Thinkpad T400 Clean Install Guide with drivers links

General installation guide

1. Enter BIOS by pressing F1 during ThinkVantage bootup screen

• Set HDD to SATA/AHCI mode (Recommended)
• Enable Virtualization (If you want it)
• Set to boot from optical drive

2. Backup anything you want

• Burn recovery disks
• Backup drivers & applications (SWTools Directory)
  (A definite backup is Roxio Business Creator and Intervideo WinDVD if bundled with your system, once lost it is only available through a system image restored via your recovery CD you burn/recieve)
• Backup Lenovo / IBM wallpapers

• Backup your activated copy of Windows using Orev's Activation Backup and Restore

3. Put a copy of the ethernet / wireless LAN driver and the activation file to a USB drive

4. Boot to Vista installation DVD (From Anytime Upgrade disc, retail disc, MSDN or any other source)
(Note: Recommend Vista x64 because of its' ability to fully utilise all your memory even when running switchable graphics)

• Install the version of Vista your computer comes with (if you have backed-up the activation, simply select the corresponding version and don't enter a key yet)
• For the partitions, you might want to totally eradicate the recovery partition and set it up to what you like it to be
• Finish the installation after completing some other steps

5. First run of Windows

• Restore the activation if you had backed-up the activation
• Install Windows Vista SP1 (Required for switchable graphics system)

6. Install drivers
(Note 1: You can install ThinkVantage System Update and automate most of such tasks)
(Note 2: You might also want to refer to the Thinkpad T400 Driver Matrix for the drivers)

LEVEL 1 PRIORITY

• Intel Chipset Driver [Vista, XP, 2K]
• Intel Matrix Storage Driver [x64(Vista) | x86(Vista, XP) | x86(2K)]
• Intel Turbo Memory Driver [Vista] (Disabling Tool)
• ACPI Power Management driver [Vista, XP, 2K]
• System Interface driver [Vista, XP]
• Hotkey driver [Vista, XP, 2K]

LEVEL 2 PRIORITY

• Intel WiFi 5100AGN & 5300AGN driver [Vista | XP] / Thinkpad WLAN [Vista | XP, 2K] (Note: Intel Wifi card users can also try out official Intel drivers)
• Intel Gigabit network adapter driver [Vista] [XP]

LEVEL 3 PRIORITY

• Switchable Graphics driver [Vista SP1 ONLY] / Graphics driver (Discrete ATI HD3470 [Vista | XP] / Integrated Intel X4500 [x64(Vista) | x86(Vista) | XP])
• Authentec Fingerprint software & driver [x64(Vista) | x86(Vista, XP)]
• Broadcom Bluetooth driver [Vista] [XP, 2K](Must turn on wireless switch, have installed Hotkey driver and turned on via Fn+F5... ie be detectable)
• Conexant Audio driver [Vista, XP]
• Conexant Modem driver [Vista, XP]
• Intel AMT driver [Vista, XP] (for the Simple PCI Communications device)
• Intel TPM driver [XP]
• Ricoh 7-in-1 Card Reader driver [Vista, XP]
• Smartcard Reader driver [x64(Vista) | x86(Vista, XP, 2K)]
• Sonix Integrated Camera driver [Vista, XP, 2K] (Note: You can also use the windows default driver for this. Older versions leaks a lot of handles and is not recommended for use. Newer versions do not have the problem.)
• Synaptics UltraNav & Touchpad driver [x64(Vista) | x86(Vista) | x86(XP, 2K)] (for the special mouse functions, side scrolling, etc)
• Thinkpad Display [Vista, XP, 2K] (Just some ICC profiles and a name for your display)
• Wireless USB [[Vista, XP]]
  

7. Install ThinkVantage software (those in bold are highly recommended)

• Access Connections [Vista | XP, 2K]
• Access Help [Vista, XP]
• Active Protection System [x64(Vista) | x86(Vista, XP, 2K)] (Protects HDD from shock, highly recommended)
• Client Security Solution [x64(Vista) | x86(Vista) | x86(XP)]
• Easy Eject [Vista, XP, 2K]
• Help Center [Vista, XP, 2K]
• Keyboard Customizer [Vista | XP, 2K]
• Message Center [Vista XP, 2K]
• Power Manager (Required for switchable graphics, highly recommended) [Vista | XP, 2K]
• Presentation Director [Vista, XP, 2K]
• Productivity Center [Vista, XP, 2K] (Useful if you want the blue ThinkVantage button to be functional)
• System Update [Vista, XP, 2K] (Requires .NET framework 2.0)
• UltraNav utility [Vista, XP]
  

8. Install other patches

• Registry patches to enable some power-saving options
• Update your BIOS [Windows | Bootable CD] (Might resolves some black screen / docking issues)
• Patch to include custom functionality in Windows Mobilility Center [x64(Vista) | x86(Vista)]
  

(Image of old version, new version includes the Computrace panel too)

Other optional options

9. Install Rescue and Recovery [ Vista | XP, 2K]

10. Re-enable your F11 button on bootup (if you didn't wipe off the recovery partition and wants to use the product recovery function in future)

Other useful software

• BIOS Settings Windows [Windows]
• System Toolbox [Windows] (Lenovo System Toolbox is the next generation of PC-Doctor for Windows for Lenovo. This release combines overall System Health, System Security, and Diagnostics Tools which includes automatic notification when action is required, computing assistance and advanced diagnostics and diagnostic history.)

Partition Notes

1. You might want to remove all partitions and recreate them while installing windows.
2. If you want to remove the hidden partition after installing windows, you can refer to this guide.

