Lenovo Thinkpad T61p 8743-CTO - How to Downgrade from Vista

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thesurg3on · #1 Post by **thesurg3on** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 11:14 am

Hello,

I have a Lenovo Thinkpad T61p 8743-CTO. It came preinstalled with Vista Ultimate. I must honestly say, this operating system is not good. I have 2.3Ghz processor, 2GB Ram, minimum startup items, and not that many programs installed.

I absolutely hate it. I am a systems administrator with quite a few years of experience of customizing and tweaking operating systems to perform and boot up faster. I am not attempting to brag, just let you know that I have done all that above average users have done to improve system performance.

I have done a test with my and my friends computer off. Our computers have the same specs, except hers is a Mac Book. She can boot up, check email on the web, and shut down before i can even get fully logged in.

This will not change me into a Mac user, but it will make me downgrade my operating system to Windows XP.

When trying to install Windows XP, it would not detect the hard drive. Any reason why? IBM/Lenovo told me that I have to get their downgrade recovery CD. I want to keep my Vista Recovery Partition.

Can you suggest any options?

#2 Post by **ryengineer** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 11:15 am

You need to switch HDD settings from SATA to Compatibility mode in the BIOS.

thesurg3on · #3 Post by **thesurg3on** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 11:20 am

[quote="ryengineer"]You need to switch HDD settings from SATA to Compatibility mode in the BIOS.[/quote]

Hello,

Thanks. I just thought of that while I was looking at info on Hackintosh.

Is this because my windows XP disc is not SP2? Can I switch it back to SATA mode after I get the OS installed?

Do you know of any performance benefits of either setting?

By the way, Thanks. I appreciate the quick response.

#4 Post by **carbon_unit** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 11:29 am

Please be sure to create a set of recovery discs before getting rid of Vista. You may want to go back to Vista someday in the distant future.
At this point you cannot tell the difference in the SATA settings. Put it in compatibility mode for now. You can leave it if you want.

#5 Post by **ryengineer** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 11:38 am

Yes, you can switch back after installation as well.

Following guide will tell you how-to: (It's for Thinkpad T60/p but will also be fine for T61/p).

Installation instructions for Windows XP - ThinkPad T60, T60p

thesurg3on · #6 Post by **thesurg3on** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 5:38 pm

[quote="carbon_unit"]Please be sure to create a set of recovery discs[b] before[/b] getting rid of Vista. You may want to go back to Vista someday in the distant future.
At this point you cannot tell the difference in the SATA settings. Put it in compatibility mode for now. You can leave it if you want.[/quote]

I figured i would just format the windows vista partition and leave the recovery partition alone. this is possible no?

#7 Post by **ryengineer** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 6:37 pm

thesurg3on wrote:I figured i would just format the windows vista partition and leave the recovery partition alone. this is possible no?

It's possible but you would need the following package to restore the functionality of ThinkVantage blue button / F11 to repair the boot sector to boot into the predesktop area:

This package can also be used to reenable the F11 function as long as the service partition has not been removed from your hard drive.

Rescue and Recovery - Recovery repair diskette.

#8 Post by **Harryc** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 7:08 pm

It's interesting, and I don't think I've seen it mentioned here (but I may have missed it), but when I received my T61/P Lenovo not only included a full set of Vista Business recovery CD's, but they also included the XP downgrade CD's. It's a great idea ... long time coming.

#9 Post by **carbon_unit** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 7:32 pm

thesurg3on wrote: I figured i would just format the windows vista partition and leave the recovery partition alone. this is possible no?

That will work but it is more prone to have something go wrong and the recovery disk set is just safer. I just messed up my partition table last weekend and lost everything on my hard drive, in all partitions. (Yes, I know how to fix a partition table but it was really screwed up.) Without recovery discs I would have had a tougher time getting back up.
It doesn't take that long to make the recovery set and someday after an OOPS you will wish you had it.

thesurg3on · #10 Post by **thesurg3on** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 9:33 pm

thanks guys. you have all been great. quick accurate knowledgeable responses.

TimThurber · #11 Post by **TimThurber** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 5:53 pm

You received XP downgrade discs with your T61? I didn't. Do you know if I can request them from Lenovo for free or discounted?

Windows Vista was the only option when I purchased my T61, I have endlessly tweaked it and I can only shrug... Vista sucks. I was so disappointed I bought a mac for my desktop computer and I only use the T61 when I absolutely have to.

I actually visited the forum here tonight to ask about dual booting Vista and Ubuntu - but a downgrade to XP might be a more reasonable thing.

Any ideas?

thesurg3on · #12 Post by **thesurg3on** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 7:04 pm

no. i did not get the downgrade disks.

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... Z#purchase

you can get them though.

#13 Post by **JaneL** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 7:11 pm

Vista Downgrade discs

TimThurber · #14 Post by **TimThurber** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 7:26 pm

so basically the Vista Home Premium users are left out in the cold with this lousy OS... thanks lenovo...

#15 Post by **JaneL** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 7:38 pm

I expect the thanks should go to Microsoft...

TimThurber · #16 Post by **TimThurber** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 7:43 pm

anyone know if ubuntu 7.04 has a decent wifi setup? if so, the answer has arrived. I'm not paying for another crappy OS.

#17 Post by **carbon_unit** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 8:33 pm

That depends on which video chipset you have and which wireless card you have.

Lenovo Thinkpad T61p 8743-CTO - How to Downgrade from Vista

Lenovo Thinkpad T61p 8743-CTO - How to Downgrade from Vista

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