T42 Motherboard Replacement - Question about CPU and RAM

[sprj]

I have a T42 (2373-1WU) and just ordered a replacement motherboard off eBay.  Looking at  http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/MIGR-46474.html#15  and also the FRU on the actual motherboard, it is 93P4156.  The part number of the item I ordered is 39T5395.  When I Google either part number, they both reference T40/41/42.  My question is can I use the same CPU and RAM or do I also need a new CPU and RAM?  Thanks in advance.

[sprj]

From what I can find out, the board is only for the T40 (2373-12x, 14x, 19x, 1Bx, 22x, 25x, 29x, 2Ax, 2Bx, 2Cx, 44x, 4Bx, 4Cx, 76x, 78x, 7Cx, 86x, 88x, 8Cx, A3x, C4x, C8x).

From what I can find on the web, 39T5395 is a replacement board for 91P7710 and 91P7185 which are only for the T40. http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=MIGR-46474#15

I understand that the board will likely fit in my T42, but my RAM and CPU won't work with it, so in fact, this is not really a replacement for the T42.

From what I understand the actual boards for the T42 (2373-1WU) are 39T5448,39T5448, 27R1987, 93P3769, 93P4156.

[ajkula66 Guru · Accepted solution]

RAM and CPUs are interchangeable between ALL T40/p, T41/p and T42/p units.

The only small caveat would be going from T40/p to newer models since its PC2100 (DDR266) RAM would make T41/p and T42/p run at slower speeds.

Hope this helps.

[sprj]

Perfect thanks!

[systemBuilder]

So your machine will now run a little slower with the new T40 motherboard because the RAM will be clocked slower (PC2100 vs. PC2700).   Overall, though, I doubt that you will notice a difference !!

[Fent]

I have read that you can replace the T42 board with a T43 board.  It would be faster and has a sata controller (and optional switchable graphics).  Its set up to use a PATA drive, but with some mod you can have native sata support. 

[ajkula66 Guru]

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Fent wrote:

I have read that you can replace the T42 board with a T43 board.  It would be faster and has a sata controller (and optional switchable graphics).  Its set up to use a PATA drive, but with some mod you can have native sata support. 

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While one can replace a T42 board with a T43 planar, that swap also implies a different CPU, RAM and heatsink/fan.

Switchable graphics were not an option on any T series prior to T400/500 generation, so no, a T43 board would not offer this upgrade.

With all of that said, a SATA-modded T43/p is a very usable general-purpose machine even by today's standards...

[Fent]

I don't know what CPU, RAM, or heatsink/fan configuration that the T42 has. This may all be true.

It may not be switchable graphics, looks like I may have used that term wrongly, I was refering to the ATI chip.

[ajkula66 Guru]

All T42s and some T43 units indeed use ATi graphics, ranging from Radeon 7500/9000/9600 to FireGLT2 (T42/p series) and X300/V3200 (T43 and T43/p respectively).

I believe that the confusion was caused by the fact that T43 was also offered with Intel integrated graphics. However, at that point in the game (early 2005) there was no attempt to offer both ATi *and* Intel graphics on the same board...