Vantec NexStar JX NST-358SU3-BK External Drive Enclosure

https://video.hardlimit.com/w/3iULKXcnPRt1jGUZ8eTEYB

Part 4/4 following up on the thread:
The continuing efforts with the #ThinkPad #W510: Though that 32GB tested out fine with #MEMTest86plus v7, that does not mean the #BIOS and other circuitry in a W510 can handle 32GB. Thanks to the local vintage computing group cluing me in that e820 BIOS routines were not tested against 32 GB of physical memory. If wonky, then that could confuse the bootloader – the issues I was running into.

On their suggestion, I replaced the #DIMMs with four (4) 4GB DIMMs totaling 16GB. Ran #MEMTest86+ and they passed.

Reinitiated the #Win11 install, and the install worked! But like the #Win10 #x86 install I had on here previously; #Windows is dog slow on this laptop. It was usable, was able to update the latest patches and such, but painful and not the end user experience I wanted. With only a i7 1.6Ghz processor, this may be the cutoff for usability. Any of the i5 or i7 ThinkPads with >2Ghz processors ran Win11 with minimal issues and certainly not with this slowness I experienced.

So, I have re-thought my plans for this #laptop reinstalling #debian latest and thinking about what to do next for my workbench needs. Need to do some research on which other #Lenovo #thinkpads have #eSATA ports which would have faster processors than this W510.

#siliconValley #SillyValley #sanfrancisco #sanfran #sanfranciscocomputers #sanfrancomputers #sanfranciscovintagecomputers #sanfranvintagecomputers #sanfranciscovintagehardware #sanfranvintagehardware
#vintagecomputing #vintagecomputint #vintagecomputer #vintagecomputers #vintagecomputalk
#vintagehardware #computerHistory #retro #VCF #vintageComputerFestival
#retrocomputing #retroComputers #WallOfRetro #retroTech #retroTechnology
#nerdsOfVintage #happyNerding
#computer #tech #computerHardware #laptop #laptops
#IBM #thinkpad #thinkpads #VintageThinkPad #X86 #WindowsVista #IBMhardware #lenovoHardware #Thinkpadnium
#upcycle #restore #TechnologyRepair #ThinkPadRepair #WasteNotWantNot

Part 1/4
The continuing efforts with the #ThinkPad #W510:
A nice surprise is this has four (4) #DIMM slots, so I was able to upgrade the memory to 32GB (and tested out fine with #MEMTest86+ ver 7)!

Unfortunately, getting an #OS installed has been problematic. As I mentioned previously, to use this as my #workbench #laptop for testing, #imaging, and #wiping #HardDrives and #SSDs (leveraging that #eSATA port) all the manufacturer and optimal #opensource tools are on #Windows.
I started with the #Win11 LTSP: Booted up fine, initial install was fine – and the initial boot want to a black screen with a blinking cursor.
Ok, let me try #Win10 64-bit LTSP with the same results: Booted up fine, initial install was fine – and the initial boot want to a black screen with a blinking cursor.

#siliconValley #SillyValley #sanfrancisco #sanfran #sanfranciscocomputers #sanfrancomputers #sanfranciscovintagecomputers #sanfranvintagecomputers #sanfranciscovintagehardware #sanfranvintagehardware
#vintagecomputing #vintagecomputint #vintagecomputer #vintagecomputers #vintagecomputalk
#vintagehardware #computerHistory #retro #VCF #vintageComputerFestival
#retrocomputing #retroComputers #WallOfRetro #retroTech #retroTechnology
#nerdsOfVintage #happyNerding
#computer #tech #computerHardware #laptop #laptops
#IBM #thinkpad #thinkpads #VintageThinkPad #X86 #WindowsVista #IBMhardware #lenovoHardware #Thinkpadnium
#upcycle #restore #TechnologyRepair #ThinkPadRepair #WasteNotWantNot

The next #thinkpad on my #workbench is a #W510 – it has an #eSATA port as well as multiple #USB3 ports, #expresscard, #displayport, #smartcard, memory card reader, #DVD/#CDRW, with a max 16GM of #DDR3 #RAM so it can run #Win11 (if you are careful) or #linux with ease. This will be a good replacement for my workbench laptop for testing and #wiping #HardDrives and #SSDs

But: the processor is only an i7-Q720 1.6 Ghz
This will be a dog with #Windoz

So I am researching which & where to get a #CPU upgrade.
According to #thinkwiki https://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:W510 Some models came with an Intel Quad Core Extreme Processor i7-920XM (2.0GHz 1333MHz 8MB L3).

But wowzas the couple I found were expensive as all hell.

Any thoughts on
a) where to find one of these #CPUs at a reasonable cost; possibly locally in the SF bay area?
b) Is/are there other #CPUs that would work in the W510 motherboard that would provide more bang for the buck?

