What I did after I got my used T41.

[2668-AV7]

Is there anything I may further consider? Any tips are welcome, thank you!

1. Upgraded additional 512MB RAM to 1GB (XP Professional + SP2 installed)

2. Installed Atheros 108M 11a/b/g Wireless

3. Turned off

- Use Fast User Switching
- Visual Effects (except smooth edges of screen fonts, use common tasks in folders, use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop, use visual styles on windows and buttons)
- Remote Assistance
- Remote Desktop

4. Removed Fonts
- 85 remained out of 351 fonts initially installed

5. Turned on
- Folder Options > View > unchecked Hide extensions for known file types

I also turned off a few services, upgraded/removed few ThinkPad utilities, and fully updated XP patches/updates except IE 7.

Quite happy

[pianowizard]

I also turned off a few services, upgraded/removed few ThinkPad utilities, and fully updated XP patches/updates except IE 7.

If you're using IE6, you should update it to IE7, which is more secure. I also like the built-in search box, so I don't have to install a Google search bar separately.

[dino]

On most of my computers, I partition the drive into two parts. Then use ghost/partition magic to save an image of the C: drive onto D: drive. This makes recovery much much easier and you can turn off XP's automatic restore feature without worries.

[KristianJ]

Nice to see another fellow Aussie Thinkpadder here!

There's always the 7200rpm drive route - I dunno how much your local computer shops would have them for in the Gong but one of my local ones in Penrith has 100GB Seagates for about $160. None in stock though ATM so I'm playing the waiting game.

Also, even though I almost exclusively use Firefox, I upgraded my IE up to 7.

[Temetka]

Also there a few active threads on a topic near and dear to my heart:

CPU Upgrades.

Swap in a faster Dothan CPU with 2MB of L2 Cache. Toss in a 7200RPM hard drive and your machine will feel and act much faster. Look at my sig for what you can do to a T41.

[pianowizard]

Look at my sig for what you can do to a T41.

Your 120GB HDD is only 5400rpm, right?

[Temetka]

Yep.

It's pretty quick though. Equal in speed to my 60GB 7200 RPM Drive I used to use as a primary drive.

I will be picking up one of those 160GB 7200 drives (still debating on hitachi or seagate) soon. I would really love a PATA SSD drive though.

Then it will be complete.

[2668-AV7]

Nice to see another fellow Aussie Thinkpadder here!

There's always the 7200rpm drive route - I dunno how much your local computer shops would have them for in the Gong but one of my local ones in Penrith has 100GB Seagates for about $160. None in stock though ATM so I'm playing the waiting game.

Also, even though I almost exclusively use Firefox, I upgraded my IE up to 7.

I found one I am looking for www.techbuy.com.au It used to be $150 till last week there. If I were you, I will stick to Hitachi.

Hitachi Travelstar 80GB 7200rpm 2.5" Mobile ATA100 HDD - 8MB Cache $139.15

[2668-AV7]

Also there a few active threads on a topic near and dear to my heart:

CPU Upgrades.

Swap in a faster Dothan CPU with 2MB of L2 Cache. Toss in a 7200RPM hard drive and your machine will feel and act much faster. Look at my sig for what you can do to a T41.

It's really hard to find one here. I can find only 750 (1.86GHZ/2MB/533 ) or 760 (2.0Ghz/2M/533) on ebay.com.au. I will keep eye on 765 (2.13GHZ/2MB/400) or 755 (2.0GHZ/2MB/400) if it comes in.

[KristianJ]

I found one I am looking for www.techbuy.com.au It used to be $150 till last week there. If I were you, I will stick to Hitachi.

Hitachi Travelstar 80GB 7200rpm 2.5" Mobile ATA100 HDD - 8MB Cache $139.15

I've got a Samsung as my hard drive and have been pleased with it, so I'm not too fussed with what brand the drive is as such. However, I may need to find an excuse to drive over to Silverwater now

[Temetka]

Also there a few active threads on a topic near and dear to my heart:

CPU Upgrades.

Swap in a faster Dothan CPU with 2MB of L2 Cache. Toss in a 7200RPM hard drive and your machine will feel and act much faster. Look at my sig for what you can do to a T41.

It's really hard to find one here. I can find only 750 (1.86GHZ/2MB/533 ) or 760 (2.0Ghz/2M/533) on ebay.com.au. I will keep eye on 765 (2.13GHZ/2MB/400) or 755 (2.0GHZ/2MB/400) if it comes in.

You can use those 533MHZ FSB chips but be aware that they will run at a lower speed. Your best option is to pick up a 400MHz FSB chip for greater compatibility.