Thinkpads Forum

I can't stand it. Too many phantom shedulers, too many irritating steps, and it won't even analyse the SWtools folder on my HDD to tell me what is currently there but not installed. Is it supposed to be a replacement for the old software installer or am I expecting too much?

Example: I uninstalled Access Connections to try to fix an issue. I then wanted to reinstall it. So I fire up System Update thinking it might behave like the old software installer, find the AC files, check they're the latest, and ask if I want to reinstall. But no. It doesn't find the files and it doesn't even recognize AC is not currently installed. So I have to manually re-install AC.

I guess System Update is simply just that. Purely an updater rather than a software management tool.

I HATE System Update 3 ! ! !

In the first place, it won't give you a report of what's installed, as
Software Installer did - just a report of what has been installed by it.
And that's not necessarily correct - it must be info it stores in a file
somewhere rather than doing a survey of your system, because I had to
use Rescue and Recovery to restore my system to an earlier state, and then
System Update didn't remember the stuff it had installed after that date.

The real kicker, though, was when System Update started reporting what it
calls "Extras", which are simply Lenovo sale promotional messages, which
could be offered more appropriately in the Message Center.

Another release of Software Update is in the wind (but there are no details yet on exactly what and when).

Cheers,

Bill B.

bill bolton wrote:Another release of Software Update is in the wind (but there are no details yet on exactly what and when).

Cheers,

Bill B.

I certainly hope their software engineers have paid attention to the
answers to the survey they had on it a while back, and to the answers
to it I gave and several others I've communicated with gave.

Software Installer was so MUCH BETTER, but, looking at it now, it may
have had so much IBM Logo, etc. in it that they felt this was a better
and quicker way to make the switch to all Lenovo. (Bad decision.)

I decided I would make do without it and just keep a bookmark to the Lenovo website page for T61 apps and drivers. System Update really serves no useful purpose compared to the old software installer IMO.

Yeah, I fully agree.

Why has software installer been replaced for SU?

They should just bring SI back. That was such a great, small application.

in general i find system update software to be useless. i already have windows update running at all times and i don't want another one mocking me every now and then. futhermore system update 3 never offered me any updates... naturally all of its services and start up files have be either turned off or removed.

We are trying to get Lenovo to fix this issue; however, I do agree that System Update is useless and I have told Lenovo that. They said they are building SU for Vista and have abandoned Software Installer. But SI worked (a while back) and had all the correct features. SU never worked very well and has none of the correct features. I don't know why Lenovo won't listen to us on this issue, but I will keep trying. ... JDH

Please keep after Lenovo to fix System Update !!!

I just ran System Update and it reported only one update as having been
installed: ThinkPad Power Management Driver v1.42. (I had done a restore
to point before using SU to install some stuff using Rescue and Recovery.)

I ran Software Installer and it reported two items to download and install
one was "A message for Software Installer users" and the other was something
like "ThinkPad HotKey something-or-other"

Both of those downloaded, but I was given the opportunity to install only
the first of them. Also, SI showed I had Power Management Driver v1.43
installed (which I'd done by hand when SU [wc]ouldn't install it.

I say just re-release SI and ditch SU. It was perfect. What more did they want out of it? The advertisements tab that SU offers?

bleh....

I do not like System Update at all. It worked fine for my T40, but it hated my X23 with a passion! It wouldn't recognize its model number, so I installed Software Installer which gave me the option to at least type it in. From that point on I decided to stop using it altogether.

I was using my NetVista to prowl around on Lenovo's web site and ran into
a place to download Software Installer. It said there that it would soon
be replaced by System Update, but blaa, blaa, blaa. So I downloaded it.

It ran and found a download for me that System Update never suggested (it
was Sonic DLA).

Would anyone know if there is a way to revert back to the better update software?
I do have an old ghost backup, however, would rather not loose all my new goodies.

Thanks everyone,

Truthfinder

bobstockler wrote:It said there that it would soon
be replaced by System Update, but blaa, blaa, blaa. So I downloaded it.

I like your spirit!

I did a restore to my X31 last night before cloning for a HD replacement. Afterwards, I was given endless trouble by System Update.

It kept losing the connection when trying to load and find updates. After three hours investigating the problem, I found that Levono's servers were just down.

Since a week or two SU finds updates, downloads them, but after the indstalling process I get the message: 2 updates are not installed.
No further explanation on what's wrong...
Reinstalled SU but the problem is still there.

I want SI back!!

I thought I was the only one who thought System Update was garbage and a regression in terms of usability. Why is Software Installer being replaced with this slow/bloated rubbish? System Update wont even run for me anymore after disabling many unnecessary startup items, many of them Thinkvantage. Piece of junk. I wish I knew about that survey.

kramed wrote:I thought I was the only one who thought System Update was garbage and a regression in terms of usability.

Me too. I think it's because they added that completely useless advertisement tab.

kramed wrote:
Why is Software Installer being replaced with this slow/bloated rubbish?

System Update wont even run for me anymore after disabling many unnecessary startup items, many of them Thinkvantage. Piece of junk. I wish I knew about that survey.

I suspect it's partially due to the commercial element they've added in the 4th tab....it's another way to solicit and try to gain somebody's attention for 2 seconds, which is becoming increasingly difficult.

I, too, dislike System Update 3. I removed it and have since re-installed it when I realized SI was no longer showing me available updates. It seems SI has been partially de-commissioned...it never found many new updates that were available.

