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Upgrade Z61?
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Upgrade Z61?
One of the laptops I have accumulated is a Z61 9442-EC1 that has a 1.83 cpu. I like the size, the titanium lid, and want to use it more so I was thinking about an SSD and CPU upgrade.
Which can I use in this unit?
Thanks,
David
Which can I use in this unit?
Thanks,
David
Vocavit autem servirent
Re: Upgrade Z61?
The Z61 can take up to a T7600 CPU, but I'd do the SSD first. Any 9.5mm SSD should work fine and is more likely to make your Z61 seem faster than the CPU.
ThinkPad L14 - 2.1GHz Ryzen 4650U | 16GB | 256GB | 14" FHD | Win11P
ProBook 470 G5 - 1.6GHz Core i5 | 16GB | 2.2TB | 17" FHD | Mint
ProBook 470 G5 - 1.6GHz Core i5 | 16GB | 2.2TB | 17" FHD | Mint
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Re: Upgrade Z61?
SSD are the biggest upgrade (unless you are at 90%+ CPU all the time) eg.. Better for internet, files, multimedia etc...
IBM Thinkpad A31 2.0GHz Pentium 4, 768MB RAM, 40GB HDD and a ATI 7500 16MB shimmed
Lenovo T420 4236-PA8: WiFi card replaced with a Broadcom one (fixes most DPC latency), 64GB Crucial M4 SSD added as OS drive, original HDD in a DVD to HDD caddy.
Lenovo T420 4236-PA8: WiFi card replaced with a Broadcom one (fixes most DPC latency), 64GB Crucial M4 SSD added as OS drive, original HDD in a DVD to HDD caddy.
Re: Upgrade Z61?
That's a nicely spec'd unit...
Based on 9442-EAU: T2400(1.83GHz), 512MB RAM, 60GB 5400rpm HD, 14.1in 1280x768 LCD, Intel 950, CDRW/DVD, Intel 802.11abg wireless, Bluetooth/Modem, 1Gb Ethernet, UltraNav, Secure chip, IEEE 1394, Camera, 4c Li-Ion batt, WinXP Pro
The only two downsides - which are not applicable to everyone's needs - are the screen resolution and the lack of DVI through dock.
SSD is the way to go, and T7200 CPUs are getting inexpensive nowadays...that would be my upgrade path, but it's your ThinkPad...I'd also upgrade the wireless card while I'm at it....
Based on 9442-EAU: T2400(1.83GHz), 512MB RAM, 60GB 5400rpm HD, 14.1in 1280x768 LCD, Intel 950, CDRW/DVD, Intel 802.11abg wireless, Bluetooth/Modem, 1Gb Ethernet, UltraNav, Secure chip, IEEE 1394, Camera, 4c Li-Ion batt, WinXP Pro
The only two downsides - which are not applicable to everyone's needs - are the screen resolution and the lack of DVI through dock.
SSD is the way to go, and T7200 CPUs are getting inexpensive nowadays...that would be my upgrade path, but it's your ThinkPad...I'd also upgrade the wireless card while I'm at it....
...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.
Re: Upgrade Z61?
I came across this helpful thread while looking for info on upgrading my wife's z61t (9440-ADU w. T2400 @ 1.83GHz and 2 GB RAM). My impression is that upgrading the CPU would probably not make that much of a difference and would probably not be worth the hassle and expense, but switching to SSD could make a significant difference and might be worth it. My only remaining question is whether upgrading the RAM to 3 GB would be worth it. Would it make a significant difference performance-wise?
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Re: Upgrade Z61?
If you put in a Core 2 Duo CPU like these:
T5500 1.66 2 MB
T5600 1.83 2 MB
T7200 2.00 4 MB
T7400 2.16 4 MB
T7600 2.33 4 MB
You could then put in a 64-bit OS, but unfortunately your machine is still limited to 3GB RAM out of the max. 4GB that you could put in.
3GB RAM plus an SSD would be perfect to run W7 32-bit.
Don't even think of W8 or W8.1.
