Upgrading t400

So, I had posted earlier about upgrading my t400. Thanks to lead_org, vimvq1987, Hearst555 and everyone else for the replies and opinions.

I have went with:
60GB OCZ Agility 2 SSD (boot, apps)
8 GB (2x4) GSKIll PC8500 DDR3 mem
Win 7 Pro 64-bit
and I will move my 7200RPM 320GB HDD to an Ultrabay and use it as doc storage

So, this will be essentially a clean install... Win7 without any lenovo apps. Do I need to re-create the partitions? I don't see why I would. I understand that I need to grab the drivers to USB stick so that I can use them once I install the drives and such.
I also now know (thanks Hearst555) to install the Intel Rapid Storage.

I guess the main questions I would have... Do I need to create the partitions? I never used ThinkVantage much, was that a mistake? I assume there are updated versions for Win 7? (Or is it platform based or both).
Driver needs I assume are product driven? IE, I believe I have the Thinkpad bgn wireless card (not an Intel Centrino). So, I would need the Thinkpad driver for that?

I know there are other postings and the Thinkpad sticky. But, the Win 7 portion alone is over 70 pages and the latest info is very tough to discern.

Thanks all
Tony

 

First make sure you created some Rescue & Recovery disks if you have the original OEM image on. This is so if any goes wrong you can always go back to the factory state.

With a clean install of Windows 7 you're free to choose as many partitions you want. Though personally I have at least 2, one for system and one for your personal files. This is so if the system drive goes wrong, you can repair/reformat it without having to wipe your second partition with the personal files on thus saving time. (Though that doesn't mean you should skimp backing up files on external storage devices, should the whole drive fail then the split partitions will go along with it - play it safe and backup!).

What I do is use the full SSD storage capacity as the main partition for your Windows (60GB isn't a lot of space so splitting it down would be far too small anyway) and use the 320GB HDD as the 2nd physical partition for your other files. If you want you can split the 320GB drive into another 2 partitions and divide them for work/media etc. So it be like (as an example, you can always change the partition size to your liking):

C: (SSD/60GB) - Windows/Apps
D: (HDD/80GB) - Work
E: (HDD/240GB) - Play (Games/Music/Pictures)

Don't forget to relocate the documents/pictures/music folder locations on Windows 7 to your 2nd drive and not the main system drive afterwards.

As for the drivers, have the wireless and graphics driver on the USB stick as a safeguard. Windows 7 should be able to detect the graphics on its own but probably not the wireless driver. Once you got the internet connection running you can either install the drivers manually (1-by-1) or use the Thinkvantage System Update to get the rest of the drivers for you. Most go for the latter as it does save time (i'm awkward and do the other way!).

As for Lenovo tools you can choose which applications you want to install, even on the System Update. Typically I only run Power Manager and Hotkeys, I don't use the others such as Access Connections and Toolbox. Other people will have different setups, but it's generally up to you customising to your preference.

 

Thanks Hearst555! The 320 is actually a self-installed drive. Originally got the 80GB and upgraded so I have 1) an 80GB factory-orig drive and 2) restore disks as well

So, when I have my clean SSD with just Win 7 on it, I can hit my ThinkVantage button and the tools will be available for download from the lenovo site? I don't have to try to copy all the files and such?

(oh, and +1 rep!)

 

It would be wonderful if hitting the Thinkvantage button will retrieve all the tools needed for your system after a clean install but unfortunately it doesn't work like that! In fact it wouldn't do anything at all unless you installed the right software with it (specifically the Thinkvantage Toolbox or Thinkvantage Productivity Manager).

You need the Thinkvantage System Update software first and install it manually (You can download the System Update and store it on the USB stick to save time later - see the link I provided you earlier for the software). The System Update tool will then search the drivers/tools you don't have on your system and suggest them to you to download and install. You don't need to download all the tools/drivers offered, you can be selective and just leave out the rest that you don't need.

 

I thought I may have been asking for too much

Have you ever changed a wireless card on one of these? I have the intel wireless agn is what it says. I don't know what the number is (have to fire it up). but my connectivity was always a bit less than ideal. Don't know if the Vista to 7 will help that, but if not I may go for an upgrade if possible.

 

Changing the Wi-Fi card is easy on ThinkPads, for your T400 you just need to remove the palmrest and the keyboard. From there you have immediate access to the Mini-PCI slot which has the Wi-Fi card in which you can swap out. Check the T400 Maintenance Manual for detailed instructions on this.

However you do need to buy a Lenovo specific Wi-Fi card for your system as any other cards (generic, different OEMs that is not Lenovo) will refuse to work on the system. The only exception is that if the BIOS has been modified to have its "whitelist" removed then you are free to insert any wi-fi card that fits into the slot.

 

for the SSD: I would partition it to 50GB + whatever left. 50GB, of course, is for Windows installation, and what left is for working documents (I have a desktop to store multimedia files). I respectfully disagree with Hearst555 about putting working documents to HDD. It would be greatly slowdown your work, especially when you're working with some huge projects.

 

I wondered about that. Specifically, for my SAS and STATA work, I have large datasets (500MB to 1GB sometimes). in stata, I set the memory allocated to the prog (set mem 1000MB for example) and that is how much RAM is available to Stata.. I think the dataset is held there while I am running the program.
But, if I am accessing a dataset that is on the HDD rather than the SSD then I am getting the slow access time again, I think.
The MS website says I need 20GB to run Win 7 64 bit. Plus, it seems my apps may be 5 GB or so (size of the Program files folder.. includes MS Office 07 (large version), SAS, Stata, Minitab, etc.).

So, I could probably go 40/20 on the SSD? If I were to put games on it, maybe use the HDD for that as well as archival type storage..

