Memory interchange matrix for T series ThinkPads

[cadillacmike68]

Has anyone ever done a memory compatibility matrix for T-series Thinkpads (or the other models).

I think I need one because I finally got a couple T40 series so now I have T20 series, T30, T40 series T60 series, T500, and T/W530. The memory ranges from 128mb DDR(1) to 8GB DDR3, at a vastly faster FSB speed.

I think I can dig out the original factory type from thinkwiki and then use crucial's site to see what is compatible up or down speed within a DDR or PC range.

According to crucial's site, the faster FSB speed RAM will work in a slower system that takes the same (DDR2 or DDR3, etc) RAM, but not the other way around. E.g. a T530 module (4GB max) will work in a T500 , but a 10 year old slower FSB T500 module will NOT work in a T/W530.

This might be fun. I need to do it because I want to max out the RAM on these T40 series and try to use some of the RAM modules that I already have on hand.

[axur-delmeria]

IIRC the T530 requires a minimum DDR3 speed of 1333, so the 1066 ones from the T500/510 era won't work.

My X220 has shown itself to be flexible: I've used 1066, 1333 and (DDR3L) 1600 (the last one thanks to the unlocked BIOS) without much trouble.

I'll check my X60sF's RAM speed when I find the time. Too bad I don't have an R52 anymore. The only Intel 915GM-equipped laptop I have at the moment is a weird Compaq one with DDR1 (!!) I didn't even know the 915GM supported DDR1.

[dr_st]

The rule of thumb is that a system will run it's RAM at a certain range of speeds - usually there is a minimum and a maximum. RAM is sold advertised to the maximum speed, and can typically downclock to lower speeds, but not go above its specification.

[kfzhu1229]

There isn't really much to worry about in upgrading a T4x series though.
Stick PC-2700 or faster on T40-T42 or just about any DDR2 SODIMM sticks (not 4GB sticks though) on the T43 and you are good to go. If max is what you are going for, don't think 1GB PC-2100 sticks exist anyway. But do note that 1GB DDR1 sticks do appear on eBay in all sorts of sketchiness (reprogramming SPD, relabelling, or just flat out advertise Kingston or Crucial and have no name chips). There are also wordplay that they can use such as For Kingston .... which actually means a stick that is a replacement of a Kingston stick, and not actually a Kingston stick. Most of the time they will work just fine, but there is no saying when they will fail or sometimes the sticks work but doesn't get recognised in a T4x. I have had no name ripoffs not working in a T4x but works in a Dell Inspiron 600m/Latitude D600 perfectly.
From my own experience, T20-T22 have interchangeable RAM, T23's sticks are occasionally interchangeable with T20-T22 (Only if the stick is PC133 and each chip on the stick is 16MB or less), T30-T42 have interchangeable RAM if RAM speed is fast enough and on latest BIOS version, T43-T61 have interchangeable RAM if RAM speed is fast enough and on latest BIOS version (4GB sticks only work with T61, and there is no point putting more than 2GB for T43 and 3GB for T60 because of their chipset limitations)

[cadillacmike68]

There isn't really much to worry about in upgrading a T4x series though.
Stick PC-2700 or faster on T40-T42 or just about any DDR2 SODIMM sticks (not 4GB sticks though) on the T43 and you are good to go. If max is what you are going for, don't think 1GB PC-2100 sticks exist anyway. But do note that 1GB DDR1 sticks do appear on eBay in all sorts of sketchiness (reprogramming SPD, relabelling, or just flat out advertise Kingston or Crucial and have no name chips). There are also wordplay that they can use such as For Kingston .... which actually means a stick that is a replacement of a Kingston stick, and not actually a Kingston stick. Most of the time they will work just fine, but there is no saying when they will fail or sometimes the sticks work but doesn't get recognised in a T4x. I have had no name ripoffs not working in a T4x but works in a Dell Inspiron 600m/Latitude D600 perfectly.
From my own experience, T20-T22 have interchangeable RAM, T23's sticks are occasionally interchangeable with T20-T22 (Only if the stick is PC133 and each chip on the stick is 16MB or less), T30-T42 have interchangeable RAM if RAM speed is fast enough and on latest BIOS version, T43-T61 have interchangeable RAM if RAM speed is fast enough and on latest BIOS version (4GB sticks only work with T61, and there is no point putting more than 2GB for T43 and 3GB for T60 because of their chipset limitations)

After going through thinkwiki and the ref sheets, I came to the same conclusions. Any memory that works in a T61 (2GB or less) will work in a T60 or T43 (1GB sticks of which I have plenty). And any memory that works in a T40/41/42 will work in a T30.

1GB PC2100 modules do exist: KTM-TP0028/ 1G of which I have several for my T30s are PC2100 and 1GB. Unless they are actually PC2700 in which case I don't need any more for the T41 & T42.

I've seen the "for Kingston" Laughable...

I did build a small spreadsheet and totaled up my modules, like 90 total. They range from 128MB PC66 (two) to 8GB PC3-12800 (six). That's not including the multitudes of desktop modules which I won't even bother categorizing.

[kfzhu1229]

They range from 128MB PC66 (two) to 8GB PC3-12800 (six). That's not including the multitudes of desktop modules which I won't even bother categorizing.

Oh for PC66 things can get highly dependent on each model. For the ThinkPad 600 that I have, the RAM slot sitting right beside the ultraslimbay device with no dividers detects only half the RAM for PC100/PC133 8 chip 128MB and 16 chip 256MB sticks but it will work just fine. The other slot works just fine. With 32MB onboard that means I got 416MB of RAM with 256MB PC100 and 64MB PC66 and 32MB soldered, haven't tried 128MB PC66. However for something like a Latitude CPi A series, you then have an annoying physical problem where the RAM slots are facing towards each other instead of facing the other way around with each other on most other SDRAM laptops. This means if you wanna use two RAM slots, you gotta use low profile RAM sticks for both slots or you can only fit one stick in one of the slots. The design was initially designed with EDO 144pin in mind as its predecessors did.

