T61p - replacing FX 570M

[tomkrishan1]

hi all!

am new to this forum so first of all I want to greet everyone!

as I really got convinced with the thinkpad T-line against other brands and models in general, I`ve researched a lot in order to find out what could be done with the T61p`s fx570m issue since I really would like to have a more powerfull and a c2d penryn machine but with no more than a 14,1" lcd. for me, I think a T61p 14.1" with a 2.6 GHz CPU and a stable 256MB GPU would be my dream machine.

but after a huge review of all different kinds of solutions and tests I am wondering if there wasn`t also a project done where it was tried out to replace the nVidia gpu with an other brand whatever but with nearly similar specs to the 15.4" fx570m with 128bit and 256 MB instead of the smaller 14.1" version with only 64bit and 128 MB.
so possibly a gpu with more or less similar power consumption as of around 30 watts like i.e. the ati v5700, which is build in the 15.4" w500.

does anybody heared about such a project where the fx570m 64bit 128 MB was replaced with the fx570m 128bit 256 MB? or even with an other brand??

I know it is not so easy to replace a non-mxm supported gpu but can`t it be relatively simple just to unsolter, reball and solter again a new gpu and/or addittional graphic ram plus some T61p bios hacks?

[RealBlackStuff]

Whether that's possible or not is one question, to get any spare nVidia GPU of that type is near impossible.
contact forum member poshgeordie via PM, he's probably the only one who might know...

[poshgeordie]

Hi and welcome to the forums.

A very interesting idea but not sure if possible.

PM sent.

MfG

Nick

[tannerj]

Just out of curiosity, what ended up being the solution here?

[jketzetera]

Hi and welcome to the forums.

A very interesting idea but not sure if possible.

PM sent.

MfG

Nick

After decompressing the T61 BIOS, I discovered that there are two different FX570M BIOSes included. It could be that the FX570M in the 14" version is just firmware/BIOS crippled and not hardware crippled.

I am going to look into this further. Considering how Middleton was able to fix the SATA-I restriction, I am hoping that this is just a BIOS restriction that also can be "fixed".

[crashnburn]

I'd love to know as well.

If we can hack the following off the BIOS:

- Higher CPU beyond what was originally there
- Higher Video Card - Maybe one thats also OSX Leopard / Snow Leopard supported
- 14" UXGA...

We'd have the perfect 14.1 machine..
now that..
SATA speeds are fixed
8G RAM can be added.

[tomkrishan1]

hi all

well, i am really sorry for not replying so far ... but in the meantime there was summer and also much work to do.

i didn`t forgot this topic and I`d like to get back on track to this as soon I have more time again.


so far ... hope this thread will progress ...

however, thanx to all ...

greets
tomkrishan1

[eatbuckshot]

Well, for one, another ram chip would have to be soldered onto the board, if there is even a set of unsoldered contacts for the memory, probably BGA. Though my thought of why they didn't include it was just due to there being wayy to much stuff crammed onto the mobo so I don't think it's there (i tried searching for it)

As for software, you can use rivatuner to try to activate the missing memory/lanes, and well it produces some interesting results in that you can activate them, but things display half right is all messed up and things, probably because it's trying to use memory that's not there, and it's interesting it doesn't crash the entire thing or something.