My Clean Install of Vista Ultimate on a Lenovo x61 Tablet PC

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

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• 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!!