Guide For ReplacingThe CPU On An R61 Series Notebook

CPU UPGRADE ON AN R61e
This should work for all R61 series Notebooks

I purchased a Lenovo Thinkpad R61e at a great price of $499 w/ $12 shipping from Newegg. This was $200 off their normal price and I was very happy with the purchase but underwhelmed with the amount of memory and the CPU, a 540 single core at 1.86Ghz with only 1MB L2 cache. I quickly rectified the memory shortage by ordering and installing, a 5 minute job, 2GB of Corsair Value Select RAM at a cost of $45 shipped but I still missed the luxury of a powerful dual core CPU with plenty of cache. After researching my socket type, chipset and the available CPUs with the help of some folks at Notebook Review, I settled on a socket P, T7300 Core 2 Duo Mobile CPU with 4MB cache that ran on an 800MHz FSB at 2.0GHz. My current FSB was 533Mhz but the GM965 chipset is capable of 800MHz. As luck would have it a used T7300 Engineering Sample was up for sale at Notebook Review Forums and I purchased that for $140 shipped. As I said, I was new to notebook computers and had never owned one before, much less cracked the case open but I have built many desktop rigs in my time and after reviewing the Lenovo Service Manual, felt that I could install this CPU myself with minimal problems.

The following guide is my effort to help those wishing to do a similar upgrade on their notebook computer. Use at your own risk. I ended up with a Lenovo Thinkpad outfitted with 2GB of RAM and a 2.0 GHz Core 2 Duo CPU for a total cost of $697.00. A similar unit from the manufacturer costs around $1,100 so I am pretty happy with the results and my savings! Plus I understand my notebook computer much better now and am confident I can do any repairs or upgrades it may need in the future.

Notice: I take no responsibility for any errors you make or damage you do to your notebook by following this guide. There are a lot of small and delicate parts involved and I am an experienced system builder (desktops) so what works for me may not necessarily work for you. Follow my steps at YOUR OWN RISK. It is your notebook computer and if you are uncomfortable about messing with it's innards I recommend you find someone with the skills to do a CPU swap. If you've never installed a stick of RAM I'd advise you to not try this. If you have built a PC before or swapped out a CPU in a desktop, then you should be OK. This mod is NOT for beginners.

Tools Needed:
- Phillips head and flat head screwdrivers (jewelers type). See note 1.
- Good lamp that can direct light where you need it
- ESD strap if you live in a static charged environment See note 2.
- Several small containers to put the various screws in. See note 3.
- Arctic Silver Ceramique Thermal Paste (TP) See note 4.
- 90% Isopropyl Alcohol or Arctic Silver Thermal Paste Cleaner (I love this stuff)
- A set of very small needle nose pliers.
- The Service Manual for your Laptop. See note 5.
- Paper Towels or a lint free rag to clean TP off with. A couple of Q-Tips as well. Coffee Filters work great here.
- A clean and large worktable, preferably wood.
- Canned air

Nice To Have Tools but not necessary:
- An illuminated magnifying glass.
- A magnetized screwdriver to pull out screws after you have loosened them and to fish out the microscrews that you will inevitably drop.
Notes:
1. I used a little jewelers screwdriver with different tips stored in the handle. Make sure you get a solid fit as the screws used are a little odd. Also, be advised that Lenovo recommends that you don't reuse screws so if you want to be thorough, order a set of new ones. Info is in your manual and yes I did reuse the screws.
2. I have an ESD pad that I work on and my house is nearly static free. Still, always protect against static. You can buy a strap for under $10 and it only needs to work once to cover its cost 50 time over.
3. You do NOT want to mix these screws up. There are about 20 of them of various sizes and they are small. Some are very small so put each set you remove in a separate container and then write a description of where they were removed from on a slip of paper and put it in the container with the screws. Something like "3 screws, Speaker Bezel, battery compartment". This will save you from large amounts of frustration during reassembly and is a safety factor as you won't leave any screws uninstalled.
4. I use Arctic Silver ceramique here because it is nonconductive and there are some open traces around. Arctic Silver 5 is slightly more efficient but I only use that on CPU's with Integrated Heat Sinks.
5. Download this and keep it open on your computer for quick reference. FRU (Field Replaceable Units) section is a must have and very easy to follow.

Once you have the toolkit set up, take some time to review the Service Manual. You'll have to jump around a bit in it when you finally begin, so familiarity before starting makes for a smoother job. Make sure that you have flashed to the latest BIOS by whatever method you prefer and that Windows is properly patched and all your drivers are up to date.

It took me about 1.5 hours to complete this but I was starting to feel really lousy with a virus I caught so maybe you can get it done in an hour. If it has been awhile since you worked on a computer's insides then plan on two or more hours. Be advised that this may get overwhelming to the point that you can't finish the job if you are completely unfamiliar with how to build a PC. I have built many PCs so the parts and procedures are second nature to me. I don't recommend that you start discovering the workings of a PC by swapping a notebook CPU as you will end up with a broken notebook.

Time to get started.

