only thing is I have to find which 256 mb module will work in the modified 240x...
I understand it has to be a PC100 low density (and these are sometimes "BIG" so they may not phisically fit)...
any suggestions?

if I am successful I'll post detailed pics and also bench results!

franco

The low density 256MB chip type seems to be the key here. I must confess I'm using your willingness to do this mod to find out 100% which chip works. I don't think any one type is thicker than another.
The actual cutting out of 1 of the existing chips seems easy enough, but the correct memory chip is mandatory.
Maybe I'm making too much out of a very simple mod, but I only have one 240X that I still use a lot and I don't want to loose it.
Tim S

synchromesh wrote:But I saw it work! Well, I already ordered my 512MB chip so will let everyone know if it works out.

Looks like I was wrong. It doesn't work. I got my buddy's chip and it does show up in BIOS as 256MB but the machine won't boot Linux and memtest freezes. After I did the memory mod by cutting a couple of contacts on one soldered on chip the 512 seems to work fine as a 256MB chip but mod is still required. So much for that.

FRU33L3070 aka 256MB PC100 low density SODIMM
can be used ThinkPad 240x if onboard ram is deactivated
my 240x (desoldered onboard ram) worked with all 5 modules from 3 different mfg's
all with FRU, 4 of them with cl2.5, the 5th has cl2

maybe they just forgot to mention the 240x in the list :D

Edit:
Thank you ray and a big Sorry for my typo!
of course its 33L3070 , instead of 22L3070[/img]

FRU for that PC100 256MB module should be 33L3070 and PC100 modules will be either CL3 (CAS Latency 3) or CL2. CL2.5 is only for DDR memories.