IBM ThinkPad 560X
Intel Pentium MMX @ 233 MHz
IBM listed the maximum RAM for this system as 96 MB. This was because at the time it was made, 64 MB EDO memory was the largest size available. Since its release, 128 MB EDO memory came out.
Paired with the 32 MB of RAM onboard, adding a 128 MB stick will bring the total memory to a whopping 160 MB.
Here is the RAM module that I used:
Dell Latitude
8038E, KTD-CP/128
(128MB 144 pin EDO SODIMM, 60ns)
With 160 MB RAM installed:
- Windows XP install couldn't finish (the display would go out). I had to drop back to 96 MB to get it to install.
- Windows 98 SE couldn't even finish booting (it froze with a corrupted display).
- DSL Linux had corrupted display.
Puppy Linux worked, and Windows XP worked just fine with 160 MB after its installation was finished.
CF to IDE adapter I used:
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812186050
~$18 shipped
"SYBA SY-IDE2CF-NB25 Ultra IDE to Compact Flash Adapter - Retail"
CF card I used:
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220460
~$32 shipped
(although I got mine for $28 shipped from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002YGTS10)
"Patriot Signature 8 GB 266x CompactFlash Memory Card PSF8G266CF"
Something to note:
Because of when it was made, the ThinkPad 560X uses a proprietary 40-wire PATA/IDE cable, which limits any drive to ATA/33 maximum. (It doesn't matter how fast your drive is, it will never get more than ~33 MB/sec.)
Original hard drive:
IBM, 4 Gigs, 4200 RPM, UDMA2
New drive:
Patriot, 8 Gigs, "266X" (40 MB/sec max reads), UDMA5 (limited to UDMA2 by the IDE connection)
HD Tach 2.70 numbers:
Old (HDD):
Random Access Times: 21.4 ms
Random Read Speed Average: 5.3 MB/sec
New (CompactFlash):
Random Access Times: 0.9 ms
Random Read Speed Average: 21.4 MB/sec
A little better, right?