Help with a Micro ATX build

[topjimmy]

Greetings all,

I have a T41 thinkpad that the mb has gone on. I want to build a mini pc using the parts from it.

The Chip is a 1.6 ghz. I want to use the 80gig HD, and if possible the wifi card. I'm ok with decent onboard graphics and sound.

Any suggestions?

Later
JimC

 

[imported_thefonz]

uh amd or intel? and what socket!

 

[TheStu]

If it is an intel chip, Pentium M style, you can get Socket 479 boards on newegg and the other etailers. The Wifi card will be tricky. The hard drive, if SATA, is pin compatible with desktop SATA drives. If it is IDE, then you will have to get a converter, also easily acquired online. You should also be able to reuse the optical drive.

 

[hmsrolst]

Think about one of these. You can use all of your parts (if the drive is PATA, you'll end up with HDD and optical on the same channel). I have one that I use every day. It's very stable and quiet (especially if you replace the single fan with a 92mm Nexus Real Quiet). And it's smaller than MATX.

 

[topjimmy]

It is a socket 478. As for the case I'm looking for something small and easily portable, for lan parties etc.

Thanks
JimC

 

[TheStu]

socket 478? What is the processor?

 

[topjimmy]

Pentium M from an old laptop

 

[Spike]

I'm not sure about the T41 but many of the other IBM thinkpads have the CPU permanently attached to the mobo, are you sure you can remove it from the board?

 

[hmsrolst]

If your Pentium M is not a BGA (soldered to the mobo), it will work in the SD11G5. The S478/S479 stuff is confusing "nonsense" that Intel introduced to distinguish the Pentium M from the P4. The Pentium M has 478 pins, but is pin-incompatible with the P4 socket 478. Intel called it S479, just to distinguish it.