Anybody tried a clean X64 install from retail DVD lately?

[richk]

It seems to me that the process is a disaster. I am not a novice. I work with thinkpads all day and have setup hundreds of machines. I decided I should try the 64-bit OS, so I installed it on my own T61p. (I did clone the HD first so I can always give up and go back to the 32-bit version) The clean install went fine. My copy was activated and after installing all the drivers from Lenovo/IBM site, I had no problem devices. I them made the mistake (I guess) of trying to install SP1 without installing prerequisites. That didn't work and even after installing the prerequisites later, SP1 always failed and every time, I got a different error code. I tried installing SP1 from a full copy on a network and thru Windows Update without success. This morning, I decided to wipe the disk and start over. This time, after doing the clean install, activating, and installing drivers, I decided to just keep running windows update to install everything. The first time, it found 39 important updates. (not SP1) I let it install them. 25 installed OK and 14 failed. When I checked the error codes, they didn't show up in Google as Windows Update errors. I restarted and ran again. This time there were 36 important updates, including some, but not all, of the failed ones. This time, 14 installed and 22 failed. I restarted and ran again. It has displayed "checking for Updates" for 30 minutes and said that it couldn't search for updates. I am going to have a cup of coffee and try again. I cannot believe they sell this product the way it works. The model laptop I am using is actually a model that is sold with 64-bit vista.

[richk]

I'm going to answer my own question in the hope it helps someone not waste 2 days as I did. There is a bug somewhere that stops Windows update (or even the standalone update installer) from working right on a T61 if you have 4 GB of memory and 64-bit Vista. I cannot tell if the problem is in Vista or the Intel chipset driver or som other piece of system hardware or software. With 4GB of memory, I got random errors and error codes on Windows Update and after a clean install. BTW, I was not using the Turbo Memory driver, so I don't know if the Intel Matrix Manager is involved.

[Deckard]

Did you try it with less than 3gb RAM?

[richk]

Up to 3GB was fine. Finally, after I figured out the problem, I gave up and went back to 32-bit.

[Deckard]

Up to 3GB was fine. Finally, after I figured out the problem, I gave up and went back to 32-bit.

Thanks for taking the time to test it and post here.

I was playing with the idea to go with 64-bit just for the 4GB RAM, but what you have posted above doesn't sound good at all.

Again, thanks.

[diamondlight]

since u r not a novice, you should integrate sp1 into your vista X64 dvd, and then have a clean sp1 installation.

usually install vista+ upodate to sp1 is not a good solution.

most ppl also say the pure xp sp3 cd rom is much better than upgrading it from sp2.

[DAH]

Hmm well let's seem here, I did a clean install of 64 Bit Vista Ultimate on my T60p with 4GB of memory. Yes it took a while to install all the updates. And basically I simply kept going back to Windows Update until it offered me no more updates.

I don't seem to be experiencing what you are, I would have preferred to install from a Lenovo Recover set of DVDs but I don't have access to a 64 bit set

For me the update experience is far better from Microsoft than Lenovo, with the automated update program missing some updates and not installing the newest updates. Even manually downloading updates from Lenovo is frustrating, at best. As new pages are put up, but they link to old downloads, and versions that once where there are no longer available.

Sorry to hear of your problems.

[richk]

DAH's experience may mean that the problem was fixed. I cannot tell because I gave up and went back to 32-bit. I will ask that this thread be made not-sticky.

[bill bolton]

There is a bug somewhere that stops Windows update (or even the standalone update installer) from working right on a T61 if you have 4 GB of memory and 64-bit Vista.

I haven't experienced any problem like that with installing retail Vista x64 on a T61 with 4GB of RAM.

Cheers,

Bill B.

[hp79]

I just installed x64 with SP1 included msdn version. No nlite or any hacks or stuff.
After several windows updates everything seemed to be fine.
At this point I didn't install turbomemory, fingerprint. Also didn't enable any readyboost.
I have a thinkpad x61 tablet by the way.
My system runs smooth most times, but there are times it freezes, and I have to remove the SD card from the SD slot. Then everything comes back to normal. I don't know why it's causing this problem. I used to use XP tablet edition for more than a year, with the same SD card in the slot all times.
SD card is SDHC 4 GB sandisk extreme3.
One time I hibernated the system, and on wake up, it rebooted. The SD card was in there. Because of often freezing and other problems, I can't keep the SD card inserted.

[jo2008]

Hey,

I also bought the 4GB SDHC sandisk extreme3, especially for use with ReadyBoost. Unfortunately, the system always froze when doing certain things (e.g. installing apps, starting winamp,..). When checking the vista error logs, I noticed that the WPD file system driver crashed, whatever that means. Anyway, I traced that error back to the SDHC card. After disabling ReadyBoost, I had no more of those freezes. I can, however, leave the card in the reader at any time.

Sometimes, though, when switching SD cards, the sd card reader driver crashes and SD cards will only be recognized after rebooting.


Jo

[lerdsu]

I've installed Vista X64 from the Retail DVD and 4GBs of RAM with no problem and updated fully with no problems save one.

When the machine comes out of standby from opening the lid I can hear the sound of a USB device disconnecting and reconnecting. It's annoying but i've learned to live with it so far. Have you encountered this error as well?

[ZPrime]

I've installed Vista X64 from the Retail DVD and 4GBs of RAM with no problem and updated fully with no problems save one.

When the machine comes out of standby from opening the lid I can hear the sound of a USB device disconnecting and reconnecting. It's annoying but i've learned to live with it so far. Have you encountered this error as well?

This is normal on Vista. The noise is actually the monitor device being disconnected (on lid close) and then reconnected (on lid open).

Alternatively, it could be one of the other USB-based devices in the system being reconnected as it powers back on from sleep.

Completely normal on Vista regardless of flavor.

[troutman]

It has been about one month since I did a clean install of Vista Ultimate 64 from the retail package. Just kept running Windows Update and re-booting as required until no additional updates were offered. At the end of this process, I had two unrecognized devices and I installed these manually from the Lenovo drivers page. Now all devices are recognized and, based on my usage, operation of the machine is without problems.