Vista, X31, and Mr. Bean

X2/X3/X4x series specific matters only
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680x0
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Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2007 1:31 pm
Location: North Vancouver, Canada

Vista, X31, and Mr. Bean

#1 Post by 680x0 » Fri Jul 06, 2007 11:46 pm

Howdy! I bought a used X31 (2672-PBU), and it came with Vista Ultimate (it has 512MB RAM, 1.6 centrino). It also came with an external IBM USB 2.0 CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo Drive (part # 22P9195, FRU 22P9209).

DVD movie playback in Vista is... choppy, and the audio isn't sync'd with the video. In all - terrible.
:arrow: My question: Can DVD playback be fixed with more RAM, or is it because there is no native video driver for Vista? (I tried DVD playback with a 9000 Radeon driver XDDM).

I have ordered recovery cds from a fellow thinkpads.com member. :arrow: If I use those to install Windows XP Pro, will DVD movies play properly in XP (can the machine play DVD movies easily with 512mb ram in XP pro)? Can I use the recovery cds to install XP on a different partition so I can keep Vista (I would make+format the partition prior to booting from the CDs)?

Thanks in advance!
Present:
Lenovo ThinkPad X61 (2.4 GHz Core2 Duo, 2GB RAM, Windows 7 32-bit)

Past:
IBM ThinkPad X31, 600X
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billp117
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#2 Post by billp117 » Sat Jul 07, 2007 1:56 am

Just restore the X31 back to Windows XP Pro and life will be good.

Trying to make Vista Ultimate work on an X30 w/512 MB is not worth the trouble. I have a Z61t w/2 GB and Vista Business...it is not up to the speed and compatibility of XP.

That is why I have two hard drives for my Z61t...one with Vista and one with XP. Vista is way too slow for my taste. In fact, my X30 with 1 GB of memory and XP runs circles around the Z61t with Vista.

When the hardware catches up...Vista is going to be a wonderful product. Until then, you will be far better keeping your X31 a zippy hotrod machine with XP.
Billp117, Kirkland, WA

T410-SSD, X200, X100e, 2-T61, T60, 3-T43, T43p, TR451, X41t, X21, 701c
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ryengineer
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Re: Vista, X31, and Mr. Bean

#3 Post by ryengineer » Sat Jul 07, 2007 2:33 am

680x0 wrote:DVD movie playback in Vista is... choppy, and the audio isn't sync'd with the video. In all - terrible.
:arrow: My question: Can DVD playback be fixed with more RAM, or is it because there is no native video driver for Vista? (I tried DVD playback with a 9000 Radeon driver XDDM).
Welcome to thinkpads.com!

X31 cannot handle Vista properly, even if you max it out on memory. It would be better but not worthwhile.
680x0 wrote:I have ordered recovery cds from a fellow thinkpads.com member. :arrow: If I use those to install Windows XP Pro, will DVD movies play properly in XP (can the machine play DVD movies easily with 512mb ram in XP pro)?
Yes, it would be. Infact your notebook will be a lot faster if you get your memory upto 1GB, if possible.
680x0 wrote:Can I use the recovery cds to install XP on a different partition so I can keep Vista (I would make+format the partition prior to booting from the CDs)?
AFAIK, recovery discs wipe out everything on a HDD.
"I've come a long, long way," she said, "and I will go as far,
With the man who takes me from my horse, and leads me to a bar."
The man who took her off her steed, and stood her to a beer,
Were a bleary-eyed Surveyor and a DRUNKEN ENGINEER.
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680x0
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Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2007 1:31 pm
Location: North Vancouver, Canada

#4 Post by 680x0 » Sat Jul 07, 2007 8:12 pm

Thanks for the welcome! The guy I bought it from has disabled a bunch of services and stuff in Vista, but to be honest it runs decently! Except for DVDs.