Other Notes

For more information, you might want to refer to the generic clean install guide on the other thread.

Other Links

Driver Support Pages | Driver Matrix
Parts Lookup | Warranty Lookup | Warranty Lookup (Multiple PC version)
Switchable graphics guide ( @Lenovo @My Site)

 

Thanks for making a simplified post for a clean install guide! I hadn't considered doing it previously, but I might now that I can follow this guide.

 

very nice. an install guide with links to all of the drivers? + rep. nice job. i plan on using this as soon as i get my t400.

 

Awesome work!

 

One thing to note, that BIOS is actually an older one.

My T400 shipped with 1.13 dated 8/19/08. The one linked above is 1.12 dated 8/05/08.

 

Do you not have to go through the guide that janko10 posted with the BIOS changes for the switchable graphics to work anymore? Is installing the driver itself fine?

 

Thanks so much for the direct download links. Saved me ALOT of time.

 

It may or may not work, I haven't tested it.


My problem was when I installed Vista, I was running on the Intel GPU from the start. Vista would 'see' the ATI GPU, but when I tried to install the drivers, I kept getting 'Not a valid ATI card' or something like that.

So that's when I went into the BIOS and manually enabled only the ATI card. You should be on the ATI card when installing the drivers.

 

AHCI isn't enabled in the BIOS by default when shipped? I thought it was.

 

What is the advantage of this clean install? I'm thinking about getting a T400 as well.

 

For the bluetooth driver, you need to install it after you have installed the hotkey driver and pressed fn+f4 to activate bluetooth. Otherwise, the system doesn't detect it.

ACHI is enabled by default. I think it is also a good thing to set your video card to discrete first before installing the driver.

 

Great,Thanks, Can add the latest drivers' links from INTEL? Like the Turbo memory driver, Lenovo's is kind of old.

 

i have this laptop thinkpad T400 but wireless radio can only access bluetooth and not wireless network where can i get the drivers for this laptop it is on vista

 

leshan - Unless you have problems with the driver currently installed, I would not update.

And thanks for this guide, I got my laptop yesterday, the recovery partition wasn't created properly, so I could not create recovery disks, so I thought i might as well do a clean install, regaining some of the wasted space.

 

great guide JaLooNz! but what are the registry patches?

 

You could add that when installing the modem driver it's a great opportunity not to install netwaiting and digital line detect which are two tools of very limited use even if the ocasion arises when you actually need to use an analog line modem. Just click cancel on the two installations, the modem driver still installs successfully.

EDIT: Thanks! I had done a clean install before and hibernation was not working (system restore stopped working at some point too); re-clean-installed following your guide and everything's fine (until now).

 

I'm not as OS savvy as you guys are ... I got my T400 with Vista, would like to do a clean install of XP. Feeling a bit nervous. Has anyone with medium computer knowledge followed these instructions successfully? What if something goes wrong? Thanks.

 

There are several guides on clean installations. You may use the one in this thread, stallen's, or the one in my signature. I believe each of them has had successful followers. If you have trouble, post back here and we'll try out best to help.

 

Thanks for the information and support! I'll start it tonight, so will have the weekend to work on it. I've done OS installs before (2 or 3 times with phone support -- just once by myself ), but not on a brand new laptop and they came with driver CDs.

Are there anything on the OS selection list I should be concerned about? Do you recommend a partition? It's has 160GB.

Thanks!

 

Two more questions, I just have the basic warranty, will installing XP void that? My T400 came with Vista. Also, I'd like to follow the Superguide, do I need to make a recovery CD, even if I'm changing OS?

BTW, this is my first Thinkpad ... my previous company gave us Latitudes. I've had some major hardware issues (motherboard) a few times, so thought I'd give Thinkpad a run.

Thanks.

 

No, it won't void the warranty, but Lenovo won't support XP. Make sure you make your recovery discs before you blow away the preload to install XP.

 

OK, I've made my recovery disc (it fit in a single CD, for some reason I was expecting that it'll require multiple CDs).

Anyway, I'm waiting to see if anyone responds to my partition question. Is it worth creating a partition on a 160 GB hard drive? Should I do 40 and 120?

Thanks.

 

OK, it does require multiple discs. T400 offers two selections for recovery discs, I had just done one initially. In total: I needed just 1 CD for the Rescue and Recovery disc (that's what I did first) and 11 (700 MB) CDs for the Product Recovery discs.

 

JaLooNz thanks for the effort.

I've just finished reinstalling my T400. It took me 12 hours over night (non stop), I didn't sleep at all and I'm exhausted. That's preperation, installation (vista updates took long.. pfff), program restoring.. and personalizing. I'm a perfectionist.

The guide was usefull. To keep it useful to others I will report the minor problems I encountered during the process:

-The Intel Matrix Storage link for 32 bit users goes to a 64 bit version of the driver. Correct link:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=MIGR-70477

-Intel Wifi 5100AGN / 5300A first link isn't correct
it is:
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=MIGR-67256
it must be:
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-70505
Edit: I think there are new drivers: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Fil...062&OSFullName=All Operating Systems&lang=eng

-l1 32 bit finger print software must be (link is dead):
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=MIGR-70598

- Conexant Audio driver
link update necessary

-you could add this guide to assist those who want to delete the hidden partition:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=160044

-power manager links are death

Thanks again.

 

Updated lots of driver links / beautify it
Updated useful links (warranty lookup, parts lookup, driver matrix)
Added new software info (system toolbox, bios settings)
Added reference to re-enable F11 button on startup for product recovery using service partition