X220 - Clean Windows 7 Install?

How many of you who bought or will buy the X220 will do a clean install of Windows 7 to get rid of unecessary Lenovo installed tools/utilities/help files?

Or will you just stay with the X220 as deliverd and update from there?

I did the clean install with my T61 a couple of years ago, but was wondering if it is still a recommended procedure.

 

I will, since I am putting in an ssd.

 

That's what I'm going to do. I may keep a few of Lenovo's tools, but otherwise it's gonna be a clean install for me.

This is especially a good idea if you're going to install a SSD yourself. Going from HDD to SSD changes certain things in the bios, and a clean install is much better.

 

I bought an intel 80gb msata drive to install into my new X220 and was under the impression that the best way to install it was to image the original hdd (320 gb 7200) onto a dvd, copy onto the msata drive and then just change the boot priority in the bios.

Am I better off doing a clean windows 7 install on the msata drive? If so will i lose all the lenovo goodies (EE, etc)? Does lenovo ship a recover or drivers disk with a new laptop?

This is my first thinkpad, so thanks for the help.

 

Not to a Lenovo X220 per se (T420 for me), but yes I generally prefer doing a clean install on my system. I like to control what goes on and what doesn’t on my system contrasting to the factory image which tends to have lot of apps and services installed by default.

I tend to be quite minimalistic on my installations, only 2 Lenovo apps exist on my ThinkPads and looks set to continue with my new one which is the Power Manager and Hotkeys. Of course others may have different combinations but it’s up to you really as there’s no right or wrong way of doing a clean install.

Generally doing a clean install will remove the possibilities of incorrect disk alignment or boot issues that can occur on image cloning. Though cloning software such as Acronis apparantly claimed they avoided these pitfalls in their latest versions but I can't comment fully as I don't tend to use this.

Recovery discs is something that you need to make yourself as Lenovo don't ship them. It should be the very first thing you do when you get your new system just in case things go wrong. This can be done with the Rescue & Recovery software included in the system.

As for the Lenovo utilities, even if you did a Clean Install you can always download them back by going to their Support Page under the ThinkVantage Technologies section.

 

I did a clean install of Windows 7 for my T400. I'm going to pull the X25-m SSD from my T400 and drop it in my X220 (it will almost certainly boot).

 

Thanks Hearst!

 

I never, ever trust OEM Windows installations. My experiences with a fair number of machines at work is, every single one of them with a cleaned up, stock install will eventually suffer some inexplicable stability problem eventually. I don't even consider it an option anymore.

 

many of the functions that are built by Lenovo programs are redundant with windows 7.

if you are new to thinkpads take a month to play with all the programs and then decide what to keep. I usually do a clean install and add only the power manager and the hotkey program.

 

How can one do the recovery disks if X220 has no optical drive? Also - are they really needed? What the recovery partition is for, then? Assuming I do not need/want to remove the recovery partition, do I still need recovery disks to be made?


p.s. I see I am not the only one who is nicknaming my machines your Amano and Shana will soon get an abroad X220 friend - Himari.

M.

 

USB powered portable optical drive.

 

Or docking station, I know. The point is, I do not have one and I do not intend to have one. That's why I was asking about the necessity to create the recovery media


M.

 

Do you trust the hard disk to never fail? The recovery partition will only work for soft failures on the boot partition - not if the whole drive crashes.

USB DVD optical drives are a fairly cheap way to add insurance. Or maybe use a USB thumb drive if you can get all the needed stuff to fit...

 

I believe you can also back it up to a USB Hard Drive as well if im not mistaken.

 

can anyone confirm this?

 

You can have it saved to a USB hard drive but from the Lenovo forums I read it's not bootable, which defeats the whole purpose. I wouldn't gamble it because you only get to burn one copy

 

I am happy enough with the OEM install. Seems to run pretty snappy to me.
Since I got the X220 I've updated Windows fully, including SP1(I was a little surprised it did not come with SP1 already). Did not uninstall any Lenovo apps though.

