2nd hand thinkpad R50p - good idea?

[dZeus]

I'm eyeing an Thinkpad R50p for €300 which has the following specs:

CPU: Pentium M 1.7
RAM: 2GB
HDD: 80GB
TFT: 15" 1600x1200
Graphics: ATI M10 FireGL 128MB dedicated
10/100/1000 Mbit LAN
802.11abg WiFi
Bluetooth
CDRW/DVD combo

Plusses:
- IBM build quality
- CPU plenty fast for me
- The screen is an IPS panel (rare on notebooks).
- The GPU can do DX9 for Vista aero glass (or for Vista V2 aka Windows 7).

Minus(ses?):
- PATA HDD (makes upgrading to a cheapish SDD difficult. Would this work?)
- battery needs replacement. However, they don't seem to be too expensive, so I'm prepared to buy a new one.
- 2GB RAM max (ought to be enough for my needs.. just feel unconfortable that it can't be upgraded to 4GB).

So.. any reason not to buy it?

edit: seems like I need to double-check GPU for overheating problems caused by failing BGA solder contacts before buying

[az]

From your converter link:

"Suitable for POS Systems (will not fit into most laptops)".

[Nowhere]

One of th options for cheapish SSD is also PATA<->SDcard adapter coupled with some fast&big SDcard (they're available even in 1,8" hdd format; I believe some 2,5" ones migh even have the place for two SDcards)

[UtwigMU]

For used lapotops thinkpads are best since parts are available, service manauls are online and they are easy to repair, they are also very well built and thought out. It's also easy to get restore CDs (ask on thinkpads forums) and find resources (thinkpad forums, thinkwiki). Docks are also cheap 2nd hand. Linux also works great on thinkpads all Fn key combos, hibernate, standby, wifi worked out of box on mine. They don't have too many charger and dock standards, for instance my A21p (PIII 850, Rage Mobility) and T42p (P-M 1.8) are charger and dock compatible. I can hotswap optical drive with new T6x series. Also most other laptops come only with that silly trackpad which is almost useless for any serious work, while you can live with a trackpoint for hours (only graphics and gaming require a mouse). Also IBM/Lenovo didn't redesign keyboard with widescreen (SL series being exception), so when you upgrade you find your keys and key combos in same places.

Also very easy to swap HDD if you have more caddys if you want to experiment with alternative OSes.

From that generation the R series has pluses since it's more sturdilly built than T4x which had a bit of flex and failing GPU problems.

I have 15" T42p UXGA with flexview IPS panel with 2GB of RAM and 250GB HDD and FireGL equivalent of R9600 for more than 2 years now and I'm extremely satisfied, very quiet (swapped fan once). I still don't see a notebook that would offer everything (great IPS screen, powerful and portable with modern technology) that could replace it since screens on newer thinkpads are not that great. I had fan failure and Bluetooth module failure which also caused USB ports to die on mine - IBM swapped motherboard and Bluetooth module in 53 hours under warranty. I carry it on a daily basis, often in backpack while cycling, jumping over curbs...

It's not the most portable thing being 15" and thicker than T4x, the 14" T4x and 12x X3x or X6x are winners in that department.

Go for it if you can see before you buy or return it or trust the seller. For SSD upgrades go to Thinkpads forums, the best option is to go with SD-PATA adapter and two fast 16 or 32GB cards (option for X4x which comes with craptastic slow 1.8" 60GB drive).

[dZeus]

ok someone else had reacted a bit faster than me and bought the R50p.
I'm now looking at a T43p with very similar specs also for 300 euros.

I'm not going for a simple flash memory setup, as I'd like good performance and a decent system to reduce failure rates (wear leveling); I'll use Vista with bitlocker on the notebook, and I've read that if a bit 'goes wrong' on a bitlocker encrypted drive, it'll become completely unreadible. Hence my reluctance to use the very cheap options available. The idea is to use the following item in combination with a (semi+)decent SATA SSD:
Ultrabay slim SATA HDD caddy

I'm a tad confused why IBM/Lenovo doesn't list the T43p as compatible with their part number, but these sites claim it works.

I also hope I can remove the primary HDD and boot from the SATA SSD in the ultrabay hdd caddy as sole drive. Appearantly (according to thinkwiki) this solves the 'incompatible drive' error you get when you install a non-thinkpad certified HDD into this notebook.

[degrub]

WE had a lot of MB problems with the T4x series. T6x seem to be much better.

