Anyone verified a T480s will work with Windows 11?

[CharlieDog]

I'm thinking of getting a T480s as a traveling laptop, but would like to be assured it is compatible with W11. FWIW there is a small, free software called WhynotWin11 available from GitHub to download and check eleven things for pass or fail. Just curious if anyone has done that with an un-upgraded T480s. I'd rather get a used T480s than spend the same amount of money on a 'new' laptop of lesser specs. Guess I'm hardware oriented... TIA

[Dana]

Wish I could help. I have an older 4th generation X1 Carbon. I discovered I could enable TPM 2 in BIOS. Did that but still failed W11 compatibility check you referenced. The i7-6600U was flagged. Major disappointment.

[dr_st]

I wouldn't trust some third party compatibility-check tool that is based on random, confusing and contradicting information coming out of Microsoft's press releases.

People have installed Windows 11 even on Core 2 Duo, not to mention 4th generation Core i systems:
viewtopic.php?p=861173#p861173

The chance of not being able to somehow install Win11 on a X1C 4th gen is, I imagine, close to 0.

A T480s is 8th gen, so it is officially supported even.

[TWMIV]

As of the beta channel releases, the T480s works great on windows 11. Non-compatible devices have been removed from the insider's program so there is no reason to believe that it would not be compatible.

All of the hotkeys work, Lenovo vantage works just as it did on windows 10, and I have not noticed a massive difference in battery life as of yet.

[iamdmc]

It meets all of the requirements, so it should. I haven't bothered to run beta builds on my T480s, because I knew I'd have to clean install again when Windows 11 is finally released. I've run beta builds of Vista, 7, 8, and 10 and finally decided it wasn't worth the time and effort.

I'll install Windows 11 when it pops up on windows update in early 2022

[keithsketchley]

Even my T480 (no 's') is not compatible, according to Microsloppy's checking routine.

Says Intel Core i5-7300U Processor is not compatible.

(Checking routine shows a few aspects that are compatible, including TPM and secure boot, oddly does not list graphics which I read is one of Microsloppy's concerns.)

Oh well, I have four years of Windows 10 support in which to find good Unix application software and buy an Acer computer. )
(Being fed up with the combination of Loonoovo and Microsloppy.)

(I don't know what 'Secure Boot' is about, perhaps is hardware boot which I do not use because Abstract tracing software may not work at the very beginning of boot (they claim it does but my stolen x41 never reported in, would have to replace password chip with blank one to get around password).
IIRC 4GB RAM minimum is another criteria.)

[keithsketchley]

See my notes in two posts in the general Windows 11 compatibility thread.

For regular T480s it appears there are several processors, the older one of my two is shown as not compatible - it has 7300U processor vs 8250U in my slightly newer one, 7th vs 8th generation whatever that means, but I wouldn't be surprised if MS goofed.

[keithsketchley]

"iamdmc', beware that Loonoovo used more than one model of processor in the T480s thus probably the T480s. (I understand the s means even slimmer model, achieved by leaving out more ports.)

I have one T480 with an i5-7300U processor that Microsloppy says is not compatible, whereas my other one with i5-8250U is compatible.

I don't know what the difference in generations means, the 7300 seems to have more features and capability especially imaging related, according to Intel specs.

[dr_st]

@keithsketchley

These processor requirements do not apply to end-users. They only apply to OEMs who want their systems certified for Windows 11.

It is explained very clearly here:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/window ... quirements

(coincidentally, look at the supported CPUs for Windows 7; OMG it only lists 5th gen Core CPUs and newer!!! Does it mean you cannot install Win7 on anything older? Heck, people have it running on Pentium 4!)

Microsoft has a history of releasing conflicting, confusing and often deliberately vague information. They want to encourage people to use newer, better tested hardware, because it ultimately saves Microsoft support costs. However, the actual compatibility is always much broader.

Most experienced users understand that. But some choose to ignore the collective past experience and instead point fingers at stupid compatibility lists, auto-check tools and sensationalist articles on tech sites and spread panic "Aaaahh!!! Microsoft wants to put all our computers in the dump!!! Planned Obsolescence and Global Warming!!! Aaaaahh!!!"

P.S. Your "Loonoovo" and "Microsloppy" jokes stopped being funny after about the 10th time you used them. One must wonder, if your opinion of the companies and their products is so low, why you still wish to care about their products and compatibility lists...

[RealBlackStuff]

@keithsketchley
Why do you keep adding (sketchy at best) posts after your own ones, where you could just edit your last post instead?

[iamdmc]

"iamdmc', beware that Loonoovo used more than one model of processor in the T480s thus probably the T480s. (I understand the s means even slimmer model, achieved by leaving out more ports.)

I have one T480 with an i5-7300U processor that Microsloppy says is not compatible, whereas my other one with i5-8250U is compatible.

I don't know what the difference in generations means, the 7300 seems to have more features and capability especially imaging related, according to Intel specs.

thanks for the reply and consideration

I guess I'm lucky that my T480s has the i7-8550u

[nex86]

I'm running 11 on a T440P, I was able to install it without any modifications and did not get an incompatiblity warning. Updates are also working out of the box.
It has TPM 1.2 of the required 2.0, and also an unsupported CPU, but it works just fine.

So I don't see what the fuss is all about.

PS: I did a clean install, I used the official media creation tool to create an usb and let the files untouched. believe it or not.

[keithsketchley]

Appears that 'generations' are more complex than one might logically think.

Features vary within generations, they may overlap.

Microsloppy has a list of compatibility.

(I won't run unsupported software because it is more likely to have security defects.)

