Clean windows 7 pro 64 bits install on blank HDD in a x220t

I bought a second hand X220t (4298-rf6) from an auction. For privacy reason they completely wipe the HDD and the laptop is supplied with only the COA Certificate for Windows 7 Pro. I bought and installed a new 750GB HDD (I was not going to trust a 5 year old HDD) I do have a legit copy of Windows 7 Pro iso, I already loaded it onto a bootable USB, I changed the boot order in the BIOS, and I don't anticipate problems with installing the OS. But I'm unsure what to do about all the Lenovo specific software? When I go to the Lenovo support website and I enter my laptop and OS, I get a huge list of additional software/drivers? I like a lean install and don't like to add unnecessary software (I especially avoid software that send information back to the 'Mothership'). Should I leave it to Windows to get the drivers? or should I download them from Lenovo? Has anyone done that and could you share your experience/recommendation. Thanks
If it makes a difference, I'm located in Australia. The laptop will be for personal use only so some of the security features are not needed, it will also be connected to a home network over wire or wireless (the other computers run Win 7 or XP as well as Linux Mint), it will occasionally be used off location using a public WiFi or someone else's network.

 

I let windows install what it can find. You'll need to get the inf drivers. I like a lean install on some of my machines also so I just grab the inf files for video, wifi, etc.

I disable the imei intel amt stuff, so it still has an exclamation mark. But it is of no use unless you need enterprise stuff or I think it does OOB remote stuff. I don't care so I left it uninstalled. I usually don't install the active protection system ( I think it senses if the laptop is dropped and protects spinners) but you need that for the auto rotate on the tablet I think. It's been awhile for me on the x220t.

FYI an SSD is worlds better but especially on the tablet version. The tablet version requires a number of extra startup things to function at full capacity.

 

You don't need to install any Lenovo software though I do find the Power Manager and Hotkeys to be the most useful out of the bunch. Hotkeys itself is self-explanatory, it will prompt you with icons when you use special key functions (Caps Lock, Num Lock, Display Brightness, Volume etc.) and with the Power Manager you can manage the charging thresholds to increase longevity of your Lenovo battery.

For the drivers obtain the display (Intel HD 3000 Graphics) and Network driver as a bare minimum to run on its own. Most common wireless driver would be Intel's Wireless-N 1000, Advanced-N 6205 or Ultimate-N 6300 WLAN cards. Though the basic ThinkPad BGN card can be offered if those fail to work. For Ethernet look for the Intel 82579LM Gigabit LAN driver. You can then search for the rest of the drivers on the X220T to clean up the Device Manager.

Other additional software I would recommend the Dolby Home Theatre mod which greatly enhances the output of sound on Sandy Bridge ThinkPad systems, the difference is like night and day if you love listening audio. More info can be found here.

 

Thank you 'Jedisurfer1' and PatchySan' for your suggestions. I have stated downloading what I think I need from the Lenovo site: http://support.lenovo.com/au/en/products/Laptops-and-netbooks/ThinkPad-X-Series-Tablet-laptops/ThinkPad-X220-Tablet/4298/RF6?tabName=Downloads&linkTrack=Mast:SubNav:Supportrivers and Software|Drivers and Software&beta=false but there lots more I'm not sure about. If you could have a look at my list and let me know what you think. Here is my list sorted in 'Needed & Downloaded', 'Not Sure If Needed', 'Probably Don't Want or need'.
Needed & Downloaded:

• Graphics: Intel HD graphic driver, Inf file, Reader optimizer
  
• Audio: Audio driver (Conexant 20672 SmartAudio HD driver)
• Ethernet: Ethernet driver (Intel 82579lm)
• Network driver: Could not find any you suggested 'PatchySan'?
• Card Reader: Reader driver
• Camera: Camera driver
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth driver

Not Sure If Needed:

• Bios: Bios update utility?
• Mouse & Keyboard: Which one do I need?
• Power Management: There are 4 - which one do I need?
• Software Utilities: Battery firmware update? and Hotkey features? (are those the one's you recommended?
• Storage: Intel rapid storage technology? needed to enable AHCI?
• USB device: USB 3 driver?
• Fingerprint reader: Could be useful, but seems to be part of 'ThinkVantage'?

Probably do not want or need:

• ThinkVantage: Definitely do not want
  
• Chipset: 'AMT' I don't want remote control, although I do use 'Remote Desktop' to access other computers, can I still do that without AMT?
• Wwan: I do not intend on using this function
  
• Anything else on the Lenovo site that I did not list.

