The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Switching my T400 from XP to Win 7 HP 64bit! Anything I should know?

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by alittlemonkish, Dec 16, 2009.

  1. alittlemonkish

    alittlemonkish Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    251
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    This is the first time I've ever changed the operating system myself. I know it wont be hard but I am wondering what to expect.

    Once all is said and done with my custom install of Win HP 64bit how should I begin installing the drivers, etc.?
     
    alittlemonkish, Dec 16, 2009
    #1
  2. intoflatlines

    intoflatlines Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    23
    Messages:
    187
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Most of my drivers got installed automatically.
     
    intoflatlines, Dec 16, 2009
    #2
  3. alittlemonkish

    alittlemonkish Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    251
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Also, any negative opinions of windows 7? My friend has it and I happen to like it. She has an older computer than mine and it seems to run really well so I am hoping the mine will run it even better.
     
    alittlemonkish, Dec 16, 2009
    #3
  4. Iron Eagle

    Iron Eagle Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    447
    Messages:
    514
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Yeah, disadvantage of Windows 7: it doesn't cook dinner for me.

    I would just use ThinkVantage System Update if you are not comfortable with installing the drivers yourself.

    You will love it. :)
     
    Iron Eagle, Dec 16, 2009
    #4
  5. Renee

    Renee Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    610
    Messages:
    2,645
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    At home, running Windows is a little bit of an adventure becuause everything doesn't always work. The lenovo Windoows 7 runs excellently.
    Renee
     
    Renee, Dec 16, 2009
    #5
  6. alittlemonkish

    alittlemonkish Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    251
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Install went great and now I have installed the ThinkVantage System Update. However I am wondering which programs others installed and possibly explanations of each.

    I know I want the presentation director, rescue and recover, power manager, access connections(do I need this? Is it better than windows wifi?)

    What is UltraNav and Productivity center? Explanations of each would be nice.

    Thanks

    Also, how do I get my graphics card to work? I installed the Catalyst Control Center from ATI but dont know what to do from there.
     
    alittlemonkish, Dec 16, 2009
    #6
  7. Iron Eagle

    Iron Eagle Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    447
    Messages:
    514
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I don't use Access Connections but YMMV. UltraNav is the touchpad driver and Productivity Center gives you the ThinkVantage menu in Windows when you press the blue ThinkVantage button, so I would say, yes and yes to installing those.
     
    Iron Eagle, Dec 16, 2009
    #7
  8. LucM

    LucM Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    9
    Messages:
    66
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Hi,
    I would not bother with Access Connections. The standard Win 7 tool is perfect.

    Installing UltraNav adds configuration settings for the TrackPoint and TrackPad, for example switching tapping off. If you are happy with the way these behave now you can skip them.
    Productivity Center is basically showing you in one interface the Thinkpad specific tools and functions you downloaded from Lenovo. I found it too much of a good thing.

    Download the ATI Driver you get when you use System Update. It enables the Switchable Graphics. You actually use the Power Manager tool to switch.

    I hope this helps.
     
    LucM, Dec 16, 2009
    #8
  9. alittlemonkish

    alittlemonkish Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    251
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    A couple more questions. I've installed the program that lets me change the battery options.

    How do change the screen brightness and/or what do I need to install?

    Also, how do I change from integrated to dedicated graphics. I right click on the battery and switch from energy saving to high performance but nothing happens and the check stays next to energy savings. (Would being plugged in have to do with this?)

    also, I change the graphics to dedicated however now there is absolutely nothing on the desktop. Any ideas how to change it back to integrated so I can atleast use my computer? At the moment it's in sleep mode and I've moved to my itouch and old computer.
     
    alittlemonkish, Dec 17, 2009
    #9