PatchySan's Guide to Clean Installing Windows 7 on the ThinkPad

My company started to offer Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit for free and I know that this is supposed to be the version of Windows 7 with maximum capabilities but I was wondering if there is any advantage of using Windows 7 Professional 64-bit over the Ultimate version?

 

If you ignore BitLocker drive encryption, Professional and Ultimate editions are identical. Boring details here.

 

Good to know about BitLocker. I know thiis a little off-topic but Does it work with any drive including SSDs and if you or someone tried it before, is it a reliable friendly-user encryption tool?

 

I have a question here: if I transfer my SSD from T530 with quad-core i7 with nVidia to the exact same T530 specs but with dual-core i7 with Intel HD4000 only, do I have to do a fresh install of everything or is it recommended to do so? I already did it and there is nothing wrong and everything is working fine but I wonder if I still should do it?

 

You don't need to reinstall everything again, given the model system is the same albeit with a few component differences it should just resume like normal. I've changed my T420 processor from a i5-2410M to a i7-2720QM then back down to a i5-2520M using the same drive and during each time the OS just refreshes itself to recognise the new processor. But apart from that all the applications and files were intact just like before.

 

Thanks for a great advice and for your wonderful well-recognized guide. I agree with you and all what Windows requested is just a quick restart.

 

This guide is a savior. Before I start I'd like to get confirmation on a few things...

1. At what point do I switch out the OEM HDD for my SSD? It seems like I should during the preparation phase, then plug in the flash drive with the Installation files and restart. Is that right?

2. This process doesn't remove Win7 from the OEM HDD if I'm installing it onto the SSD, right? Could I remove Win7 from the HDD to get more space by deleting the Sys32 folder from the HDD, or is that not advised?

3. What size partition should I make with a 128GB SSD? I was thinking 64GB sounded reasonable.

 

Ideally when you made your recovery discs, backed up the Windows activation using ABR and gathered the drivers from the SWTOOLS folder then you can safely swap over to the SSD.

Simply swapping the drives over will not affect the data, they will still be intact unless you specifically want to format the OEM HDD for additional storage space which is fine. Should something go wrong then don't worry as the Recovery Discs will have you covered even if you wiped out the OEM HDD beforehand.

64GB should be fine as an OS partition.

 

I'm running into an issue. When I use the MS USB/DVD tool and choose the Windows 7 Sp1 file I downloaded - it says "the selected file is not a valid ISO file."

What gives?

 

Did you download an official Windows 7 ISO? Such as those found at this site:

Official Windows 7 ISOs

 

I realized that the file I dled wasn't complete and stopped at 2.1gb instead of 3.1gb

I dled it again, and it did the same again.

I used another computer and another browser and it worked.

But, now I've another problem. My graphics are showing 4.9 after the fresh install. This is W530 with K-1000M card.

 

May I ask what is the significance of Step 7 in the installation phase of the guide? I have installed my new SSD in different ThinkPads without doing this step and incurred no problem?

"Step 7: On this screen you’ll be shown a list of partitions that you’ll be able to install Windows on as shown below. But before we come to that we need to load our Intel RST/AMD SATA drivers first. On the bottom left there is an option called “Load Driver”, click on that to open a new prompt window."

 

If you haven't done Step 7 then it will use the default Microsoft AHCI SATA Driver instead so it will still work. It's just some SSD's perform a bit better using the Intel RST drivers (of course there are a few others which run better vice-versa). The main reason for this step is that should you want to use the Intel RST drivers after you installed the OS then you need to install the additional Intel software on top. Performing Step 7 will bypass the need for the Intel software and enable you to obtain the main driver directly which can be ideal for those who want a lean OS system.

 

Do you have an idea if Samsung 830 benefit from this additional step?

 

Not only is this true, I had stability issues until I used the Intel driver (after installing the OS). So yes, you should install the Intel driver during OS installation.

 

Deems like there is an agreement about a benefit from this step. I am planning to do it this time but I am confused about where can I find this driver? Would someone please elaborate in more details where can I locate it stating the directory path if possible?

