OT: Need a new ThinkPad, some questions

This is, technically, off-topic, but I'm sure that if any group of people 
can help me with this subject, it's you guys.  :)

My aging ThinkPad R31 has been behaving increasingly erratically over the
past few months.  It started with the display colours going all messed up
periodically (by now it's more often than not), and has progressed to odd
freezes and crashes under both OS/2 and Win2K.  Given that it's over four
years old now, I figure it's time to start shopping.

I already know what I want to replace it: a T43 model with the 15-inch 
1400x1050 display.  Damn, but these are hard to find.  You can only get a
T60 or T61 new nowadays, and while off-lease T43s are not terribly uncommon, 
almost all the ones I can find are 1024x768 models.  The fact that I'm 
living in Japan makes things extra difficult.  

However, I did see a model that looks almost exactly right in Akihabara
(Tokyo electronics district) last week.  It has that silly fingerprint 
reader which I don't want, but I can ignore it if I have to.  Otherwise, 
it's just about perfect...

...except, of course, that it's a Japanese model.  At a minimum, that means
it has the (annoying) Japanese keyboard.  For all I know there may be a 
different BIOS and maybe even other things, too.

My questions, therefore, are:
 1) Can anyone tell me if I can basically convert a Japanese-model T43 into
    the equivalent of a U.S. model simply by replacing the keyboard (and
    maybe reflashing the BIOS)?

 2) On that note, does anyone have experience replacing a ThinkPad keyboard
    with a different language version?

 3) Alternatively, can anyone suggest somewhere else I can look to find a
    US model SXGA+ 15" T43 ThinkPad, either in Japan or from somewhere
that
    will ship to Japan?  (And with a warranty.)

-- 
Alex Taylor
Fukushima, Japan
http://www.cs-club.org/~alex

On Sun, 10 Feb 2008 10:49:54 UTC, "Alex Taylor" 
<mail.me@reply.to.address> wrote:

> I already know what I want to replace it: a T43 model with the 15-inch 
> 1400x1050 display.  Damn, but these are hard to find.  You can only get a
> T60 or T61 new nowadays, and while off-lease T43s are not terribly
uncommon, 
> almost all the ones I can find are 1024x768 models.  The fact that I'm 
> living in Japan makes things extra difficult.  

You are right - I am looking as well. Same situation in the UK - But 
T60's are appearing in my local used equipment outlet. 

-- 
Regards
Dave Saville

On Sun, 10 Feb 2008 10:49:54 UTC, "Alex Taylor" 
<mail.me@reply.to.address> wrote:

> I already know what I want to replace it: a T43 model with the 15-inch 
> 1400x1050 display.  Damn, but these are hard to find.  You can only get a
> T60 or T61 new nowadays, and while off-lease T43s are not terribly
uncommon, 
> almost all the ones I can find are 1024x768 models.  The fact that I'm 
> living in Japan makes things extra difficult.  

You are right - I am looking as well. Same situation in the UK - But 
T60's are appearing in my local used equipment outlet. 

-- 
Regards
Dave Saville

Alex,

On Sun, 10 Feb 2008 10:49:54 GMT, Alex Taylor wrote:

>This is, technically, off-topic, but I'm sure that if any group of people 
>can help me with this subject, it's you guys.  :)
>
>My aging ThinkPad R31 has been behaving increasingly erratically over the
>past few months.  It started with the display colours going all messed up
>periodically (by now it's more often than not), and has progressed to odd
>freezes and crashes under both OS/2 and Win2K.  Given that it's over four
>years old now, I figure it's time to start shopping.
>
>I already know what I want to replace it: a T43 model with the 15-inch 
>1400x1050 display.  Damn, but these are hard to find.  You can only get a
>T60 or T61 new nowadays, and while off-lease T43s are not terribly uncommon,

>almost all the ones I can find are 1024x768 models.  The fact that I'm 
>living in Japan makes things extra difficult.  
>
>However, I did see a model that looks almost exactly right in Akihabara
>(Tokyo electronics district) last week.  It has that silly fingerprint 
>reader which I don't want, but I can ignore it if I have to.  Otherwise, 
>it's just about perfect...
>
>....except, of course, that it's a Japanese model.  At a minimum, that
means
>it has the (annoying) Japanese keyboard.  For all I know there may be a 
>different BIOS and maybe even other things, too.
>
>My questions, therefore, are:
> 1) Can anyone tell me if I can basically convert a Japanese-model T43 into
>    the equivalent of a U.S. model simply by replacing the keyboard (and
>    maybe reflashing the BIOS)?
>
> 2) On that note, does anyone have experience replacing a ThinkPad keyboard
>    with a different language version?
>
> 3) Alternatively, can anyone suggest somewhere else I can look to find a
>    US model SXGA+ 15" T43 ThinkPad, either in Japan or from somewhere
that
>    will ship to Japan?  (And with a warranty.)
>
>-- 
>Alex Taylor
>Fukushima, Japan
>http://www.cs-club.org/~alex
>
>Please take off hat when replying.


