Thinkpads Forum

My new x60 (1706bq6) has 2*1gb ram. I was pretty alarmed to know that close to 800mb of my ram is taken up.

I know I can free up some unneccessary ibm software to free up more memory. But I am rather infant with the thinkpad so I am hoping you guys can provide some opinions.

Is your X60 running XP or Vista?

sugo wrote:Is your X60 running XP or Vista?

Sad to say, it is running XP pro.

I have X60S but it is pretty similar to X60. I reinstalled the whole system and only keeps the power manager (battery thing) and the anti-shock system. Nothing else from Thinkpad. My system runs pretty fast. No complaint.

bigtiger wrote:I have X60S but it is pretty similar to X60. I reinstalled the whole system and only keeps the power manager (battery thing) and the anti-shock system. Nothing else from Thinkpad. My system runs pretty fast. No complaint.

Same here. I got mine and did a fresh XP Pro install right away and only installed the bare essentials. Runs like a champ. I have an X60.

800MB does sound a bit too high. In XP Task Manager -> Performance tab, what is the current PF Usage? On the Processes tab, you should be able to see which process is taking how much memory.

My X60s has about 27 processes running taking up around 180MB PF Usage.

sugo wrote: My X60s has about 27 processes running taking up around 180MB PF Usage.

Mine has around 70 processes occupying 388MB. Which processes and services do you deem to be safe to disable?

Also, I noticed that in Windows Task Manager my computer has 8 (!) separate processes by the same name svchost.exe, each taking from 1,376K to 43,940K of memory. Is that many clones of the same program normal?

Chrispy wrote:

bigtiger wrote:I have X60S but it is pretty similar to X60. I reinstalled the whole system and only keeps the power manager (battery thing) and the anti-shock system. Nothing else from Thinkpad. My system runs pretty fast. No complaint.

Same here. I got mine and did a fresh XP Pro install right away and only installed the bare essentials. Runs like a champ. I have an X60.

How do you do a fresh install? You boot from the thinkvantage and customised the installation? What about the fingerprint scanner? I do find it rather useful.

sugo wrote:800MB does sound a bit too high. In XP Task Manager -> Performance tab, what is the current PF Usage? On the Processes tab, you should be able to see which process is taking how much memory.

My X60s has about 27 processes running taking up around 180MB PF Usage.

I have 91 processes running.

Physical memory
total: 2087276 (about 2gb)
available: 1429424

pf usage is 509mb

ylim wrote:How do you do a fresh install? You boot from the thinkvantage and customised the installation? What about the fingerprint scanner? I do find it rather useful.

Actually, I had a full install of XP Pro available to use (used to be on my desktop but I purchased an OEM Vista for that). I just did the install using my external DVD burner and downloaded the drivers from lenovo.com. All the needed software, including that needed for the finger print scanner, is available from there.

The only software I uninstalled is Windows.

madana wrote:

sugo wrote: My X60s has about 27 processes running taking up around 180MB PF Usage.

Mine has around 70 processes occupying 388MB. Which processes and services do you deem to be safe to disable?

Also, I noticed that in Windows Task Manager my computer has 8 (!) separate processes by the same name svchost.exe, each taking from 1,376K to 43,940K of memory. Is that many clones of the same program normal?

svchost handles running the services. So many instances of the program is normal.

I would start by disabling must of the Think* processes.

Turbo Audi wrote:The only software I uninstalled is Windows.

Just ordered mine and I will be doing the same thing.

Finger print reader, disk protection, power manager, hot keys and system update... works like a charm... had to do a fresh install though...Vista business

hi,

I just got hold of a brand new X60. And after uninstalling the reallly crappy norton, I have 78 process remaining for 433mb used on 1Gb. I just realised though I would be better off resintalling the OS since there are tones of non usefull software (at least not to me). The next step will be to figure out which software I really want to install back on the system.

Tam

I got myself a new X60 Tablet. Booting and logging in to Windows was really slow out of the box. However, after some searching on this forum, I found that I needed to uninstall access connections and client security solution. Now my new machine is at least as fast as my older T42p. Amazing, but I wonder why Lenovo would put all that software on there when it hurts system performance that badly.

Oh, and I got rid of the Norton junk too. Sorry Mr. Norton, but that is my opinion.

whoa. i only have 300 mb used on start up. 800 sounds to be a lot. have u checked which programs are occupying the ram? Under process in task manager they will show you how much memory each proc takes. In my opinion norton and access connection and the intel software for the wireless are the main culprits of excessive ram use.

MichaelMeier wrote:Amazing, but I wonder why Lenovo would put all that software on there when it hurts system performance that badly.

This should answer your question:
Lenovo selects Windows Live for pre-load

I just found an article on a list of services that are safe to disable here:
http://www.johntp.com/2006/01/15/tweak-win-xp/

I also tried the speed up WinXP startup and speed up WinXP shutdown tips from the same site and my freshly reformatted X60 runs like a charm! I removed most of the pre-included media and antivirus programs, but kept a couple of ThinkVantage programs such as Presentation Director, System Updater, Easy Eject, and Rescue Recovery.

Now, I am more interested in lowering the 310MB of RAM my system uses at start-up. Is anyone able to start any lower?

I created a "fresh, blank XP install" disc from the i386 folder present on the factory-preinstalled hard disk, and then formatted and reinstalled a standard MS install -- then installed only the apps that I knew I wanted. I prefer to start blank and install what I want, rather than start bloated and un-install things.

(Of course, I also created a set of recovery DVDs just in case, and so I can restore factory settings when it comes to sell this machine)

I had to use a Web Wayback archive of a previously linked help site to get the instructions on how to do this; it is here:

4saad.com link via the Wayback archive

From memory, one of the files it needs, no longer exists on the links there. However I was able to find it again with a Google search on just the filename.

spaznrq wrote:

MichaelMeier wrote:Amazing, but I wonder why Lenovo would put all that software on there when it hurts system performance that badly.

This should answer your question:
Lenovo selects Windows Live for pre-load

I see. Looks like I got my new machine right in time before that change to MS software is going to take place.

However, I thought access connections and client security solution were from IBM/Lenovo directly. That is what made me wonder why it was such a performance killer.


If Symantec needs to pay too for vendors to include their stuff in the preloads, then I wonder how they are able to make any profit. Are people really buying the subscription once the initial trial period is over? Too bad for the users not knowing about alternatives.