Also, I am still hesitated of whether I should install a Windows Ultimate copy that I have or just use the Windows Professional key supplied by Lenovo to freshly install Windows Professional?

 

Grab the Windows 7 versions (64 and 32 bit) here. You probably want f6flpy-x64.zip if installing a 64-bit version of Windows.

Instructions:

1. Extract all driver files from the installation package.
2. Put the following files in the root directory of your USB stick:
   iaAhci.inf, iaAhci.cat,
   iaStor.inf, iaStor.cat,
   iaStor.sys, and
   TxtSetup.oem.
3. During the operating system installation, after selecting the location to install Windows, click Load Driver to install a third party SCSI or RAID driver.
4. When prompted, insert the USB drive you created in step 2 and press Enter.
5. Highlight the selection that is appropriate for the hardware in your system and press Enter.
6. Press Enter again to continue. Leave the USB drive in the system until the next reboot as the software will need to be copied from the drive again when setup is copying files.

Let us know how it goes. I installed the driver after installing the OS (which is a viable, easier and Intel-recommended option, but as noted, you'll then have the Intel software running in the background), so I can't be 100% sure every step here is exact.

 

Thank you very much for taking the time to provide a step-by-step explanation of how to do it. I will let you know when I do it on Wednesday. Should I use the SCSI driver if I only have one SSD and not a RAID configuration?

 

Since there's only one driver file (i.e. there's nothing to chose other than 64 or 32 bit) and you won't have RAID set up, I suspect you'll only have one option to select. But having not done that step myself, I can't be sure.

 

Thanks again for your advice. I appreciate your help!

 

Hi,

I am getting my X1 Carbon later today, and I wanted to do a fresh install of windows 7. But, I didn't understand some parts of the guide on installing windows 7. How can I get the W7 installation onto my USB, and complete the task?

 

I'm getting my x230 soon and I was wondering if there was a way to burn the DVDs using another computer with a burner? Can this be done via wifi or Ethernet? Or totally impossible?

 

Just buy an external one from best buy. open it carefully, use it, and return it. that's what i did.

 

download this: Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool

 

I cannot believe that people do such things without any ethical considerations and do not even stop here but advise people to do so as well!

 

Amen. That's one of the reasons electronics cost what they do, especially at brick and motor stores.

 

So any thoughts on doing this (burning the discs over ethernet or wifi)? Or am I stuck with just using a USB drive?

EDIT: Im creating the Recovery Discs using USB right now. Is there any way to transfer the whole content of the USB to DVD and be usable?

 

I do not know the answer for this question but I just wanted to make sure that you have partitioned the USB to have a system partition that would make the USb bootable. Otherwise, you will not be able to use it as a recovery tool.

 

DVD burners are so damn cheap; I just ordered one (Samsung SE-208, #1 rated on Amazon) external slim dvd burner for under $30 shipped. Comes very handy if your laptop doesn't have one or you're using 2nd hdd caddy instead.

 

During the site update a large portion of the information was lost from Hearst's instructional posts. The right side of the posts were cut off... I hope he (or the mods) can edit them to correct the issue as it helps many.

 

Are you sure, i remember having a chat with Hearst on steam and him complaining that he had to redo some parts for his guide because of the transition. In any case, it's not something the mod team can fix as we're not in the business of modifying posts unless they go against the rules or we get a request from the poster for something he/she can't do himself like editing a thread's title.

I can't recall what the guide was like before the transition though...

 

Unfortunately the vBulletin upgrade had majorly affected the layout of the page. The original design was adapted for vB3 but vB4 uses a completely new table structure so HTML tables gets mistranslated with lines and gaps. If I try to edit it directly it makes the situation worse unfortunately, I still can't get my head round using vB4's own table tool so I am trying to find ways to overcome the layout problem but it's not easy.