First step is to remove the battery. After it is out go ahead and press the power switch to discharge any residual electricity in the system. Flip the unit over and remove the 4 long screws that release the palm rest. These are marked as shown in the service manual. Put them in a container with a slip of paper and something that will tell you where they go written on it.

Flip the unit back over and lift the lid, don your ESD and remove the palm rest by squeezing a little on the sides and pulling it gently up and out. Set it aside and you can now see the metal frame and your RAM. You can remove the RAM if you want but I left it in place.


The above is the palm rest area. You can see the RAM installed and the basic laptop framework. Most folks go no further than here when modding a notebook. Fingerprint readers have an additional cable to remove.

Next step is to pull the keyboard. Shut the lid and flip the unit back over. There is a single long screw that holds the keyboard on. The manual shows its position and the screw goes in another container with a strip of paper. The keyboard sits on an attached metal tray. You pull up a little and then slide it out. The keyboard is attached to the motherboard by a delicate ribbon cable so don't yank it up hard. You need to reach in under the keyboard and work that cable connection straight up and out. It has a rubber pad on it but do not pull on the pad. You'll see a strip on the side that helps get the cable out. Once done, set the KB aside in a safe place. Now you can see most of the guts.


The above is with the keyboard removed. That little gold connector is the plug for the keyboard so you can see how it inserts and how you must pull up to remove.

Now it is time to remove the speaker bezel. There are lot's of screws involved so have four containers ready. Shut the lid and flip the unit over. Locate the three screws in the battery compartment (see the manual) and remove them. There are two more screws by the footpads. Remove them and put in another container. Flip the unit back over and remove the two screws holding the ends of the bezel on.

There are 4 more screws at the top in two metal pieces. Also, your wireless antenna runs through some clips here. One is on the left as you look down and the other is at the top. Work the wireless cable out of the top channel and be gentle. Then remove the four screws and put in another container.

Once it is all unscrewed you'll have to remove the speaker cable. It is held in a channel by strips of tape. Gently pull these strips up enough to get the cable out of the channel. Leave the tape attached and in place. Now you'll need that small needlenose to gently pull the speaker cable connector out of its socket. This connector is very small and well in there so be gentle and take your time. Don't crush the plug or pull a wire out. Once the cable is released work the bezel up and out by pulling towards you. Once done, set it aside.

Now you can see the CPU and Northbridge heatsinks and the fan.



The above is the notebook with its Kimono open. Everything is now visible. CPU and NB are in the upper left hand corner. You can see there are a lot of brackets and fittings there that need to go to get at the CPU.

Lot's of screws coming up and some are very small. This is where that magnetic tipped screwdriver comes in handy. Really familiarize yourself with the manual right now so you remove the correct pieces.



The above is a close-up of the CPU area. The silver rectangular part with the long heatpipe snaking towards it is the northbridge. The thick heatpipe with the copper part under it (just below the fan) is your CPU heatsink. The second thumb has the CPU and NB marked



Above is the CPU and NB with the coolers off. The CPU socket is visible with the locking screw just above it. Notice the thick coating of cheap Thermal Paste (your new light coat of quality paste will reduce temperatures a lot). This is what the alcohol and paper towels/lint free cloth is for. That all has to come off.

In the photos above you can see the general layout and brackets that need to be removed. With the cooler off you can see how the CPU and NB contact their corresponding heatsinks. So let's get them off. First step is to carefully pull the wireless wires out of the two channels built into the top of the fan unit. Look carefully at the photos and you'll see how the wires travel along the top and up into the case. Just pry them out with a soft plastic tool or toothpick and get them up and out of the way. Now, remove the two brackets that put pressure on the NB. These also put pressure on the CPU heatsink. One is an L shape and the other is nearly straight. Remove the two screws on each but leave them in the brackets when you remove the brackets. Carefully lay them aside.

Next you remove the two screws on the left side of the CPU heatsink. These screws are in what looks like little cups. These cups ensure proper pressure is applied to the heatsink. Once they are out the entire assembly is free.

The thick thermal paste will probably be hardened on, especially over the NB. Gently rotate a 1/4' or so to either side to loosen the paste. In a worst case scenario you can use a blow drier to heat up the TP and get it malleable. You'll feel the seal break. Once free of the paste slowly pull the entire unit back and up. Don't yank, work it slow and remember that the fan plug is still inserted. You can see the layout in the photos above. Once the fan unit is free, lay it down and using the small needlenose pull the power plug out.

Alright, disassembly is complete and you can now replace the CPU!

First, clean up the CPU and NB contact points on the heatsink. Drench your cloth in alcohol or cleaner and scrub all that TP off of the heatsink. Wipe it dry and clean again. Once it is clean you can work on the NB chip and CPU surfaces. Be a little more gentle here and you must get all that paste off. Get them both clean and make sure the goop is off the NB insulating shroud (black shiny stuff around the NB chip). I use Arctic Silver Ceramique on this type of install because there are open traces around. Ceramique is an excellent TP and better safe than sorry.

