x220i - had to get new hard drive, how best to install?

ok, so I had to get a new hard drive for my x220. It's a standard Seagate Momentus skinny HDD, the 7mm/2.5" SATA one that fits.

So my question is, what is the best way to install brand new? I remember seeing a great post on the Y580 Ideapad that explained driver order and such. Is there one for the x220 that focuses on driver install order (and especially which darn drivers to actually install)? If so, please point me there and I shall sing your praises.

I downloaded the official Win7 Home Premium iso and plan on using the registration key inside the battery compartment of the x220 (assuming that will work). Then I found this driver page for the x220: Drivers and software - ThinkPad X220 & X220i ok, so holy crap, there are a 1000 drivers there. I do the filtering so that only Windows 7 drivers come up, but I'm still rather overwhelmed. Here's what I *think* I need, in order, by section, with questions along the way:

Audio: Conexant Audio for Win7 (obviously)

BIOS: uh???? There are several that seem possible: BIOS Update utility (v1.38), BIOS settings for Win7 (v3.03), Capture/Playback utility (SRSETUP v1.11), Capture/Playback utilty for Windows (SRSETUPWIN v1.02)

Bluetooth/Modem: don't think I need this one unless there is something that uses bluetooth that I don't realize

Camera and Card Reader: Integrated Camera driver for Win7 (v1.1.0.1147/1.11.1101.3), Ricoh Multi-card reader (v2.14.18.01)

Chipset: lots of questions here....Management Engine interface? WTH is it, do I need it? There are like 4 or 5 diffreent versions of it), Intel Chipset support (v. 9.3.0.1021 - this seems fairly obvious that I would need this, yes?)

Diagnostics [: I assume all of these are optional

Display and video graphics: graphics driver (v.6.14.10.5430) and WiDi (v.3.5.40.0) both seem definites; so what about the " monitor File" and the " Presentation Director"? Those seem optional?

Fingerprint reader: nah...don't have one (a reader..I do have fingerprints, just not a reader. )

Mouse/Keyboard: no issues

LAN/Ethernet: standard ethernet driver v.11.15.16.0 I assume, won't need the DOS one

Wireless: ok, geez, there are like 30 different versions and I am really clueless which one I would need as several seem identical. I don't have the WiMAX nor Win8, but the 3rd and 4th choices (v. 14.03.0000 and v.15.6.1/15.03.2000) both seem like the same thing, but one is "newer". I downloaded both but there is a tremendous disparity in file size, really confused

Patch: should I worry about these at all? Shouldn't "patch" updates come automatically, or is that something I need to download?

Power Management: Very important here, my daughter uses this as her laptop at school and she will take it to class with her all day, so I need to make sure I nail this one properly. It *seems* that there are about 5 different ones I should/could use ( v. 1.65.05.21 Power management, Patch module v.1.00, Power Manager v.6.54, Power Manager Patch module v.1.00)

Software and utility: I assume most of this is bloatware? Any crucials in that list?

Storage: I assume the 3rd one (Fix issue of HDD with HD detection, v.1.02) and the Intel Rapid Storage technology win7-64 (v.11.2.0.1006)

ThinkVantage: More bloatware?

USB Device: There is a USB 3.0 driver, I thought that the x220i didn't have USB 3.0 hardware on it?

then the last 2 are Video and the Windows updates, which are not a problem.

Wow, that is a long post. Thanks to anyone who can waste a bunch of their time helping me out.

 

Download System Update from here:

http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccbbs/thinkvantage_en/systemupdate502-06-07-2013.exe

Run it once installed and see what it picks up, then choose on what you want to install. Might have to do it a couple of times.

Chipset and graphic drivers should come first.

Good luck.

 

ok, so if I understand properly, use the Win7 iso to install windows, and then before I install anything else, run the system update file above and let it do what it needs to do? Do I need to have my wifi drivers installed first, so that it is connected to the internet?