Can you swap bases between 600 and 600x?

[ajkula66]

Trying to help someone out, and don't know the answer off the top of my head...

The idea is to put a complete working 600 (266Mhz) lid and LCD on a 600x base, or install the 600x mobo in the 600 case, where I assume the latter might bring issues...

So my friends, 600-series wizards, won't you please, please help me...ouuuh (said Paul and George in the background)...

[rkawakami]

Off-hand, these are the differences I can think of between the 600/600E and 600X:

- 600/600E does not have the MiniPCI slot so there's no access to it from the bottom of the base; the 600X does have the MiniPCI hatch

So if you want/need/plan to put a 600X motherboard into a 600/600E base, then make sure you mount the MiniPCI card first .

- 600/600E has a slightly different audio jack arrangement than the 600X

Which will probably prevent you from installing a 600X motherboard without some minor surgery to the base to make that area fit (and assuming that the mounting holes are the same).

- I think a 600/600E lid assembly (with LCD cable) is transplantable onto a 600X base

I say "think" since I don't believe I swapped a full lid assembly. The HMMs say that the hinges and LCD cables are the same between the 600/600E and 600X, however the inverters have different FRUs.

There should also be some more information on this in the archives...

[rjenovai]

Trying to help someone out, and don't know the answer off the top of my head...

The idea is to put a complete working 600 (266Mhz) lid and LCD on a 600x base, or install the 600x mobo in the 600 case, where I assume the latter might bring issues...

So my friends, 600-series wizards, won't you please, please help me...ouuuh (said Paul and George in the background)...

With the proper inverter in place, I haven't had any issues putting a complete LCD assembly on my 600X from a 600 or 600E.

[hjanzen]

Hello,

I have a 600E 2645-AL2 on 366MHz, 13.3" display that I want to update.
For that I just bought on Ebay a 600X P3 650MHz Mobo and a 600X bottomcase, assuming that these parts would suffice to make a nice combination with parts of my 600E.
Now, reading Ray's and Rjenovai's comment in this thread I wonder if I need another inverter or even a subcard as well.
Correct??

Hans

[rkawakami]

As long as you replace the entire lid assembly of the 600E, the inverter will be correct (it's in the lid already). I don't know what the differences are between the 600E and 600X Sub Card, although I do know that they have different FRUs. I'm pretty sure that I have never attempted such a swap on my systems so you might have to wait for somebody else to confirm this hardware transplant (or try searching the archives).

edit: I'll have to amend this... a swap between 13.3" TFT panels may be possible, but if the 600 has the HPA panel (the 2645-AL2 does not; it's TFT) or the 12.1" display, then it will not work.

ref: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 203#407203

[hjanzen]

Thanks Ray, I am pretty confident now that the swap will eventually succeed.
I 'll report back as soon as the parts have arrived and I have got the opportunity to give it a try.
Hans

[tfflivemb2]

I'll try to test this theory in the morning. I think that the subcard and subcard cable are the same. I know that the LCDs will swap.

I have a 600X that I think was put into a 600/600E case, because there is no Mini-PCI cover...but then again, I haven't removed the system board and flipped it over to see if it even has a Mini-PCI slot. Infact, i just installed an OS and stored it. I'll try to pull it out in the morning, if not on Sunday and check it out. Maybe I will even take pictures, for documentation purposes.

[rkawakami]

Easier thing to look at might be to check the orientation of the memory sockets. A random selection of a 600, 600E and 600X shows this:

http://www.kawakami-ca.com/images/600E_ ... _slots.jpg

The 600/600E has the modules in separate slots and the long edge parallel to the front of the system. The 600X has a single, dual-slot connector and has the long edge of the module parallel to the side.

Also, to highlight the differences in the right side:

http://www.kawakami-ca.com/images/600E_ ... t_side.jpg

The position (and number) of audio jacks is different, as is the location of the external floppy connector.

[hjanzen]

Interesting pictures Ray!

But since I have both the 600X systemboard AND a 600X bottom case on order, for me the differences between the E and the X bottoms should not matter.

Hans

[u.mac]

Internal cover of floppydiskadapter on mainboard may be different. If so, the TV-out-card also be different. Some (may be all?) 600x needs TV-out-card with bigger spare for floppydiskadapter - dremel doesn't help. There are different FRUs for the TV-out-card.

The TV-out-card for 600x fits to 600e - only one screw near floppydiskadapter does not.

[tom_k]

just for the record:
all TP 600/e/x subcards for tft's are interchangeable and will work fine
if you remove the outer notches from the plastic of the downsided sub card connector

[hjanzen]

Thanks Uwe and Tom.
Good to know!

Hans

[virge]

just for the record:
all TP 600/e/x subcards for tft's are interchangeable and will work fine
if you remove the outer notches from the plastic of the downsided sub card connector

Thank you for that information. Thats something I will remember seeing how I own a few of the TP600 machines.

[hjanzen]

I have now succesfully replaced the 600E 366MHz systemboard by a 600X 650 MHz speedstep systemboard.(2645-9ZU)
This requires apart from a 600X bottom case also a 600X Guide rail a 10L1352 TV-out card, and a modem card.
The 10K1192 card of the 600E, nor the 600E guide rail fits in the new board.
Total RAM is 64MB (soldered) + 128+ 256 MB, all recognised.
Booting with original 600E HDD WinXP SP2 stopped after memory count, the one beep after which the permanent blinking cursor.
Only after removal of (good) main battery it boots without further problems, except that it only shows 500MHz, whereas Bios (latest version) shows the correct 650 MHz.
Any suggestions how to boot succesfully WITH the battery in place are most welcom.

Edit:
After reading some old posts on this boot subject I have tried the 3 different Processor drivers without succes.(still blinking curser hang with battery installed)
But....pressing FN+F2 works wonders.
It boots, AND processor speed is 647 MHZ!

[u.mac]

After reading some old posts on this boot subject I have tried the 3 different Processor drivers without succes.(still blinking curser hang with battery installed)
But....pressing FN+F2 works wonders.
It boots, AND processor speed is 647 MHZ!

I've 5 600x - I love this "solid as rock" machines - 2 with non-SpeedStep-boards + SpeedStep-processors (works only with Fn+F2), 3 with SpeedStep-boards + SpeedStep-processors... 2 of them "works as designed", one of them needs Fn+F2 (yes, it's a real SpeedStep-board with real SpeedStep P III). This "trouble machine" is checked by PC-doctor without any faults - but I think, there is some trouble on IDE-bus or hdd. Without hdd (only CDROM inserted) it will boot without Fn+F2. I know, I' ve to check this with other hdd and/or UltraBay-hdd... but it works perfectly with Fn+F2, so I'll do this later.

So don't worry

[hjanzen]

Funny is n't it!
Mine is also a real Speedstep board with a 650MHz processor.
The only thing that I can think of is the fact that WinXP is not a fresh install but I simply use the HDD out of the 600E board from before the swap.

But you are right Uwe: I leave it as it is. It does not harm.

Hans