TIA!

#siliconValley #SillyValley #sanfrancisco #sanfran #sanfranciscocomputers #sanfrancomputers #sanfranciscovintagecomputers #sanfranvintagecomputers #sanfranciscovintagehardware #sanfranvintagehardware
#vintagecomputing #vintagecomputint #vintagecomputer #vintagecomputers #vintagecomputalk
#vintagehardware #computerHistory #retro #VCF #vintageComputerFestival
#retrocomputing #retroComputers #WallOfRetro #retroTech #retroTechnology
#nerdsOfVintage #happyNerding
#computer #tech #computerHardware #laptop #laptops
#IBM #thinkpad #thinkpads #VintageThinkPad #X86 #WindowsVista #IBMhardware #lenovoHardware #Thinkpadnium
#upcycle #restore #TechnologyRepair #ThinkPadRepair #WasteNotWantNot

Well some further testing confirmed the #usb port on the #dell #lattitude #e4200 is #DOA

Dam weird how it died in the middle of running a hard drive test with a USB drive dock connected 🙄

Thankfully the combination #esata & USB port works fine, but limits capabilities in drive testing/connecting drive docks.

As well as I remembered I have a Dell #dockingstation - port replicator

So... I think the plan is upgrade the #RAM to the max 5 GB and see how well #windoz10 runs on it, and then #linuxmint using the USB & esata in the port replicator

#vintagecomputing #computerhardware #hacker

Success! found an "Sonnet Tempo SATA Express Card 34 with 2 eSATA Ports" over on #eBitch aka #eBay

A good seller experience - timely shipping, arrived promptly - packing could be better though, wrapped in a #walmart #wallyworld bag inside a cardboard box? 🤦‍♂️

The #Expresscard was auto-detected in #windows10 on the #lenovo #R400 as a "Silicon Image SiI 3132 #SATALink Controller", drivers were pulled from online and installed, and I was wiping an old hard drive in my #eSATA drive dock in minutes.

#computing
#vintagehardware
#hacking
#hackers
#hardware
#hardwarehacker
#hardwarehacking
#upcycling
#personalComputing
#personal_computing #vintagetech
#vintagecomputing
#geek
#hacker
#ebay_finds #BoycottWalmart #WalmartSucks

This "ez-dock" is not so easy - in fact I think it is #DOA. Been #troubleshooting this issue all weekend where the doc and the drive were not accessible.

The Unknown, new to me #PCMCIA/ pc card that has no #windoz10 drivers - Silicon Image SiI #3512 serial ATA controller providing two #eSATA ports that I was hoping to use for hard drive testing.

Took it as an opportunity to throw #Linux on this #t43 #ibm #thinkpad - decided on #MX running #fluxbox which seems to run rather well on this #vintagehardware and limited #RAM

Initially the eSATA card would light up, then would go dark with no visibility onto the drive media. Figured out how to configure #automount and tested with a different drive dock - and we have success! Confirmed the #pcmcia card works, and this other #unitek drive dock works! 😸

Tried the ez-dock via #USB and still no joy. Such a finicky #pos

#vintagetech #vintagecomputing #geek #hacker #makeshitmonday #modshitmonday #opensource

anyone have any #PCCARD #expresscard sitting around, hopefully for #eSATA or #usb3 ? I'm looking for some with a #vintagecomputing project currently on my #workbench - #IBM and #lenovo #thinkpads

Shopping for them online has been problematic... and there are none on #craigslist in my area.

#computing #vintagehardware #hacking #hackers #hardware #hardwarehacker #hardwarehacking #upcycling #freecycle #personalComputing #personal_computing #lazyweb

@cannibal

I'm bringing back there two #Lenovo #Thinkpads: an #R400 & a #W500. Both are curb finds - scrounge some power supplies, they both booted up fine. Ordered a battery to replace the missing one on the R400 and the #SODIMM upgrades that I did not already have on hand to max out the memory on both. Also ordered a #PCMCIA card to add #eSATA and one for #USB3 capabilities for my drive docks.

The R400 is running #Win10 32 bit just fine, the W500 is next. Yea, #windoz for some hard drive testing software that only runs on #windowz 😞

The #T45 is next with a lightweight #Linux or #BSD distro. Pictures & updates on a future #makeshitmonday

#makeShit #upgradeShit #reuseshit #curbfinds #vintagecomputing #vintagehardware #windoz #laptop #laptops #ibm #IBMThinkpad #upcycle #upcycling #upcycled #upcycler #hardware #computers #computer #computer_hardware

There are #HighFalutin variants where-in I get an #esata drive for the local bbs but for now a boring thumbnail sized 16gb usb3 flash is plenty plenty plenty. Oh this age does have many great devices, big & especially especially small. #lowend #worship!