Well I guess I don't need Vista, so wiping the HDD is no big deal. However, will it install a predesktop area automatically? Because I don't want to lose HDD space since I have the recovery CDs to use in the future should I need them.

:arrow: How many RAM slots ("memory banks"?) does the X31 have? Does it have any RAM soldered on the motherboard? Will I have to open it up to see if I have room for another 512 stick?
Present:
Lenovo ThinkPad X61 (2.4 GHz Core2 Duo, 2GB RAM, Windows 7 32-bit)

Past:
IBM ThinkPad X31, 600X
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ryengineer
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#5 Post by ryengineer » Sat Jul 07, 2007 8:25 pm

680x0 wrote:Thanks for the welcome! The guy I bought it from has disabled a bunch of services and stuff in Vista, but to be honest it runs decently! Except for DVDs.
That's a smart move.
680x0 wrote:Well I guess I don't need Vista, so wiping the HDD is no big deal. However, will it install a predesktop area automatically? Because I don't want to lose HDD space since I have the recovery CDs to use in the future should I need them.
Yes, it will create it automatically, the hidden partition including the predesktop area.
680x0 wrote::arrow: How many RAM slots ("memory banks"?) does the X31 have? Does it have any RAM soldered on the motherboard? Will I have to open it up to see if I have room for another 512 stick?
2 slots. No memory is soldered. It supports maximum memory up to 2GB.
"I've come a long, long way," she said, "and I will go as far,
With the man who takes me from my horse, and leads me to a bar."
The man who took her off her steed, and stood her to a beer,
Were a bleary-eyed Surveyor and a DRUNKEN ENGINEER.
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680x0
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2007 1:31 pm
Location: North Vancouver, Canada

#6 Post by 680x0 » Sat Jul 07, 2007 8:32 pm

According to http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:X31 it supports PC2100 or PC2700 RAM. Now, does that mean some X31 models support only 2100, and others 2700, or do ALL X31 models support EITHER speed?

Thanks again!
Present:
Lenovo ThinkPad X61 (2.4 GHz Core2 Duo, 2GB RAM, Windows 7 32-bit)

Past:
IBM ThinkPad X31, 600X
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ryengineer
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#7 Post by ryengineer » Sat Jul 07, 2007 8:33 pm

Here (Right Click and then Save Target As). Unzip it then open cpuz and go to SPD check Slot 1 and 2 if none of them is empty then you have 2x256MB otherwise 1x512MB memory stick.

Watch this clip on opening up the notebook to install the memory.
"I've come a long, long way," she said, "and I will go as far,
With the man who takes me from my horse, and leads me to a bar."
The man who took her off her steed, and stood her to a beer,
Were a bleary-eyed Surveyor and a DRUNKEN ENGINEER.
Top
680x0
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2007 1:31 pm
Location: North Vancouver, Canada

#8 Post by 680x0 » Sat Jul 07, 2007 8:36 pm

Thank-you for all your support and fast responses! :D
Present:
Lenovo ThinkPad X61 (2.4 GHz Core2 Duo, 2GB RAM, Windows 7 32-bit)

Past:
IBM ThinkPad X31, 600X
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ryengineer
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Posts: 4393
Joined: Wed Sep 20, 2006 9:29 pm
Location: L.A. (home town) CA, Toronto ON.

#9 Post by ryengineer » Sat Jul 07, 2007 8:41 pm

680x0 wrote:According to http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:X31 it supports PC2100 or PC2700 RAM. Now, does that mean some X31 models support only 2100, and others 2700, or do ALL X31 models support EITHER speed?
It can support both. However PC2700 is faster and that's the one you should get if you're planning to.
680x0 wrote:Thank-you for all your support and fast responses! :D
no problem.
"I've come a long, long way," she said, "and I will go as far,
With the man who takes me from my horse, and leads me to a bar."
The man who took her off her steed, and stood her to a beer,
Were a bleary-eyed Surveyor and a DRUNKEN ENGINEER.
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