This is a small image of what it was like before the vB4 upgrade:

 

I see what you mean now, all the info is there (i guess), but for some reason you're loosing horizontal space and since vertical space is at a premium... You aren't the only one who was surprised by the changes in vB4.2, especially the fact that for some reason tables now seem to require a mix of html and BB code which is weird to say the least.

 

Is there anyway I can verify the Intel rapid storage driver was correctly installed when I installed windows?

 

You can check to see if the Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver had been installed by going to the Device Manager and check under the IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers section.

 

Alright thanks Hearst!

 

Thanks for taking the time to write this amazingly helpful guide! I've done quite a few clean installs of Windows on laptops but this is my first Thinkpad. I purchased a W530 and a SSD (Intel 520 240GB).

If I install the Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver as instructed, do I need to install any of the drivers that came with the SSD before installing the OS or after Windows is up and running?

 

It depends, in most cases it's not necessary to install the SSD utilities once you have installed the operating system. The SSD drive should work fine regardless if you have the tools on or not, but some vendors like OCZ or Samsung will require their utility tools to perform firmware updates so it doesn't hurt to have them installed if you think it's necessary. It's a matter of preference really, personally for my Intel SSD's I don't use any tools while for my Samsung SSD's I do use the tools for the purpose of updating firmware when available.

 

Thank so much. I appreciate the quick reply!

 

Great guide Hearst's + Rep for you my friend. Keep up the good work, maybe with time you can create another great guide such as this for Windows 8 Pro, maybe once all the drivers are available, seems like a number of people are having little issues due to not knowing about existing fixes to their problems.

 

Hi Hearst,

Thanks very much. I'm planning to do a clean re-install of Windows 7 on my T420s soon, and this guide is particularly helpful.

I do, however, have a question. I am about to download the Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver, first of all. While the latest version is 11.6.0.1030 (released on Sep 13, 2012) on Intel's website, Lenovo's official site still has the previous version 11.2.0.1006 (released in June, 2012) for T420s drivers support. Do you think I should download the lastest version from Intel's site or the slightly older one from Lenovo when I do a clean install. I'm going to do this in about two weeks?

Similarly, I believe some essential device drivers from Lenovo's official support site for T420s are the very latest versions from the device manufacturers. Should I stick with the ones on Lenovo' site when re-installing Windows 7 on my T420s? I'm probably not going to use the ThinkVantage System Update, since I do not want lots of things that I don't need. Do you suggest using this??

Thanks again.

 

I would suggest going for the latest Intel RST drivers over the Lenovo ones, I personally used the generic Intel RST drivers and had no problems at all on my T420.

If you like to keep things to a minimum then there's nothing wrong opting out of System Update. If you plan to do this then it is a good idea to grab the latest drivers from the Lenovo support site and store them on to an USB flash drive. I believe for the T420s you should download the Graphics, Wired & Wireless Network Adaptor, Intel Chipset, Intel Management SOL driver, Ricoh Media Card Reader and ThinkPad PM Device to clear all the missing drivers in the Device Manager. I also find the Power Manager and Hotkeys to be quite useful so it's worth checking them out too.

 

Thank you very much, Hearst.

 

The right side to the guide is cut off how ever can I read it?

 

Maximize your browser window. If that doesn't do increase monitor resolution and repeat step one.

 

Thanks Hearst for the guide. It's every helpful for a person like me who is inexperienced. I think I'm over thinking the clean install but I'm still stuck on what happens with the swtools folder.I read through the guide and the forum posts and was trying to figure out why we back up the swtools folder. I realize it does contain all the drivers and preloaded apps, but if a clean install is performed can I simply copy and past this folder back to the c: drive or do I recreate the swtools folder as part of the clean install? Am I able to delete some of the contents from the swtools folder? Appreciate any feedback. Thanks

 

Hi hearsst ,

Can i ask you a couple of questions?

Firstly because i have a windows 7 professional activation key which is not tied to any motherboard.
I was thinking to purchase the windows 8 version. I have a windows 8 key for in case in the
future i wanna try windows 8 i can reinstall windows 8 with a free key.

