Vista (RTM final) on the A31p

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sehh · #1 Post by **sehh** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 7:16 pm

Just finished installing Vista, the real final retail version that has just gone Release To Master several days ago.

I've installed it on an IBM ThinkPad A31p, P4-M 2Ghz, 1GB RAM, 2x80gig hd drives, ATI FireGL Mobility 7800, 15" 1600x1200 TFT, etc etc the usual.

I'm dual booting between WinXP and Vista right now. I had to remove my Fedora Core Linux for the moment, just to test Vista and i'll install Linux after i'm done with it.

working devices:

modem (Agere Systems AC'97 Modem): OK
network wired (Intel PRO/100 VE): OK
IDE chipset (Intel 82801CAM Ultra ATA Storage Controller-248A): OK
harddrive 1 (FUJITSU MHT2040AH ATA Device): OK
harddrive 2 (IC25N080ATMR04-0 ATA Device): OK
dvd/cdrw (HL-DT-ST RW/DVD GCC-4240N ATA Drvice): OK
firewire (RICOH OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controler): OK
infrared (IBM ThinkPad Fast Infrared Port): OK
keyboard/mouse (Standard keyboard and PS/2 trackpoint): OK
pcmcia (Ricoh R/RL/5C476II cardbus): OK
ports (COM1, LPT1, etc): OK
audio (Intel 82801CA/CAM AC'97 Audio Controller): OK
usb (Intel 82801CA/CAM USB Universal Host Controller): OK

not working devices:

graphics chipset: Standard VGA Graphics Adapter
network wireless: Unknown Network Controller
TV capture chipset (S-Video In): Unknown device
IBM PM device: Unknown device

overall:

Vista runs ok on this laptop, it does the basic stuff without problem. Unfortunately it doesn't have a driver for the video chipset (ATI FireGL 7800 Mobility) which is the only major problem.

Next step is to try and update the drivers via windows update.

sehh · #2 Post by **sehh** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 7:32 pm

Windows Update found a driver for the IBM PM device and for the ATI FireGL 7800 graphics chipset and installed them without a problem.

Unfortunately, when i run the "benchmark" to generate a new rating, Vista crashes with a blue screen of death (ati3duag.dll PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA).

Probably a driver bug.

sehh · #3 Post by **sehh** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 2:47 am

Apparently the ATI driver crash is a widespread problem. Any access to 3D will crash the driver. Even when selecting a 3D screensaver.

Anyone else had a similar experience?

sehh · #4 Post by **sehh** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 3:30 am

After a little digging i found the following:

1) Windows Update will install a Vista version of the IBM PM device driver. What is interesting, is that the driver doesn't really work. They probably just edited the .inf file to be compatible with Vista, but didn't really work on the code of the driver itself. As a result, it fails to load.

This isn't obvious, you won't see an error, unless you go to the Event Viewer and in there you'll see: "The application (ThinkPad Power Management Service, from vendor Lenovo) has the following problem: ThinkPad Power Management Service is incompatible with this version of Windows. For more information, contact Lenovo.

2) My experience with ATI drivers has been the worst ever and it continues in Vista as well. Unlike the Nvidia drivers that always worked, under OS/2, Linux or Vista. ATI seems to have the worst programers or at least they don't seem to think their drivers are important. Looking at the ATI FireGL drivers for Vista its obvious they haven't bothered to work on them at all, they are the good old drivers from 2004/05, with a new .inf file so they can load under Vista. All the bugs we've had in WinXP are here as well, along with some new ones.

Out of 1000 systems, i'm made sure none of them have an ATI graphics chipset. The only one left is my A31p and when i replace it i'll make sure i get an Nvidia GeForce Go (7600 or better).

Anyway, after lots of tests i've confirmed my suspicions, Vista will give you a headache with drivers. I believe most people will wait 6-7 months before installing them.

arni · #5 Post by **arni** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 5:30 am

thanks for the comment bout installing vista rtm on your tp.

Just like i thought it will be really rocky for early adopters.

Lenovo promised Vista drivers by the end of november. But i think that we have to wait way longer before things get really that solid like in xp.

Me had the first drawbacks with Office 2007 RTM on Win XP SP2. Especially the Office Genuine Checks fails when attempting to download more stuff from Office Website. Even on a fresh virtual machine the apps sometimes crashes. Got back on Office 2003 and wait for SP1.

Sad but true. It's just like with almost every product from MS. Just drink tea and wait for the first SP to come along. Early adopting will result in much headdeach especially for a non technical person.

sehh · #6 Post by **sehh** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 8:29 am

The Lenovo page of beta Vista drivers offers drivers for their newest models only.

