"Clean" Install of Win7 - question about drivers

[AJ Mac]

Hello. I'm new here and will now show my complete ignorance about computers by asking a few BASIC questions. I am an American working and living in Beijing and I don't have anyone here to ask about computers.

I just bought a new R400 7445A63 (P8700, 2G RAM, 320G HD @7200rpm, Rambo optical drive, Realtec b/g/n, GMA 4500 MHD, Express card slot, PCMCIA card slot). It came pre-loaded with Vista Home Basic (Chinese language). I bought a full edition (NOT an upgrade) of Windows 7 Home Premium (also Chinese language) to use instead of Vista. I haven't even started my computer yet.

If I understand things correctly (and that is a big IF ) when I install Win 7 (32-bit) it will reformat the hard-drive. For the most part I don't care. Obviously I don't have any files/settings on there to save. Is there anything pre-loaded on there, like Lenovo/Thinkpad specific files that I should be saving (to a CD-ROM or flashdrive) before doing the install?

And I don't understand the issues about drivers. Will I need to download a lot of drivers to install? Which drivers will I need? Can I download them using another computer and then load them onto the R400? Where do the drivers go?

Sorry about asking such basic questions. I've spent two days poking around this forum and other places trying to figure this out. Obviously I'm not a computer oriented person. I'm a "set-it-and-forget-it" user; not a tweaker. Thank you for any assistance.

[chait]

I just did a clean install of win7 32 pro on a new HDD I put in an x61s. It went fast and flawlessly. I am impressed with M-Soft, at last. It recognized my network cards, connected automatically, downloaded updates, etc.

Based on my experience (may be different with your lapy?), you should do the following:

1. Backup any files you want to keep. Everything will be deleted permanently.
2. In your BIOS make sure the optical drive is first in the boot order, or at least before your HDD (when starting hit F1 or F2 repeatedly to get into the BIOS).
3. Download from http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... PDATE.html system update 4 (for win7). Save it to a USB drive.
4. You are ready for the clean install. read here for a real nice description of the steps (as well as pretty much anything else related to your OS): http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/16 ... s-7-a.html
5. When win7 is done with all the steps (including updates), run the system update file from your USB drive. It will find all the drivers you need. Win7 now has most of the drivers, so I think I only selected a few such as power manager and driver (probably is not needed), hotkey, intel matrix storage manager, active protection for HDD, and sys interface driver. again, you can always add/subtract items at any time.
5. you should get a virus program (I use free virus and firewall from pctools, but there are many others that will do).

good luck and report back.

[AJ Mac]

Thank you for the help. I had looked at the Lenovo site but there were several pages that seemed to deal with drivers and I was confused about how to approach it. Your link to the specific Lenovo page was very helpful. And the other link was also helpful. I will try to do the OS change this weekend. Once again - thank you.

[dawin]

I am a Chinese Guy in Sweden.

I know your puzzle.

I got a Thinkpad--r400(2784a34)

I am running a Win7 on my thinkpad and i have to say:you don't need worry about drivers.Because win7 could recognize 98% hard ware on R400.Even the ATI3470 and the Gma4500.

After you finish the OS installing,you can use the system directly.But for the best enioy,you should install some extra programme from lenovo:

1,Hot keys.
2,Red points driver(if you have mouse,just pass it)
3,Thinkpad shock.For longer Hdd life.
4,Power mannager(i don't think it's necessary,win7 power mananger is perfact)

Drivers on Lenovo websites is very confused.pass it.you need a software----driverlife(Chinese software)
this soft ware can handle the rest 2% drivers problem.If you don't know much Chinese,you can ask your Chinese colleagues for help.this soft ware is very very popular in china,it's very easy to understand,you just need to click.

Those words are for your chinese colleagues when you ask them for help.
剩下的驱动好像就是3G 上网卡的了，他要是不用那个可以省略不装。有线网卡，无线网卡应该都能正常工作。反正我的行。
你用驱动人生 这个软件点几下，问题就解决了，百度一搜就有。
还有语言问题，他要是打算用英语，你去控制面板里面，有语言选项，安装一个英语包就直接能用了。
最后去官网上装几个工具。
第一：热键。
第二：小红点程序，他要是鼠标党，直接不用装了。
第三：硬盘减震工具，保护数据。
第四：电源管理，我觉得win7自带的挺好的，就没装。

常用工具：杀毒就用360吧，也让老外感受一下中国特色。
浏览器给他用chrome.Office软件给他下载金山wps,扬眉吐气一下。他要是打算学中文，就给他装个搜狗拼音输入法。

[AJ Mac]

Dawin - 谢谢. 这些对我很有用.

[emtee3511]

歡迎您到論壇 AJ Mac and dawin --

[virge]

And I don't understand the issues about drivers. Will I need to download a lot of drivers to install? Which drivers will I need? Can I download them using another computer and then load them onto the R400? Where do the drivers go?

Speaking for myself only of course.. .I've found that the easiest way to get all the drivers is to use the Thinkvantage System Update. You'll have to get online first of course, but Windows 7 seems to have no problem detecting common network devices. After a fresh OS installation (and network card driver installation if necessary), I run download and run System Update to make sure I have the latest drivers and BIOS. After its done, I uninstall it.

[AJ Mac]

Well, my ThinkPad is up and running. I confess I chickened out and I went to a computer store and had them do the install. So far it is working fine. But I did find all of the help here very useful. Knowing the process helped me to keep an eye on the computer tech and to tell him exactly what I wanted/needed. I will likely have more questions in the future and I am glad there is a forum like this one (both knowledgable and polite) for me to come to. Once again - thanks for the help.