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>> Many TrackPoint users are frustrated with Lenovo's decision to solder RAM in ThinkPads It would be useful to see some statistics about how many soldered RAM

by amts 4y ago

>> Many TrackPoint users are frustrated with Lenovo's decision to solder RAM in ThinkPads It would be useful to see some statistics about how many soldered RAM actually malfunction due to manufacture defect. As I mentioned, a person from a PC repair shop told he didn't encounter any issues with soldered RAM on Lenovo Thinkpad's specifically.

commoner 4y ago
It's difficult to replace soldered RAM when it malfunctions, but that's not the only drawback. The most immediate problem with soldered RAM is that it cannot be upgraded like a standard SO-DIMM stick. Even when a laptop with partially soldered RAM has one free SO-DIMM slot, the soldered RAM limits the amount of total RAM that can run in dual channel mode. Manufacturers including Lenovo also charge much more for soldered RAM upgrades than aftermarket SO-DIMM prices, which is price gouging.
- amts 4y ago
  >>the soldered RAM limits the amount of total RAM that can run in dual channel mode Can it affect running 3d modelling software, like CADs or Blender, on an integrated graphics card with shared (dynamic) memory? As mentioned here [1], at least on a Dell XPS laptop while diy upgrading soldered RAM, it is necessary to resolder a resistor from 1 to 0 position on the board to tell BIOS what RAM to expect. Maybe for E14 thinkpads it is also possible to perform a similar thing, to diy rewire the board to ignore the malfunctioning soldered RAM and use the socketed RAM instead. But how to get all the original thinkpad system board schematics? [1] https://gregdavill.com/posts/dell-xps13-ram-upgrade/ https://gregdavill.com/posts/dell-xps13-ram-upgrade/
  - commoner 4y ago
    RAM in dual channel mode performs better than RAM in single channel mode, but you would have to run benchmarks to measure the impact. I'm not sure about the extent of the difference in the 3D modeling software scenario. I remember seeing that article when it was posted on HN. The stencil alignment looks very intimidating and the entire process is obviously much more difficult than a SO-DIMM replacement, but it's good to know that upgrading soldered RAM may be possible in some cases for those willing to take on the challenge.
    - amts 4y ago
      I've just seen on google (on askubuntu) that it can be possible to make Ubuntu ignore soldered RAM and use the socketed RAM instead. https://askubuntu.com/questions/1428808/can-i-disable-one-slot-of-ram https://askubuntu.com/questions/1428808/can-i-disable-one-sl... "There isn't anyway to disable RAM as far as I know, but there is a way to have Ubuntu ignore the bad RAM, but you need to know the addresses of the RAM in question." Can someone evaluate the plausibility of this?
- amts 4y ago
  I asked a person from a PC repair shop regarding diy rewiring the board in E14 to ignore the soldered RAM, and he told that it is theoretically possible, but there the risk of overheating the board. On the other hand, basing on this Dell laptop diy rewiring case, if soldering all Serial Prescence Detect module resistors to position 0 can make BIOS to expect zero soldered RAM and switch to socketed RAM , such soldering seems doable moderately easily by yourself.

by amts 4y ago

commoner 4y ago

It's difficult to replace soldered RAM when it malfunctions, but that's not the only drawback. The most immediate problem with soldered RAM is that it cannot be upgraded like a standard SO-DIMM stick. Even when a laptop with partially soldered RAM has one free SO-DIMM slot, the soldered RAM limits the amount of total RAM that can run in dual channel mode. Manufacturers including Lenovo also charge much more for soldered RAM upgrades than aftermarket SO-DIMM prices, which is price gouging.

amts 4y ago
>>the soldered RAM limits the amount of total RAM that can run in dual channel mode Can it affect running 3d modelling software, like CADs or Blender, on an integrated graphics card with shared (dynamic) memory? As mentioned here [1], at least on a Dell XPS laptop while diy upgrading soldered RAM, it is necessary to resolder a resistor from 1 to 0 position on the board to tell BIOS what RAM to expect. Maybe for E14 thinkpads it is also possible to perform a similar thing, to diy rewire the board to ignore the malfunctioning soldered RAM and use the socketed RAM instead. But how to get all the original thinkpad system board schematics? [1] https://gregdavill.com/posts/dell-xps13-ram-upgrade/ https://gregdavill.com/posts/dell-xps13-ram-upgrade/
- commoner 4y ago
  RAM in dual channel mode performs better than RAM in single channel mode, but you would have to run benchmarks to measure the impact. I'm not sure about the extent of the difference in the 3D modeling software scenario. I remember seeing that article when it was posted on HN. The stencil alignment looks very intimidating and the entire process is obviously much more difficult than a SO-DIMM replacement, but it's good to know that upgrading soldered RAM may be possible in some cases for those willing to take on the challenge.
  - amts 4y ago
    I've just seen on google (on askubuntu) that it can be possible to make Ubuntu ignore soldered RAM and use the socketed RAM instead. https://askubuntu.com/questions/1428808/can-i-disable-one-slot-of-ram https://askubuntu.com/questions/1428808/can-i-disable-one-sl... "There isn't anyway to disable RAM as far as I know, but there is a way to have Ubuntu ignore the bad RAM, but you need to know the addresses of the RAM in question." Can someone evaluate the plausibility of this?
amts 4y ago
I asked a person from a PC repair shop regarding diy rewiring the board in E14 to ignore the soldered RAM, and he told that it is theoretically possible, but there the risk of overheating the board. On the other hand, basing on this Dell laptop diy rewiring case, if soldering all Serial Prescence Detect module resistors to position 0 can make BIOS to expect zero soldered RAM and switch to socketed RAM , such soldering seems doable moderately easily by yourself.