Can Windows Vista be installed on an IBM Thinkpad R50e?

[ThinkDan2004]

Hey Thinkpadders!
I just wanted to ask whether Windows Vista can be installed on an IBM Thinkpad R50e?
Because I saw a YouTube video that suggested that maybe it is possible.

Moderator edit: Moved thread from initially (and incorrectly) being posted in the T6x-subforum.

[dr_st]

Welcome to the forum.

Can't see why not. This generation of Thinkpads works fine with every version of Windows between Win2K and Win7, which includes XP and Vista.

[ThinkDan2004]

But would it be able to run Windows Aero Theme? I would like to see a demonstration picture.

[ThinkDan2004]

Hey Thinkpadders,
I think I have found answer to my question in this Youtube Video Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMYZpLZSy74

However, I would still like your contributions to the question.
Thanks.

[ajkula66]

But would it be able to run Windows Aero Theme?

No. The Intel integrated graphics found on that system do not support Aero.

[ThinkDan2004]

But I think there is a way someone can enter the registry and tweak it, tricking Vista into implementing the Aero Theme by default.

[ajkula66]

But I think there is a way someone can enter the registry and tweak it, tricking Vista into implementing the Aero Theme by default.

Which part of my previuous "does not support Aero" statement leaves room for any doubt?

In order for Aero to run, the graphics must meet certain requirements which can not be tweaked in registry, such as amount of VRAM, certain level of Direct X support etc.

Think of it as of a *physical* limitation, because that's what it comes down to.

[ThinkDan2004]

There was a guy that I knew that had to tweak the registry to activate the Aero theme. However, he said that if you do not do it correctly or the video memory is low, the laptop video card can fail and go black and you will have to reinstall windows again.
So I think you have proven your point.

[Hans Gruber]

Just a pro tip here. If you can get a ISO image of Windows Vista with SP2, you will like that version much better than anything prior to SP2. I think Vista being as bad as it was had SP3 but I could never find an ISO image with SP3. I had an original copy of Vista Ultimate and it was a disaster to install because it didn't have service packs. The install was around 60GB's through SP3. The ISO of SP2 was a tidy 30GB if memory serves me correct.

[dr_st]

SP2 is the last service pack for Vista. There was no SP3. An installation image with SP2 integrated easily fits on a single DVD (or Dual Layer DVD if you want both 32-bit and 64-bit versions on the same medium).

[ajkula66]

To each their own, but I always found Vista to be too resource-heavy on systems from this era. Even SP2 which is head and shoulders above the original release, and then some.

My hunch is that something changed in the way memory is managed from Vista to W7, and made it easier for Pentium M generation machines to run the latter. I've never taken the time to explore this particular aspect in depth, so I may very well be wrong.

[Hans Gruber]

Vista was always mapping your HDD. I don't remember if they called it prefetch but it treated a computer as if it was some sort of network server. That is why it was brutal on SSD's. It was always reformatting HDD and everybody knows SSD's are not reformatted like a spinner drive.

[dr_st]

I don't think there are any differences between Vista and 7 in this regard. Although I did hear someone say that they made the Superfetch a bit "lighter" in 7, which means it is actually less useful. But like y'all, I never verified (or refuted) this claim.

[TPFanatic]

My main issue with Vista now opposed to 7 is its update system is still gimped while 7's got fixed. Use an offline updater if you can get that to work.

[ThinkDan2004]

Seriously guys... Thanks for the answers and I know Vista 2006 version is crappy but SP1 and SP2 is fine to use!