I do have a legitimate copy of Windows 7 Professional that I could use on my X220 for a clean install (If I took Windows 7 off of my T42), but I'm not going to bother.

 

With Lenovo notebooks, you cannot boot an OS from an USB stick?

 

really interesting, anyone have more information on this? first time I'm hearing that there could be problems in the boot/HD level.

 

i always used clonezilla for full disk backups. optical discs aren't needed as you can boot into this tool using a usb flash drive and make the backups onto it or another usb drive. hasn't failed me in restoring anything i backed up.

Clonezilla live

 

You can, but not using Lenovo's method of rescue and recovery (not from personal experience)

 

The new machines are up to a boot CD and three DVD's for the factory RR image. You would need a hefty USB stick for that.

As for some of the questions, I would highly recommend reviewing the Lenovo factory install for at least a day before you go wild and whack it in lieu of a clean install. Since I am usually pulling the factory drive out and replacing it with a high speed SSD, I usually don't destroy it for some time. It's always good to have the reference point if needed.

And by all means, copy the SWTOOLS area to a DVD and burn it for safe keeping. It contains the certified drivers and apps that shipped with the system.

 

I've never used it, but I believe you can make bootable rescue discs as well. I've been using Clonezilla at least a half dozen times a week for the last year and a half, and I've never had a problem.

 

As far a cloning goes, you'll have a lot better success rate if you have the target disk in the main slot of the machine that will be running it. Put the source disk in the external or Ultrabay drive.

For cloning to SSD, see the following for guidance. [Haven't done this myself]
forum.thinkpads.com • View topic - Moving Windows 7 from Hard Drive to SSD

I have used Clonezilla successfully in the past.

 

kinda offtopic but having an x201 and a bit angry about the poor speaker power and the high pitch whining sound.

does x220 makes whine,and are the speakers about the same az in the x201?

thx for answering

 

I always do a clean install.

My x220 will come with win 7 home and I will install win7 Pro.

I already downloaded all the drivers and software for the x220 and burnt it on to a disc. All my back is done before I even get the laptop.

 

Thats what I'm trying to get done now Duck. Get everything in line before I even get the computer.


So if I wanted to do a clean install, I just really need the drivers, OS and any thinkpad software? Then obviously my data, programs, etc.

Do thinkpads come with anything else essential I need to save before doing a clean?

 

here is the list of everything it comes with.
Just load what you want.

Lenovo Support - Drivers and software - ThinkPad X220, X220 Tablet, X220i, X220i Tablet

 

Gracias. Much appreciated.

 

Hmmm...I agree with the poor speaker sound (I wasn't expecting anything better), but my X201 has no whining sound. It's dead silent (including the fans) and cool (well...ok sometimes just a bit warm under the left palm area) to touch.

 

My plan when I get my X220 is to remove the factory hard drive and install a new, empty SSD drive. Then using a USB DVD drive, install Windows 7 Pro from scratch. One reason is that way I'll always have the factory drive to go back to if needed.

Once I install Windows 7, is there any reason not to use the ThinkVantage System Update 4.0 to install all the drivers needed? Any advantage to downloading and installing them individually?

Also, what are the "essential" drivers/software items to reinstall after a clean Windows 7 install?

 

Can't you take the drive out beforw you turn it on mount it in a usb enclosure and connect it to another computer to create a recovery image using acronis or something? Although usb dvd burner is only 36 or so wuth shipping, worth getting

 

can anyone post links how to do clean install on thinkpads the legal way? I saw it before but I forgot to bookmark it ... thanks

 

I wish I googled it first before posting > http://forum.notebookreview.com/win...-7-download-links-just-like-vista-before.html > sorry

 

Same question for me. Is this working?

 

Can the X220 boot from a USB thumb drive? I've got Win 7 on a USB drive I used to install on another machine and would rather not have to use a USB DVD drive if possible.

 

Yes this is how I did my clean install.