Once both chips are clean you remove the CPU. Have the new CPU ready to go. There are 478 pins on the bottom of these CPUs so you have to be very gentle and careful. Static shock at this point ensures a dead CPU so have that ESD on. Using the small flatblade screwdriver turn the black socket lock screw 180 degrees counterclockwise. It gets a little hard in the middle but you'll know you have it unlocked when the socket moves up and releases the CPU. Take note of where that gold triangle is pointing on the CPU PCB. Your new CPU has the same triangle and must point to the same corner. Now pull the old CPU up and out and lay it down on some of the foam your new CPU is packed in.

Pick up your new CPU and place it in the socket slightly canted to the left side so the left side pins line up with their corresponding holes. Gently, very gently, lay the CPU into its socket. Each pin will fall into a corresponding socket hole. DON'T PUSH! I say "fall into" and I mean just that, the CPU will fall into the socket by itself if lined up correctly. Take your magnifying glass and look at the side of the CPU. It should be lying completely flush with the socket surface. If all looks well, then take the flat head screwdriver and turn the locking screw 180 degrees clockwise to lock the CPU in. Look at the photo, the screw should look like that when fully tightened.

Your CPU is now installed. Wipe the surface of the CPU with some alcohol or cleaner to get your finger oils off. Now hit both chips with some canned air to remove dust. Apply a thin layer of Thermal paste to both the CPU and NB surfaces. You can look at the Arctic Silver website for directions on how to apply paste to a CPU with no Integrated Heat Sink. Basically, you smooth a very thin layer over the entire chip surface. I use a toothpick to do this but there are better tools like a credit card. I'm lazy, though and usually have one in my mouth when working so... Rub a little into the contact point areas on the heatsinks as well. Just rub it in with a plastic bag or something to burnish it.

Thermal Paste is used to fill in any deformities on the chips and heatsink surface. These deformities are minute and you need only a very small amount of high quality TP to do the job. Using too much will have an opposite effect that intended, conducting heat from chip to sink, and will actually insulate the chip from the sink causing severe overheating. More is better does not work here. Just a very thin layer evenly applied is perfect.

Once your chips are pasted up, plug the Heat Sink Fan unit power plug into its socket and then slide the heatsink fan unit back into place. Make sure the CPU and NB heatsinks are in contact then give a tiny twist to get the TP settled. Do not remove the HSF unit again, you need to leave it in place now. Insert the two screws into the left side of the CPU heatsink area and get them started into the threads. Don't tighten yet. Now pick up those two brackets and get them in place and the screws started into the threads but not tightened. Make sure all the contact points are properly aligned and if so begin tightening the screws in an X pattern. Corner to corner and all evenly if you get my drift. The idea is to apply pressure across all surfaces evenly. Get them all snugly tightened to about the same torque you felt when you removed them. Once it is in, gently reinsert the wireless cables back into their channels.

That's it! Now you assemble everything in the reverse order. This is where all those containers and slips of paper pay off because you'll know where each little screw goes and won't forget any. Speaker bezel goes in first by connecting the speaker plug back into its socket and then sliding the bezel back into place. Work it slowly and make sure all the little tabs connect properly. This takes some work but it should be flush with the case when it is in. Make sure the wires aren't getting pinched. Once it looks good, replace the two top screws and then work that cable back into the channel. Don't forget that the wireless cable goes into two brackets at the top of the bezel. Make sure the two wireless connection wires are secure in those brackets and not pinched before reinstalling any more screws. Once it is in the channel you reinstall the screws.

Once the bezel is in you slide the keyboard back into place and reinstall its screw.

When the keyboard is properly installed (must be flush all the way around) you put your RAM back in if you removed it and then slide the palm rest back on. There are lot's of little tabs that must seat properly and you'll know it is correct when it is completely flush with the case and the lid locks properly. Reinstall the four screws in the bottom. You're done!

Now look at all those containers. Are there any screws leftover? If so you screwed up because you got in a hurry. All screws must be replaced. If you are good to go, slide the battery back in and plug the laptop in. The LEDs should come on. Now turn it on and hit F1 to go into BIOS.

If you get into BIOS you are 99% assured you did the job correctly. In the configuration window you should see all your memory and the new CPU. If so, hit F10 and boot to windows. Once in windows run CPUz ( available at htp://www.cpuid.com ) and when it comes up it should show your new CPU and the correct FSB (200 for a T7300). Intel chipsets are quad pumped so 200 x 4 is your 800MHz FSB. If CPUz shows your CPU then you have finished and have a new laptop. That first boot to Windows may be rather long as the OS is recognizing and configuring for your new dual core speed demon.

Hopefully you see something like this and if so then Congratulations, you have successfully modded your notebook.

If you don't get a boot up then obviously something is wrong. Check that your RAM is properly seated first. Did you forget to plug the CPU Heat Sink Fan in? Did you pull a wire out that you shouldn't have? Hopefully one of these is the problem but you'll have to disassemble to find the issue.

 

great info thanks