T400 Install new operating system?

Posting from my new T400 .

I plan on installing a new operating system, whether it be Windows 7, or a better version of Vista. I'm not going to use the "upgrade" feature. I plan on doing a clean install.
What do I need to do in order to keep all of the functionality and such? I didn't seem to get any driver disks and such, so what do I need to run in order to backup all this thinkvantage stuff? Thanks.

 

You will need to make a set of recovery disks, which can be made with a CD and 2 DVDs To make them type in "recovery media" into the search bar in the start menu. After that you will need to download all the drivers for the OS you plan to upgrade to from the Lenovo Driver Matrix. Sadly you will have to do this manually. I recommend keeping these on an external hard drive, or USB flash drive. After that you can safely insert the new OS install disk, start the install, and start completely over.

Good luck.

 

I was under the impression that making the recovery disks created an image of the current state of the operating system, that you can restore to.

I have Vista basic, and I plan on clean installing Vista Ultimate. I just want to be able to have the thinkvantage stuff after I install Ultimate.

 

Make a copy of the SWTools folder on the C:\ drive. It contains all the software and drivers installed on your ThinkPad. Make the recovery discs too.

 

Okay, and to reinstall the drivers/software on the new install I just paste the SWTools folder back into the C: Drive?

 

Yes but just pasting the folder back into C: wont do anything on its own. You will have to go in and manually run the setup for each of the software you want to install.

 

Okay, and each of the setups are located within the subdirectories inside the SWTools folder?

 

yes, but don't expect them to be labeled in any sort of useful way. You might have to explore to find out what's what.

 

Have you looked at Stallen's Clean install guide. It was written for the T6x series and for Vista but I think a lot of the lessons can be applied to your T400, just downloading the appropriate drivers.

 

What you all are recommending for the most part are not clean installs especially when worried about cleanup disks to Micrsoft knows nothing about them because they are not part of a normal "new instaaltion" or any Microsoft installation.
Renee

 

I have found in my SWTools folder, the installation file for the System Update.

If I have a completely clean install of Vista Ultimate 64 bit (current OS on the T400 is Vista Basic 32 Bit), will the System Update utility recognize what I need and download all of the thinkvantage, power manager, switchable graphics drivers, and hotkey stuff?

 

Yes it will. It wont however install programs such as the roxio DVD burner software and a few others. But syste update will be able to install the thinkvantage programs and the drivers.

 

I probably did the least recommended thing to do.

I wiped the factory hard drive, nuked all the partitions, and clean installed Windows Vista Home Premium x64. It worked well and I've got a lean and mean Thinkpad machine minus the Thinkvantage Recovery software, but that's what an Ubuntu Live CD is for anyways (and regular backups of course, Mozy FTW).

 

I don't care much about the roxio dvd software and such (I'll just use IMGBurn).

Does the System update also download the device drivers? Even for 64 bit OS?

 

Yeah, I just did such an install just yesterday!