Basic Drivers for clean install with Windows 7

[qbektrix]

I am using a T410i (2518-J3G). The factory image seems to be loaded with trial apps for office & antivirus.

So, I decided to create my own image. So, I recovered the license key and downloaded windows 7 from digitalrivercontent.net.

First attempt, I installed the driver I think is necessary. But the fan was having an issue, it was noisy. So, I reverted back to the factory image.

Second attempt, after installing Win7, I noticed that the ethernet driver was not installed. That seemed, I assumed that ethernet driver is nothing special and it gets installed automatically.

So, would really like if someone can advice me which are the basic necessary applications to run thinkpad properly. I bought thinkpad for its built quality. I don't care much for the backup utility or password manager. The network manager seems good, I dont see any benefit in it over the stock windows wifi manager. I might be wrong.

Pls tell me what all drivers I should download to get my system working.

[Neil]

Don't know about you, but I want the proper driver for all my hardware. So, after a fresh install I always check device manager to see if any drivers are missing, and if so, I install them. In case you don't already know this, you can get all the drivers and apps here:
http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/detail. ... MIGR-74582

As for Lenovo applications, the only thing I feel I really need is Power Management. I don't much care for Access Connections (or whatever it's called now), and prefer to let Windows manager my network connections. But, it's a useful tool for some people, so you may find that you like it after using it a while. Same is true of the other tools and applications on the factory install, they have their uses, and many people like them. You are free to keep, or remove any (or all) of them you like. Or, continue to use the factory image, there is no harm in that either.

[jayton4]

I am using a T410i (2518-J3G). The factory image seems to be loaded with trial apps for office & antivirus.

So, I decided to create my own image. So, I recovered the license key and downloaded windows 7 from digitalrivercontent.net.

There is one more step to that process that you aren't listing here. You also have to get the OEM certificate from the factory install and inject it into the new install, unless you are using the key from the sticker on the bottom.

First attempt, I installed the driver I think is necessary. But the fan was having an issue, it was noisy. So, I reverted back to the factory image.

What was the issue with the fan? Power Manager should fix that.

Second attempt, after installing Win7, I noticed that the ethernet driver was not installed. That seemed, I assumed that ethernet driver is nothing special and it gets installed automatically.

So, would really like if someone can advice me which are the basic necessary applications to run thinkpad properly. I bought thinkpad for its built quality. I don't care much for the backup utility or password manager. The network manager seems good, I dont see any benefit in it over the stock windows wifi manager. I might be wrong.

Pls tell me what all drivers I should download to get my system working.

The trick to all this is to download "System Update 5.02" from the support.lenovo.com website and let it do its thing. Pick out the extras that you want and hide the rest. If you need to get connected in the first place, figure out which WiFi card you have and download the driver for it over on a flash drive or something. To figure out the kind of WiFi card you have, you can open the memory door on the bottom and look at it, or find out which unknown device it is in Device Manager and go to the Properties and then the "Details" tab. Select "Hardware ID" from the drop down box, copy and paste the first line into Google. Using a second computer helps a lot in this process.

Clean installs with the ISOs from digital river is the only way I do it, because like you say, the factory image is too bogged down.