IBM Thinkpad 600E bios mod for processor update

[Ritchie]

I don't recall any 600MHz processors running faster than 100MHz FSB (ie: 133 or higher). Therefore if you have PC100 memory (and NOT 100MHz memory) like you have installed now, this should match the processor and board nicely at 100MHz FSB.

I wouldn't try to go between 100MHz and 133MHz FSB. Apparently these are not recommended speeds and using them can result in instability problems. From what I know, you would be better off getting 133 capable RAM, board and CPU and locking into 133 FSB than running at 108 FSB. I know from experience that running a CPU at an incorrect or unoffical speed causes problems and I am sure that the FSB speed would be the same.

[Sharedoc]

Definitely 108 Mhz may be too much for the on-board PC66 memory. But it can be disabled as I wrote earlier.

But ... for most quality PC100 memory SODIMM there is no problem to run 108 MHz.

In fact some high quality PC100 SODIMM run even 133MHz without problems. Some go higher than that even. The highest I have successfully tried in 600E was 256M PC100 SODIMM stick at 139MHz FSB as far as I remember right.

Of course it is up to anyone's own choice if he/she want's to go over the specified range or keep on the guaranteed zone.

[Sharedoc]

Sorry, I don't know how to add pictures to the messages here.

The mod to increase Thinkpad 600E FSB bus frequency 8%

Take out MMC2 processor module. Under the processor, to the east (right side) towards the aluminium cage there are three resistors R153, R157, R164. The three resistors are located a bit north-west from the R153 text.

Solder a 1kohm resistor to the east end of R164 and south end of condenser C21, which is to the north-east above the resistor R153.

Put back the processor. Make sure that the resistor does not touch the processor module.

Next boot should give you 8% overclock. You can check it with WCPUID programme, or you can check it with bios setup screen.





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[Sharedoc]

The mod to force SpeedStep processor to start with higher frequency is a bit tricky and may not work for all processors and always. I have myself MMC2-PIII-700MHz processor in Thinkpad 600E which worked with the higher speed for about year but it stopped working with higher frequency after I tried the processor once in 600X motherboard with the mod inserted. After that 600X visit, the processor only works with the lower speed in 600E :(

Additionally, when this mod was ok, to activate higher frquency, it required booting the 600E with battery only (no charger connected). And booting to higher frequency succeeded only about one third of times. So it required usually to boot several times and every time to check with WCPUID program that if it booted at higher frequency. If not then just power-off and reboot until it came on at higher frequency.

After it booted with higher frequency, then the charger can be connected and it will stay at higher speed. However, the syspend to disk will not work (Fn - F4)

-------------------------

Remove the MMC2-processor module. Take a careful look at the back side. Locate Integrted circuit U63. It is the SpeedStep controller circuit with text "JAPAN 724661 02415" (text upside down) on it. It is to the north from condenser C124. Follow the signal line from 4th pin from the low-right. This signal line goes towards text Y60 to the south. Cut this signal line with a knife just above the end-point where there is a pass-through to the upper side of the board. (I don't know the exact terms, sorry. Anyway, pass-trough means that there is a drilled hole which is copper-filled, so that the signal can go through the printed circuit board to the upper side).

On the top level of the board this pass through meets a resistor, south from text C9. Solder to the west end of this resistor a 2.2kohm resistor, and solder the other end of the resistor to north end of condenser C13.
C13 is to west-north from text C9.

Put back the processor module. Make sure the added resistor does not touch anything.

Now boot with battery. Check the speed with WCPUID. Keep doing at least 10 times. It should boot up by that time with higher frequency if it likes to do so. Of it doesn't the undo all the mods and report here. I would be interested to know if others had success.

[Sharedoc]

I can send drawing of the mods by email if you request it (justlink@utanet.fi). Maybe someone can help to insert them here.

