are we able to install new graphics cards on a laptop?

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ThinkPad R · #1 Post by **ThinkPad R** » Sun Oct 30, 2005 6:46 pm

I've never messed around with a graphics card--> i have no idea.

graphics cards are only upgradable on desktops, right?

and is PCI-express graphics card put into the PC card slot????

DIGITALgimpus · #2 Post by **DIGITALgimpus** » Sun Oct 30, 2005 7:50 pm

graphics on thinkpads are still integrated into the motherboard.

A handful of laptops use mini-AGP like cards.

Volker · #3 Post by **Volker** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 1:25 pm

It all depends on how skilled you are with the soldering iron.

#4 Post by **GomJabbar** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 1:56 pm

Or how desperate you are to play GTA!

DIGITALgimpus · #5 Post by **DIGITALgimpus** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 2:13 pm

Volker wrote:It all depends on how skilled you are with the soldering iron.

not quite. Pinning won't always line up. chipset != card. Different VRAM may also be a factor.

bhtooefr · #6 Post by **bhtooefr** » Fri Nov 04, 2005 10:01 pm

ThinkPad R wrote:I've never messed around with a graphics card--> i have no idea.

graphics cards are only upgradable on desktops, right?

and is PCI-express graphics card put into the PC card slot????

You could swap out the motherboard.

No, there's only one graphics card that goes in the PC card slot, and it's not a normal card - only meant for a secondary display.

Some gaming laptops have upgradable graphics cards.

Temetka · #7 Post by **Temetka** » Fri Nov 04, 2005 11:15 pm

S is there a faster mainboard that will work in a T23 (I love this machines formfactor too much to let go if it. Thin and light with acceptable battery times).

bhtooefr · #8 Post by **bhtooefr** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 7:54 am

Unfortunately, with a T23, there was only one graphics card. Swapping the motherboard won't help you.

What processor do you have, and how much RAM do you have?

Maxing out the RAM at 1GB will help, along with maxing the processor at 1.2GHz (there's a 1.2GHz processor that will work in your system's motherboard)

BruisedQuasar · #9 Post by **BruisedQuasar** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 9:23 am

Hello,

I am new to Thinkpad but not to computing. If my questions are already answered elsewhere, please direct me to the location. I am pressed for time by my retailer & IBM-Lenovo

My like-new refurbished T23 (2647) Win 2000 arrived Thursday. It is a factory refurbished unit. The 2000 OS was not loaded. When I powered on, the auto setup expanded & installed Windows 2000, drivers & settings. I thought it took an inordinate amount of time to complete auto install. The T23 is a beaut (I have paid big bucks for several brand name Laptops over the years but none compare to the quality and speed of this refurbished one!)

When setup was complete, I had a terrible display, slightly better than Safe Mode. I could hardly read Web pages. Part of the problem was an old version of IE. After an hour of loading Firefox and Sys Mech 4, security Software, I went to IBM-Lenovo site and downloaded (after upgrading IE as the IBM auto download\install program is the first Web Function I encountered in two years that will not work with Mozilla\Firefox) most of the auto load & install updates. I was convinced my display problem was a driver problem. Win or IBM "troubleshoot" indicated the "card was working" but settings showed only two low grade settings. I think three drivers total failed to load. Apparantly, some IBM drivers are missing from the restore sector of the hard drive. The SuperSavage update driver fixed my display problem.

Next, I noticed I had no sound and when I tried to run a Web news clip. Media Player (Version 9) stops and says I have no sound card. (I do get error beeps) "Troubleshoot" reports "Your Sound Card is not working properly"

Is there a specific driver for the "16-bit Sound Blaster Pro-Compatible Audio Chipset" ?

I know onboard hardware test utilities are often wrong, so I am hoping this is another driver problem I can fix. "Not working properly", I think, can mean several things, 'not just chipset failure.' Besides, the utility is reporting my sound card is not working properly, not chipset.

If the T23 is like other laptops, malfunctioning audio hardware, means swapping the motherboard, correct?

The "Problem Devices" folder under Control Panel reported after auto setup, "Video Controller (VGA), PCI\Wen.5333 & Dev_8C2E& Subsystem"
Error 28 followed each of the three.

bhtooefr · #10 Post by **bhtooefr** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 9:56 am

Sounds like a borked preload. Was there a Windows 2000 CD with it? If so, grab every driver IBM has available for download, and reload Windows. Install the drivers (it's a royal pain), and go.

