Upgrade SSD & RAM on New ThinkPad While Keeping Warranty – Who Tried It?

[marcusfrank]

Hello everyone,

I am using ThinkPad T-series 2024 and want to upgrade SSD + RAM to make it run faster. But the biggest concern is the impact on the warranty and BIOS/firmware installation.

Who has upgraded and can tell me:

Do I need special tools?

Tips for stable operation of new RAM/SSD?

What to note to avoid losing warranty?

Hope everyone shares their practical experiences. This topic will be useful for anyone who wants to upgrade a new ThinkPad while still keeping it safe.

Thanks everyone!

[dr_st]

Welcome to the forum.

Everything is in the Hardware Maintenance Manual. You didn't specify which exact laptop you have, but from the year 2024 I assume it's either one of these or something simiar:
https://download.lenovo.com/pccbbs/mobi ... hmm_en.pdf

Refer to "Locating FRUs and CRUs".
You will see that both SSD (M.2 drive) and RAM (memory module) are listed as self-service CRUs. Meaning, the customer is allowed to replace them without voiding the warranty. Of course, the warranty will not cover the new part itself, unless it came from Lenovo. And, naturally, if you break something else during the replacement process, and Lenovo can reasonably prove it, you might lose the warranty on the entire system. However, this rarely happens, if you are careful, and follow the instructions.

Every HMM will have a chapter called "Removing or replacing an FRU", which will have sections for each major part. For example, for the models detailed in the above document, I see that only the base (bottom) cover assembly needs to be removed to have immediate access to the SSD and RAM.

[ZaZ]

Depending on which ThinkPad you have, some or all of the memory may be soldered and therefore not upgradeable unless you've got some serious skills. Some people have a need for lots of memory, but if you've got 16GB and are not pushing the machine, adding more may not yield much of a benefit. Same for the SDD unless you need the space. If down the road if you need more, you can add it and the warranty won't be a concern.

I would suggest getting a plastic Spudger or something similar, I use a thin guitar pick, for undoing the clips that hold the bottom in place. They're less likely to leave a gouge mark than a metal screwdriver and the clips can somethings be tricky.

A YouzTube video does a better job of informing about the procedure than reading the HMM, so I would watch that before attempting any surgery. Good luck my friend.

[dr_st]

I would suggest getting a plastic Spudger or something similar, I use a thin guitar pick, for undoing the clips that hold the bottom in place. They're less likely to leave a gouge mark than a metal screwdriver and the clips can somethings be tricky.

That's a good point. Depending on the shape of one's fingers, fingernails can also be used in some situations.

A YouzTube video does a better job of informing about the procedure than reading the HMM, so I would watch that before attempting any surgery. Good luck my friend.

If it's a good video - yes. A lot of these videos are yap-yap-yap, with maybe 10% useful content.