 

Other install issues. You had mentioned earlier that I may need to install the Intel Rapid Storage Drivers before (or during) OS installation. I searched on these and it seems to be for RAID? Am I mistaken? Plus, you said that some report better SSD performance. So, is this a necessary thing or something that may improve my experience?
Thanks so much! UPS says my items are here in Columbus (got here yesterday afternoon actually) so I expect to see them when I get home today.

 

you should let some space for, upgrades (Windows hotfixs, for example), temporary files,..., I think 40GB is fine but I would recommend 50GB for system partition,

well, maybe Stata holds the dataset in RAM, but consider when you need to open/close it, and/or create/open new files. Visual Studio got me mad all the way it open and close (large) projects, and that's where SSDs shines.

 

You need this particular set of the Intel Rapid Storage Drivers to load before installing the Windows OS (for x64), extract the files and place them all on a USB stick. When prompted to load the drivers during the installation, just point the installer to the folder containing the Intel RST drivers and it will select the correct SATA driver automatically for your machine. Afterwards you can create and customise the partition sizes and then install the Windows 7 OS.

 

Thanks! I have the intel and ThinkVantage files on USB key now. I believe I should get the win7 drivers for wireless and video from the lenovo site, correct?

 

Yes, get the wireless and the video drivers from Lenovo and place it on the USB key. You probably only need to install the wireless driver but best to play it safe and have both on hand. Then load the Thinkvantage System Update and just install the drivers/tools you need after.

 

My NewEgg package arrived and I will be creating my speed demon this evening! I will let y'all know how it goes.

Thanks for all of the info and help

 

DAMN.
So, I have the palm rest off... I am looking at the memory. and cannot get the old crap to come out.

I have read and looked at the manual, found stuff online. It was not clear how to get the memory to 'pop up' and then remove.

I cannot get it. What am I doing wrong?

 

Um...nevermind. I got it literally 27 seconds after posting this. I thought it was the WHITE tabs, not the metal one.

 

So.. 8MB G-Skill PC3-8500 RAM install and seen. Vista (in System properties) does report all 8GB. That's cool. Timings on the mem 7-7-7

Now, to the SSD drive and clean Win 7. YAY!

Oh, I now have a PC3-8500 2GB and 1GB SODIMM if anyone is interested. Whatever lenovo uses in their builds

 

I'm confused. Why do you think the Intel drivers are required?

 

They're the latest SATA bridge drivers from Intel, it contains AHCI mode features such as NCQ, TRIM and LPM for enhanced performance on compatible drives such as SSD. Some people notice improvements in read/write speeds on their SSDs using these drivers - source.

Another benefit is that by doing the F6 driver load method will give you the latest Intel SATA drivers without having to install the additional Intel RST software on top (this is loading the SATA drivers after installing Windows) which is useful for people who want to run services at a minimum.

 

I installed them fine. I don't know if there is a difference since I never used an SSD, but the SSD HDD difference is amazing.
Also, Win 7 found the drivers for my video and network card, apparently. I am online and such.

I did try to install the updated drivers, but Win 7 said I had the most current. I was pretty sure i had 8.10.15.2182 and the device manager said I have 8.10.15.1749 installed. ??

Installing MS Security Essentials. Will use that plus a regular (monthly) Malware Bytes scan as my security.

 

Let me know if you spot a set of benchmark tests that would be considered authoritative and demonstrate a significant performance advantage to using the Intel drivers versus the Windows 7 inbox drivers. I am looking for one but haven't seen it yet.

I've seen a lot of debate in the various forums, but nothing I would call empirical and authoritative. I am not trying to be a troll with this request. I would genuinely like to see a report that demonstrates a clear speed advantage. If it's there, I'll likely alter my install approach.

For the Intel SSD Gen 2 drives, TRIM is supported with the Win7 inbox drivers and the data management functions are performed automatically without the need for the Intel SATA driver and SSD Toolbox.

 

So, if I simply move the folders (docs/pics/music) will they be found or is there a setting I have to change for Windows to look in the new location each time

 

Success. Having added MS Office 2007 (Standard, I think... Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access... ) plus the lenovo tools I wanted, plus Firefox, on to login is 15 seconds, then < 5 seconds after entering the password. Shutdown in <4 seconds

I am now going to 'optimize' for using the SSD. Specifically, turning off processes that excessively write to the drive

Also, I have a device PCI Communications that seems not to be usable. I am not sure what it is. I had like 5 of these (Other devices that were not working) but the ThinkVantage tools I uploaded cleared the other 4.

PCI Simple Communications Controller, PCI Bus 0, device 3, function 0.
Drivers not installed (Code 28)

 

It will vary on different systems and the type of SSD you have, there will be those who see positive increases such as one user from the forum who managed to see improvements on the OCZ SSD he was using with the Intel drivers while others will probably experience little or no effect (hence why I said previously "some" people will notice a form of speed increase).

I take no offense of your post halobox as quite rightly there is a lot of mixed results out there. If you're already using the stock MS AHCI driver and your current SSD performance is fine then there isn't a need to rush out, reformat and start from scratch as most likely you not going to see significant improvements thats worth the hassle. But if you believe that the SSD is suspiciously flagging (you probably encountered some posts in these forums) then sometimes using the Intel SATA drivers on Intel chipsets can help matters, so for the OP I suggested to load the Intel RST drivers from the start to save time.

You can move the folders from the Users section of your system drive (normally C:\Users\ Username) to the second disk drive and Windows will automatically redirect to the new directory. Otherwise go to the start orb and click on your Username (normally the first thing on the top above Documents) to open a folder consisting of all your links to your docs/music/pics etc. Right click on one of them and then go to Properties. Afterwards go to the Location tab and click on "Move". From there point it to the directory you want on the second disk drive and Windows will always refer to that relevant directory in the future.