t21 upgrade advice

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knuckless69 · #1 Post by **knuckless69** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 5:58 am

Hello everyone

I own a t21 : 2647-27G (750mhz 192ram 10gb XPsp2) and I'm thinkig about upgrading. With firefox webcam and winamd opened it takes too much to open anything else.... I do regular defrag

I have 2 real options: a t23 or a t40. And maybe a t30, but as t23 would be a cheap option and a t40 a bit more expensive, here I like a lot the design. Where the t30 is kind of bulky (i know very little abot the a and r series. any options here?)

I don't game (although I would ). Some divx's, mp3 , internet... Would a t23 with 1ghz and 512ram (or 256...) make a lot of difference, or does the cpu that need a greater upgrade?

I would kindly like an opinion on this t40:
http://cgi.ebay.com/IBM-ThinkPad-T40-P- ... dZViewItem

My conncern is the cpu (i know very little about them). Is it a centrino....(here they say it is : http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... Track=true i'm a bit confused...) ? So would it make a poor upgrade for the money invested?
There would be more to say

but what would you suggest so far?

Thanks a lot
Bogdan

Website · #2 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 9:44 am

Why not just upgrade your T21's memory to 512MB? Since you are running Windows XP, you sill notice a lag with just about anything less than 256MB, especially with SP2.

AbsoluteRaleigh · #3 Post by **AbsoluteRaleigh** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:04 pm

Yeah I would just bump the memory as well.

If it is time for a new one just go to a T40. They're fast. A 23 will give you a noteiceable improvement over the T21 but the T40s are a whole new ballgame..

The T40 you see on eBay looks ok.. They're just liquidating them. It is an early 1.3Ghz version. They are probably in fair condition w/ no major problems, I wouldn't expect it to be mint or anything...

knuckless69 · #4 Post by **knuckless69** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 6:40 am

I didn't even consider adding that much rams. Seems decided

But, for speang future threads for a later upgrade:

PLEASE help out this poor sap: what is the centrino? Is it a platform (p4m + wifi) or a processor, or what?

, but i just can't help myself out
Been checking out google for the past hour and with the 2 ebay auctions in the upper post, I just got so confused

Website · #5 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 10:21 am

Here is Wikipedia's definition of Centrino:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centrino

knuckless69 · #6 Post by **knuckless69** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 11:17 am

Great

cleared that up

...so how come a 1.3 centrino equals to a 2.2 p4M in speed/performance (as seldom seen on the web) ? is the L2 cache size?

AbsoluteRaleigh · #7 Post by **AbsoluteRaleigh** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 11:43 am

knuckless69 wrote:Great cleared that up

...so how come a 1.3 centrino equals to a 2.2 p4M in speed/performance (as seldom seen on the web) ? is the L2 cache size?

Clock speed for clock speed, they're a faster processor.

Eg: A PM 2Ghz is much faster than a P4M 2Ghz.

(The overall design, L2, and other vairiables help contribute to this.)

beeblebrox · #8 Post by **beeblebrox** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 4:38 pm

I had a T20 upgraded to 900Mhz.
Then bought a T23 and a T40p.
The T23 is way quicker than the T20/T21 because the I/O system is much faster, esp. the HDD.

The T40 (1.6 Ghz) is roughly twice as fast as the T23 (1.1Ghz). Reason to buy the T40 is the graphics card. The ATI chips can do DVI which the T23 with its S3 chip can not, and they are way better. And ATI with 64 Meg lets run Google Earth easily.
T23 is good for musik and DVD, itunes is just fast enough on a T23.

aabram · #9 Post by **aabram** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 10:14 am

T30 is not that bad actually. Sure, it is bulkier but when it sits on your desk all the time it doesn't really matter. T30-s come with decent ATI card too and it is a solid perfomer, albeit not exactly on the bleeding edge. If you get a good offer for T30 you might want to consider it, it is a step up from T2*. Although when you can stretch your wallet to T40, go for it.

knuckless69 · #10 Post by **knuckless69** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 6:55 am

I'm going for the t40
Payed for it and hope to recive it soon
Didn't plan on buying it

but I found quite an offer
I'll let you know when I get

Thanks a lot for all your posts

knuckless69 · #11 Post by **knuckless69** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 9:02 am

I never reciver that laptop, just got the moeny back
So upgraded to 512mb ram. Things are working smooth now...

But today I did recive a t40

Think it was stolen... it does not have 1 sticker onit. I don't even know the part number

My prob now is that with windows xp install, no driver was installed. No video, modem, wifi, lan... Was this supposed to happen?
On the t21 all drivers get installed with windows. Then I just update stuff
But on the t40, nothing. Is this normal?

Website · #12 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 10:16 am

Just because it doesn't have stickers doesn't necessarily mean that it was stolen. There are atleast 3 possibilities that I am aware of:

1. Sometimes resellers remove the stickers if they have replaced the systemboard with a model other than what originally came with it, so that there isn't any confusion.

2. I had a friend that remove every single sticker from his system (Dell I think) because he couldn't stand ANY thing stuck on his system.

