running Linux on Thinkpad T 420 / T 520 - my both notebooks - which run in the toughest and roughest everyday use..

[dhubs]

dear linux-friends dear community

well - i am so glad to have Linux as a os - with linux i can use notebooks that would never work - with Windows.

and that said - i have to tell you - that i love my old Thinkpads. i own two of them:

T420 & T520: I have never seen such robust devices as in these two Thinkpads. These things have effortlessly withstood even the toughest and roughest everyday use - and have not broken. I have had devices here for years of continuous use: Conclusion: indestructible!!

and now I am about to rework several T520s - and want to do the most with them.

Question: can you also switch from i 5 to i 7 here? (perhaps this is not possible)

honestly - what i want to do is thie following - what I plan to do: I want to:

a. install 2 x 8 GB RAM
b. install an SSD
c. possibly improve the WLAN - is there a card here!? and possibly
d. change the CPU

what do you think about a & b

i think that i will go this way..

Look forward to hear from you

regards

 

[Brickwizard]

d. change the CPU

the CPU will be hard-wired [soldered to the board] so not economically feasible to change

a. install 2 x 8 GB RAM

check first with the manufacturer, the mother board may only support up to a total of 8 GB

b. install an SSD

good idea, although the SATA SSD may not run at full speed it will make quite a difference to boot speed and read/write speed

possibly improve the WLAN - is there a card here!? and possibly

yes you can put a faster WI-FI card in but it is a fiddly job

Addendum RAM the T420 only supports up to 8 Gb the T520 up to 16 GB, both models have the same CPU

 

[kc1di]

I have a T450 8gbs ram and an SSD and it is tough and runs well with whatever Linux I've put on it. The I5 CPU is better in my opion that the I7 But if you can up the ram it would be good. Good luck with your plans.

 

[dhubs]

hello dear @kc1di , hello dear @Brickwizard

many thanks for the replies - and for sharing your ideas. Thanks alot
these ideas encourage me

i am very glad

greetings

 

[Raluxs]

Hi, I am running Mageia Linux on a T440 with a Sata SSD a 8Gb ram. runs great

 

[dhubs]

hi dear Raluxs

hi and wellcome to the forums -

Hi, I am running Mageia Linux on a T440 with a Sata SSD a 8Gb ram. runs great

thank you so much for sharing your experience with us!
well - fully convinced - i will buy a SSD and will add some RAM


happy !!

thank you so much.

have a great day

 

[MikeWalsh]

@dhubs :-

Yup; I concur with the other posters.

I don't run a Thinkpad - Dell fan, here! - but I do agree.

IF you can "up" the RAM, go for it.....makes a BIG difference to multitasking, OR running resource-intensive applications (or games, if you're that way inclined).

IF you can get an SSD, go for it....makes a HUGE difference to general system speed and responsiveness.

However, as m'colleague @Brickwizard has stated, almost all laptop CPUs are soldered - i.e., "hardwired" - direct to the motherboard. It's possible to swap 'em, yes.....but it's incredibly fiddly and you definitely need to know exactly what you're doing. For the average user, it's really on the "no can do" list. Experts only need apply....

(I've only ever come across ONE laptop with a true CPU "socket"; this was my ancient 2002 Dell Inspiron laptop, and was back in the days of the Pentium 4.......Intel were still perfecting the BGA (ball-grid array) technology at that point in time, so most laptops of the era used a special ZIF-cam 'mobile' version of the standard desktop socket. The latter used the up-and-over lever at the side; the mobile versions typically used a 'cam' arrangement, with this operated by a screw to one side instead).

The following images show this 'screw-cam' arrangement. As far as I can understand, this was only ever used on the standard P4 478-pin sockets, and some Pentium M 479-pin sockets; certainly, I've never seen it used elsewhere.....though of course, at one time the Pentiums of all flavours were ubiquitous, and found everywhere).

https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1lRDWHVXXXXbrXXXXq6xXFXXXn/Stock-TYC-O-CPU-479PIN-BGA-CPU-socket-connector-screws-MPGA479m.jpg

https://www.legitreviews.com/images/reviews/181/asusct479-6.jpg

Mike.