A30 problems need help to upgrade

[jpapier]

My A30 has been having video problems over the past year. Did the fix with the tape between memory chip and floppy housing, but still have lines. Can someone recommend a stable video TP model that will accept my old drives, 2631 dock, etc.

[Harryc]

The T30 would be the newest model that would accept your Ultrabay 2000 drive and dock. Make sure you get one with both RAM slots tested.

[ajkula66]

Another option would be R40 (not R40e) and these were available with PM CPUs, so would run reasonably fast, and be a vast improvement over an A30...and they have USB 2.0 as well...not a bad deal if you can find a well-kept one...

[sjthinkpader]

Or an A31/A31p.

[jpapier]

I am looking at some T30s right now. A31p might work out too, I just wish they would have had a replaceable video card.

[sjthinkpader]

A31p uses ATI 7800 which is the precursor to the FireGL. This is a single chip without memory unlike the ATI 7500 MCM. So A31p is a little better on the GPU end.

A31/A31p has better LCD support than T30.

Unless you need portability, A31p is a better choice in my opinion.

[ajkula66]

sjthinkpader wrote:

Unless you need portability, A31p is a better choice in my opinion.

Agreed. Not too many-if any at all-machines beat a properly set up A31p, as long as you're not intent on running Vista...

T30s are sweet, and can be found cheap nowadays...typing on one right now, but if you're looking for a workstation-class unit, A31p is the way to go.

If you don't care too much about the high-end LCD, but would like a faster CPU and USB 2.0 ports, R40, like I've said before, is another excellent choice.

The only fairly recent ThinkPads with replaceable GPUs are some versions of G41 with nVidia cards.

Good luck.

[jpapier]

I bought a BIN A31p i looked at last night #350132319094 minus HD caddy, Battery, brick, boots to BIOS. I also found a nice R40 in an auction that looks very good. With the WIFI it would make a nice buy. When the A31p arrives I will post here as how it works.

[ajkula66]

Well...

On the not-so-bright side, that's a pretty beaten-up, low-end A31p.

On the bright side, if the LCD is good with no major blemishes, and the planar is free of GPU problems, it was a steal at the given price...and a great running machine for a "point by point" upgrade.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[jpapier]

Finally got the A31p today 29th, BIN on the 14th, shipped on the 26th. A31p 2653-H4U Bios 1.08 cpu 1.7 512 mb
LCD dim and yellow, about as bright on high as the A30 on lowest setting. Keyboard-very good, lower blue card latch broken, dock cover doors have the spring broken, case not as scratched as picture shows.
Best part, I am running it now and it is not putting out half the heat as the A30 did.