Question is I will be purchasing an msata ssd for my os and i understand that drivers make or break computers
a computer with a gtx680 wouldnt be able to run battlefield without drivers..

So would drivers be easy to get or install if i purchase the windows 8 version? Thinkpad T430 is what i would be purchasing. And
i will be purchasing the nvidia graphics

 

The recent new forum update had pretty much wrecked the layout of the guide, follow aadadams advice on maximising the window which cures it for now. Running the forum in "vB4 Default Style" can also recoup some of the lost of horizontal space too.

You can paste the SWTOOLS folder back to the root drive once you have clean installed the OS though it's not essential to do this. The point of the SWTOOLS folder is to save time reinstalling the drivers and generally just to get you going before moving on to other things such as the OS settings and applications instead of having to wait downloading the drivers and apps off the Internet which is especially handy for those with low bandwidth internet connections.

Personally I keep my SWTOOLS folder on my USB flash drive, not only I save space on my main drive but should something go wrong with the computer (say you can't boot to Windows at all) at least I have the essential drivers ready should I need to do a clean install or recovery. Though even with the SWTOOLS folder it's still advisable to update some drivers such as your graphics card for instance for better performance and stability.

It makes sense to get a T430 with Windows 8 preinstalled by the OEM if you already have a Windows 7 key, that way you get a bit of flexibility to try out both OS' and see which one suits your liking. The drivers should be easy to get on the Lenovo website though some of the utilities on Windows 8 don't work properly at this stage (i.e. Power Manager) so you may have to wait a bit until Lenovo can get their heads round on the new OS. Like the answer above, most likely Lenovo will have a SWTOOLS folder of some sort which will contain all the drivers and apps for you already on the root drive.

The mSATA SSD drive should be plug and play, you don't need a special driver for it to work as Windows should recognise it out of the box.

 

I think you misunderstood me . The msata will be housing my os.

So the steps i should take are

Copy SWTOOLS
Remove hdd
Insert msata
Install windows 7
Copy SWTOOLS.

And i'm done?


Will the SWTOOLS be different for windows 8 , would it work for windows 7?

I will only be testing windows 8 during a later stage as i have to use microsoft visual studio 2010
for school. . And it doesnt seem to support windows 8. . Or windows 8 doesnt support microsoft visual 2010

 

SWTOOLS for Windows 8 is likely to be very different to that of Windows 7. If your T430 came with Windows 7 originally then you can just copy the SWTOOLS from the factory OS and transfer it to the Clean Install of Windows 7, if the T430 originally comes with Windows 8 and you want to downgrade to Windows 7 then it is highly recommended that you download the essential drivers from the support site and not copy the SWTOOLS folder that came with it. So in your scenario I would:

- Make your factory recovery discs of Windows 8 first before doing anything else. Most likely you need 4 blanks DVD's.

- Download the following, and place them on to your USB flash drive:

* Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver (Choose either x64 for 64 bit or x86 for 32 bit, extract the contents to a new folder (call it IRST) and store it on to USB).
* NVIDIA Graphics Driver for T430 (Win 7 64 bit) or 32 bit.
* Wireless (or Ethernet depending on how you connect to the Internet) Driver - Check this support page.
* Lenovo System Update.

- Make a DVD or USB Bootable Installer of Windows 7 Pro.

- Switch off the notebook, insert the mSATA drive.

- Switch on the notebook, on the ThinkPad logo press F1 to go to the BIOS and ensure the mSATA gets first boot priority. Save settings then on ThinkPad logo again press F12 and boot from DVD or USB.

- Follow the guide from here, load the RST driver and install the OS on to the mSATA drive.

- Follow the guide from here, install the basic drivers from your USB flash drive then run System Update.

- Finish off installing all the other drivers, updates, apps and you're done. No need to copy any SWTOOLS folder over (plus there are no such folder on a Clean Install of Windows to copy from).

- Given that you have factory recovery disks you can wipe out the data on the original hard disk drive and use that for storage.