3. It may have infact been stolen.

If you can boot into the BIOS you can get the serial number from the system. I don't have a T40, so I can't tell you exactly how to do it, but the BIOS generally on the first page. This should also give you the model number, based on what the systemboard is telling it.

As for your question about the drivers with WinXP: Did WinXP install, just without the drivers? If so, you might want to either reinstall WinXP or use another system to download the basic drivers to a CD, then install Software Installer, so that everything else can be downloaded automatically.

knuckless69 · #13 Post by **knuckless69** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 10:24 am

I did reinstall windows but the drivers did not
I'm downloading the drivers from another machine now... hope it will work
The wifi drivers did not...

in bios: System-unit serial number : nothing
only the motherboard serial...

Website · #14 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 10:35 am

The systemboard serial number IS essentially the system's serial number. The serial number for the systemboard is what identifies the system. Within the serial number, you should be able to determine the exact model/type number for the system as well.

As for downloading the drivers for the T40, the wifi drivers should come around when you run the Software Installer. Look at the bright side though, atleast you will have the bulk of the drivers ready on CD if you decide to perform a fresh reinstall down the road.

knuckless69 · #15 Post by **knuckless69** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 10:59 am

tfflivemb2 wrote:The systemboard serial number IS essentially the system's serial number. The serial number for the systemboard is what identifies the system. Within the serial number, you should be able to determine the exact model/type number for the system as well.

I can't seem to find anything with the mobo sn
This is it : j1rxx34y1y1
Where to search?

#16 Post by **schen** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 11:07 am

If you get 2 things loaded on your machine, the rest will be much easier. If you can get the network (ethernet) working, load up the IBM Software Installer Applet. Once you've done that, then run the installer and it will go to the ThinkPad site and download the majority of your drivers for you.

knuckless69 · #17 Post by **knuckless69** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 11:29 am

that i did
the "automaticly detect my system" does not show my part number
the installation application asks for my part number. cannot proceed without it. which makes sence i guess....

if it can be detect using the system board sn, this is it: j1rxx34y1y1
i donn't knw how to use it

Website · #18 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 11:36 am

knuckless69 wrote:I can't seem to find anything with the mobo sn
This is it : j1rxx34y1y1
Where to search?

Ok, I guess it isn't in there then. I thought that it was included in the long series of numbers and letters. Maybe it was in the system number that is missing.

Do you know approximately your model/type numbers, based on your purchase?

knuckless69 · #19 Post by **knuckless69** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 11:40 am

on the adapter, that is not original, it writes: compatibility t40 2378-xxx

the cpu is 1.5 , 256 ram, 40 gb hdd , dvd player
but i did not find such a configuration in the 2378 list...

Website · #20 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 11:52 am

It could have been a CTO, a custom order. I tried to check Lenovo's site, for details on your system using the serial number and it came back not found.

I'd ask the seller for background info, since you might not be able to update your system using IBM/Lenovo's utilities.

djpharoah · #21 Post by **djpharoah** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 12:19 pm

wow your lucky dude.
you got your money back and the T40??

who exactly did you buy from? and what was the condition of it?
I too am interested in a T40/41 from ebay.

-dj

knuckless69 · #22 Post by **knuckless69** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 12:26 pm

djpharoah wrote:wow your lucky dude.
you got your money back and the T40??

-dj

dude, i got my money back on one t40, but bought another one

djpharoah · #23 Post by **djpharoah** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 2:24 pm

knuckless69 wrote:
djpharoah wrote:wow your lucky dude.
you got your money back and the T40??

-dj
dude, i got my money back on one t40, but bought another one

k ..lol
i was just like holy [censored]!

btw who did you buy the t40 from? do they have any more?

-dj

knuckless69 · #24 Post by **knuckless69** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 2:29 pm

check out the links in the first post

about my problem... how can i check if there is a wifi card in my t40? i belive it was opened and tampered with
i installed some drivers for it but it did not come up....

Website · #25 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 2:35 pm

You should be able to turn the system over and open the Mini-PCI slot to see if the card is installed. If there is a card in there, it should have a black and a white wire running to it.

Try using your Hardware Maintenance Manual, for steps on exactly how to get to the card.

knuckless69 · #26 Post by **knuckless69** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 4:00 pm

completley missing the mini-pci card

i've checked better the back of the t40, and there are no signs that would indicate any stickers removed. could the backside have been changed? is there nothing on replacement back covers?

what do you make of it?

Website · #27 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 4:13 pm

Backside or bottomside?

knuckless69 · #28 Post by **knuckless69** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 4:26 pm

i think i was reffering to the bottomside... where the part number sticker should be, along with the windows serial number and some ibm sticker with warnings and other info

the bottomside is flawless

Website · #29 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 4:48 pm

There are usually stickers all over them, just like your T21.

Have you tried contacting the seller and asking about some background information, or was this a large seller that had many of them?

knuckless69 · #30 Post by **knuckless69** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 6:26 pm

the seller is either an ignorant either a cheater. he won't tell me anything

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