IBM ThinkPad 380Z Vehicle computer/GPS

[ThinkPad560X]

I own two IBM ThinkPad 380Zs and had the other in the closet for sometime and thought of putting it to use aswell. I was going to install it in my 1991 Jeep Cherokee Laredo and use it as a vehicle computer/GPS system. I was going to install it somewhere hidden and buy a small touchscreen LCD and install a GPS software using a PCMCIA GPS card. Now is there such think as a PCMCIA GPS card and would a small touchscreen LCD work on my 380Z? It will probably most likely be running Windows XP too.

[Bookworm]

> Now is there such think as a PCMCIA GPS card

Yes. Search Google or eBay.

> would a small touchscreen LCD work on my 380Z?

If you can find one with a USB or RS-232 interface, yes, but you might have to write your own drivers.

> It will probably most likely be running Windows XP too.

Then I would like to hear more about your CPU and RAM upgrades.

[ThinkPad560X]

Both of my IBM ThinkPad 380Zs have 20GB Hard Drives Intel Pentium II 233MHz and 160MB RAM. My other one has Windows XP Home Edition on it and may put professional on this one I am working on.

[Bookworm]

How slow is it?

I've read the minimum system requirements are *much* higher than what you're using, but I am beginning to get the idea that much of what is said about XP's sky-high system requirements is not really true. Just how up to date are we after all?

[Medessec]

XP can work fine on such hardware with a bit of work, but boot times and sluggish performance I can imagine would be a bit of a hassle.

You can use these computers as an in-car GPS, but I imagine it woulds take a bit of work, and although I would recommend installing Win 2000 Pro on the 380Zs instead and using that, that would require yet a little bit more work. Plus, even after all of this is set up, I imagine the GPSs performance could be questionable. Like a GPS system I set up on a tablet PC awhile back that ran with DeLorme software and a USB GPS reciever(running through a USB PCMCIA card), the GPS's read location would sometimes be offset(by miles sometimes) from the actual location of the device, and depending on the GPS device, you could encounter many dead zones.

Computer-based GPS systems seem like an option if you happen to have a computer laying around you can use, but there often is a catch, especially if the system you wish to use is a bit older and has no touchscreen.

I suggest if you still want to use the system, you try and find a touchscreen that was mass-produced, one that is a model from a company that makes them so even if the previous owner doesn't provide the setup discs you can look up the drivers on their website. As for the lecagy hardware issue, I suggest if possible, use Windows 2000, because 2000 is still in extended support, and has many open features and services over the 9x systems(Win 95, 98, Me, which would run perfectly on a 380Z) and still runs adequately on the 380Z's hardware. But if it is absolutely required, then perhaps you can install XP. But! Try and find a local nerd to help you out with speeding up XP, such as properly removing unnecessary services and runtimes that can optimize the 380Z's tolerance with XP. Also try running in a low res mode, such as 800x600 with 256 color.

Hope this helps...

[ThinkPad560X]

My very first laptop I installed Windows XP on was a 1996 IBM ThinkPad 560 2640, Intel Pentium I 120MHz, 72MB RAM. It loaded up prety fast, O and had a 4.0GB HDD. Kinda slugish during internet, but it was dialup . Upgraded to a 560X due to my basic 560 didn't support USB and didn't want to read PCMCIA USB card and WiFi card. It has XP on it, Intel Pentium II 233MHz, 160MB RAM, 16GB SSD.

[ThinkPad560X]

my 2nd 380Z seems to be in very great shape for Windows XP, not talking about my car mod 380Z. I turned it into a Mini desktop, just kept the lid closed and pluged into a USB mouse and USB keyboard with a External LCD monitor. It has Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 3, Fully up to date lenovo systemupdates. lenovo message center, lenovo system toolbox "Installs but will not run, see my post to see problem", even got the Battery maximiser installed on it and working, even tho the battery reads 0% as its been dead long ago. Intel Pentium II 233MHz, 160MB RAM, PCMCIA WiFi card, Even has a upgraded graphics card ATI RAGE XL 8MB. And if really wanting to, I could upgrade it to a CD/RW/DVD-ROM Drive. ThinkPad's A Series CD Drives will work on the 380Z. has a 20GB HDD. only disapointment is it has 1 USB port and its 1.1 but could buy a PCMCIA USB 2.0 card. overall its a good old machine.