[UtwigMU]

Just note this with T43p: http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Proble...Pad_hard_disks

Also see this: http://episteme.arstechnica.com/eve/...1#963003661831. Everyone in the know told me to go T42 over T43.

With incompatible drive you can flash to lattest BIOS and disable the message, I have R52 sitting on my work desk, will flash it to 1.29 on Monday and see what happens.

Otherwise ebay or otherwise obtain another HDD caddy, you can remove the screw holding HDD and you can swap HDD with power off under a minute (good for expermenting with other OSes.

[dZeus]

Just note this with T43p: http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Proble...Pad_hard_disks

Also see this: http://episteme.arstechnica.com/eve/...1#963003661831. Everyone in the know told me to go T42 over T43.

With incompatible drive you can flash to lattest BIOS and disable the message, I have R52 sitting on my work desk, will flash it to 1.29 on Monday and see what happens.

Otherwise ebay or otherwise obtain another HDD caddy, you can remove the screw holding HDD and you can swap HDD with power off under a minute (good for expermenting with other OSes.

If I understand the liniked site correctly, the 1020 message does not pop up for drives in the ultrabay (hence the reason why I plan to buy it). I was planning to remove the optical drive anyway (to save some weight).

[Wulfman]

my T23 booted from an ultrabay hdd. anecdotal evidence, at least.

cheers,
wulfman

[UtwigMU]

Unless you already have ultrabay adapter, can ebay it cheaply or it comes with notebook, I'd say: flash to lattest BIOS, put in WD2500 BEVE (250GB, PATA, very quiet), disable the message. You won't save much weight relatively with removing the optical drive.

[dZeus]

Unless you already have ultrabay adapter, can ebay it cheaply or it comes with notebook, I'd say: flash to lattest BIOS, put in WD2500 BEVE (250GB, PATA, very quiet), disable the message. You won't save much weight relatively with removing the optical drive.

I got the thinkpad (it was a T43 instead of a T43p, but it has a 1400x1050 IPS panel).

First I installed Windows 7 beta, which imo looks like Vista's identical twin. There were no drivers for the wireless in Windows 7 yet, and the Vista drivers didn't work. So I installed MS Vista, and everything works just fine now. The IPS looks very nice and bright, much better than the TN panels that I've got at home for my regular PC. I'm really impressed! What impresses me as well is the quality of the Thinkpad software available for Vista.

I'm surprised that turning on/off Aero Glass doesn't seem to impact battery life, when the ATI X300 runs at reduced frequency/voltage.

Still need to order a second hand docking station, new 9-cell battery pack (current 6-cell is at half capacity) and the ultrabay s-ata hdd adapter and ssd. However, I get conflicting posts by others that claim that some drives can make windows become unstable. So I need to figure that out properly before buying the SSD.

Now, most important thing to do is to figure out how to use RMClock to lower the voltage of the different working frequencies in different power schemes. The interface is a bit.... cryptic. I've figured out how to fix at a custom voltage/frequency, but not how to adapt current power schemes.

Utwig: I'm not ordering the SSD for weight loss, but because I hope it to be more durable than a mechanical hdd, and I never use optical drives anyway (other than to install Windows and Office from). I also don't need a 250GB drive, as 30GB will do just fine for the OS and programs. Music and videos will be streamed from a DLNA/UPNP server if needed.
What is very weird is the touchpad and trackpoint combo. I don't understand the need for dual input devices, when either works fine. They could have left out the touchpad for me.

[UtwigMU]

Congrats! Is it 14 or 15". I have original 60 GB 7200RPM Hitachi in my T42p for 4 years now and it survived my daily bus/bike commutes, one drop of notebook from 40 cm, one nasty bump of rucksack in car door and Porsche Cayenne SUV ramming my bicycle with notebook in the backpack.

After 4 years I still get 1h out of 9-cell.

As per pointing device, it's almost religious issue: about 50% people (mainly newbie users and women with long nails) prefer trackpad. Personally I have it disabled and my A21p (1600x1200 TN) was without it.

Otherwise I saw one mod of X61s with 1400x1050 IPS from X61 tablet. That would be the thing to have.

[dZeus]

it's a 15", 2GHz and 2GB RAM.

battery is a 3 year old 6-cell that lasts about 1:10 with Wifi on and CCFL at lowest brightness (and cpu and gpu running at lowest speeds).

I suppose with wifi disabled and the cpu at 0.7Vcore instead of 1.0Vcore (need to set that with RMClock), the battery will last around 1:30. A new 6-cell should last twice that (3 hours), and a nine cell between 4 and 5 (which I plan to buy).