twisting_edge wrote: ↑Wed Jul 12, 2017 10:11 pm
I've got my hands on a 3rd batch x62 board, with an x61 (not x61s) fan. It came with a palmrest (top case cover), not sure why that needs to be replaced. But there's no documentation. If anyone knows where there's any specific installation doc (other than the standard x61 maintenance manual), a link would be extremely welcome. I'm coming up dry on that front.
Someone suggested this would be a drop-in replacement in an x61, but I wasn't clear about the screen in their case. Will it require an IPS screen? I have one on order (along with an adaptor), but was planning to use it for a different project.
Also, paging through the manual, it looks like I might be able to get this into an x60. It's not that different from an x61. The sound & palmrest button connectors were the only differences that looked like they might be significant. Anyone have any thoughts on that? I have two x60's floating around that I have no real use for. I do have two spare x61's, but I use them for things (specifically, Windows 10 and Snow Leopard). I could spare the Hackintosh, but I'd rather keep it to impress the natives.
Some background: I've swapped the lids on a pair of x40's (requires dismantling just about everything), and both victims survived. I'm not thrilled about opening a bezel (the mechanics of LCDs are not always forgiving), but could probably make it work. If I knew for sure something went together, I feel I can figure out how it works. If I have doc to follow, and it doesn't go together, I can usually figure out the workaround. If I have no doc and no idea if it's supposed to work, that's one more degree of freedom than I am comfortable with on the hardware side (but where the fun starts in software).
If nothing else, the x60's can serve as cadavers in a med school: practice patients you can't help, but are not expected to survive in any case.
I would personally sacrifice the X60 machines over the X61. The 32bit X60 is less useful today then the 64bit X61 (modified bios, SATA 2, etc, in addition to whole 32 vs 64 argument)
I agree with the advice of NonesensE, but I'll add a few more points from having done this mod 3 times now.
It sounds like you got this from ebay (I know the listing). Yes, indeed, it comes with a X62 fan and not the slimmer fan. The X62 regular fan version will fit either a X60/X61. The X62s slimmer fan fersion will fit a X60s/X60t/X61s/X61t.
For a X60/X61, first thing you need to do is remove all the screws on the bottom of the case. They are marked both keyboard and pc card. There is also an additional 1 screw (unmarked) near the VGA port that holds the motherboard in place. Remove this as well. This screw won't be going back into place on the new motherboard.
You don't need to remove the screen if you are not replacing it (nor the 4 screws that hold it in).
Now lift the keyboard (and disconnect) and the bezel (disconnect the fingerprint reader if it applies).
Remove the two screws holding holding down the LCD cable. There are also two screws holdings things down near the SATA connector + power connector. There are two screws near the PC card slot, remove those (you can put those aside, they won't be needed on the new board).
Disconnect the power cable, the speaker, the black cable running from modem jack to modem card, and the wifi antennas. There is no modem card on the new board, and I find the cable is a nuisance and likes to get in the way, so I trace it back to close to where it comes in, and I cut it. Just don't cut the power cable.
At this point you should be able to start lifting the motherboard up.
Regarding the wifi card, it was pointed out that original FRU card won't work. I can't say either way. Two of the X61 systems I modded had a more modern full-length wifi card (unlocked bios) and these cards that worked on the unlocked X61 worked on the X62. I was going to use a full-length FRU on the 3rd mod but I had issues finding a fastener to screw down the card, so I ended up locating a spare half-size card in the junk drawer (must have been pulled from an old T420).
The wifi card may be difficult to remove from the old motherboard (most tended to come tight with screws that strip easily). Depending on which you have, you may want to consider upgrading with a spare wifi card that maybe better. I didn't bother trying to remove mine. I just replaced it with a spare centrino n half-height card. The wifi card goes into the bottom slot on the new board. You may have issues holding down a full height card. wifi card won't work on the upper slot.
On the new motherboard, remove the 4 spring + screws holding down CPU brace. Apply some arctic silver or other compound to the cpu and then place the fan ontop so that the holes line up and the brace lines up. Then screw in the spring screws.
Connect the SATA daughterboard to the motherboard. Slide in the motherboard into the case. Place the audio daughterboard to the case (it will be loose but will be held in place when the case is assembled). Attach the ribbon cable to the motherboard so that the pins are facing down, towards the board. Likewise attach to the audio board.
You are going to need to buy a CMOS battery. Your ebay board doesn't have one and the X60/X61 is not compatible (not the same number of pins). One from a later thinkpad will work. The connector on your particular board is close to the audio ribbon cable connector.
Screw down the two screws near the SATA connector board. Attach the power cable. Attach the speaker to either the left two pins or right two pins. If you have another speaker handy or a proper stereo speaker, you can use that. Attach the wifi antennas. Attach the LCD cable (screws may not hold down the cable). Place the bezel back on (plugging in the finger print reader). Your ebay listing contained a bezel which is not needed. Your previous bezel will do the trick.
At this point I like to test out the unit by installing the memory and laying and plugging in the keyboard.
When you assemble the unit, no screw goes back into the slot near the VGA connector used sit.
For the dock port, since your ebay listing didn't contain them, and unless you are going to 3d print them, I found cutting out a piece of cardboard slightly bigger then the hole, and then taping it down (from the outside side) with black electrical tape was clean and adequate. Likewise on the left hand side with the display ports (unless you are going to use them).
If you are using a X61 case, you will also have an opening on the far right where the IR used to reside.