Giving up and getting a modern Thinkpad

[StevenD]

Hi, all,

I have a T60p that I bought the month it came out, in 2007, and it's been my primary computer since then. Running Windows XP.

I've never upgraded the laptop, because I'm in love with my 1600x1200 screen, and also I didn't like the newer versions of Windows that I have on a couple other computers. Further, I have a million programs installed, and I type 100 wpm on this keyboard, and I know the keyboard shortcuts for all the programs I use, and it's just soooooo much faster than trying to use something else.

But it's 10 years old now, and it's seeming to be slow, and Chrome doesn't work fast and great, and Firefox chokes the processor, and and and.

But I despair at the thought of re-installing everything that I use on a new version of Windows and getting everything to work like this machine works for me. What, two weeks of full-time work?

Anyway, I'm shopping for advice on how a Luddite like me can get into the modern age with the least pain. Suggestions about Windows version, which Thinkpad hardware, maybe some miraculous migration program?

Thanks in advance for any help!!!

--Steve D.

[RealBlackStuff]

Simple, turn it into a Frankenpad by replacing the motherboard with a T61 mobo and matching CPU.
Read my webpage for which mobo: http://theboardroom.info/t61motherboard.html
You can get those from forum member TuuS (and mention my name).

After that, you can reuse your OS and all its programs, unless you now want a 64-bit version (since you can now install 8GB RAM).

[NonesensE]

Or you can build a T70 with the shell and the display of your T60. This however doesn't save you from reinstalling your system. And XP won't be usable anymore, but you should've upgraded to at least 7 a while ago anyway. Come on, try it, there are new keyboard shortcuts for you!

[ZaZ]

But I despair at the thought of re-installing everything that I use on a new version of Windows and getting everything to work like this machine works for me. What, two weeks of full-time work?

Suggestions about Windows version, which Thinkpad hardware, maybe some miraculous migration program?

At some point you're going to have to bite the bullet.

If you like the old school keyboard, but with more modern innards, perhaps the Anniversary ThinkPad might be worth a look.

[TPFanatic]

T500 is similar in build to T60p and it'll take 1920x1200, 8GB DDR3, and the faster Core 2 Duos. Disable the browser's Hardware Accel, install an adblocker, and it'll tackle browsing and Youtube.

T520 is also good with 1920x1080, max ram of 16GB (I'll top at 8GB) and Sandy Bridge blows Core 2 Duo away.

Use an SSD or a healthy new HDD.

Use Windows 7, it's the last Windows where you have any control of what's going on, it's not constantly trying to usurp you, you choose the updates, no Windows Store, no Lenovo Companion, no Candy Crush, 100% working drivers, etc.

[jayeye]

If you like the old school keyboard, but with more modern innards, perhaps the Anniversary ThinkPad might be worth a look.

The anniversary TP is garbage. The lobotomized monkeys who currently run Lenovo do not understand that there is a real need for 15'' laptops without the stupid numeric keypad.

[RealBlackStuff]

Who is lobotomized here?
There's no numeric keypad on the Anniversary T25...

[Shredder11]

I'd love a stupid modern update of the W701 with the numeric keypad and 17" screen... The old ones go for silly money too.

[Pete B]

You have the most important part the IPS display.
I would turn it into a Frankenpad with TUUS' NOS motherboard, install 8GB
of RAM an SSD, modern wifi. Install Win 7 64 bit, and use Windows File
transfer to get all you data over to the new system.
There are shells to make Win 7 look and feel more like XP if you really need
that.
Run Bellarc Advisor on your old system to get all the product keys for your
programs which you'll have to reload.
It is work, but I think you'll get what you want.

You could also just add an SSD to your old system by cloning the drive, it
will not TRIM but I think you can do it manually a few times a year. Max out
the RAM at 4GB and Processor.
Remove programs that you do not use with Revo Uninstaller.
How is your battery?
Which CPU do you currently have? T7600 is cheap these days.

[StevenD]

Hi, Pete, and others,

Thanks for the recommend. In fact, Tuus is now sending me a T61 motherboard. The plan: get it as good as I can get it, but KEEP my XP and HDD. The #1 priority was that I not have to re-install everything on a different OS. I already have an SSD, and a good battery, and I hope I'll be in business with the Frankenpad for the next 10 years or so!!!
/SD

[jaspen-meyer]

Hi, Pete, and others,

Thanks for the recommend. In fact, Tuus is now sending me a T61 motherboard. The plan: get it as good as I can get it, but KEEP my XP and HDD. The #1 priority was that I not have to re-install everything on a different OS. I already have an SSD, and a good battery, and I hope I'll be in business with the Frankenpad for the next 10 years or so!!!
/SD

Sounds like you're set. Make sure you have a usable clone of your disk.

fwiw, I type just 80 wpm and use "shortcut keys for everything", and moved from XP to Linux. The transistion was tough. It took me 6 months to get my work output back up to where it'd been, but soon after my productivity increased by leaps and bounds as I learned to use the power tools which make up the core of Linux operating systems.

[formeryouth]

Second.

I have a T61 and upped the ram to 4, installed an SSD, and switched to Linux Mint with the lightweight desktop XFCE. I got it to work with everything in the house - from wireless scanners to first generation Kindle. I have no speed /video issues and fewer problems than my wife's new Macbook. Unless it becomes impossible to keep using a 32 bit machine, I have no plans to retire this laptop. I am just saying, there are other ways to keep a T61 viable.