What's your advice. T30 RAM work-around?

[strayhand]

So, I'm one of the many lucky people with a T30 where the front RAM slot is not being recognized. There's already a lengthy thread about the subject here:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... ght=memory

I'm writing to ask your advice regarding how I can get more out of my current machine. The way that I see it I have four options:

1) Live with the 512mb that my computer is currently seeing (by the way I have 2 x 512)

2) Wedge some posterboard or something else between the broken RAM slot and the RAM cover. The idea being that cramming something behind the chip will make the connection.

3) Upgrade to a 1Gig chip, and just use the one working RAM slot.

4) Pay someone (most likely IBM) a lot of money to put a new system board in my machine.

Okay... did I mention that I'm a cheap [censored]? I'm kind of leaning toward option 2. But I'm concerned that in the process or cramming something behind the effected RAM chip, I might damage my working chip. Not to mention that I'm not sure what material to use, or if there's the possibility that it can short, or over-heat. The thinkwiki.org site has a post about taping some folded metal behind the cover to apply additional pressure to the RAM chip. But I'm not sure how of the dimension, etc.

http://thinkwiki.org/wiki/Problem_with_ ... emory_slot

So I'd like to know if any of you are using option 2.

Down the road when I have some more cash, I might sell my 2x512 and upgrade to a single 1Gig chip. What are the pitfalls of this? Do I need to do anything in particular to make the machine see the 1Gig chip? Why didn't IBM offically support the 1Gig chips?

Thanks for your input.

[Sportler2k3]

hi,

i just did the wiki-thing, but i used some tape to put pressure on the ram"holder" itself because i dont have any metal-stripes around here atm.
But i will change as soon as possible, dont know what the tape will do when the rams get hot.

its about 1mm thin, and enough to make my scnd 256ram work.

[strayhand]

Thanks for your reply. I just have a few more questions:

1) What kind of tape did you use (e.g. Black electrical)?

2) How did you apply it? For example did you layer it onto the RAM cover directly above the second RAM slot?

3) How long has it been since you started using this mod? And have you experienced anything odd since?

4) How did your machine first behave after you applied the tape. For example did you have to go into the bios and do a full dignostic check before the RAM appeared?

Thanks.

[Sportler2k3]

hi,

i tried it the first time yesterday after i read ur post, i used structure tape in germany also known as "tank tape".

Well i just applied it on the cover. i had several problems because the cover isnt very hard so i had to try which thickness would be the best.
it is not very much for the eyes because the cover is deforming.

in the end i tried to build a holder with a PCI-Slot-metall-thing, problem was that this isnt very hard too, so no long time success.
in the end i removed all the tape because i have no idea which temperatures the tape can stand without melting/destroying my laptop.
So i think the tape idea isnt very good, i just wanted to know if the second ram slot works.

later i found out that u dont neet to use tape to try if it would work; use ur fingers to get enough pressure to ur slot holder. make sure u just press on the scnd slot holder. u dont need to remove the cover.
then boot ur thinkpad. it should show up with all the ram, and keep it till a reboot. i have no idea how it works but when the ram was once recognized i was able to use it, even without any pressure on the slot.

next thing i try is to get a new cover from a repaired T30.
I heard that they are more stiff and then ill try the wiki advice with that metal holder again.

i dont know i f u need to go into the bios because my t30 is performing a ram-test every boot because of my wireless lan card

greetz marc

[strayhand]

So we should try to find out more about the updated RAM cover. Maybe it will lead us to a better solution for our T30's.

I guess I could try PM one of the members on the other thread about RAM. Maybe they'll be kind enough to post us a picture or something.

Regarding bios settings and checking RAM. I have my machine set to "Quick" startup rather than "Diagnostic." So it doesn't do a RAM check every time it starts up. I would think that if you remove pressure from the RAM chip that it will no longer be available regardless of what it says in Windows (Does Windows just report that amount of RAM shown in the bios?).

[Sportler2k3]

it seems to be still there, even a system-tool recognizes the rams, even with a ram-performance-test.
bios shows 510 ram/windows shows 512

I guess windows would die if u "remove" ram while working with them.
Well maybe not, i have no idea why it works.
ill wait for the answer of IBM regarding the cover.

Problem with my laptop is the second network device(Wireless-lan) which is an error that makes bios checking itself, so the bios settings are not relevant.

[ronbo613]

I don't think I would pull a memory module while the computer was on.
The system board on my T30 had the RAM slot problem, luckily I found out about it, mainly due to this forum, and had the motherboard replaced with a couple weeks left on the warranty. It took them two tries to get it right.
I would think the most economical way to get a gig of memory, if you can't get both slots to work is to just buy a 1G chip and stick it in the good slot.

[danage]

Better not add/remove memory modules while the computer is running! Best thing is to remove all power sources, main battery as well.

The basic idea of the homemade fix is to press DOWN the memory module. So sticking something between the module and the mainboard won't help. What I did was to fold a sheet of paper to make it 2-3mm thick and then lay it on the module. When I screw down the slot cover, it presses on the paper which again presses down the module.

It's a [censored] fix, and no safe at all. It doesn't reliably assure contact between the module and the slot, especially when traveling. Since I have no other choice (fixing at IBM ~800 €) I am going with it for now and have to admit that I didn't experience failures since.

It looks crappy too, the slot cover is bent, you can see it from the outside.

In my opinion something that could be tried is to modify those little metal holders that hold the module in place. I wonder what IBM does when they fix it. Is there a different revision motherboard with better memory slots they put in? The lady at IBM told me they put in mainboards pulled from other Thinkpads, which wouldn't assure the problem being gone at all.

[rkawakami]

In my opinion something that could be tried is to modify those little metal holders that hold the module in place.

There are a couple of styles that I have noticed being used in the metal arms you are talking about. Most of them seem to have a problem with snapping or springing back over the edge of the memory module, and thus not properly locking them down. I would assume that they "age" over time and lose their tension. I have had to bend some of these holders or purposely push them inward on some systems. The only way I know of checking them to see if they are working is to pull up slightly on the "top" edge of the module (i.e. edge furthest away from the socket) after the module has been installed.

[tom_k]

... had the motherboard replaced with a couple weeks left on the warranty....

did they also change the dimm cover ?

I heard about the ram_slot_prob and sniped a cheap "dead" T30 hoping to fix the prob
or to get a new board/benefit from the "t30mobo_extendend_warranty"
however, this 2367-84g came with the old dimm cover -fru P/N62p4291 , 16.9 grms and flat-
the new Version -fru P/N 26R7892 , 32.5 grms , inner rectangle of 7.3x7.9 cm/1mm high-
has more Space between dimm and cover and is much heavier + stronger.
Assuming another sense than stability for putting some paper etc under the cover :),
it could be for thermal transport and/or avoiding contact to module
(though the inner side is covered so sc is impossible)

those little metal holders that hold the module in place

my (dead) T30 board has plastic holders

... I have had to bend some of these holders or purposely push them inward on some systems. ...

I caused this prob by myself in a T21 with a dimm module that was
definitely thicker than standard(no fru, cant remember the manufacturer)
afterwards i also had to bend´the holders for the standard dimms (hyn with fru)

btw, somebody knows where to get a cheap T30 mobo ? ;):)

tom_k
2648-DG1 98se.... 2x512MB 250Wh

[Sportler2k3]

bad news, the "new cover" is not to fix the prob but to prevent the replaced/fixed mainboard to break down again.

the custumer service told me that i should ask a technican whos able to solder the contacts in a special vakuum-solder machine television-guys might be able to do.