Windows 7 x64 + T400 = Magic

[asiafish]

I've long struggled in my ThinkPad addiction in that I love ThinkPad hardware, particularly T and X series, but HATED Windows XP and only tolerated Windows Vista.

I have the same problem on the Mac side. I LOVE OS X, but only like, rather than love Apple hardware.

I always own at least one of each, but this made it very difficult for me to choose which machine to be my primary. Now it is easy, my T400 with Windows 7 is by far the best computer I've ever used.

I still prefer OS X Snow Leopard to Windows 7, but the difference is no longer painful as it was in the Tiger/Leopard over XP/Vista days. Where XP felt insecure and delicate and Vista was restrictive and still fragile, 7 is a revelation. 7 Stays fast, no matter what I install on it. Installs work on 7, and when an app itself crashes, the OS remains stable. Suspend and resume FINALLY work quickly and reliably in Windows, where before only the much slower hibernation was reliable.

OS X is still cleaner, but not enough to matter when it comes to getting my work done.

Switchable graphics and everything else on this rather complex laptop works perfectly, and I even connected my bluetooth smart phone for tethering instantly, something that I never got to work in Vista without using a USB cable. Even my games seem to run faster.

I was actually toying with the idea of selling my T400 and getting a MacBook Pro, but instead I upgraded my warranty from one year to three. The T400 with Windows 7 is really that good.

[aeschylus]

I'm on the verge of updating to W7 x64 on my t400 and I was curious if you did a clean install or did an upgrade? I can't decide which I want to do.

[secsam127]

Absolutely a clean install. For many reasons, that you can Google, a clean install is ALWAYS preferred.
I recommend making a system image after the fresh install, drivers, updates, etc.
Then next time, all you have to do is load your image.
Win7 comes with a decent tool for doing this.

[cppcompiler]

May I ask how you got your Switchable graphics to work in Windows 7?

I've done a clean install on my T400, Windows 7 Home Premium. Updated bios, downloaded and ran TV System Update 4.0. Got latest Power manager.

However, when I hover the mouse over the Power Manager battery icon, the menu that comes up does not have the "switchable graphics" option. I did have this option back on Vista, before I upgraded.

Is there a separate driver I'm suppose to get for switchable graphics? Because System Update 4.0 is showing me everything is updated already.

[Colonel O'Neill]

I used the one found here:
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... #m8xswitch
I uninstalled all of the prior ATI drivers first (Add/Remove, and in Device Manager), just to make sure.

I can switch it properly, but it causes problems with the brightness control.

[asiafish]

I'm on the verge of updating to W7 x64 on my t400 and I was curious if you did a clean install or did an upgrade? I can't decide which I want to do.

Clean install, of course. I've never done an upgrade on any of my computers since I've been using computers. Wow, 29 years without an upgrade.

[asiafish]

May I ask how you got your Switchable graphics to work in Windows 7?

I've done a clean install on my T400, Windows 7 Home Premium. Updated bios, downloaded and ran TV System Update 4.0. Got latest Power manager.

However, when I hover the mouse over the Power Manager battery icon, the menu that comes up does not have the "switchable graphics" option. I did have this option back on Vista, before I upgraded.

Is there a separate driver I'm suppose to get for switchable graphics? Because System Update 4.0 is showing me everything is updated already.

I downloaded the beta drivers and then as available, update using System Update 4. Everything works, including switchable graphics and no brightness or other issues whatsoever.

The T400 with Windows 7 (ultimate 64) is every bit as stable and reliable as my MacBook Air with Snow Leopard, which is saying a lot for ANY machine running Windows.

[Colonel O'Neill]

Just wondering, did you install Windows 7 before all of the utilities RTMed? And did you notice temperatures are a bit higher than in the preload OS as well, or is it just me?

Good to know you got everything working on the first go

[asiafish]

Just wondering, did you install Windows 7 before all of the utilities RTMed? And did you notice temperatures are a bit higher than in the preload OS as well, or is it just me?

Good to know you got everything working on the first go

Just to be safe (and to properly join my new Windows Small Business Server 2008) I reinstalled 7 Ultimate and used System Update 4. One pass installed everything and the machine works perfectly in all functions. This, despite being the most feature-rich and complex laptop that I've ever owned, was the absolute easiest install.

Windows 7 is a dream on the T400. It runs about the same temperature as Vista to my finely calibrated sensors (hands), but other than that I have no way to measure actual temperatures, and even if I did, I won't be putting Vista back to compare.

No heat issues, fan rarely spins up with the integrated graphics, and only after gaming, video use or in hot temperatures with the discreet graphics, which is good enough for me.

[emorphien]

I never had stability problems with Windows Vista (or XP, or 2k)... at least not any different from the issues I've had with OSX over the years.

My only issue after doing a clean install of Windows 7 on my T400 is that while switchable graphics works, the system resumes from sleep with both integrated and discrete video operating which kills battery life.

[iamdmc]

Clean install of Windows 7 Professional (disc from Lenovo) and I've had an extremely happy time with it. Just installed System Update 4, installed most drivers, ran Windows update, and then I think I had nothing left to install. It runs very well, and I'm very happy with how it uses 4GB of RAM

[crashnburn]

What are the major driver issues on Windows 7?

Would some people still prefer Windows 2008 or Windows 2003?

[iamdmc]

Driver issues I've run into:

Some logitech webcams will not work with it - at least not in the full retail edition. Logitech didn't release the drivers, and I am very disappointed in them for this. Windows 7 will not even run the driver software anymore that you could use a workaround to make function in Windows RC1 (build 7100). So now the webcam I used to be able to use with RC1 I can't use with my paid copy of Windows 7 Professional.

[jinp6301]

I was wondering if any of you guys are having problems with battery life. With integrated graphics, wifi, light web browsing, 30% brightness, I only get about 5-6 hours, instead of 9 hours I used to get with Vista. Is this only me, or is this a common problem?

[Colonel O'Neill]

I get almost 4 hours on my 6-cell at around the same conditions except with higher brightness.

I saw a decrease in battery life after upgrading to 7 from Vista, but with drivers it helped bring it back to 4. I don't recall using the pre-installed Vista long enough to find out how long the battery lasts on that.

[T400plus]

integrated and discrete operating at the same time???what is that??
I presumed that the hardware handles one at a time .

[T400plus]

integrated and discrete operating at the same time???what is that??
I presumed that the hardware handles only one at a time .

[stylinexpat]

I still love my Macbook Pro I have Windows 7 running on my Macbook Pro.