As I have a standard HDD, I be interested in 'Active Protection System' but I could not find what I need to install for it to work? Thanks for your input.

 

Windows will find your audio unless you want to get the dolby drivers.

You need the Lenovo Power Management driver and the power manager software ( you can let win7 do that but power manager does a lot of things well)

You need the ultranav/touchpad driver.

If you have an i5 you don't need usb 3.0 driver, if you have the i7 download the driver.

ACHI is done in the bios, I avoid the intel maxtrix driver

I avoid bios updates unless absolutely needed, I avoid the AMT and fingerprint software.

 

For the Intel 1000/6205N/6300N driver you will need this. If that doesn't work you will need either the Intel 6250 WiMax driver or the ThinkPad BGN driver.

You can install these drivers from the Device Manager by referring it to the INF files in the packages.

 

Thank guys for all the suggestions and links. I followed some other posts on google and came a cross a Lenovo's app the 'System Update for Windows' It's one of the downloads under 'Think Vantage Technology' I initially dismissed anything under "Think Vantage' as I thought that all the apps are for remote access (including Wake on Lan) which sound like a 'back-door' to the laptop? something I definitely do not want. But I had a closer look at the 'System Update' and it seems to function much like Windows Update (in manual mode) where it first downloads a list of what drivers/updates are missing, and then you can select which ones to download and install. That way I don't run the risk of installing the wrong driver - What do you think.
When I have all the info and I'm ready to install Windows, what is the order of install? Is it like that:

• Connect laptop to the power and my network.
• Insert the USB drive (window install disk), make sure boot order is USB first, and switch on.
• Let windows load it self, entering details as needed.
• When windows comes to the point where it wants to go on-line to update it self (assuming the network connection works), should I let it? or should I install/update the drivers first? (It's possible that I may have to install the network driver before it can access the net anyway)

 

System Update will find missing drivers for you as well as giving you the option to deselect software that you don't want to be installed too. But System Update will only work if it can find a internet connection hence why it's important to save the Network driver on to a USB drive to load.

You can follow my guide to give you a basic idea on what you need to do to install Windows 7 on your X220 Tablet, some elements may be a bit dated (I have written this guide like 4 years ago now) but the principles should be the same.

 

Thanks for the link to your 'guide' I read it and since it's 4/5 years old, I have a few question/clarification:

1. You mention that to use the 'Fingerprint' function you have to install in 'Legacy BIOS' mode (not UEFI) is this still the case?
2. You also go on to say that to use UEFI you have to use GPT partitions and FAT32 file system? is this still correct? or can I use MBR partitions and NTFS file system?
3. In the BIOS there are 3 choices: Legacy and UEFI, Legacy only, UEFI only (in the case of Legacy and UEFI, there is also a line to set the priority 'Legacy first' or 'UEFI first'). In the user manual it states to use Legacy only or UEFI only (not both) for Windows 7 64 bit (which is the version I want to install) is that also your opinion?
   
4. In step 7 to 8 of 'Installation phase' you say to install the 'Intel Rapid Storage Technology' driver
   a) Is this still the case or is this driver included in the Windows 7 install files?
   b) As the x220 has no DVD, I will be installing from a USB, can I simply add the drivers (in sub-folder: Drivers) to the OS USB? or do I have to copy them to an other USB and connect that USB to an other USB port?
5. I downloaded some of the drivers from Lenovo. The downloads end in .exe, but drivers are usually .inf? I assume the .exe are self extracting zip files? is that correct? if so should I extract them first and then point windows to the extracted files? or can I just point windows to the .exe file?

In relation to the partition type and BIOS type, I'm a bit confused and unsure what is best for my setup and use? I will be using the laptop for personal use, after installing Windows 7 Pro 64 bits and all its drivers and updates, I will also install Linux Mint 17.3 in dual boot. I think that this days Linux can operate under UEFI but 'Safe Boot' should be turned off, I did not find an option to turn on or off 'Safe Boot' in the BIOS? in fact I did not find anything called 'Safe Boot' in the BIOS - does this BIOS have 'Safe Boot'?
I have a 750Gb HDD (not SSD) and I intend on partitioning the HDD as follow:

1. 80Gb for Windows 7 and windows based applications - ntfs
   
2. 80Gb for Linux core install (as 3 partitions: Root - ext4, Boot - ext4, and Swap)
3. 100Gb for Linux Home - ext4
4. And app 500Gb as Data - ntfs (Linux can read and write to ntfs, so I can use this partition for data on both OS)

Given the above, should I use 'Legacy' or 'UEFI' and should I use 'MBR' or 'GPT'

 

I believe this has now been resolved, I have used the Lenovo Fingeprint Software on an UEFI Windows 7 installaton on my T420 without issues so you can consider the warning to be expired. I will try to update it when I get the chance.

