4GB Ram in T43

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Maccess · #1 Post by **Maccess** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 9:26 pm

I have a ThinkPad T43 2668-CA2 Original description: Based on 2668-4DA:P M 750, 512MB RAM, 60GB HDD, 14.1in 1400x1050 LCD, 64MB ATI Radeon X300, 24x24x24x/8x CD-RW/DVD, Intel 802.11bg wireless(MPCI), Bluetooth/Modem(CDC), 1Gb Ethernet(LOM), UltraNav, Secure Chip, Fingerprint Reader, 6c Li-Ion, WinXP Pro

It currently has 2GB (2x1GB) of DDR2 RAM, and I'm thinking of upgrading it to 4 GB (2x2GB). I'm aware of the 3GB RAM limitation of Windows XP, but the reason I'm upgrading is to run a RAM disk (or two) to place the pagefile, and the caches of various software that I use (Web Browsers, graphics caches, eBoostr, etc.).

That means I'd be running it with 2GB for Windows and a 2GB RAM disk using this:

http://www.superspeed.com/desktop/ramdisk.php
RamDisk Plus 9 has a most unique feature. Our patent pending technology can access memory beyond the limitation imposed by a Windows 32-bit operating system! In other words, RamDisk Plus 9 can use "unmanaged" Windows' memory e.g. above 4GB. It can also use the stubbornly inaccessable memory between 3.2GB and 4GB.

There is a discussion here on RAM Disk 9, however, they can't seem to make heads or tails of it.
http://forums.overclockers.com.au/showt ... p?t=720325

Has anyone actually tried installing more than 2GB in their Thinkpad? Is it supported by the chipset (not necessarily by Windows, since RamDisk Plus 9 will be handling the extra RAM).

sarbin · #2 Post by **sarbin** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 9:30 pm

i pretty certain that the planar chipset on any t4x will not recognize more than 2gb of ram. if i'm wrong, someone will be along shortly to correct me.

ajkula66 · #3 Post by **ajkula66** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 11:10 pm

The most you'll get the BIOS to recognize is 2.5GB, and not on every T43/p. The chipset itself can't address more than 2GB, period.

Hope this helps.

sarbin · #4 Post by **sarbin** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 11:15 pm

hi, George.
what circumstance allows bios to see 2.5gb? just curious...

ajkula66 · #5 Post by **ajkula66** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 11:29 pm

It's beside me...works on some machines, and not on the others.

A very nice (if bruised, you've seen pictures of it) 2687-D5U that now belongs to kajencik recognized 2.5GB in BIOS, 512MB under the keyboard and 2GB in the open slot.

However, most of T43s that I've recently owned wouldn't boot with 2.5GB...so your guess is as good as mine...

sarbin · #6 Post by **sarbin** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 11:35 pm

i think i'll just stick with my 2 x 1 gb of matched memory running in synchronous, dual channel mode.

ajkula66 · #7 Post by **ajkula66** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 11:43 pm

Nothing wrong with 2GB...as long as you're not running Vista...which I wouldn't run on a T43 anyway, although many would disagree...

sarbin · #8 Post by **sarbin** » Thu Oct 30, 2008 11:55 pm

i'm far more likely to convert to mint or mandriva on this '43, rather than landing on vista.

ajkula66 · #9 Post by **ajkula66** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 12:08 am

FYI, typing this on the beaten-up (but oh-so-sweet) 2687-D4U from my signature, running Mint 5.0 and reporting 448MB of memory use with a dozen Firefox tabs open...yummy...

sarbin · #10 Post by **sarbin** » Fri Oct 31, 2008 12:13 am

go ahead, rub it in.

i'm at about 750mb with 38 active processes on the '92u in my sig... one you know all about. heck... ff is reporting 220mb in use and i've only got 4 tabs open.

nichevo · #11 Post by **nichevo** » Fri Jun 17, 2011 7:53 pm

Now I hope this bump is not against etiquette but I am just noting there is an IBM FRU for a 2GB SODIMM at PC4200.

ThinkPad 73P3845 1024 MB 1GB SO DIMM-DDR2-533-PC4200-CL4
ThinkPad 73P3847 2048 MB 2GB SO DIMM-DDR2-533-PC4200-CL4

The implication seems to be that you can go 2+GB. No? Or did they just intend you to have 1 SODIMM?

Anyone have much experience playing with this since? Any BIOS updates relevant? How about the T41/T42 going over 2GB, which I had also understood to be impossible?

While I have your attention: what specs does one want to buy T4x ram? Yes, PC2700 or PC4200, fine. But what chip config? Is gold necessary? Thanks.

ajkula66 · #12 Post by **ajkula66** » Fri Jun 17, 2011 8:49 pm

T40 through T42 (and R50/51) use PC2700 where 1GB DIMMs are the largest one available.

T43/p and R52 use PC2-4200. While you can install more than 2GB (I've gone up to 3GB, never more than that) the chipset limitation remains at 2GB and that's all these machines will ever be able to use, regardless of BIOS version and OS. Since these utilize dual-channel technology unlike the previous T4x/R5x units, 2x1GB is a better option than a single 2GB DIMM.

As long as you stay from "Value RAM" offerings, you'll be fine. ThinkPads of this era are pretty tolerant when it comes to RAM.

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