Thinkpad T30 CPU Overclock

[DOSBrony]

I am using a T30 Laptop (With a Thinkpad Dock II) until I can get all the parts to build my Gaming PC, and I want to get at least some better game performance on it (As in Portal 2 on min. settings being playable, or newly released Black Mesa mod being playable on minimum.), and so far I have upgraded the RAM, fixed the faulty RAM socket problem, and put in a new GPU in my dock's PCI slot. Now I wish to overclock my CPU (but not by much). Would 1.8ghz to 2.0ghz work without the CPU frying?

System specs:
IBM Thinkpad T30
Thinkpad Dock II
Intel Pentium 4 M 1.8GHz (wishing to overclock to 2.0ghz)
2gb DDR pc2700 RAM
Zotac NVidia GT 520 512mb DDR3 VRAM (using the PCI Slot in the dock)
1920x1080 Toshiba TV (HDMI Connection)
40gb HDD (250gb External HDD for games)
Windows XP SP3

NOTE: The laptop's internal GPU (The Radeon 7500) is NOT being used here! Who in their right mind would try to do modern gaming on a 16mb GPU?!

[ajkula66]

Welcome to the forum!

You can pick up a 2.0 CPU for $5 so why bother with the idea of overclocking which is not likely to work anyway?

[DOSBrony]

Laptop CPUs can go for around 50$ minimum as far as I've seen.

[ajkula66]

You looked in all the wrong places, then...

This is the 2.4 CPU applicable to your machine:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Intel-Pentium-M ... 43b1c1382c

[DOSBrony]

Thank you VERY much! Have a dancing banana:

[jronald]

By the way, the 2.4 runs hotter than the Pentium Pro of years ago! You have been warned.

Ron

[cadillacmike68]

By the way, the 2.4 runs hotter than the Pentium Pro of years ago! You have been warned.
Ron

That's why there are Three CPU fans for T30s. You need to get the correct Fan.

[jronald]

Fan or not, dont plan on using it as a "Laptop". Hot is too hot for the Lap.
Dont forget the slotted cover for the Wifi, it does make a difference.

YMMV
Ron

[DOSBrony]

Well, can someone link me to the correct fan? Also, the battery is too crappy to be used as a laptop....so....yeah.

[aPanzerIV]

As far as i have read, there are 3 different ones, "you must choose the right one". Sounds like bs, but i wouldn't be concerned if its not running that warm. You can get a 2.5ghz for not much more, the 2.6's are the fastest but cost a shizton. When you replace the cpu, be sure to put some AC5 on there, that will make it run cooler. The 1.8 is 30 watts and the 2.4 is 35, so i don't think it will make much difference. You could upgrade the ram to pc3200, but it would not make much difference. If you put a new battery in it i reckon you could sell it, with the dock and the video card if you want, after you build your desktop, and sell it for a fair sum, or keep it as a half decent laptop.

[ajkula66]

As far as i have read, there are 3 different ones, "you must choose the right one". Sounds like bs, but i wouldn't be concerned if its not running that warm.

Far from it. Anyone who has actually pushed a T30 or A31/p to the platform limits with the wrong fan will attest that there indeed was a reason for IBM's reasoning at the time, and for three different fans along with two separate motherboard types.

You can get away with the "wrong" motherboard as long as you use the proper fan.

The correct fan for this (2.4GHz - SL6VC) CPU is FRU 91P8908

The 1.8 is 30 watts and the 2.4 is 35, so i don't think it will make much difference.

This is incorrect. The idle temps differ by 5-7 degrees C, and sky is the limit once you really start working the CPU out. T30 was not meant to be a cool-running machine, that was simply not an option with the Northwood processors.

You could upgrade the ram to pc3200, but it would not make much difference.

It will not make *any* difference since the board will still be at its native PC2100 speed...

[jronald]

I have run many 1.6 boards with 2.0 processors. Keeping the 1.6 fan they run toasty hot. I have never pushed one hard enough to thermal shut it down keep in mind, but I have moved more than one from my lap because it was uncomfortably hot.

Run the slotted cover for a 2 degree or so drop. Here is a slotted cover:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-THINKPAD-T3 ... 337cd6ace0
Most of the fan is directly above this cover, it does help. That said, the primary reason for overclocking is gaming. The T30 GPU aint exactly cutting edge for graphics. Its sort of like feeding a full afterburner jet engine with a Holley Blue Fuel Pump. The GPU is going to bottle neck everything. You can have all the engine in the world, if the rest of the system is not up to the Horse Power, you go nowhere fast.

None the less its your money, and like most guys on the Forum, Im more than willing to help you spend it.
How Fast Can You Afford To Go?

YMMV
Ron

[T30alive]

I have the 2.4 GHz and I got it to stay cool when the fan is steady, the problem is the fan turns on too late. Doesn't seem to be any way to stop this from happening. TPFANCONTROL doesn't work. Unless there is a secret EC register the standard 0x2F doesn't work?