This still holds true, in order to install an UEFI based installation of Windows 7 from a USB flash drive you must format the flash drive in FAT32 along with GPT partition to do so. Thankfully Rufus makes this process very easy for you otherwise you have to do DISKPART in command prompt like in the old days!

I leave both on (Legacy and UEFI) in the BIOS and use UEFI mode first, I have no issues booting to my UEFI installation of Windows 7 x64 on my T420 with this setting on. Occasionally there may be times where you want to boot from other sources that doesn’t have a UEFI mode (like some live Linux distros from a USB drive for instance) so leaving both on will still give you that flexibility to choose when the time comes.

Windows 7 by default does not include the Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver so this step holds true today. You can download the INF file from the Lenovo Support site and extract the contents into a folder on the USB flash drive. Follow the guide and point it to that extracted folder to slipstream the Intel RST SATA drivers into the installation. I did this mainly to avoid installing the additional Intel software on top where you just wanted the driver on its own.

And yes you can slipstream other drivers using this method as well, you can use multiple USB flash drives as sources for these drivers too.

You will need to run the exe files in order to extract the contents, at the end just untick when it says “Install xxxx” and go to either the DRIVERS folder or SWTOOLS folder on your system drive to grab the files.

While Sandy Bridge ThinkPads (that’s the x20 series ThinkPads) have an UEFI mode it was in its infant stage so it didn’t really have a native Secure/Safe Boot facility that most modern machines have (it was introduced in the next refresh when Windows 8 came out). For me it just means that it wasn’t as cumbersome or as fussy when it comes to installing different OS’ which is a bonus.

Linux distros, especially Mint should be dual-boot aware so it will give you steps to install alongside with your existing Windows OS without too much difficulty. Have a read on this guide for more info on this procedure.

Hope this helps.

 

I was trying to quote bits of your reply and ask a follow up question, but I could not get it to work for me and I could not find a 'help' section on the forum home page, so I just copy/paste section with the HTML quote command - Hope it looks alright.

By coincidence I did use 'Rufus' to do make my Flash Drive, but I used the default options and my drive is formatted as NTFS and I don't know if it is GPT or MBR, so I'm going to have to redo that!

So if I insert an USB with a linux live distro do I have to go in the BIOS and change the BIOS/UEFI order? or would you expect the Linux distro to skip UEFI and boot with BIOS?

I try to open the .exe file using WinZip, but I did not recognized the file type (so it is not a self-extracting Zip). I'm a bit wary of just 'Running' the exe file on my desktop (Win XP) as I do not want to install the drivers on my desktop (would probably stuff it up!) Are you sure it's safe to do so?
Also from your reply I'm not sure if you understood my question regarding where to put the extracted drivers - What I was asking is can I add them to the same USB as windows is on (in a sub-folder: drivers) or do I copy them onto an other USB that I will have to plug in an other USB port on the laptop? is this even possible - will the installer 'look at 2 USB at the same time?

Sorry if my questions sound a bit stupid or obvious, but I want to be sure and don't stuff up

Thanks for all your help

One last thing I forgot to ask - I like to install Windows 7 Pro 64 bits without the 'System Reserved Partition' ( I know the partition contains 'BitLocker' and the boot files) the reason been that:
a) I don't intend on using 'BitLocker'
b) I will install Linux Mint as dual boot and want to make it as easy as possible for 'Grub2'
c) After a while (when I'm sure Windows is fully patched, up-to-date, working correctly, and all the settings are just the way I want them) I will copy Windows into a VM within Linux and then delete the Windows 7 install from the HDD. I will then end up with a single boot Linux with Windows 7 withing a VM. I think that is one less step for Grub2 to correct after I delete Windows 7.

I have read on other posts that easiest method to stop Windows creating the Hidden System Reserved Partition, is to per-partitioned and format the HDD as one partition with no un-allocated space (using a third party partitioning tool like Gparted), then Windows will not create a System Reserved Partition ( I think the boot files will be within the C: drive instead). After installing Windows, I will have to shrink the C: partition and create the partitions I will need for Linux and Data. Is this also your understanding? and am I loosing anything (other than BitLocker) by not having a System Reserved Partition?