A great use for an old Thinkpad

[cogitordi]

I own a 380z. It doesn't have much RAM but the screen is adequate and the keyboard is (of course) excellent. I discovered that the 380z works very well with a VPN client and Remote Desktop. When I work from home, I use the 380z (running M-WIndows 2000) to connect to my Core 2 Duo box at the office.

[AlphaKilo470]

I have a 380Z as well. I upgraded the CPU from 233mhz to 266mhz, installed Win 2k Pro and it gets alot of use on the internet (has a great keyboard and screen) and I also keep it near my stereo system for use as a dedicated MP3 unit.

I must admit that the use of EDO memory and a crippled battery system really created bottlenecks in an otherwise great machine.

[cogitordi]

Hello! What is involved in the CPU upgrade that you did? I have read elsewhere that the CPU of the 380z could be upgraded to 400 MHz.

[AlphaKilo470]

Yeah, in this manner, the 380Z really was better to grab than an earlier 380 series. The 380Z and if I'm not mistaken, the 380XD as well, both use MMC-1 cpu modules as opposed to having a chip soldered to the motherboard like earlier 380 models. The fastest MMC-1 module you'll find is the 400mhz Pentium II. If you were to get the 400mhz PII or another model with full speed cache, you would have a machine that much snappier.

When I replaced the CPU in my 380Z, I remember having to remove the screen panel and a couple of rails on the side of the bottom case as well as a ton of screws. It was pretty easy to figure out though, just time consuming.

[cogitordi]

Do you have any product information for the 400 MHz MMC module? I'd like to try to find one.

[pkiff]

Do you have any product information for the 400 MHz MMC module? I'd like to try to find one.

I cannot speak to whether or not these modules will work in your machine. However, to find a PII 400MHz MMC-1 CPU module, you will probably have to search ebay or some other auction/used site. The best way to identify what you want is by using the Product Tracking Code (PTC) which is stamped right on the MMC-1 board itself. These codes can be decoded here:
http://www.intel.com/support/processors ... 003761.htm
and here:
http://www.cpu-world.com/info/id/Intel- ... ation.html

What you want is one that has a code similar to this:
PMF40002001AA

The first three letters are the key indicator that the CPU is a Pentium II on an MMC-1 board:
PMF

The next three numbers say what the processor speed is:
400

On eBay, you can try to do a search for PMF400* and check off the option to "Include title and description":
http://desc.shop.ebay.com/items/?_nkw=P ... itleDesc=1

More information and specs about the MMC-1 boards is available from Tom's Hardware here:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/mob ... 263-7.html
and here:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/mob ... 263-8.html

Phil.

[cogitordi]

Thanks, Phil. I will look for one and post again with an update after I've done the upgrade.

Traffic to and from Toronto was horrible last weekend!

[pkiff]

Traffic to and from Toronto was horrible last weekend!

Glad I stayed in the city, then!

Phil.

[cogitordi]

When I replaced the CPU in my 380Z, I remember having to remove the screen panel and a couple of rails on the side of the bottom case as well as a ton of screws. It was pretty easy to figure out though, just time consuming.

I am finding it tricky to reconnect the keyboard. I get an 8611 error on boot, which is a keyboard connection problem according to the manual.

There are four ribbon connectors for the keyboard :
two wide ribbons, a left and a right, that slide into connectors
one thinner ribbon behind the above two - I think this is the one giving me a problem
a cable with a connector having two clips that slide leftward into two slots

I think the thinner ribbon connector must be folded into the white female connector -- I don't see how else it could work. Any suggestions?

[AlphaKilo470]

The white semi-transparent sheet that locks into the case is not an actual cable; it's there to drotect the cables when you're opening the machine. Just make sure the three main cables are firmly seated into the connectors and there's no dirt or grunge in there.

8611 would indicate an issue with the TrackPoint. Make sure the skinny, center ribbon is in good shape and free of rips or tears.

[cogitordi]

Thanks for being helpful.

The keyboard is working -- I can use the Tab key and the Enter key to select items in the 380z's BIOS setup application. The test that fails is the System Board. As you say, the error code is related to the keyboard/ Trackpoint.

That thin ribbon concerns me. To be sure that we're talking about the same creature, here's a diagram. Looking at the 380z from above with the keyboard lifted, I see these connectors for the keyboard, left of centre, near the LCD:

Code: Select all

           a [---]

b [--------]   c [--------] 

        d [--------] 

a) is a small socket, but the flat ribbon that connects has no connector. Should it have one?
b) and c) are connectors into which flat ribbon cables are inserted. These connect well.
d) is a cable with a connector that has to leftward clips on the underside. This appears to connect well.

We're talking about a), correct?

[AlphaKilo470]

Cool diagram! A is the one we're looking at. D is the sheet of plastic there for support.

[cogitordi]

Ok, good! Do you recall (or may I impose on you to check?) whether the "a" cable had a connector on the end to plug into the logic board?

[cogitordi]

Thanks, Phil. I will look for one and post again with an update after I've done the upgrade.

The upgrade was successful. The only tricky part about it was working with the Trackpoint flex cable -- if you break the little connector for the socket on the circuit board, you have to annoy at least 10 people on this site until one of them takes pity and send you a spare part. (^:

I know this sounds ridiculous in these days of Intel's i7 CPU, but the 400 MHz PII runs pretty well and I surf the Internet easily on the 380z now. (Ahem, Flashblock, ahem.)