ThinkVantage stuff still useful with 7?

[Bfskinnerpunk]

I have just installed Windows 7 Ultimate on my T61.

I then downloaded the Lenovo updater (4.0).. .and that thing apparently installed all the drivers as well as that ThinkVantage software.

Fine.... and no complications at all. In fact, I didn't notice anything not-working after the basic Windows 7 install... that little trackbutton thing worked, too.

Anyway, I have no familiarity with "7", but I understand that it contains much of the functionality of thinkvantage.

For example, it's version of the location manager serves the same function as Lenovo's "access connections" ...right?

I think windows 7 ultimate also does a nice, big, thorough backup thing, too... the full system and files.

If so, and if "7" does the same trick as other thinkvantage functions, can I just eliminate or simply hide the thinkvantage stuff?

My first complaint about the thinkvantage stuff is this: The darn icons are too big! The ThinkVantage icon and Battery are two or three times the size of the rest of the icons on that bottom "task" bar (or whatever it's called)... this makes the entire task bar twice as fat as it needs to be. I have the rest of my icons nice and small, and yet those Lenovo icons are huge!

Thanks for any help.
BF

[Harryc]

The only Thinkvantage pgms I have running on my W7 machines are the Power Manager, the Lenovo Airbag, and the System Update. I find each useful in their own right.

[WVZR1]

My first complaint about the thinkvantage stuff is this: The darn icons are too big! The ThinkVantage icon and Battery are two or three times the size of the rest of the icons on that bottom "task" bar (or whatever it's called)... this makes the entire task bar twice as fat as it needs to be. I have the rest of my icons nice and small, and yet those Lenovo icons are huge!

Can't you just "untick" the Lenovo ICONS after "right-clicking" on the taskbar and going to "tool bars"? The Lenovo ICONS certainly are a distraction" though!

[GrandMasterKhan]

I think they look cool except for the Big Blue circle for the ThinkVantage Toolbox. Talk about tacky cheesy looking.

[Colonel O'Neill]

That Lenovo Toolbox replaced my Productivity Center (which IMHO was more useful) and I can't get it back despite changing the registry entry according to ThinkWiki.

Too bad the taskbar icons have no vertical equivalent; making my taskbar vertical has the battery gauge and access connections gauge stretch the taskbar to a horribly wasteful size.

[jdhurst]

You can hide the battery guage or leave it behind. I do not use it because it does not add anything for me (YMMV). Access Connections has a setting for this. Open AC and go to Tools -> Global Settings -> Notification Tab. Uncheck the bottom one (guage) and check the top one. AC now returns to normal small size.

The thick task bar (like MAC) truly is a pain in the butt. ... JDH