On Friday night I decided to reinstall Vista Ultimate on my Lenovo x61 Tablet PC.  I was just having too many issues from installing and uninstalling way too many trials, betas and demos.

What I have done is tracked my progress and showing what I have installed and give you an idea of what I did during the install.  It's kind of spread out over a couple of days - but I did keep the times on most things.  I also had the Slingplayer running on the R2H during the whole thing watching a movie - Who knew Miami Vice was actually made into a movie....  Anyway's, back to the install.  Also remember that I am starting from a MSDN Vista DVD, so this process is made a little easier since I don't have to do an install from the recovery media.

Click the read more to see all the details!!

Here is my install process and programs I installed:

• 11:20pm - Started Install
• 11:22pm - Copying files began - I don't put in the Product Key till I am ready after the install - that way, it doesn't automatically register.  I only do this in case something doesn't work in the install.  I get everything else going then register.
• 11:32pm - First reboot
• 11:38pm - Second reboot
• 11:40pm - Asking for my UN and PW information
• 11:42pm - Initial performance test - 1.0 - Graphic Driver issue
• 11:45pm - Sign in for the first time
• 11:46pm - Welcome Center
• 11:48pm - Auto Update is going - I change the settings to Notify me of available updates - then do the download.  There are some of the things I don't want installed, cause I don't use them - ie - Dreamscene, just personal preference...

• 12:21am - Reboot after updates installed
• 12:38am - Installed Lenovo Auto Update utility
• 12:47am - Pick the installs I want and then start the download (I did install Active protection - that makes autorotation work - not shown in pictures)

• 1:05 am - Reboot after Lenovo updates
• 1:15 am - done for the night

_________________________________

• 8:21 am - Run Experience Index - 3.4 Index now from graphics drivers being downloaded (Note - I still need to install the beta drivers from Intel - I didn't do this yet)
• 8:28 am - Download Eset NOD 32 antivirus and install
• 8:36 am - Back from a reboot (some family distractions, this isn't how long it took)
• Not Timed but this is what I did next
  • Customize start menu
    • Change to small Icons
    • Un-check newly installed programs
    • Add "Run" command to start menu
    • Take off Help and Support from Start Menu
    • Change programs in Start menu to be 18 now that I have the small icons on there
    • Change Page file size to a static 1000 mb
    • Run system cleanup
    • Turn off hibernation via command line
    • Change system restore to 1 gig via command line
    • Lower recycle bin size
    • Turn off UAC
  • This made my install and used space to under 9 gig (that's still big...)
• 12:55 pm - Install Live Messenger and Live Writer
• 1:11 pm - Install done - that takes forever...
• 1:12 pm - Install Asulogic Disk defragmenter
• 1:14 pm - Defrag
• 1:16 pm - More updates pop up on the screen for download

• 1:20 pm - Defrag done
• 1:20 pm - Start update
• 1:21 pm - Install Virtual Drive
• 1:22 pm - Update done
  • The past 2 things need me to reboot - I turn off the computer and go take a nap while the little one is doing the same thing :)
• Did not time -
  • 2 mins to download Tablet Button Driver - not needed, got the wrong thing...
  • 2 mins to download the right thing - Tablet Shortcut menu - didn't come up on the Lenovo Update

Everything running correctly now - Time to make a backup

• 8:30 pm - Download True Image Workstation
• 8:39 pm - Install done and reboot happening
• 8:53 pm - Full backup of C: drive done
• Now on to the other installs:
• 8:55 pm - Office Ultimate Install
  • Custom install - Take off Groove (I don't use this personally, don't need the resources taken up if I don't use it)
  • Take off InfoPath (same as above)
• 9:03 pm - Office Install done
• 9:07 pm - Install Paint.NET - If you don't use this, you should
• 9:12 pm - Done
• 9:15 pm - Install SnagIt
• 9:17 pm - Done
• 9:17 pm - Download MindManager 7
• 9:23 pm - Done
• 9:25 pm - Camtasia Download and Install
• 9:28 pm - Done
• 9:30 pm - Install BlueBeam
• 9:36 pm - Done
• 9:46 pm - Install my feed reader - FeedDemon
• 9:50 pm - Done and feeds imported

At this point I am ready to do the things I need to do on a daily basis (2 other things, see below)

Item Installed that I didn't time because they take a LONG time to install, so I just start them and go do something else:

• ESRI ArcInfo - GIS program that I use in my daily 'real job' work
• Visual Studio Beta 2 - programming :) - trying to move from VB.NET to C# - taking a long time cause I just don't have the time to commit to it - VB still for a while...

Other things done

• Set up E-mail accounts - 3 accounts total in one Outlook Profile - 1 Exchange and 2 pop
  • Install TEO
• Install Messenger Plus - I use Live messenger all the time to talk to my wife and other friends - I really like the Tabbed chatting - so I don't have a bunch of Messenger windows open
• Install Notepad++ - Wonderful text, html, asp....  editor that I use all the time.
• Installed VMWare Virtual Machine software

OK - So, It's Sunday night when I am writing this post up.  This is almost everything I install on a regular basis. There are still a few left to go, but as of right now, I can do my GBM duties and my work duties when I go back to work on Monday morning.  There is noting else 'critical' as of right now.

Total Install: 15.9 gig space used, 83 processes - Programs to note - ArcInfo, Visual Studio and Office combined take over 4 gig of this space!!!

Any questions please ask - If you are registered in the forums, post on this post!!