a31p cpu upgrade

[ibmbmw]

a31p cpu upgrade. i have searched and read most of the upgrade posts with regards to the 2.6 pentium..

couple of questions.

can you use the same motherboard that is in the machine now?

do you need to upgrade the fan?

are there any other things that i am missing.. i also read that install article...

sounds like a nice upgrade for the money..

anyone having any problems with theirs?

[BillMorrow]

you MUST use the same system board..

others will answer about the fan but my guess is you will use the same one..

check with brentpresley who has all the info you need and might be able to supply a cpu..

welcome to the club..

[ibmbmw]

thank you for the welcome.. i will check with him...

[housedl]

old username ^^^ please delete...

[ajkula66]

I've had a machine that was upgraded from 2.0 to 2.6 and the difference in performance was noticeable.

Unfortunately, it was running way too hot for my liking so it grew legs...many people, however, report that their upgraded A31p machines are running fine...not all of them, though, so be forewarned...

You will still be using the very same fan that you have if you're going from 1.8 or 2.0 CPU, a different one if you're upgrading from 1.7....

My suggestion would also be that you read the thread about GPU cooling on A31p machines, and do a couple of things while you have it open...like replacing the cooling sponges...to minimize the possibility of your GPU dying from heatstroke...

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=54479

Feel free to ask any additional questions.

Good luck.

[sjthinkpader]

I was thinking to add a pad on top of the GPU, between it and the heatsink/fan assembly. What do you think?

[ajkula66]

I see no reason why not...an interesting thought indeed...

The only thing might be "sweating" when the GPU gets hot...you don't want silicone (or whatever the goop inside these sponges is) dripping over it...but I might just be babbling...have to give it more of a serious thought when I'm less tired...

[mediasponge]

I was thinking to add a pad on top of the GPU, between it and the heatsink/fan assembly. What do you think?

I'm not sure I follow you on this. The heatsink end is over the cpu. The fan blows air through the sink to the outside. The cpu fan is the only thing in the system moving any air around. I would tend to think you don't want to do anything that reduces the airflow near the fan. Air carries heat away too. If memory serves, the fan inlet is very near the GPU, so adding anything on top of the GPU might block the fan inlet.

If you have it open, check the "sponges" on the underside of the MB for proper contact with the metal plates in the base and see the thread about A31p GPU cooling in this forum.

[naquaada]

Moving this thread to the surface...

I'm also planning to upgrade my A31p to a 2.5 GHz P4M, they're not too expensive. Is it safe to upgrade the CPU or could it fastly lead to the 'flexing' problem?

[ajkula66]

Is it safe? Yes.

Would I recommend it, at this day and age? No.

I've pulled a 2.5 out of my A31p and put the 2.0 back in.

We are not in the times when these machines were top performers anymore, and when upgrades were justifiable if expensive.

Nowadays, they are lovely vintage ThinkPads - still very usable for numerous applications but showing their age nevertheless.

Personally, I want to keep mine running as long as I possibly can. The extra heat of 2.5 was not something I considered helful, and that's why I reverted back to 2.0.

My $0.02 only...

Good luck.

[naquaada]

I got that thing for my retro computers because it has a disk drive, and in the dock is a slot for an SCSI controller. So performance isn't important, but I've only an 1.7 P4M in it now. So if there's a cheap way to upgrade, why not? It only has to be safe, that's why I'm asking.

[ajkula66]

Make sure that you swap the fan as well for the faster one...FRU is 62P4092

http://www.ebay.de/sch/i.html?_from=R40 ... kw=62p4092