Questions about finishing a T60 build and powering up

[smw6230]

After acquiring all my parts (mobo, flexview, ssd, windows 7) I'm now ready to put everything together and boot this puppy up.

But to make sure I don't fry anything, or do anything in the wrong order, I have a couple of questions.

The Mobo that I will be installing is new (2008) and probably still has the factory bios on it. I really lucked out and purchased a "parts" T60 on ebay for $ 31.00 that has a T7200 CPU (along with a 9 cell panasonic battery that's practically new ) . Given what I've read elsewhere on these forums I need to check the board revision number, make sure that its 3, and if it is then flash the bios to allow it to run a T7200 processor.

My question is since this build will be from the ground up, when should I flash the bios? Logic tells me that since the CPU will be operable from the start I should do that right away but I just want to make sure.

Second thing, I'll be installing Windows 7 on a SSD, after I use the recovery disks to install XP onto the SSD first.

Is there anything in particular, any program that I should run, before I start the OS process. I'm thinking mainly system drivers. If I do need to install drivers when should I do it?

Finally, assuming everything works any recommendations on lenovo software from the T60 page to download, or avoid? The SSD is only 80gb (Intel 320), and I'll be sticking a 500gb HD in an ultrabay caddy and using that for space. Nonetheless, I really hate bloatware and would like to conserve as much space as possible on the SSD.

Also if anyone has any pointers that I might have overlooked, or programs that I should download afterward please let me know as I'm new to the T60 series and am relatively in the dark.

Thanks.

[rumbero]

You should have used this opportunity to go directly with a T61 mainboard, which adds support for up to 8GB of RAM, without wanting to further elaborate on CPU options.

[ajkula66]

I have yet to see a T60 board that will not run a C2D, unless it originally shipped with a Core Solo CPU.

You're on the right track, just keep on rollin'...

[smw6230]

I have yet to see a T60 board that will not run a C2D, unless it originally shipped with a Core Solo CPU.

You're on the right track, just keep on rollin'...

Yeah, I specifically remember reading where you said that. But I just wanted to be sure.

FWIW, as a test I just finished flashing the old ebay "parts" mobo to 2.27 just to practice. I've done it before and it was a breeze but you read enough post here mentioning bad flashes (and bricked mobos) and you get spooked by the process.

[TuuS]

I actually had a bad bios flash happen to me, so I know the threat is real. In my case, I believe it was caused by a cdrom drive that had read errors, but a random blue screen crash will brick your bios too. I recommend anyone flashing their bios not to do it from a bootable cdrom if possible, and to only do it if the system is running stable, don't just throw it together and do the flash.

If I needed the flash for a new cpu, I'd do it with the old on installed, then swap.

[ssd_thinkpad]

I would only install the programs from ibms service pages when you need them. Windows 7 update installs mostly everything itself. Here you are very lucky to deal with an older system as your T60 can use ethernet, wlan immediately. My x220 can not do that, when you install Windows 7, it can not even establish a connection to the internet by either ethernet or wlan. So build your T60 as you wish and just input your Windows 7 CD. Then choose "update everything" after the core Windows 7 is installed.

You have possibly the best system available for doing office stuff as your display is the best available for this kind of work until today and the keyboard is as good as any full size thinkpad keyboard of the last years.