Thinkpads Forum

Hi,

My quite new (but bought used) W520 does not start with Windows 10 installed. It got Windows 7 and worked without problems. Then I upgraded it to Windows 10 - and it still worked without problems. Then I used System Update to update everything and W520 started to hang up during restarts. Then it stopped booting up to Windows 10 completly. Tried to do a clean install but it also hangs after first reset. Then I reinstalled Windows 7 - and it works without problems. But update to Windows 10 failed this time (and it really hurts me to get back to Windows 7 after using Windows 10 on my desktop).

Any ideas what to do to get Windows 10 running up again?
(I tried to change a few BIOS settings - resetting to defaults and related to integrated and discrete GPU - but that hadn't changed anything...).

Welcome to the forum.

Lenovo does not officially support your W520 for Windows 10.
Only models like W530/T530/X230 and up are supported: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=73&t=118505

Either install Lenovo's versions of W7/W8/W8.1 and then upgrade to W10, OR Install W10 directly, OR stay away from W10.
If you are in W10, do NOT run TVSU (System Update) any longer, UNinstall it.
Only install individual Lenovo drivers/programs/whatever after you made a backup (or make a Restore Point, if that's still in W10).
Only do one Lenovo update at a time and fully test if it works!

But before you make your W10 decision, read up some in our Windows 10 sub-forum!
You may change your mind...

I would try a fresh W10 install.

Mine is also a little bit "flaky" after upgrading...but no hang-ups.

you need to disable Intel virtualization technologies in the bios to get the machine to boot

find Intel vt-d in the bios setting and disable it.

nangryo wrote:you need to disable Intel virtualization technologies in the bios to get the machine to boot

find Intel vt-d in the bios setting and disable it.

Not necessarily so. I have mine fully enabled and Windows 10 has direct support for it. I had no issues at all upgrading to Windows 10 with VT-D enabled. There seem to be some processors in the W520 that have this issue but not really confirmed as of yet. It is in this thread:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=73&t=118556

The Intel Virtualization Technologies are one of the reasons I bought a W520. I am playing with all kinds of virtualization with mine and have Windows 7, 10, and Ubuntu multibooting on the main disk and all three running Virtualbox. I put another Linux variant, Qubes, on a spare disk and just got an Ultrabay 2nd HDD adapter so I don't have to swap disks to boot it. Qubes is the diametric opposite of Windows 10. It is an OS dedicated to privacy and security and makes extensive use of virtualization to do this. It works best on processors that support Intel Virtualization Technologies.

MisterB wrote:

nangryo wrote:you need to disable Intel virtualization technologies in the bios to get the machine to boot

find Intel vt-d in the bios setting and disable it.

Not necessarily so. I have mine fully enabled and Windows 10 has direct support for it. I had no issues at all upgrading to Windows 10 with VT-D enabled. There seem to be some processors in the W520 that have this issue but not really confirmed as of yet. It is in this thread:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=73&t=118556

The Intel Virtualization Technologies are one of the reasons I bought a W520. I am playing with all kinds of virtualization with mine and have Windows 7, 10, and Ubuntu multibooting on the main disk and all three running Virtualbox. I put another Linux variant, Qubes, on a spare disk and just got an Ultrabay 2nd HDD adapter so I don't have to swap disks to boot it. Qubes is the diametric opposite of Windows 10. It is an OS dedicated to privacy and security and makes extensive use of virtualization to do this. It works best on processors that support Intel Virtualization Technologies.

True. It might be processor related. Cause some W520 owner seems to installed just fine.
But some other (like mine) it won't boot up.

Even after successfully installed win 10. If I try to enabled Vt-D again, it will hang up again.