ThinkVantage toolbox help

I just got my new x201. When I open the ThinkVantage toolbox I click on system health. Then where it says latest software and driver updates it says last lenovo check - never checked.

Clicking on get microsoft updates or get lenovo updates does nothing. What am I missing?


Clicking other buttons appears also appears to do nothing. under security and networking under passwords user account settings and screen saver buttons also do absolutely nothing.

 

Well, clicking on "get Lenovo updates" should open up the updates program and begin checking for updates for you. Are you sure you're online when you press the button? Be sure you have an active Internet connection when you click the button.

Also, in my start menu, I have a program called "Lenovo ThinkVantage Tools". That essentially does the same thing. Try that if you can find it.

 

Yep here clicking the buttons it's the same.

Started from like a month ago.

 

Yup I have an active internet connection. It looks like the link in the start menu for lenovo thinkvantage tools does work though. It updated the ThinkVantage software, but the buttons still do not work. oh well. I will play around with it more tonight.

 

Open the toolbox, click settings in the upper right, and make sure check for updates when Lenovo Thinkvantage Toolbox is Launched is checked - this doesn't check for updates in general, but it checks for updates to the toolbox. Maybe yours is out of date?

 

passive101,

Do you have the online support box also checked on your config?

Marlinspike,

I know this setting affects messages, but suspect it may affect some of the update functions as well, although I would need to go experiment to be sure. Wondered how you have yours set?

I'm glad to see that the tool is getting some use - we updated LTT back June and I recently blogged about the update and would like to hear more opinions about what people like and what they would like to us change in future releases.

Comments here, through the feedback link in LTT, or on the blog are appreciated.

Thanks,

Mark

 

Well, Mark, I'm not a "business user" and after disabling Intel AMT in the BIOS and uninstalling the Intel Management Engine, I have a "bang" in my device manager. If the feature is disabled in the BIOS, why is device manager complaining? Since I'm not part of a corporate network that is going to monitor and update my X201, I thought I'd save resources and just disable that feature. Any thoughts on this?

 

What does the Intel AMT and Intel management engine do?

Why disable them?

 

I disable features I'm not using to save power, CPU cycles and memory. Intel AMT is "Advanced Management Technology" and is designed for corporate users whose laptops are part of a network. AMT allows the company's IT people to inventory, change settings, run updates, on the user's laptop. At least that's my understanding of it. It's not something I want or need since I'm a standalone user (not corporate, not part of some company's network).

 

I have all three check boxes checked on mine, including the check for updates one. When the new LTT rolled out, mine prompted me to update. I figure it wouldn't if I had unchecked the box.

I for one really like the ThinkVantage Toolbox. I think a lot of the people who uninstall Thinkvantage tools in general are people who are used to the software coming with computers being bad and never give the Thinkvantage ones a chance. They're powerful in that they give easy access to things that are normally buried deep, the toolbox gives you a lot of things in one location, and I've never had one slow me down (aside from a time when for some reason Access Connections in Vista would use like 160mb of ram - I've long since ditched Vista, but I imagine this has been corrected).

Next time my dad gets a computer, I'm telling him to get a Thinkpad. He won't shell out for a T or X, and his laptop doesn't leave his home, so I let him buy whatever was in a store at a good price this last time. Big mistake, seeing as how I'm his tech support. Phone calls would be a lot shorter if he had the Thinkvantage software. I'll just direct him to the SL, or its equivalent, when the time comes.

 

Do you disable these things in the bios or in windows? I do computer repair and need it for school. A list of unneeded things would be great for the ones never used. Maybe there is a sticky somewhere I missed.

 

Both. Look around in your BIOS, get familiar with it. And check if it's ver. 1.16 (the latest). Under "Config" you'll see "Intel(R) AMT" at the bottom of the list and you can disable it there if it isn't already disabled. I also disable the Security Chip (doesn't benefit me unless I'm using disk encryption like Bitlocker). Any ports or peripherals that I don't use (like, the modem) - I disable. I remove network from the boot order. I also disable "Always On" for the USB. Some of these features take power when you're on battery and some of them slow the boot process.

In Windows, via the Control Panel, I un-installed the Intel Management Engine which is needed to use the Intel AMT. For some reason, this gives me an "unknown device" in my device manager. I'm wondering if it's needed for something else.... doesn't seem to be.