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ThinkPad a31 more power
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- Posts: 5
- Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 1:05 am
- Location: Vicenza, Italy
ThinkPad a31 more power
Hi im Franco from Italy,im glad to be a member of this big family.
I bought a THINKPAD A31:
-INTEL PENTIUM 4
-MOBILE CPU 1.4GHZ
-1.02GHZ,640 of RAM(ram modified from original)
I would know a way to have much more power from my PC because when i run 2 programs at the same time it will freeze for 30-60 seconds or more.
There is a way??
Thanks a lot to everybody.
Ciao Ciao from ITALIA
I bought a THINKPAD A31:
-INTEL PENTIUM 4
-MOBILE CPU 1.4GHZ
-1.02GHZ,640 of RAM(ram modified from original)
I would know a way to have much more power from my PC because when i run 2 programs at the same time it will freeze for 30-60 seconds or more.
There is a way??
Thanks a lot to everybody.
Ciao Ciao from ITALIA
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- Admin
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- Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2006 1:26 am
- Location: San Jose, CA 95120 USA
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Re: ThinkPad a31 more power
Welcome to thinkpads.com!
From the quick description of your A31, my normal advice would be to maximize your memory (2x1GB) but it really depends on what you are trying to run on the system. I'm currently using a 1.7Ghz A31p with 1GB of memory and Windows XP SP3. On occasion, it takes more than 30 seconds to minimize all of the programs and get to the desktop using the "Show desktop" icon in the Quick Launch toolbar. I generally have Firefox 14 running with at least 8 tabs (500MB of memory alone), a DOS box, Windows Explorer, AVG, several applications in the System Tray, FTP uploading or downloading; usually 60+ processes running. This delay doesn't happen all of the time and it may be worse than your system because I have a 1600x1200 display with 32-bit color.
With a delay of 30-60 seconds, that usually means your system does not have enough memory and must switch out programs to the swapfile. It is generally recommended that your swapfile be about 1.5 times the amount of physical memory; smaller if you already have a large amount of memory. You could also consider changing to a faster hard drive (i.e., 7200RPM) if your system is still using the original drive. The other "easy" change would be to swap out the CPU for a faster one. I'm not an expert on this part but you may be able to go up to 2.0Ghz which could be a noticeable difference.
There's not much else you can do except to try to keep the number of running programs to a minimum. If you do a lot of disk accesses, keep it defragged. The A3x systems are several generations obsolete but they can still be useful. I've been using two A31p systems (home and work) for almost the last year mostly because of the large screen and two Ultrabays.
From the quick description of your A31, my normal advice would be to maximize your memory (2x1GB) but it really depends on what you are trying to run on the system. I'm currently using a 1.7Ghz A31p with 1GB of memory and Windows XP SP3. On occasion, it takes more than 30 seconds to minimize all of the programs and get to the desktop using the "Show desktop" icon in the Quick Launch toolbar. I generally have Firefox 14 running with at least 8 tabs (500MB of memory alone), a DOS box, Windows Explorer, AVG, several applications in the System Tray, FTP uploading or downloading; usually 60+ processes running. This delay doesn't happen all of the time and it may be worse than your system because I have a 1600x1200 display with 32-bit color.
With a delay of 30-60 seconds, that usually means your system does not have enough memory and must switch out programs to the swapfile. It is generally recommended that your swapfile be about 1.5 times the amount of physical memory; smaller if you already have a large amount of memory. You could also consider changing to a faster hard drive (i.e., 7200RPM) if your system is still using the original drive. The other "easy" change would be to swap out the CPU for a faster one. I'm not an expert on this part but you may be able to go up to 2.0Ghz which could be a noticeable difference.
There's not much else you can do except to try to keep the number of running programs to a minimum. If you do a lot of disk accesses, keep it defragged. The A3x systems are several generations obsolete but they can still be useful. I've been using two A31p systems (home and work) for almost the last year mostly because of the large screen and two Ultrabays.
