Expert Advice Wanted for New T30 Owner

[ronbo613]

Hello everyone-I just became the owner of a Thinkpad T30, courtesy of my corporate executive relative who gave it to me when she got a new laptop. I build my own PCs, which I use mostly for video and graphics production, but this is my first laptop, so like any good computer owner, I immediately began to look for ways to "soup it up".
I came across this site and due to the helpful info here, I've determined the system board is defective because the second RAM slot is dead. There is about a week left on the warranty, so I called IBM/Lenovo and they are going to replace the mobo without charge. I have some questions about how the OS licensing works, I've asked about that issue HERE.
So, with a new system board, I plan to add some memory. Since PC2100 is history, I guess I'm using PC2700. I had planned to add 512MB of Crucial RAM, which I've always had good luck with or maybe this 1G module, which I've read here and elsewhere will work in the T30. I might wind up doing some on the job photo or video editing, so adding a gig might not be overkill.
This rig has the 40G, 5400rpm Hitachi hard drive. I was considering a second hard drive for the expansion bay, where the DVD-ROM now resides, so I can clone the system drive with Acronis for backup. Or would cloning the laptop to an external drive via USB be possible?
I'd also like to add a wireless module so I can access the internet at the local coffee shop or at the airport when I'm on the road. Any advice or tips on which module to buy?
Sorry to ask a bunch of questions that for most of you here are probably pretty pedestrian, but while I'm pretty good at PCs, this is my first laptop, so I want to do things right the first time around. I realize the T30 is not the newest system, but it's my first laptop, so I'm pretty stoked to have it.
Thanks in advance for any advice and information. This forum has already been a big help to a new Thinkpad owner like myself, so thanks to all for that.

[Kyocera]

ronbo, i would suggest getting a 7200 rpm hd for your main drive and keep the 40 for the usb drive. If you click the HD faq in my sig you'll find a lot of info about using a usb drive, I have a firewire usb enclousure which is attached via firewire pcmcia, very inexpensive setup and faster than the usb 1.0 on the system. I have a gig in my machine "because I can" not because it is ever used or needed I got an Intel 2100 3B card for mine and it outperforms my other two laptops for connectivity, and believe me i have tried to figure this one out, anyway i'm glad it works so well.

My t30 is with me every day at work, I troubleshoot network printing/connectivity issues for Kyocera, Canon and Muratec, and this t30 is the perfect form factor and set up for this type of work, it has not hiccupped once. Good luck with your machine, there are varying opionions on this model, the biggest complaints i remember is the heat, it does get a little warm, but within the parameters of what I do it has been absolutely perfect.

[tfflivemb2]

The wireless situation can get sticky. I still have yet to determine exactly which models work in a plug and play fashion, and which ones require a BIOS hack (called the "no-1802.com" hack).

As for the ram....try getting it from brentpresley here in the forum for significantly less. He is an awesome seller that ships quickly and has commanded a lot of respect throughout the forum.

He has the PC2700 sticks for much less than new egg. Look here.

[ronbo613]

Thanks for the info-I've read some of your guy's posts here in the past day or two, really helped me out, so thanks for that as well.
The T30 is sitting in the return box bound for EasyServ to have the system board replaced as soon as the DHL guy gets here. If it weren't for the info here, I would have never known about the RAM issue before the warranty ran out.
I was looking at 7200rpm drives, I'll have to do a little checking to see which one will work here. I'm partial to Seagates, those would be my first choice. I've got 3.5" PATA and SATA drives out the wazoo, if I can get USB or firewire to connect the T30 to these drives in an external enclosures, that would be nice. Those 2.5" mobile drives look kind of small!
I'd like a gig of memory, just for the heck of it as well. Like computer video guys will say; you can never have enough memory. I'll check out brentpresley to see what he's got.
I'll really have to do my homework on the wireless stuff, I haven't got a clue there.
Once again, thanks for your help, I'm looking forward to getting the T30 fixed and running.

[danage]

I still have yet to determine exactly which models work in a plug and play fashion, and which ones require a BIOS hack (called the "no-1802.com" hack).

One of my approaches to solving the 01c9 error was a disassembly of the BIOS. From what I remember, there were only one or two wireless cards in the whitelist AT ALL. None of those were b/g cards, but "old" 11Mbps.
So expect the 1802 to appear with every 54Mbps card - at least in the T30. The 01c9 now, that's a whole different story...

[ronbo613]

One of my approaches to solving the 01c9 error was a disassembly of the BIOS. From what I remember, there were only one or two wireless cards in the whitelist AT ALL. None of those were b/g cards, but "old" 11Mbps.
So expect the 1802 to appear with every 54Mbps card - at least in the T30. The 01c9 now, that's a whole different story...

I can tell that I might have a problem with a wireless connection because I don't know what any of that is.

On the simpler side of life, I was looking at this PCMCIA USB2.0 and IEEE 1394 gizmo to connect hard drives, card readers and video cameras.

[danage]

no, not really. if you want to make sure you do not run into any kind of problem, do not get an atheros chipset based minipci (even though they are technically the best...) and run the no-1802 patch before putting it into the machine.
installing the card itself is very easy.

[ronbo613]

All the upgrades will have to wait a little longer.
I got the laptop back from having the planar board replaced, but it's worse than before. No bootup or "IBM" screen, no F1 to BIOS. The fans are spinning, that's about it. Back to EasyServ it goes. I can see why the FAQ here suggests not sending anything that doesn't need fixing.
The service people on the phone are cool and the repair service was very fast, two days.