I've been a long term advocate of SI. I downloaded it again so at least I can track what's available on my system.

I just now used System Update and it updated itself to v3.02.0005, but I
don't see any differences, nor especially any improvements, in it ;-{

I've also updated SU to 3.02.0005 and it appears to finally be working properly. The previous edition repeatedly presented updates that were deferred, yet "uninstallable." That bug appears to have been fixed, so perhaps there is a glimmer of hope for this utility.

Just the same, I am going to hang onto Software Installer for as long as I can.

Friday I installed a nice new 60GB 7200 rpm hard drive in my A31p, installed Windows, etc. and downloaded System Update. Install all the stuff it finds, and noticed it missed a LOT of things! Most notably battery maxi-miser (I like having the little battery icon with the percentage battery life left in the lower right corner). So I installed Software Installer, and it found FOUR things System Update didn't install.

As of Friday, System Update is still a piece of crap.

This program is a NIGHTMARE in a corporate environment.

I have been fighting with this thing for over a year now to get it to work correctly. I used to use (and still do to a point) software installer as part of a system build. I could store all driver downloads from IBM into the local "DRIVERS" folder and have everything ready to install no matter which model IBM it was, laptop/desktop didn't matter. The problem with software installer is that it was never smart enough to know that if I am running it on a Thinkcentre, it shouldn't by default select any THINKPAD specific drivers (such as thinkpad configuration utility).

With System Update you could create a local repository on your network (why download the same stuff over and over from the internet if you don't have to) and grab (supposedly) all drivers for ANY model you have. I am consistently unable to download certain drivers to the local distro OR install certain drivers from the local distro. Matter of fact if I run software installer against this local distro, it will usually pick up the drivers that system update won't see.

Thinkvantage Technologies support seems to be clueless most of the time. I know I have opened at least 3 different cases on the use (fullness) of this application and my cases would never be resolved. Someone would work on it for a few weeks and then I would stop hearing from them.

Just recently when running software installer (AFTER a system update session) I got the notice that they were discontinuing SI. VERRRRRRRY SCARRRRRRY

GomJabbar wrote:Software Installer for Windows 2000/XP

Software Installer version 3.60.0608 for Windows 2000/XP was available to download from here as of 25 Sep 07.

bvaughn wrote:Software Installer version 3.60.0608 for Windows 2000/XP was available to download from here as of 25 Sep 07.

I can't for the life of me figure out why anyone would want Software Installer version 3.x when version 4.01.0615 is available on the link I provided above. Besides, IIRC, Software Installer will update itself if you go to the internet to retrieve updates.

GomJabbar wrote:I can't for the life of me figure out why anyone would want Software Installer version 3.x when version 4.01.0615 is available on the link I provided above. Besides, IIRC, Software Installer will update itself if you go to the internet to retrieve updates.

I noticed several wistful posts in which someone expressed a longing for the "old" Software Installer, so I thought that I could help by giving a source to an additional version (albeit an older version). It's conceivable that someone could find an older version of software to be more to his/her liking, or that an older version just works better on his/her computer. For both of those reasons I continue to use superseded versions of numerous applications (WordPerfect, Excel, an HTML editor, Acrobat Reader) and utilities.

What does "IIRC" mean?

If Software Installer will update itself unbidden, or require that it be updated, in order to work, then obviously it would be folly to try to use an older version. I was not aware of that behavior. I tried using version 3.60.0608, and I got a message asking whether to update, but when I clicked "Yes", alas, nothing happened. So I installed version 4.01.0615.

Therefore, it appears that version 3.60.0608 will not work, and I must retract my misguided effort to be of help. From now on, I'll try to confine my posts to questions, leaving the task of providing answers to those who know better than I.

Sorry, GomJabbar. You have been very helpful innumerable times. I had no intention to disparage your good advice by speaking out of turn.

"IIRC" means If I Remember Correctly.

I didn't feel you were disparaging me. I just didn't see the point of why you posted a link to that older version of Software Installer.

We all tend to post erroneous information from time to time. If you feel you can help someone, go ahead and answer a thread. Just realize that bad information will be brought to light by someone. If it makes you feel any better, I had someone correct something I posted just yesterday.

A bit of good news: System Update 3 seems to be working as advertised on my T43 (2687-D3U).

I upgraded to Software Installer 4.01.0615, though, and it now reports that it does not support my system. Downgrading back to SI 3.x would probably fix that, but I'm going stick with System Update from here on out. From the SI error notice, I can only surmise that the migration of all users to System Update has begun in earnest.

I was just trying System Update 3.02.0005.

I selected 4 items for it to update, the last on the list being the one I actually wanted, but thought that I would take the others anyway. (There were also a few I declined.)

Thinkpad UltraNav Utilities
Thinkpad UltraNav Driver
Thinkpad Hotkey Features Setup
Thinkpad Power Manager Driver.

After downloading, SU then started installing. For the 4 items above, it came up 4 times trying to install 'Security Task Manager'. Now I already have a legal copy installed (-and the installation file was put on a CD a year or so ago and I haven't actually run the installed application for a few months). The SU installation unrecognised that I had it already and would have installed into the same location. After cancelling a couple of times, I thought that I would see what happened and each component threw up a abort/retry/ cancel as it recognised the pre-installed components.

So what is going on?

I haven't been able to locate where the downloaded files have been placed pre-installation, otherwise I would check there.

Very strange...