RE: [Thinkpad] CPU Upgrade for 770Z - Anyone Tried PIII 500MHz after Switching 64MB Onboard Memory to 100MHz?

Brian:

I'm planning on attempting the CPU upgrade if I don't hear any clear
confirmation of multiple failed attempts from the list. I haven't done alot
of this kind of work before, but I did manage to upgrade my 770E CPU
successfully, so as long as I go slow and careful I think I can probably
perform the 770Z CPU swap as well...although I think there will be a whole
additional level of dissassembly to get to that motherboard memory slot.
I'll be sure to keep the list updated on my progress, but if my attempts
aren't successful, then I don't think it will really "confirm" that it can't
be done, since I don't have the experience necessary to ensure that
everything gets done correctly (nor am I entirely confident about avoiding
damage to my motherboard in this experiment :-o ).

For the procedure, I've ordered an IBM branded 64MB 100MHz SO-DIMM and a
PIII 500MHz MMC-2 pulled from an ThinkPad 600X which I think is non-speed
step enabled (the CPU part number begins "PML...", instead of "PMM...").
I'm going to try the install initially without any other SO-DIMM modules
added, and just see if I can get the base system to work. But I probably
won't get around to it for a week or two.

I don't know much about the memory capacity stuff you're talking about,
although the BIOS I think is involved somehow in the 512MB limit that some
folk have run in to. Eventually, I'll be trying to get the system up to
512MB using two 256MB modules in the regular SO-DIMM slots if I can. I've
also seen references to people having difficulty getting "two bank" memory
fully recognized in certain slots. How exactly do you tell if a 256MB
module is "one bank" or "two bank"? The ones I'm looking into buying right
now are Infineon branded with a "32x64" chip configuration, broken down as
"eight CMOS 16MX16 bit with 4 Internal Banks". It looks to me like
physically the module has 4 chips on each side (8 in total). Does anyone
know if this ("4 Internal Bank") module is a "one bank" 256MB module? Will
it matter?

Regarding the 770Z CPU upgrade theories, just to be clear, these weren't my
theories, I just read about them here and posted a summary.

Phil.

-----Original Message-----
From: thinkpad-admin@stderr.org [mailto:thinkpad-admin@stderr.org]On
Behalf Of Brian Hougaard Baldersbaek
Sent: September 3, 2003 05:19
To: pkiff@sympatico.ca
Cc: thinkpad@stderr.org
Subject: Re: [Thinkpad] CPU Upgrade for 770Z - Anyone Tried PIII 500MHz
after Switching 64MB Onboard Memory to 100MHz?

Hi Philip.

Your thoughts about the ThinkPad 770Z, swapping the MMC-2 form factor
PII-366Mhz (66 MHz FSB) and the "onboard" 64 MB PC66 RAM-module with a
non-speedstep PIII-500 MHz and a 128 MB PC100 RAM-module....I found...and
find...very interesting. Very !

I too...saw the suggestions regarding this.....and I too must ask: "What
were the results ?"

I have had my own thoughts.
I haven't succeeded in finding out, how much memory the 770Z can be stuffed
with.

What until now have been tried with some sort of success, is putting in, two
256MB PC100 modules.
Reports say, however, that the onboard 64MB PC66 module then, is being
swapped out.

Since the 440BX can see up to 256MB in each of the 4 memorybanks, it should
be possible to put in 1GB of RAM.
The 770Z has all 4 memorybanks.
The onboard memoryslot being #1.
One of the free slots being #2 and #3.
The other slot is #4.

A lot of good folks have had problems in upgrading memory in the 770Z.
One is, putting in a two-bank memory module in the one-bank memoryslot.
Therefore they discovered, that only half of the memory module is being
recoqnized.

Now. If it's possible to get my hands in both one-bank and two-banks 256MB
PC100 modules, my theory is, that putting them in the right places, the 770Z
will recoqnize all 1024 MB's of RAM.
But no one has ever tried this. All attemps stopped, with putting in two 256
MB modules.

With your brilliant theories in conjunction with this....a full-stuffed
ThinkPad 770Z would look like this.

CPU: PIII-500 MHz, Non speed-step.
FSB: 100 MHz.
RAM: 1024 MB.

Who have the ability to try these experiments out ?

Sincerely
Brian

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Received on Wed Sep 3 11:41:59 2003