First post, by SmartSailorTV
Hi All, this is one of my Ultimate WindowsXP projects "MicroXP" , completed in 2023.
Entry
In 2023, through a fluke of luck and a trade exchange, I became the owner of a Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Tiny. This unassuming computer, visually resembling a network terminal, cost me a set of parts to modify a Dell Precision T3500 computer. The upgrade was supposed to provide satisfactory smooth performance when emulating a PlayStation 2 on the PCSX2 emulator. What exactly did I give?
1) NVIDIA GTX960 graphics card,
2) 2 Genesis PV65 pads,
3) LGA1366 processor (INTEL XEON X5570 2.93GHz SLBF3),
If we consider that the ThinkCentre M73 kit included an external Lenovo DVD-RW burner (04X2176) with a dedicated bracket (ThinkCentre Tiny 03T9717), the price was quite a bargain.
1. What made this particular little guy the hero of the MicroXP project?
The processor, or rather its integrated graphics unit (iGPU), was the deciding factor. Looking for the smallest computer that could run Windows XP, I wanted a unit smaller than the mITX form factor—the smallest standard motherboard size for desktop computers. The answer was the Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Tiny.
The main feature that distinguishes our star from the above-mentioned network terminals is the desktop processor socket used in it, the LGA 1150 socket, supporting 4th generation Intel processors.
The graphics chips used in this generation of processors are the last iGPUs with drivers for Windows XP.
2. Construction of the M73 Tiny:
On the front panel of the computer you will find a power switch, a USB 3.0 port, a microphone input, a headphone input, a second USB 3.0 port (yellow) – which works when the computer is turned off and can be used as a charging port, an air intake grille / internal speaker.
On the rear panel of the computer you will find a 20V power socket, a DisplayPort, two USB2.0 ports, a D-SUB (VGA) monitor output, an RJ-45 network connector, a third USB2.0 port and covered housing ports: 1. for a WIFI antenna, 2. for another device connected to the internal PCI Express/Mini Card connector.
To remove the top cover, unscrew a single screw and push the cover forward. The cover comes off without much resistance. After removing the cover, you gain access to components familiar from laptops: a 2.5-inch hard drive holder and a typical laptop CPU cooler. Beneath the removed hard drive, you'll find two slots for laptop-grade DDR3 1600MHz SODIMM memory, capable of operating in dual-channel mode.
Interestingly, the computer has an internal speaker (1.5W), just like a laptop. The model presented here has an empty PCI Express/Mini Card slot, allowing you to install, for example, a Wi-Fi/Bluetooth card and route the antenna connector to the back of the case.
3. Modifications
The M73 Tiny model featured here is equipped with a Pentium G3420T processor and 4GB of RAM in a single chip. The "T" in the processor designation indicates that it's a processor with reduced power consumption, which translates to lower temperatures but also lower performance.
To achieve maximum performance while maintaining reasonable temperatures, I decided to replace the Pentium G3240T with an i5-4590T processor. My choice was based on the same 35W TDP in both units, and the highest available HD4000 series iGPU (HD4600) integrated into the i5-4590T.
In addition to upgrading the processor to a higher model, replacing the single RAM stick with two sticks running in dual-channel mode should add a significant boost in gaming, so I replaced the 1x4GB RAM with 2x8GB. 16GB of RAM, of which only 3.5GB will be visible in Windows XP, is obviously overkill, but those are the only sticks I had, and if I successfully install a second operating system on the same drive, 16GB of RAM will provide comfortable internet browsing and office work.
The final essential component is the installed HDD – a Hitachi HGST Z7K500 with a capacity of 500GB. The HDD drive shows no signs of wear and tear, so it remain to serve this computer.