T5500 1.66 2 MB
T5600 1.83 2 MB
T7200 2.00 4 MB
T7400 2.16 4 MB
T7600 2.33 4 MB
You could then put in a 64-bit OS, but unfortunately your machine is still limited to 3GB RAM out of the max. 4GB that you could put in.
3GB RAM plus an SSD would be perfect to run W7 32-bit.
Don't even think of W8 or W8.1.
Lovely day for a Guinness! (The Real Black Stuff)
Lenovo: X240, X250, T440p, T480, M900 Tiny.
PS: the old Boardroom website is still available on the Wayback Machine.
Lenovo: X240, X250, T440p, T480, M900 Tiny.
PS: the old Boardroom website is still available on the Wayback Machine.
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Re: Upgrade Z61?
A 64 bit OS is just a resource hog without enough benefits IMO. I have Win 7 on all my T60 and I'm very happy with it. All have T7200, 3 GB RAM and a SSD.
Re: Upgrade Z61?
While the difference in memory usage is there, it's never been significant enough to justify calling it a "resource hog".Cigarguy wrote:A 64 bit OS is just a resource hog without enough benefits IMO.
With that said, on machines limited to 3GB anyways, there is no advantage I can think of to running a 64-bit OS, unless you need a very particular, 64-bit-optimized application.
Thinkpad 25 (20K7), T490 (20N3), Yoga 14 (20FY), T430s (IPS FHD + Classic Keyboard), X220 4291-4BG
X61 7673-V2V, T60 2007-QPG, T42 2373-F7G, X32 (IPS Screen), A31p w/ Ultrabay Numpad
X61 7673-V2V, T60 2007-QPG, T42 2373-F7G, X32 (IPS Screen), A31p w/ Ultrabay Numpad
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Re: Upgrade Z61?
One reason I would suggest to use the x64 version is that 64-bit versions of Windows are a little more secure than 32-bit.
http://www.howtogeek.com/165535/why-the ... re-secure/
http://www.howtogeek.com/165535/why-the ... re-secure/
T61 -- T7300 4GB W7Px64
X200 - P8600 4GB W7Px64
X200 - P8600 4GB W7Px64
Re: Upgrade Z61?
I have the ATI GPU'd, WSXGA version of that machine and liked it a lot. I went the exact same upgrade route as well. Put in an SSD, 4Gb of RAM (because that's what I had), and added a T7200 CPU. It turned out to be a pretty snappy machine with decent performance.
I'd still be using it now if I hadn't of "fallen into" a T60p, so everything has just gotten transferred over to it, with the exception of the T7200 which is still waiting to move over. I will say this though; something about the T60's keyboard is better than the one in my Z61m though. All-in-all, it's still a very viable machine on routine tasks for most people.
I'd still be using it now if I hadn't of "fallen into" a T60p, so everything has just gotten transferred over to it, with the exception of the T7200 which is still waiting to move over. I will say this though; something about the T60's keyboard is better than the one in my Z61m though. All-in-all, it's still a very viable machine on routine tasks for most people.
Family Daily Drivers- T450s, T540p
Work- Sadly, the ThinkPads have gone away...... and replaced by HP Chromebox drone machines
ThinkPad Projects- T530, T400, R60, Z60t
Historic Retired ThinkPads- Z61m (Titanium), X20, A31p, 701c, 760XD, WorkPad C505, C500
Work- Sadly, the ThinkPads have gone away...... and replaced by HP Chromebox drone machines
ThinkPad Projects- T530, T400, R60, Z60t
Historic Retired ThinkPads- Z61m (Titanium), X20, A31p, 701c, 760XD, WorkPad C505, C500
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Re: Upgrade Z61?
I have the Z61t with the 7200 and a IBM factory SSD. I consider it brutally fast for everyday usage. Im never waiting for it to open, or starting. With wide screen Im 99.9% happy. Wife and child have the same thing on the Z61m's with the exception of 7200 RPM HDDs and they are totally satisfied.
Ron
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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