[pkiff]

Here are Sharedoc's TP600E CPU Mod Images:

Figure 1a:
http://thinkpads.kiff.ca/images/tp600e_cpumod_fig1a.jpg

Figure 1b:
http://thinkpads.kiff.ca/images/tp600e_cpumod_fig1b.jpg

Figure 2a:
http://thinkpads.kiff.ca/images/tp600e_cpumod_fig2a.jpg

Hope these help.

If the bandwidth to carry these images becomes too large (not likely!) I will replace them with simple hyperlinks to the images themselves instead of having them show up inside the posting as they do now. The actual URLs should remain static indefinitely.

[2004-11-12: I've replaced the inserted images with simple hyperlinks in order to reduce the download times for dial-up users of this forum. The URLs to the images are the same as before and they should remain valid indefinitely.
2007-03-02: I've moved the images to a new server and updated the links here.]

Phil.

[Sharedoc]

Phil,
Thanks

[Sharedoc]

I have received several requests for better photographs. Unfortunately my digital camera does not focus well so near to take good photos on printed circuit boards.

Here is a photo courtesy by Henri_S, another TP600 enthusiast from Finland, showing where R164 and C21 are located (Mod for 8% FSB overclock).

http://www.skippari.net/images/ibm600e_r164_vastus.jpg

[kiop]

I have a PIII 750Mhz, at what speed would it run now(would it run at all??)

Here is a table from tomshardware.com that shows Speedstep clock speeds and voltages:

http://www6.tomshardware.com/cpu/200011 ... pu-05.html

[Sharedoc]

It looks like powerleap has removed that L2 cache enabling utility from their web page.

With google I was able to find that utility from
http://js-http.skycn.net:8181/down/PLea ... _0_0_1.rar

[ajzchips]

The site doesn't allow hotlinking....

[Sharedoc]

I don't understand

[ajzchips]

Seems to work now. Last night it wouldn't work if clicked from within wimsbios.com , perhaps it had a URL referrer-check of some sort. Now it works A-OK....

[beatoem]

[quote="Sharedoc"]I am back in searching a way to put the memory in CAS3 mode. The reason is that I am trying to use 133MHz bus speed. I can run 133 with one 128M PC100 SODIMM memory but not with two memories installed.
do you still have your thinkpad?thank you for the great
info you provided,at this stage i got my tp600e running @702mgz
(108 fsb)i performed the mainbord +speedstep cpu mods exactly as you suggested +it all went exactly as stated.the only glitches are sometimes
(usually when i swap a device in the modular bay)the number 108 comes up on the bootscreen +nothing else happens,no big drama , i repower the notebook it boots clean afterwards untill the bios gets a
device update or something,i am thinking of disabling the 32mb onboard ram ,maybe that will help,conversely i tried to change the fsb with the mod you suggested but linked c21 to r157 instead,the end result was 104fsb,from there i reverted back to r164 +settled on 108 fsb for now.i noticed you were experimenting with 133 fsb,how did that go?
what other speed combinations are possible by connecting c21 to other resistors?really 1ghz is possible with a mmc 2 800+ cpu with the p600e mainboard?got cas3 pc133 ram running right now but the thing that confuses me is if the pci/agp speed divider can cope with 133 fsb.
thanks doc.

[beatoem]

I wouldn't try to go between 100MHz and 133MHz FSB. Apparently these are not recommended speeds and using them can result in instability problems. From what I know, you would be better off getting 133 capable RAM, board and CPU and locking into 133 FSB than running at 108 FSB. I know from experience that running a CPU at an incorrect or unoffical speed causes problems and I am sure that the FSB speed would be the same.[/quote]

we are taking about an intel bx chipset here, they can go beyond
133fsb,to suggest anything inbetween as a no go zone is ludicrous, as i can testify that 108fsb /72/36 is perfectly stable+even with the onboard ram+pc66 sdram i experimented with.also serious builders know only too well that performance gains are not limited only bumping the cpu (fsb)speed by itself,but rather the positive effects the increased pci/agp has to overall performance in a whole,natrually every mboard /combo has its limits but without experimenting to find those limits,your ability to build gunho pc are limited indeed+you learn nothing from true champions like sharedoc.