  By coincidence I just saw this on VOICE:

Curtis Systems Software P.C.,
http://www.curtisSystemsSoftware.com

Last IBM Thinkpads with IBM drivers, T43p, are available from CSS, Feb 10,
2008,

Beautiful Thinkpad T43p preloaded with eCS!

Limited time offer.

Last IBM Thinkpads with IBM drivers, T43p, are available. Very limited
supply of factory
reconditioned IBM /Lenovo Thinkpad T43p with IBM/Lenovo factory warranty
until 2010.

There's notebooks and then there's Thinkpads!
The IBM/Lenovo warranty repair support system is near the top if not the
top in the industry.

There's operating systems and then there's eComStation.
Here you got both: eComstation on a beautiful Thinkpad!

Don't wait, these machines will not be available very long,

Offer is only available while supplies last.

preloadsAnnounceDESPAM@DESPAMcurtisSystemsSoftware.com


Might want to check it out....

Dave McKenna

Alex,

On Sun, 10 Feb 2008 10:49:54 GMT, Alex Taylor wrote:

>This is, technically, off-topic, but I'm sure that if any group of people 
>can help me with this subject, it's you guys.  :)
>
>My aging ThinkPad R31 has been behaving increasingly erratically over the
>past few months.  It started with the display colours going all messed up
>periodically (by now it's more often than not), and has progressed to odd
>freezes and crashes under both OS/2 and Win2K.  Given that it's over four
>years old now, I figure it's time to start shopping.
>
>I already know what I want to replace it: a T43 model with the 15-inch 
>1400x1050 display.  Damn, but these are hard to find.  You can only get a
>T60 or T61 new nowadays, and while off-lease T43s are not terribly uncommon,

>almost all the ones I can find are 1024x768 models.  The fact that I'm 
>living in Japan makes things extra difficult.  
>
>However, I did see a model that looks almost exactly right in Akihabara
>(Tokyo electronics district) last week.  It has that silly fingerprint 
>reader which I don't want, but I can ignore it if I have to.  Otherwise, 
>it's just about perfect...
>
>....except, of course, that it's a Japanese model.  At a minimum, that
means
>it has the (annoying) Japanese keyboard.  For all I know there may be a 
>different BIOS and maybe even other things, too.
>
>My questions, therefore, are:
> 1) Can anyone tell me if I can basically convert a Japanese-model T43 into
>    the equivalent of a U.S. model simply by replacing the keyboard (and
>    maybe reflashing the BIOS)?
>
> 2) On that note, does anyone have experience replacing a ThinkPad keyboard
>    with a different language version?
>
> 3) Alternatively, can anyone suggest somewhere else I can look to find a
>    US model SXGA+ 15" T43 ThinkPad, either in Japan or from somewhere
that
>    will ship to Japan?  (And with a warranty.)
>
>-- 
>Alex Taylor
>Fukushima, Japan
>http://www.cs-club.org/~alex
>
>Please take off hat when replying.


  By coincidence I just saw this on VOICE:

Curtis Systems Software P.C.,
http://www.curtisSystemsSoftware.com

Last IBM Thinkpads with IBM drivers, T43p, are available from CSS, Feb 10,
2008,

Beautiful Thinkpad T43p preloaded with eCS!

Limited time offer.

Last IBM Thinkpads with IBM drivers, T43p, are available. Very limited
supply of factory
reconditioned IBM /Lenovo Thinkpad T43p with IBM/Lenovo factory warranty
until 2010.

There's notebooks and then there's Thinkpads!
The IBM/Lenovo warranty repair support system is near the top if not the
top in the industry.

There's operating systems and then there's eComStation.
Here you got both: eComstation on a beautiful Thinkpad!

Don't wait, these machines will not be available very long,

Offer is only available while supplies last.

preloadsAnnounceDESPAM@DESPAMcurtisSystemsSoftware.com


Might want to check it out....

Dave McKenna