Where to buy Mobile CPU upgrades?

[msbendts]

After reading the Mobile CPU Guide that wonderfully describes the various different CPUs, I have the urge to upgrade my laptop.

Does anyone know of a source which sells mobile CPUs? Specifically the older MMC-1 variety?

I have a IBM ThinkPad 770 that currently has a 233MHz Pentium MMX (!!), and I'm hoping (praying) that I can find a 300-400MHz Celeron or Pentium II (in the MMC-1 package).

I'll take any leads!

Thanks...

 

[Guest]

I believe you will find that almost all moble CPUs are soldered directly to the motherboard and not replaceable. I would suggest that you carefully consider if your usage is really CPU intensive and that a larger HDD or more memory might be an acceptable upgrade path.

It all depends on wht you are doing, but I can tell you that every time I have considered upgrading to a larger HDD or or more memory I have opted to buy a new system because older notebooks are usually prohibitively expensive if they need repair. I keep my machines about 3 years and use a notebook as my one and only machine. If your machine is in a supporting role and not being worked hard on a daily basis then an upgrade might be just the right thing.

As a notebook only user I am really excited to see Tom's get into the notebook arena with Uwe Van Der Weden's opening article on Notebooks.

Lgude

 

[Guest]

Hello,
i have contacted Intel about the MMC1 Upgrades. This CPU type is phased out. Maybe some distributors still have some stocks, but Intel does no ship MMC1 CPUs anymore.

UvdW

 

[msbendts]

<b><font color=red>UPDATE!!</font color=red></b>

I've been scouring the web the last couple of weeks trying to locate **ANYONE** who can help me upgrade my 233MHz Mobile Pentium MMX (MMC1 packaging) to, well, anything!

I have had no luck so far, but here are some interesting links that I would like to share with everyone (sorry if these are IBM specific, but that is what my laptop is):

<b>Government Industry Data Exchange Program (GIDEP)</b>
<A HREF="http://www.gidep.org/dmsms/dmsinfo.htm" target="_new">http://www.gidep.org/dmsms/dmsinfo.htm</A>
Neat site to show what manufactured products are being discontinued. Specifically, July 9th, 2000's listing shows several mobile Pentium II (MPPM1PDAxxxA) and mobile Celerons (MPPM2PDAxxxA) in the MMC1 packaging are no longer being offered by Intel. <A HREF="http://www.gidep.org/dmsms/jul09-00.htm" target="_new">http://www.gidep.org/dmsms/jul09-00.htm</A>


<b>BlueStar Computer Corp</b>
<A HREF="http://www.bluestarusa.com" target="_new">http://www.bluestarusa.com</A>
They carry parts for IBM & Compaq systems, but only sell to you if you have a TAX ID. They can direct you to one of their channel outlets if they do have what you need though.


<b>MOD 1's IBM Parts Warehouse</b>
<A HREF="http://www.ibmhardware.com" target="_new">http://www.ibmhardware.com</A>
This seems to be an independent (non-IBM) company which deals strictly in IBM parts and supplies.

<b>Advanced Computer Services</b>
<A HREF="http://www.acsparts.com" target="_new">http://www.acsparts.com</A>
They have parts for IBM and Toshiba products.

<b>Impact Computers</b>
<A HREF="http://www.impactcomputers.com/notebookparts.html" target="_new">http://www.impactcomputers.com/notebookparts.html</A>
They carry parts for IBM, Apple, and Toshiba notebooks.


<b>Intel's Mobile CPU Site</b>
<A HREF="http://www-cs.intel.com/support/processors/mobile" target="_new">http://www-cs.intel.com/support/processors/mobile</A>
A starting point for the Intel mobile CPU's, off this link are the POC (Product Order Code) numbers which OEM's use for ordering the component.

Finally, if you search <A HREF="http://www.ComputerShopper.com" target="_new">http://www.ComputerShopper.com</A> for <i>mobile intel</i>, you'll get a list of what Intel currently has on the marketplace. <A HREF="http://computershopper.zdnet.com/texis/cs/text_search.html?catid=99&psearch_term=mobile+intel" target="_new">http://computershopper.zdnet.com/texis/cs/text_search.html?catid=99&psearch_term=mobile+intel</A>


As for my search...(at the moment) it looks like the best I can do is upgrade from a 233MHz Pentium MMX to a 266MHz Pentium MMX.

Mike

 

[Guest]

I had the same problem as you. I'm afraid the only way for you is either the Pentium 266MMX upgrade or a new notebook.

here's why:
I had a ASUS P6300 notebook with Pentium 233MMX in MMC1 cartridge (just like you).
according to sources like Tom's hardware you should be able to upgrade to any other CPU if it comes on an MMC1 module. so I thought. I was able to source a supplier for a PentiumII 300Mhz on an MMC1 module. I purchased it for £140,- (I live in London/England).
the module fits in the sockets but the computer did not boot with the PentiumII 300. I don't know if prior to changing the CPU I should have updated the BIOS but I couldn't find anywhere a hint to do so and to my knowledge I have the latest BIOS for this notebook anyway (the notebook is long out of production). the article about upgrading notebook CPU's on Tom's Hardware didn't mention anything like a BIOS upgrade either.
luckily I was able to swap back to the old Pentium 233MMX and the notebook did boot up again. the only problem I had than is that it didn't run on battery anymore because it didn't recognise it, even though the battery was fully charged and in perfect working order. I suspect that the PentiumII 300 module screwed somehow the power-control board that manages between battery and AC power use.
I suspect the PentiumII 300 won't work in the notebook because Pentium MMX and PentiumII have a different architecture and need different support chip sets, so the northbridge for the PentiumII, that sits on the MMC1, won't work with the southbridge on the notebook mainboard that is designed for the Pentium MMX.
If I'm wrong with this and anyone knows why it doesn't work, please let me know. maybe Tom is reading this here and can tell me.

If you wanna try your luck I still got the PentiumII 300Mhz.

respect

 

[msbendts]

Thanks for the offer, but I'll have to decline. As I posted in my "Tossing my investment..." note, I found out that the CPU is soldered to the CPU Card, and I have to have a special CPU Card for my laptop.

I wouldn't be able to use the 300MHz Pentium II processor even if you sent it to me.

Best bet would be to try to recover your costs by putting it for sale on eBay.

Thanks for your offer though!

Mike

 

[Guest]

Yes, I rather sell your laptop on ebay or buy a new one.

My parents brought me a SONY Vaio Laptop just 2 years ago and damn, a lot of stuff has changed since they brought it for me.
I think I'm gonna sell it on ebay.
Specs:
Intel Pentium II 333MHz 256on-die Cache
Sony Generic Ram PC100 128SD Ram (64mb onboard)
IBM Travelstar 6.48Gb UltraATA66
14.1 XGA TFT Display
Toshiba 2X DVD-ROM / 24X CD-ROM combo
Neomagic MagicMedia256 AV 2.5mb embedded mem
Rockwell 56kbps Modem + Ethernet Adapter
Wireless transimssion +++ etc etc
Anyone interested...gimme a buzz... US$ 2,000 haha expensive!