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    ThinkPad SL400 Hardware Upgrades?

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by DrPangloss, Jan 11, 2009.

  1. DrPangloss

    DrPangloss Notebook Guru

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    I just bought the absolute base model SL400 and want to put in some more RAM and bigger harddrive.

    Can anyone recommend something to suit?

    It has 1GB memory and
    80GB Hard drive at the moment.

    I'd like to got to 4GB
    and 250GB

    or thereabouts .

    Thanks
     
    DrPangloss, Jan 11, 2009
    #1
  2. Arki

    Arki Super Moderator

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    Both good starts. I can't really think of anything else other than going Vista 64-bit for the 4GB RAM.

    I would check the RAM Deals thread for prices and Newegg for an HDD.

    Make sure to get the proper memory sticks and laptop HDD.
     
    Arki, Jan 11, 2009
    #2
  3. DrPangloss

    DrPangloss Notebook Guru

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    Will XP be ok on the 4GB? I had Vista on the XPS and didn't like it at all.

    Any particular brand or speed of HD? Is SATA 5400 pretty much my only choice? Or RAM?
    Are some brands consitently better than others?
     
    DrPangloss, Jan 11, 2009
    #3
  4. ZaZ

    ZaZ Super Model Super Moderator

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    3GB is the max for 32 bit XP. 64 bit XP can do 4GB, but has woeful driver support. Vista runs pretty decently on my R60, but interestingly is sluggish on both my AMD desktops, which have more memory and faster CPUs.

    Buy memory on price. Get another 2GB stick.

    There are 7200RPM drives if you need more performance. I personally like Seagate drives at the moment. A Seagate drive offers you a free download of DiscWizard. It's a limited version of True Image, a very good imaging tool.
     
    ZaZ, Jan 12, 2009
    #4
  5. DrPangloss

    DrPangloss Notebook Guru

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    I have a really old CD with XP on it, will that be no good? I guess it's the original XP without any service packs or anything.
    I have Windows 2000 and a Vista but it's registered already. I guess you can't use it again.
     
    DrPangloss, Jan 12, 2009
    #5
  6. mrjohn

    mrjohn Notebook Consultant

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    I'd recommend getting two matched 2gb sticks so that they can run in dual channel mode (mixing a 1gb and 2gb stick will have lower performance). DDR2 SODIMMs are dirt cheap now.

    Would 2nd seagate drives - I buy nothing else and haven't done since 1998.
     
    mrjohn, Jan 12, 2009
    #6