T42p (or T4x) CPU upgradability

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spworley · #1 Post by **spworley** » Fri Jun 11, 2004 6:47 pm

After searching online and especially this forum, I was surprised not to see more discussion of CPU upgrades. One post did mention upgrading his T20 CPU from 700 to 1GHz just by swapping the CPU, but nothing else.

Has anyone else upgraded their T4x laptops in the past? It seems like it'd be cost effective to get the slowest CPU now, and in 6 months after the "dust has settled" go ahead and get a faster 2Ghz (or more) chip. But is this practical? I do notice that you can definately buy Dothan P-M CPUs even in retail boxes now (for example at newegg.com which has 1.6 and 1.8 chips in stock).

I'm asking because I really want a 2GHz machine, but they just aren't available. So maybe I'll get a slow 1.6 (?) machine and then upgrade the CPU when they actually become available.

Thanks for any experiences or advice!

lilserenity · #2 Post by **lilserenity** » Fri Jun 11, 2004 6:54 pm

I'm not sure you can upgrade a Banias (the previous Pentium-m generation, 1MB L2 cache) to a Dothan (2MB L2 cache and oter things), and vice versa, but I think on a T series you can swap within the range themselves so a Pentium-m Banias 1.4GHz based T41 could take a 1.7GHz Banias part.

I would be more than happy to know that Banias based T40/41 can take Dothan Pentium-M modules!

Vicky

cynic · #3 Post by **cynic** » Fri Jun 11, 2004 7:37 pm

I believe you can upgrade. The Banias and Dothan use the same chipset (Intel 855) and the same socket. IBM has put in the latest BIOS and Embedded controller support for the Dothans and it blankets all the T4x models. Finally, I know some people with Dells that have done the upgrade. It'll really come down to if the BIOS recognizes it, but it looks like it will since IBM is using a unified BIOS.

I'm waiting for the chip prices to come down and when I get a second T4x (or T5x if it is out by then

) I'll upgrade my T40p to the top of the line 400Mhz FSB Dothan (FYI, by the end of the year, there will be 533Mhz FSB models which would not be supported.) This revamped T40p will become one of my hand-me downs to my friends (that's what my 600X currently does.) Currently a 2.0GHz Dothan retails at US$637/chip

tselling · #4 Post by **tselling** » Fri Jun 11, 2004 8:44 pm

I just put a Dothan 745 1.8Mhz cpu in my T41p. Just be sure to install the latest bios and embedded controller firmware on the thinkpad first.

Frank Ponte · #5 Post by **Frank Ponte** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 8:45 am

Teresa,

Did you have "knowledge" that the upgrade would work or were you just being adventurous? Were there any noticeable performance improvements?

Frank

tselling · #6 Post by **tselling** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 10:17 am

I suspected that a Banias cpu could be replaced with a Dothan because the motherboard should handle it. Also the latest bios mentions cpu support. I tried it with an older bios first and the laptop booted but the bios showed ??? for cpu speed. After the new embedded controller and bios shows 1.8Ghz. Haven't had time to benchmark, but I haven't noticed a big speed improvement. Might need to go to 2Ghz for that. Was more curiosity than anything else... thinking if it worked I might hold off on getting the T42p (wait until they get a newer video chip)... and the slow response times for 15" LCD has me wondering if I really want a 15" display.

Lateralus · #7 Post by **Lateralus** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 1:49 pm

hi there...its my 1st posting...

could somebody explain the function of the CMOS? Is it important to update that too? I`m just wondering about that because everyone talks about updates of the BIOS and the embedded controller and the CMOS update isn`t mentioned.

THX

lilserenity · #8 Post by **lilserenity** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 2:35 pm

I could be wrong with this but this is my understanding...

CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) is the name for the chip on which the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is stored. Further to this I don't think the BIOS is held on a CMOS chip any longer, rather more a flash ROM based system.

So you are upgrading the BIOS, not the CMOS as the latter would incur physical change to the chip the BIOS is held on. (ie swapping in and out, as you might have done in days gone by with Mac ROMs and Amiga Kickstart ROMs)

Thats my understanding anyway!

Vicky

Lateralus · #9 Post by **Lateralus** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 4:34 pm

So if I use BIOS-updates and updates of the embedded controller, i also have to update the CMOS? reading the install instruction i get a little nervous because it seems quite difficult.

JaimitoBond · #10 Post by **JaimitoBond** » Sat Jun 12, 2004 9:09 pm

tselling wrote:I suspected that a Banias cpu could be replaced with a Dothan because the motherboard should handle it. Also the latest bios mentions cpu support. I tried it with an older bios first and the laptop booted but the bios showed ??? for cpu speed. After the new embedded controller and bios shows 1.8Ghz. Haven't had time to benchmark, but I haven't noticed a big speed improvement. Might need to go to 2Ghz for that. Was more curiosity than anything else... thinking if it worked I might hold off on getting the T42p (wait until they get a newer video chip)... and the slow response times for 15" LCD has me wondering if I really want a 15" display.

How much did you pay for the chip, and is there any improvement in battery life?

dragius · #11 Post by **dragius** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 12:40 am

hmmm seems no one else is ready to upgrade their T series yet?

tselling · #12 Post by **tselling** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 9:57 am

JaimitoBond wrote:How much did you pay for the chip, and is there any improvement in battery life?

I paid $330 for the 1.8Ghz cpu. I haven't had alot of time to play with it since inlaws have been visiting. I just installed it and verified it to be working.

dragius · #13 Post by **dragius** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 8:53 pm

Hmmm what was your original config? T41? which model? i am thinking when my warranty expires to the upgrade the cpu.

Also i am sure you got the latest bios to get the cpu working? Do update us when you have the time to truly test the unit to see if there are any significant gains.

dragius · #14 Post by **dragius** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 10:31 am

any update or benchmark at all ?

tselling · #15 Post by **tselling** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 4:02 pm

Sorry, I'm not much of a benchmark person. More into whether it feels faster. I really don't notice a difference between the 1.7Ghz Banias and the 1.8Ghz Dothan. I don't see the heat related slowdown when playing games anymore. But not sure if thats the CPU or the fact I used Arctic Silver when I replaced the CPU. But my 15" T42p doesn't have the slowdown problem either and I didn't put Arctic Silver in that one.

hhy2k · #16 Post by **hhy2k** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 8:37 pm

I am not quite sure, but there are very few cases when a CPU upgrade is justifiable. I think these CPUs don't work on the top speed anyway... there must be some kind of a demand to trigger them to go ahead full throttle..... may be an encoding process or starting 3-4 movies at the same time... otherwise they run slover than they nominap speed.... very wisely.... as they are laptop processors, saving the power is a NO1 priority. Also I am guessing a 1MB cache >>> 2MB cache is not such an improovement as 1 128K to 512K...

I know it sounds cool to have the fastest CPU, but quite frankly, I don't think there is such a big difference... if I look the raw speed (1.6GHz > 2.00GHz) even then it is just a 25% jump. A faster HDD is more important.... may be some more mamory with a RAM-drive, putting the paging file on it.... for XP and IE....

Actually I think a slower machine saves more NRG... with the same family CPU (but this contradict my theory about the "low anyway" speeds

my dime

T42p (or T4x) CPU upgradability

T42p (or T4x) CPU upgradability

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