[cadillacmike68]

They range from 128MB PC66 (two) to 8GB PC3-12800 (six). That's not including the multitudes of desktop modules which I won't even bother categorizing.

Oh for PC66 things can get highly dependent on each model. For the ThinkPad 600 that I have, the RAM slot sitting right beside the ultraslimbay device with no dividers detects only half the RAM for PC100/PC133 8 chip 128MB and 16 chip 256MB sticks but it will work just fine. The other slot works just fine. With 32MB onboard that means I got 416MB of RAM with 256MB PC100 and 64MB PC66 and 32MB soldered, haven't tried 128MB PC66. However for something like a Latitude CPi A series, you then have an annoying physical problem where the RAM slots are facing towards each other instead of facing the other way around with each other on most other SDRAM laptops. This means if you wanna use two RAM slots, you gotta use low profile RAM sticks for both slots or you can only fit one stick in one of the slots. The design was initially designed with EDO 144pin in mind as its predecessors did.

?? I thought that the 600 (not 600E or 600X) was maxed out at 288MB? Are you telling me I can have more RAM by putting in a PC100 256MB stick in one slot, PLUS the 128MB PC66 in the other plus the 32MB on board? By the way Those numbers do not add (256 + 64 + 32 < 416) I haven't even looked at the 600's RAM modules, but I will.

Crazy, isn't it?

[kfzhu1229]

?? I thought that the 600 (not 600E or 600X) was maxed out at 288MB? Are you telling em I can have more RAM by putting in a PC100 256MB stick in one slot, PLUS the 128MB PC66 in the other plus the 32MB on board? By the way Those numbers do not add (256 + 64 + 32 < 416) I haven't even looked at the 600's RAM modules, but I will.

Crazy, isn't it?

Wait no nvm I stuck PC100 256MB in both slots, and one of the slots only works with half of them, but the system is totally stable. Then the total RAM is 256+128+32=416MB. My bad.
If you go to the BIOS, it will say 256+256+32=544MB but only 416MB is usable.
Not sure if this works with the earliest models with Pentium MMX but my PII-266 model works just fine with it.
And if anyone needs a proof I can take a picture of the RAM count when booting up

[cadillacmike68]

Well, I'll bet that's a revelation to many on the forum. It is to me. Sort of like T30s being able to use the 1GB modules that came out after it was superseded by the T40 series. I jumped on that one and got 1GB modules for my T30s at the time.

Now the question is whether or not one needs that much RAM on a win98 system, or if it can even be used. It can certainly be used on an XP system though.

[cadillacmike68]

... From my own experience, T20-T22 have interchangeable RAM, T23's sticks are occasionally interchangeable with T20-T22 (Only if the stick is PC133 and each chip on the stick is 16MB or less), T30-T42 have interchangeable RAM if RAM speed is fast enough and on latest BIOS version, T43-T61 have interchangeable RAM if RAM speed is fast enough and on latest BIOS version (4GB sticks only work with T61, and there is no point putting more than 2GB for T43 and 3GB for T60 because of their chipset limitations) I have had no name ripoffs not working in a T4x but works in a Dell Inspiron 600m/Latitude D600 perfectly.

Just noticed this. I'll check the individual chips on my PC133 modules.

No name ripoffs. Seen those too. I actually saw at least two ebay listing for these memory modules with the chips in the pics having "Trump" on them. Don't know the motivation behind that one. I will try to dig up the item numbers.

[cadillacmike68]

Here are the two item numbers and links. No matter which side of the aisle you are on, this should give you a chuckle:

Item number: 264742515896
Listing: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1GB-1G-DDR-RAM ... SwSPJey2CO

Item number: 264742515936
Listing: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1GB-1G-DDR-RAM ... SwLsRey2B3

Links got truncated. Item numbers are accurate. I need to re-learn tinyurl...

[kfzhu1229]

Here are the two item numbers and links. No matter which side of the aisle you are on, this should give you a chuckle:

Item number: 264742515896
Listing: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1GB-1G-DDR-RAM ... SwSPJey2CO

Item number: 264742515936
Listing: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1GB-1G-DDR-RAM ... SwLsRey2B3

Links got truncated. Item numbers are accurate. I need to re-learn tinyurl...

Oh yeah I have had a pair of those lol. They were advertised as infineon branded but came exactly like that. Those WON'T POST on my T42, stuffed them in my Inspiron 600m (The Inspiron clone of Latitude D600) and sold it off lol
https://1drv.ms/u/s!At7-rt1KJ7WviNhFInb ... A?e=bfr0KP

[cadillacmike68]

Here are the two item numbers and links. No matter which side of the aisle you are on, this should give you a chuckle:

Item number: 264742515896
Listing: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1GB-1G-DDR-RAM ... SwSPJey2CO

Item number: 264742515936
Listing: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1GB-1G-DDR-RAM ... SwLsRey2B3

Links got truncated. Item numbers are accurate. I need to re-learn tinyurl...

Oh yeah I have had a pair of those lol. They were advertised as infineon branded but came exactly like that. Those WON'T POST on my T42, stuffed them in my Inspiron 600m (The Inspiron clone of Latitude D600) and sold it off lol
https://1drv.ms/u/s!At7-rt1KJ7WviNhFInb ... A?e=bfr0KP

Memory HO

I'm not even going there with this one...