Ray Kawakami
X22 X24 X31 X41 X41T X60 X60s X61 X61s X200 X200s X300 X301 Z60m Z61t Z61p 560 560Z 600 600E 600X T21 T22 T23 T41 T60p T410 T420 T520 W500 W520 R50 A21p A22p A31 A31p
NOTE: All links to PC-Doctor software hosted by me are dead. Files removed 8/28/12 by manufacturer's demand.
X22 X24 X31 X41 X41T X60 X60s X61 X61s X200 X200s X300 X301 Z60m Z61t Z61p 560 560Z 600 600E 600X T21 T22 T23 T41 T60p T410 T420 T520 W500 W520 R50 A21p A22p A31 A31p
NOTE: All links to PC-Doctor software hosted by me are dead. Files removed 8/28/12 by manufacturer's demand.
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- Posts: 5
- Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 1:05 am
- Location: Vicenza, Italy
Re: ThinkPad a31 more power
problem is that 90% of times i have like 150mb rams free and CPU 0% free.......
Why happend this?
Why happend this?
Re: ThinkPad a31 more power
You need:
1) More RAM - at least 1.5 GB
2) Faster CPU - a 2.0 P4M will be fine
3) Minimal number of processes running
1) More RAM - at least 1.5 GB
2) Faster CPU - a 2.0 P4M will be fine
3) Minimal number of processes running
...Knowledge is a deadly friend when no one sets the rules...(King Crimson)
Cheers,
George (your grouchy retired FlexView farmer)
One FlexView to rule them all: A31p
Abused daily: T520, X200s
PMs requesting personal tech support will be ignored.
Cheers,
George (your grouchy retired FlexView farmer)
One FlexView to rule them all: A31p
Abused daily: T520, X200s
PMs requesting personal tech support will be ignored.
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- Posts: 5
- Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 1:05 am
- Location: Vicenza, Italy
Re: ThinkPad a31 more power
i have just a slot for RAM.... THE MAXIMUM i've found was 640mbRAM
Re: ThinkPad a31 more power
No.
You have two slots.
Each of them will take 1GB PC 2100 (DDR266) or PC2700 (DDR333) laptop RAM.
You have two slots.
Each of them will take 1GB PC 2100 (DDR266) or PC2700 (DDR333) laptop RAM.
...Knowledge is a deadly friend when no one sets the rules...(King Crimson)
Cheers,
George (your grouchy retired FlexView farmer)
One FlexView to rule them all: A31p
Abused daily: T520, X200s
PMs requesting personal tech support will be ignored.
Cheers,
George (your grouchy retired FlexView farmer)
One FlexView to rule them all: A31p
Abused daily: T520, X200s
PMs requesting personal tech support will be ignored.
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- Posts: 5
- Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 1:05 am
- Location: Vicenza, Italy
Re: ThinkPad a31 more power
i will check it out.... thx
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- Contributing Member
- Posts: 1881
- Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2008 7:11 pm
- Location: RTP, North Carolina
Re: ThinkPad a31 more power
As George (aj66) pointed out, the sweet spot on this machine, as well as the T30 is 1.5 gigs of RAM and the 2.0 processor. With this combo they will run cool and happy, all day long. Never give a problem and will run forever.
Yes you can go with more memory and a larger CPU, but the heat created by these beasts are not really what the machine needs (or your lap). I have a 2.4 T30 that runs scorching hot when pushed to its limits, where as all of my T30s with the 2.0 are very comfortable on my lap.
The 2.0 processors are dirt cheap in America (under $10.00), the memory roughly $30.00 USD.
YMMV
Ron
Yes you can go with more memory and a larger CPU, but the heat created by these beasts are not really what the machine needs (or your lap). I have a 2.4 T30 that runs scorching hot when pushed to its limits, where as all of my T30s with the 2.0 are very comfortable on my lap.
The 2.0 processors are dirt cheap in America (under $10.00), the memory roughly $30.00 USD.
YMMV
Ron
I see in my son's eyes, each day, the wonders I have squandered fortunes to possess and have sought my entire lifetime to attain. jrr 09/2011
T400's and T500's
T400's and T500's
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- Posts: 5
- Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2012 1:05 am
- Location: Vicenza, Italy
Re: ThinkPad a31 more power
maybe i will buy them on EBAY
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