X220 + mSata SSD, clean install Win7 or using recovery discs

Hello, everyone just got an Thinkpad X220 yesterday and I am interested in putting an mSata SSD as the boot drive. Since Lenovo doesn't offer it anymore, I'm going to have to do it myself. I'm currently looking at the mydigitalSSD 128gb mSata SSD. Looking on the forum people seem to have good experiences with it.

My question is should I do a clean install of Windows 7 and then load Lenovo drivers or use the recovery media?

Also can some one confirm that using the recovery media would do the alignment thing on an mSata SSD?

The main concern I have is performance impact, would I be better off with a clean install or would using the recovery media do the same?

Also, on a side note my X220 came with SimpleTap, ( don't know why since my screen doesn't have touch capabilities) but I uninstalled it and now pressing the blue Thinkvantage button doesn't do anything. Is there a way to get it to launch the tools now that I uninstalled SimpleTap.

Thanks.

 

Using the recovery media produces a correctly aligned image, at least it did with my Intel 310, and I know others on this forum shared this result.

 

Using the Recovery Media method is generally the easiest as it comes preloaded with all the necessary drivers and apps. The clean installation method on the other hand is slightly more involving as you need to load the drivers and apps yourself but it does give you that flexibility to run a lean system by opting out certain Lenovo apps, if not all if you fancy from the start.

The Recovery Media should be SSD aware, I have tried this on my spare SSD and the alignment was correct the last time I checked so you don't need to do anything special to get it aligned on your mSATA SSD.

To get the Thinkvantage button working you'll need the Lenovo Toolbox installed and running, the Simpletap app shouldn't really have any bearing on the Thinkvantage button.

 

Thanks for the replies.
Once I get my mSata SSD I think I will try the recovery media route.

As for the Thinkvantage button, I have Lenovo Toolbox installed and the button still doesn't do anything. Pressing it before I uninstalled SimpleTap would launch SimpleTap, but now I uninstalled it, it just doesn't do anything and won't launch the Toolbox. I guess its not to big of a deal but would be nice use the button for something.

 

This might be helpful: X220 hotkeys not working since System Update.

 

Thanks, I'll give it a try, I don't have that hotkey driver but that might be what I'm missing.

 

Just want to bring this to your attention as well:
Windows 7 Clean Installation - ThinkPad T420, T420s, T520, W520, X220 and X220 Tablet.

Document ID : UM006576
Last Updated : 02 Dec 2011
Copyright © Lenovo 2011