Thinkpads Forum

I just bought an X61T and installed 4GB of ram, the laptop shipped with 32-bit Vista Business and I'm wondering if my CD-key will work with 64-bit Vista. I believe my company has some 64-bit Vista's OEM or Retail, not sure. Can I upgrade? Vista is bad enough and I don't really want to purchase a new Retail copy. Anyone try this?

you can't upgrade to 64bit i don't think... you just gotta install again. Your key should work for 64bit though (for Business and Ultimate for sure, not sure about Home Premium)

Vista Business 32bit and Vista Business 64bit uses the same license key.

I have clean installed my X61T with Vista Business 64 bit about two weeks ago following the Stallen's "Vista clean install guide" and then upgrade to SP1.

Everything works fine - no blue screen. However, I checked the size of my C:\Windows directory yesterday and found it's size is 16GB!!! The C:\Windows\winsxs directory took 8GB, which has lots of X64 and X86 dll.
I'm not sure whether the winsxs directory will require less space for 32 bit because it needn't backup the X64 version of DLL.

How did you get the Vista 64-bit DVD/CDs? My X61T came with 8 cds, not sure if they contain Vista 64-bit or not.

unomystEz wrote:How did you get the Vista 64-bit DVD/CDs? My X61T came with 8 cds, not sure if they contain Vista 64-bit or not.

That's Windows XP Professional on those CDs. You don't get Vista recovery CDs with your laptop, just downgrade rights to XP.

If you look at them it'll say XPP SP2.

To get 64bit CDs, i think MS offers them as "Media exchange" or something like that. I can't find the link right now but they are like $12 or somewhere there. You can also however just borrow one from your "friend" (online or off ) All 64bit media can install any version of Vista (Ultimate, Business or Home Premium)

Yeah, I really need to get Vista 64-bit media somehow. It should be fscking free for cripes sakes. I can get it from a few places online, but with my luck they'll be slipstreamed with virii and trojans =/

You can download Vista 64 bit from Microsoft.

I followed the instruction on MyDigitalLife. The post title is:

"64-bit (x64) Windows Vista Official Direct Download Links"

If u have business or ulitmaete u can download it for free from microsoft, or claim a cd for a small fe (around $10).

I did it and got 64 bit ultimate dvd from microsoft, just to find out i want xp back.

The vista installation is easy, just remember to download and install sp1 (around 700 MB).

Take in considuration, that after everything, and before adding your files, windows will use around 20GB, another thing is that most of your programs won't use 64 bit.

Oren wrote:
Take in considuration, that after everything, and before adding your files, windows will use around 20GB, another thing is that most of your programs won't use 64 bit.

Oren is correct. I installed Vista 64 bit on a T60 and was not impressed.

Slightly slower to open Office apps and just no speedier than the 32 bit version of Vista.

Not worth the effort unless you just want to go thru the technical excercise.

There's no "Wow" as Microsoft once said, more like "Yawn".

highland1024 wrote:You can download Vista 64 bit from Microsoft.

I followed the instruction on MyDigitalLife. The post title is:

"64-bit (x64) Windows Vista Official Direct Download Links"

I guess you missed the bit that says.....

"Note that the downloaded 64-bit Vista code can be activated with a retail product key."

Cheers,

Bill B

[censored]. I got Vista 32-bit Business with this X61T. I definitely prefer XP - I take that back, I prefer win2k more than anything. I'm fiddling around with this Vista install and trying to squeeze everything I can out of it. I got rid of everything Vista-esque, it now pretty much looks like XP. I do notice it's much slower, I hope SP1 will help this. Do these "downgrade" (perhaps more aptly named "upgrade") CDs to XP , are they Tablet edition or just XP Pro? Anyone else have suggestions on how to improve the Vista experience?

unomystEz wrote: I got Vista 32-bit Business with this X61T. I definitely I got rid of everything Vista-esque, it now pretty much looks like XP. I do notice it's much slower, I hope SP1 will help this. Anyone else have suggestions on how to improve the Vista experience?

Not sure about any X specific tweaks, since I do not have that model.

I assume you have Advanced/Performance settings set to "adjust for best performance" but with a couple of additions like cursor shadows etc.

I also use Classic mode in Windows Explorer too, for better performance and less annoying folder jump.

Also note, Superfetch will run for a while at first till Vista learns your habits, and indexing may be a pain until you de-select some search areas that you do not want.

My oldest/slowest machine that runs Vista is a R50p, and even it is acceptable, so Vista is doable with some adjustments and getting rid of the extra "features".

unomystEz wrote:[censored]. I got Vista 32-bit Business with this X61T. I definitely prefer XP - I take that back, I prefer win2k more than anything.

I think you've hit the nail on the head about Win2K > XP > Vista, performance-wise.

You will probably notice some improvement from SP1.

The other question is: what's under your hood? Harddrive? Memory?

I haven't found anything that will make Vista as fast as XP yet, but it can get pretty close.

The handwriting recognition on Vista has been pretty impressive. It does well out of the box (for me), you can train it, and it keeps learning as you use it.

I've had some of the same thoughts about XP Tablet, though. I'm going to give Vista until the Fall and jettison it, if I'm not happy.

SHoTTa35 wrote:

unomystEz wrote:How did you get the Vista 64-bit DVD/CDs? My X61T came with 8 cds, not sure if they contain Vista 64-bit or not.

That's Windows XP Professional on those CDs. You don't get Vista recovery CDs with your laptop, just downgrade rights to XP.

If you look at them it'll say XPP SP2.

To get 64bit CDs, i think MS offers them as "Media exchange" or something like that. I can't find the link right now but they are like $12 or somewhere there. You can also however just borrow one from your "friend" (online or off ) All 64bit media can install any version of Vista (Ultimate, Business or Home Premium)

Do all recent X61T's come with XP Pro Downgrade rights Recovery CDs?

Can Lenovo be asked to send them free of charge in case they are / were missing?