[Medessec]

Cool! I absolutely see every Thinkpad fan holding a 380Z in their collection, they seem quite common. The Pentium II, even the lower speed models such as the 233 MHz, can run XP quite fine, just, boot times will be a bit slow.

But I guess the 560 you mentioned splits that altogether with the fact you've installed XP on it and it runs fast. So, I guess you can install XP even a 380ED and It'll run just fine. But I still recommend disabling unnecessary services to help ease the CPU's workload.

Having USB 1.1 isn't much of a problem because pretty much all it significantly lacks is USB 2.0's speed, which still doesn't seem to be that easily seen. I had a computer that had 3 USB 1.1 ports, never had any big issues with the fact they were only USB 1.1. Although USB 3.0 is coming out soon... I'm wondering what that's going to be like... but what counts is if your computer has USB at all, because USB opens so many possibilities for your computer.

SP3 tends to slow down a few machines over SP2, and I can't quite figure out why, but if your PC runs SP3 just fine, then there ya go.

ATI Rage is definitely an upgrade over the lousy Chips and Technologies graphics chip. Even if it's only 8 MB, it can handle resolutions that, at the time of the 380's conception, would have been unimaginable for basic desktop use.

Putting a DVD-RW drive in is as simple as getting an external USB DVD-RW drive. Most come with drivers, and even if they don't, they should be able to be easily installed with even Windows 2000's Plug-n-play system and New Hardware wizards.

380Z's a good computer!

[ThinkPad560X]

Its been awail since I updated this post. Does anyone know what sizes they have for a touch screen LCD? I'm looking for netbook sizes like 5"-10" LCD. I'm going to add, GPS and also use Windows Media PLayer for music and would be nice to use a touch screen for this. Thinking of adding this big ThinkPad block somewhere under the dash and the other good thing is I can keep the lid closed as the power on switch is on the side. I may install a power car outlet for this machine to use since the battery is dead on it.

And just woundering would this be able to hook up to my trucks computer via USB? the wire is on the computer next the the motor and if I can link it to my ThinkPad 380Z, I can check my vehicle status such as engine check light, thats if Windows XP does auto driver install lookup for add new hardware. Witch I think would be very nice setup. GPS, WiFi, Media Audio, Vehicle status.

[TTA]

can't help on the touch screen but if you google it there is a guy who got XP on a 386 think 20MHz LOL so yea I guess it can be done but why? LOL
My 380Z has WinME yes I know it's a crappy OS but it works and all I do is log into a win2003 server to really use it. I don't see how unless your GPS software needed it you need XP on one.

[ThinkPad560X]

I use Windows XP on all my older ThinkPads. My 560X, 380Z, 390X, X21, i1200, 240, 570.

I use Windows Vista and 7 on my ThinkPad T20, T40, R40, G40, A30, SL500, X41, X41 Tablet

[wolf]

Even has a upgraded graphics card ATI RAGE XL 8MB.

just out of curiosity, how did you do such an upgrade? is it a PCMCIA card? does it interface to the internal display?

i remember all seven of my 380Zs had some sort of NeoMagic chip for the video, built-in to the motherboard

[ThinkPad560X]

Yes the ThinkPad 380Z has NeoMagic Graphics. It has ATi Graphics when I hook it up to the PCMCIA Mobility Docking station. The PCMCIA dock has a built in ATi graphics card along with a VGA port, paralla Port, Serial port, X2 USB Ports and a LAN port.

Other than that, the ThinkPad 380Z will always have a NeoMagic Graphics card built in on the board. The Processor if I can remember, Pentium II can be upgraded to the 300MHz from the 233MHz, or if lucky found a 380Z with the 300MHz Processor already in it. Most 380Zs came with a 233MHz over a 300MHz Processor. But I still like to use my 380Z sometimes as I own 2 of them. My most problems I had with them was the HDD failiers. Most of my HDDs in the 380Z would die or start clicking. Right now it has a 20GB HDD, 160MB RAM with Windows XP Home Edition on it. The Drive sometimes fails to read and get errors during boot.