Thinkpads Forum

Hi,

I've got an M58e (7359DKJ -- Japanese "Eco Ultra Small" model) running an E8400 and I'd like to put a Q9300 in. Do I need to do anything with the heatsink? Its main job is a file server -- no games, no graphics card installed, one 2.5" SSD, no spinning HDD.

https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/In ... /955vs1044

Thanks a lot for your input!

I'm hesitant to put a 95w TDP quad-core in such a small casing. Got a picture of the heatsink?

EDIT:
Is your PC similar to this one? https://silentpcreview.com/lenovo-think ... te-sff-pc/

BTW, that article says it has a 130w power adapter... I don't think a Q9300 is a good idea after all.

Thanks a bunch for the quick reply!

Note: In my system there is only an SSD - no spinning hard drive, so the space above the CPU is mostly empty and little heat produced.

It is this:

While the Q9300 is a 95w TDP CPU, its maximum power dissipation is around 132 watts. https://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Core_2/I ... 9300).html

Also, we don't know if the motherboard's voltage regulators (for the CPU) are designed to handle the higher current needed for a quad-core. Personally, I doubt it, as it's an Eco model.

I've found references to various Quad Core CPUs in HMM, but they are specified for the tower not the small form factor. Also I'm wondering if the stepping needs to be right or will the BIOS block it? Previously I put a Q8300 out of a random HP into an M58 and it worked, but maybe I just got lucky...

Current systems running are: Q8300 (SLGUR), E8400 (SLB9J) and E6550 (SLA9X)

In the end, it's your call. You could look deeper into the motherboard's VRM circuitry and try to figure out its maximum output.
But there's absolutely no safety margin because the 130w AC/DC adapter puts a hard limit to that. Maybe if the CPU is kept under light load, it'll be OK, but, why upgrade to a quad-core in the first place if you can't even make use of its extra "oomph"?

These slim form factor units have a 280 watt external power supply. The reason is because is also used remotely and anything to reduce other sources of slowness in opening applications, etc., is helpful given the inherent lag in remote operation.

I looked at the HMM again and found the Q8300 I took out of the HP just happened to have the right stepping to work, so it was a fluke. This has been working fine since 2019, so I ordered another Q8300 and will just do that.

Now if only I could get non-stop high fan glitch sorted out on the M57...

Thanks for your insight!

Well, if the external PSU is 280w, then you have much more to work with then. If the Q9300 is cheap enough, you could try it.

My mistake -- it's 150 watts! Either one of them came with the wrong PSU or I just had the wrong picture in my mind until crawling under the desk to check.

BTW, the M57 fan issue was solved by... CHANGING THE CMOS BATTERY. Weird that no one on the Lenovo forum thought to try that... So the new Q8300 will go in the M57 (which has a 280 internal PSU). If that doesn't kill it, I'll try something better.