I'm guessing anyone with a pre-lenovo thinkpad will have to stick with WinXP.

#7 Post by **jdhurst** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 8:42 am

Networking has turned out to be the Achilles Heel for Vista. Yes it works, but Microsoft changed it so much that there is critical legacy networking software (Juniper Netscreen Remote for me) that just does not install their underlying drivers. So, Vista is a while off for me as well. ... JD Hurst

dfumento · #8 Post by **dfumento** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 9:56 am

How did you get the Vista and Office RTM software?

sehh · #9 Post by **sehh** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 11:44 am

Vista and Office RTM versions have been released on the internet.

Vista RTM torrent is here (both Vista 32bit and Vista 64bit, all versions, from Home Basic to Ultimate):

MOD EDIT: No warez allowed here.

M$ has released Vista with the ability to test it for 30 days. All you need to do is install it and during the installation when it asks for a serial just click "Next", its going to install with the evaluation serial number.

Ofcourse you can actually buy one, enter it after you've installed Vista and make it a fully valid installation, but you can't do that now because you can't buy a Vista license at the monent.

So i've installed it on a secondary partition to evaluate and play and maybe in 6-7 months give it another try, since it doesn't have good ATI drivers

arni · #10 Post by **arni** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 12:20 pm

First i would argue that it's really not advisable using pirated / unoffical software. Maybe that's why you're having such problems with your install. Not to mention if the os is nuked or modified in any ways!

Secondly you can get Vista ready drivers directly from ATI. They are stating that it's a beta driver but actually for RC2 and RTM.

Wiz · #11 Post by **Wiz** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 1:34 pm

I don't think it's really appropriate to post a link to warez sites on this board either. The link to the site above contains mainly illegal stuff.

sehh · #12 Post by **sehh** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 3:27 pm

what are you talking about? this isn't "warez" or whatever. Just Vista RTM for 30 days evaluation.

if you don't have a valid license its useless.

my god, some people are even afraid of their own shadow.

sehh · #13 Post by **sehh** » Wed Nov 15, 2006 3:29 pm

arni wrote:Secondly you can get Vista ready drivers directly from ATI. They are stating that it's a beta driver but actually for RC2 and RTM.

last time i checked, ATI said that i had to get IBM-branded drivers from IBM and that they don't supply or support embeded ATI chipsets.

has that changed?

*edit*

in addition, their drivers page doesn't even list the "ATI Mobility FireGL 7800", it doesn't even exist in their chipset lists and their FAQ search gives no results. i'm on my own here....

jivago · #14 Post by **jivago** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 10:21 pm

ThinkPad T40 with Vista Enterprise and O2007: Works perfectly for 3 days. No driver problems but touchpad.

Used XP drivers for on-screen controls and going to try XP touchpad drivers this weekend

maximus_ · #15 Post by **maximus_** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 8:55 pm

I just upgraded Xp sp2 to Vista Ultimate and it works great so far. I just can't use the glass theme and can't stand this blue theme... really ugly I wish I could change it to a charcol color. I'm having some issues with some VPN software from Checkpoint but Nortel and Cisco VPN clients are working ok.

Boricua65 · #16 Post by **Boricua65** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 2:38 pm

Thank you for the heads up. I downloaded and installed the Vista compatibility test thingy for my A30 and passed with flying colors. I don't remember if it said anything about the video drivers.

h017ah · #17 Post by **h017ah** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 2:12 pm

Sorry to wake up this old thread, but any news on this? I've got Vista Business myself on my A31p with FireGL 7800, and I'm getting the same error as sehh, even with the Windows XP FireGL drivers released on lenovo.com in 2007...

OpenGL apps goes nice, but everything related to D3D makes that ati3duag.dll BSOD, including Vista's own rating benchmark.

h017ah · #18 Post by **h017ah** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 5:27 am

It's due for some bumping of this thread.

Noone?

BeemerBiker · #19 Post by **BeemerBiker** » Wed May 02, 2007 8:26 pm

My son has a31p and he just got the academic $59 home premium to upgrade his D865Perl desktop. Supposidly we can install it on a laptop withing 30 days of installing in on desktop. Soooo ... if anyone has A31p running home vista on that ati 7800 chip and no blue screen we want to know. I have seen the aero stuff and it looks and runs great but I got a core2duo and 4gb. As long as the a31p can do its 1400x1024 (or whatever) and no aero that is fine. We dont want blue screens.

FWIW, Ge3 TI-200 has the same warning message as that ati7800 mobility - "does not support the aero experience"

Vista (RTM final) on the A31p

Vista (RTM final) on the A31p

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