Quick review: Windows 8.1 Pro works well on X201S

[therobyouknow]

Installed Windows 8.1 Pro 64 bit on my X201S - see spec in my signature.

Lenovo provide all the drivers available from their usual download pages - most are Windows 8, some are Windows 7 but in these particular cases these are forwards compatible with Windows 8.

The trackpad and rubber 'stalk' trackpoint work fine. Single touch actions of the trackpad work fine. Multi-touch 2 finger scrolling works OK but your 2 fingers need to be around the centre vertically for it to pick this up.

Overall - I'm pleased with the outcome, with the SSD fitted and Windows 8/8.1 improved boot times over Windows 7, the machine starts very quickly.

Battery life seems to be fine - I'm getting report of over 5.5 hours on near-full charge with moderate use, if left idle the battery life reports over 11 hours!

USB 3.0 ExpressCard 34 by CalDigit works well in the machine too.

All apps I use work fine, I use:
Oracle VirtualBox 4.2.18
VagrantUp 1.3.5
LibreOffice
BeyondCompare
Adobe Production Premium CS6
getpaint.net
Netbeans 7.4
Notepad++
Komodo IDE 8




Hope this helps people considering the upgrade.

[Bánh mì]

Hi, I have an x201 (non S) and am waiting for my Samsung 840 EVO 250GB SSD. Black Friday! Had a big problem with my W7 64OS and looks like it requires a reinstall. Hence the decision to go from an HDD to an SSD. Question for you:

1) You like W8.1. I actually have a copy of it during MSFT's promo period but haven't installed. What does not work well with you current installation? I can handle getting accustomed to a new interface but I cant handle spending hours troubleshooting and tweaking things to make them work. W7 I know works and how to tweak quickly and/or at least there are tons of notes and help available by search online.

2) Any problems with your Samsung SSD? Any tips I should be aware of? I plan to do a clean install. Initially from my Lenovo Recovery CDs then upgrade to W8.1 if I choose that option.

Thanks much in advance.

[precip9]

I have 8.1 working on three X61s. No problems.

Only the Thinkpads with switchable graphics appear problematic.

[Bánh mì]

I did install 8 but never got to 8.1. After a 5 hour plus ordeal with MSFT resolving an expired Media Center promo key I nuked the whole thing and am just going for a clean install of W7 64 bit. Yes it runs smoothly for the most part but so does W7 even with a regular HDD. I saw nothing special about 8 except it seems to be trying to be all things to all people. What is intuitive about W7 is missing in 8. Will stick with a PC for work production and an iPad of Android device for BSing around. No Power Manager and other software from Lenovo for 8 makes the whole proposition a crappy one. For older systems 8 might make more sense to speed things up were a hardware upgrade could not or is not cost effective.

Thumbs down for W8. Are the promo licenses transferable or refundable? Bout to ebay it or demand a refund. its what I did on MSFT's last clear miss WindowsME. Remember that crap?

*If you installs an expired Media Center Key MSFT blocks you from activation and you will either have to clean install 8 again or buy a key. Except the OS ecosystem automatically assumes you are in some butt f place like Iraq or N Korea or any other third world toilet bowl where people pirate software likes its normal. We should be blowing those places off the earth anyway. Means MSFT wont let you buy the $10 key online. MSFT wont give it to you either and a low level sales clown will be willing to see you a full 8 with MC version for $100 but not he $10 upgrade. No one at MSFT can understand the issue and there are numerous posts online documenting this problem. I told him to nuke it. Crapware.