Thinkpad T43 (Type - 1875DMU) Upgrade help needed

[kimberlh]

Hello,   My IBM Thinkpad T43 (Type - 1875DMU) can not handle the high end Corel Draw, Adobe Acrobat Professional, web design program etc. I need to be able to switch between them fast.

 I ran all kind of test using DC-Doctor that came with it and everyone is passing so I think I need more ram. I really don't have to get a new laptop if I can update and get another year out of this one. But I have some question:

1)  Is ram what I need to make the laptop go faster? if so..

2) Is 1GB PC2-5300 (667 MHz) DDR2 SDRAM SODIMM Memory what I need? Click here for product

3)  How hard is it to install?  Do I actually have to take the computer apart?

Thank you Kimberly

[amace]

I would say RAM is definetally what you need.   Go to www.crucial.com and run the memory scanning tool.  It will determine what kind of memory your computer uses, the speed, the max allowed per slot and everything.  From there it will tell you what you should buy, and even offer a link to buy Crucial RAM.  If you don't mind buying online its probably not a bad deal, if you would rather buy from a store, then this will at least tell you exactly what you need. I'm not sure wheteher your computer will take DDR2 or DDR, so I would run the scanning utility first before you buy anything

As for how to install, there are videos on the Lenovo site that show how to install RAM.  I"m not too familiar with the T43, but I believe you install the ram by taking out a screw on the bottom, lifting a flap and putting the RAM in.  With the newer T60 series, its a little harder as you ahve to take off the palmrest to do it.

Message Edited by amace on 05-27-2008 12:34 PM

[ajkula66 Guru]

Your T43 has Intel integrated graphics which will always remain a bottleneck for any serious graphic-intensive application. Don't expect that adding RAM will solve this, although it will make the machine run smoother.

Good luck.

[billbolton Community Moderator]

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kimberlh wrote:
Hello,   My IBM Thinkpad T43 (Type - 1875DMU)

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That T43 model comes with 512MB of RAM as standard, so adding a 1GB memory card would certainly improve overall responsiveness significantly.  Whether it will be fast enough for you depends on your expectations!

I run a T43 1800 series model with 2GB of RAM and do use Acrobat Professional 7.1.0.  For most PDF documents I can switch quickly between Acrobat and other tasks, such as large Word documents, but a poorly formatted PDF (say, with a badly generated watermark) can still bog things down.

Fitting a 1GB module should be easy, as you can do it without any significant disassembling the T43, and as a previous poster noted, there is a "movie" on the Lenovo web site that will guide you through the process.

Cheers,

Bill

[kimberlh]

Thank you, I will check out that web page. I will for sure search for that video to see if it looks easy enough to do. I did find an authorize repair place close by and might take it in there to be a new keyboard also depend on cost.

Kimber

[kimberlh]

Right now I am looking to get another year out of this laptop. My small company invested in managed web hosting due to getting hacked via a smaller hosting company we were using, anyway, I would prefer to wait a year so I can buy what I really want next year instead of what I can afford this year.

So I think this might be the answer

Thanks

Kimber

[kimberlh]

I going to search for the video and see if I think I can replace it myself. I did find a local authorize shop on the Lenovo web site I might take it to. 

Right now I just want to get another year out of this laptop. If I buy a new one now then I have to buy what I can afford, (I own a small company) but if I can put it off one year I should be able to buy a new computer with everything I want like I did when this was the newest laptop on the market. We invested in full managed web hosting this year instead of hiring a tech person which we do not need full time so the spending budget for the year is pretty much shot.

Thanks

Kimberly 

[kimberlh]

Hello, this looks very simple but I want to check on the forum to see if doing this correctly.

Question:  Before I do this - Are these the correct remove and install movies?

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-51504  Remove

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-51505  Install

I need to buy  http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/web/LenovoPortal/en_US/catalog.workflow:item.detail?...  for my 1875DMU

Thanks an advance for your help

Kimber

[ajkula66 Guru]

Both movies are correct for what you need to do. Take the following into consideration though:

a)To be able to get the maximum out of your machine, you'd also need to replace the DIMM under the keyboard, and install total of 2 DIMMs, 1Gb each. It is advisable on T43 and newer machines to have the same size DIMMs for maximizing the performance of a dual-channel RAM.

b) You may want to shop around a bit, since any PC4200/5300 laptop RAM will work in your machine, and will not void any remaining warranty, since it's considered a CRU (customer replaceable unit).

Hope this helps.

[mpw157]

I have two T43 Thinkpads and recently purchased 2 gigs of ram for one of them.  I thought there were two 1 gig chips in the package, but it was a 2 gig chip.  I put it in the T43 under the keyboard and it seems to work fine. 

Question is, should I get two 1 GIG chips to make up the maximum of 2 gigs or will the single 2 gig chip work just fine (not overheat, etc.).

BTW, I left the 512 chip in the base memory slot and the T43 did recognize I had 2.5 gigs, but will it use the memory?

I have not had any problems.  I was going to upgrade to Vista, but it's too much trouble.  Vista is a hog, I like the looks, but I'm a long time XP user and support it at work.

Thanks,

Patrick - mpw157