But whether or not you want to use Windows 11 while you still can use Windows 10 is a big question - Microsloppy's two-year-olds-with-hammer have messed up UI, Windows tab shows much less, .... Need to lock them up for two weeks every year and only feed them when they figure out something they have never encountered before. (My list would start with horrid UI of Mailbird software.)

Fundamental question is whether or not 11 is significantly better for security than 10.

Playing around with 11 on a new-to-me computer I just purchased as backup I did discover a setting to always show scroll bars. That was a huge annoyance for me with 10. I'll check if 10 has that, otherwise have to train myself to use the centre 'mouse' button and red stick to scroll.

[Jake.Werecat]

I see no point in creating a new topic for this, even though I'm about to talk about T470 not T480.
So out of pure fun, I was playing around with Windows 11 in the Virtual Box lately, and though out of the box it's irritating after fixing that terrible terrible taskbar, getting rid of super stupid context menu with no useful options other then "show me that other context menu" and swapping the file explorer for the older Windows 10 style one (with ribbons), the whole OS seems to be running smoothly and be very much usable, also a little bit more consistent in design and functionality then Win 10 (I'm talking about you Control Panel and Settings which overlap with each-other). I also really enjoyed the new weather widget which works way better then the clunky "news and interest" in win 10 - which basically has a refresh rate of "i don't refresh unless you make me to".
Honestly I have not so long ago upgraded from T430 to T470 and from win 7 to 10 at the same time, but I'm now actually considering going even further and upgrading my T470 to Win 11.
It WILL work, despite unsupported CPU and lack of TPM 2.0, and I know how to do it, but I'm wondering if it's worth it. Any opinions or suggestions on this matter?

[Melaka]

I'd be interested to hear how you get on with the T470s as I still have one. I've just upgraded my T490s to W11 and so far so good although some of the features are irritating. My wife's T480s will follow idc. I note there are several T470s advertised on a well known auction site with W11 so presumably someone has succeeded in doing it.

[Jake.Werecat]

I have a T470 without "s". As for the computer itself I'm super happy with it, as for Win 11 it just works in the virtual machine for now. I'm cautions towards any changes. But installation the OS on the T470 for real wouldn't be any problem at all. I'm more concerned with possible hardware incompatibility issues, such as missing driver, no COM port for GPS receiver or fingerprint vantage software not working (like it was the case with Win10 on T430) etc. etc.

[keithsketchley]

Windows 11 appears to work on a T480 (not 's') on which it was loaded by previous owner.

I have not spent much time with it yet, it is a backup.

Do beware that some BIOS updates from Lenovo and Intel (yes both outfits) require specific vintages of Windows 11, so you should update it first.


What do you have when you tinker with software until it 'appears to work'?
Software that 'appears to work.' )
(Micrsloppy tinkers.)

[amlbuton]

One of my X220 with i7 2620M, 12 gb ram, 180 Intel SSD now running W11 as my mobile ThinkPad, and it runs well.\
So your T480s should runs much better.

[Melaka]

Just updated the T480s to W11 without any problem.

[Jake.Werecat]

I did the same with T470 5 days ago

[keithsketchley]

Admins:

Because I find the red stick cursor control very useful (it depends on IBM software, whereas HP's blue stick did not work well).

And because I purchased two T480 computers to have a backup, so am invested.

Should have thought more ahead after my experience with an earlier Thinkpad model for which I became an expert at repairing.

Why do you defend companies that do not produce quality? IBM/Lenovo claim great things about Thinkpads, they FAIL to produce what they promise. Microsoft refuses to fix defects in Windows 10 but has gone cutesy in it and Windows 11.

[Jake.Werecat]

Admins:

Because I find the red stick cursor control very useful (it depends on IBM software, whereas HP's blue stick did not work well).

And because I purchased two T480 computers to have a backup, so am invested.

Should have thought more ahead after my experience with an earlier Thinkpad model for which I became an expert at repairing.

Why do you defend companies that do not produce quality? IBM/Lenovo claim great things about Thinkpads, they FAIL to produce what they promise. Microsoft refuses to fix defects in Windows 10 but has gone cutesy in it and Windows 11.

Ekhm? Excuse me?

[keithsketchley]

to Jake.werecat:
I do not know what you mean by ekhm.
I responded to an 'admin' griping at me for criticizing Lenovo and Microsoft.

IMJ the quality of Thinkpads is not what Lenovo claims, with pitches like 'business class'.
(Lenovo does provide SW fixes/improvements better than many vendors of laptops.
Thinkpads may be slightly rugged but aren't Toughbooks as you'll see in police cars.)
I have pointed to the great difficulty figuring out how to make a warranty claim (Lenovo code is defective) then phoney denial of claim.

Microsoft cutesy includes adding stick figures or something to the right end of the Search entry box of Windows10Pro, various popups, and now a chatbot imitator. Microsoft's Edge browser, which really Chrome with a different face, slams you to Bing if entering URL for The Weather Network and DuckDuckGo search function, for example. (DuckDuckGo has better privacy than Google.) Etc.

[keithsketchley]

I recommend avoiding Windows 11, unless there is a significant security advantage.

My T480 mule has it, several anomalies.

One was fixed by recent update, another annoying one remains.

Microsoft's history is to need several patches over years.

[Jake.Werecat]

Well, to each his own. I was hesitant to Windows 10, I stuck with Win 7 for way too long, then when I finally switched to Win 10 I kinda got used to it, but never really loved it. As for Windows 11, i made a pretty early transition approximately a year ago and I'm super happy. I've been running it flawlessly ever since. IMHO it's the best M$ OS for a long time.