Alternately, if your T23 came with Windows 2000 when IBM originally built it, you can get a restore CD set for about $50.

Anyway...

What is the type/model on your T23?

There should be a sticker on the bottom, saying something like this:

"Type ****-*** S/N **-***** yy/mm"

where * is a number or a letter, yy is the build year, and mm is the build month.

What is the code after Type?

My X21's code is 2662-66U.

That'll give us some more info on it, so we know what to set things to.

#11 Post by **GomJabbar** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 11:05 am

You can get all the latest IBM drivers and software for the T23 from the following link. Click on the T23 link near the top of the page, under Download individual drivers, to see even more.

Software and Device Drivers - ThinkPad T22, T23

BruisedQuasar · #12 Post by **BruisedQuasar** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 11:33 am

Thanks for the response. In answer to your questions:

1) the sticker on the bottom of my T23 says:
Type 2647 - 2TU

IBM support site utility insists my T23 2647 is LU3 but my sticker says it is 2TU. "Made in Mexico"
It did not come with a Win 2000 disk but only a Lotus SmartSuite 9.7 CD
The recovery system is on the hard drive, accessed by pressing F11
I found no date of manufacture on the bottom, just the FA91M at the end of the string of numbers you spoke of. There is an IBM copyright reported that says "copyright 1981, 2001 IBM Corp"

The Windows sticker reports:
Windows 2000 Professional 1-2CPU

So far, I managed to fix the Display problem by downloading and installing the Update driver off IBM Support.

I need to determine whether my audio problem is from a missing driver or an actual hardware failure. If hardware, I am concerned I will have to return the system to the retailer. The retailer shipping receipt says I have a one year manufacturer warranty, since this is IBM factory refurbished. Hopefully, if a new motheboard is the solution, I can just take the T23 to a local authorized dealer-service center. Radio Shack is an authorized service center.

dsvochak · #13 Post by **dsvochak** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 11:48 am

Whether the system is a 2647-2TU or 2647-LU3, the audio card and driver are the same and it's not a ""16-bit Sound Blaster Pro-Compatible Audio Chipset".

The first thing I would try is downloading and installing the IBM audio driver. If that doesn't solve the problem, let us know.

bhtooefr · #14 Post by **bhtooefr** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 1:22 pm

BruisedQuasar: You might want to edit the S/N out of your post.

Ditto for the Win2K Product Key and WinNT Product ID.

Anyway, what is your location? Please update that information in your profile.

2TU appears to be a Colombia/Peru model, FWIW. So, brush up on your Spanish (or your Babelfish), and log into one of those sites.

The recovery system that your laptop's seller installed is obviously a third party one, as the official IBM recovery system involves holding down the ThinkPad/Access IBM key during bootup (again, IIRC). I suggest obtaining the IBM recovery CDs for your model, as it will be the correct preload. The only problem may be with language. I would call IBM's parts order line and explain the situation - you can probably get English-language CDs in that situation.

#15 Post by **GomJabbar** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 1:23 pm

Maybe I am just paranoid, but I wouldn't be posting my Windows product key, or my ThinkPad serial number.

BruisedQuasar · #16 Post by **BruisedQuasar** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 7:58 pm

Thank you for the quick responses. I did not know Thinkpads attracted such a friendly support group. I don't know what I was thinking when I posted my serial numbers. I removed the data. Thanks for the heads up on that one!

I managed to fix the problem. The audio driver folder was empty, just as my video folder was. I got the display running by downloading and installing an upgrade video driver. I hoped "Troubleshoot" was wrong and my audio hardware was fine, just corrupt or missing driver. Evidently, the driver was missing. The aftpkuw2.exe driver fixed my problem!

For anyone else who runs into a IBM Preload driver install failure, I skipped the goofy IBM Support &instructions for how to download and install the drivers. I just used "My Computer" to go into the "IBM_Preload" sector of 'C:' and clicked "Drivers", "Win", "Audio" and click "Crysetup". Crysetup extracted and installed the Driver and then checked and reported "Install Successful"

According the IBM Support site, I can 100% backup the IBM_Preload sector of the hard drive. I am going to store it & the update drivers on my external hard drive and burn it onto a DVD.

dsvochak · #17 Post by **dsvochak** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 8:06 pm

You're welcome. Enjoy your "new" thinkpad

are we able to install new graphics cards on a laptop?

are we able to install new graphics cards on a laptop?

Re: are we able to install new graphics cards on a laptop?

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