W530 StepUp: Comment and Guidance Needed.

Thanks for you time. I have been a mac user since 2005. Don't know so much with regards to windows/pc. Upgrading hardwares, Updating Softwares, Installing, backing up and among others is a challenging task for me. But I do wish to try...to learn and to DO it.

The moment of truth. W530 has finally arrived. The specs is as follows:

Intel Core i7-3940XM Processor Extreme Edition (8M Cache, up to 3.80 GHz)
Windows 7 Professional (64 bit)
15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080) LED Backlit Anti-Glare Display, Mobile Broadband Ready with color calibration sensor
NVIDIA Quadro K2000M Graphics with 2GB DDR3 Memory
8 GB PC3-12800 DDR3 (1 DIMM)
UltraNav with Fingerprint Reader for Color Sensor, Smart Card Reader
500GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm
Bluetooth 4.0 with Antenna
Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 AGN

Third Party Hardwares and Others:

1 pc - mSata AData XPG x300 256gb
4 pcs - CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Laptop Memory
2 pcs - 2.5" Samsung sata ssd 512gb
1 pc - Hard drive caddy from new mode us
1 pc - Acronis True Image 2013 DVD
1 pc - 2.5" HDD/SDD external enclosure esata/ firewire connection

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What i have in mind is the msata ssd to be the boot drive. where i intend to do a virtual machine.

1. My main is the Windows 7 pro 64bit which is part of the lenovo purchase. Which i will be using my AutoCad, SketchUpPro, LIghtroom, Photoshop, Microsoft Office, Rendering Softwares

2. 2nd OS is a Window 8 ( VM ) or Window XP this is for Internet purpose and downloads like movies, apps, and others. So if in the event there is virus or what, the main OS won't be affected... am i right that the main drive wont be affected??

3. 3rd... i hope to be doable, is an OSX OS.

Questions:

1. Is it a good idea to put all softwares in the msata drive, including the VM and its OS softwares? So the 2 SSD will be just a storage drive. SSD 1 for work storage and SS2 for entertainment storage.

2. If in case it is a good idea, do I need to partition the msata? and how to partition it?

3. Do i need to do it upon the first set up or i can do it later after i've made a recovery disk ( 4 DVD-R ) by Lenovo procedure then recover the window 7 64 bit OS and the Lenovo softwares to the Msata SSD?

 

You have a monster of a mobile workstation, especially considering the heavy-duty upgrades. But it appears that you're not sure about how best to use them. Hey, at least, you can afford them.

1. You can put the applications together with Windows 7 on the boot mSATA SSD. You can put the VM(s) on one of the SSDs. (However, you don't need to jump through hoops to have another Windows OS on a virtual machine just to create some kind of a "sandbox" that prevents virus infection.)

2. No need to partition the mSATA SSD. (Unless you want to keep the Lenovo factory recovery partition on that drive.)

3. Do the factory recovery DVDs as a separate step (as soon as possible, with the stock HDD still in place, of course). Use Acronis to make a backup of the stock HDD image, then restore that backup file onto the mSATA SSD.

 

Thanks Kaso for the suggestion. That's true about not sure how to use the unit and hardware in mind. I'm here so might as well try what i can.

a few more question

1. Can you suggest a good VM software?
2. Do i need to buy a new license window 8 or even a window 7 for this, under the secondary OS?
3. i have a a licensed Office 2010 and window 7 pro in my dual boot MAC, can i use it in my new computer. Since i will be selling it, would it be possible to erase it from my old computer and use the software in my new computer? if i can, how can i do it?

 

1. Try the free VirtualBox by Sun/Oracle. ("Good" depends on what you want to do.)

2. You need a valid key.

3. Just enter the COA key (a sequence of numbers, separated by dashes). "Erase" it from your old Mac? Just destroy that partition. Reuse the software? No such thing: you must install Windows 7 OS and Office 2010 applications from the proper media.

Please note that your questions are not directly related to the ThinkPad W530. You may want to use the Windows forum.

 

oppss sorry for this questions under lenovo thread. thank for the reply