Did you keep ThinkVantage?

ThinkVantage is an entire escort agency, with Access being by far the biggest resource whore. With over 80 processes running on my computer, ThinkVantage was responsible for at least 30 of them, if not more, and eating up about 30% of physical memory.

I'm interested in knowing how many of you kept ThinkVantage.

 

I kept most of the utilities, but i axed most of them from the start up.

 

Same here, axed most of them but kept a small handful around that I find useful.

 

Can you guys tell what you axed and what you kept and why? I plan on doing a clean install when I get mine. I'd like to know what is beneficial and what is bloat.

 

This would be nice. Seconded.

 

Here is my 2cents:

1) Get Base Admin Tool from Lenovo, under the thinkvantage section, look for "Base Software Administrator (2MB)" . What this piece of software does is that you can create a profile of the software that you want to clean install from the recovery partition.

2) I took out the demo versions of all the bloatware, like 30 days virus checker etc. Especially the JAVA if it is NOT version 6. This you can install from java site AFTER the clean install and save yourself 180MB from 'upgrading' from version 5.

3) For thinkvantage, I took out client securities, rescue and recovery etc etc keeping only

a) Active Protection System
b) FingerPrint System
c) Power Manager - this is optional because windows have a control panel that does most of the thing EXCEPT battery maintenace
d) Access connection - this is optional because windows does most of the thing, I only kept it so that my default printer changes when I'm in office and home.

Extremist:

I run my X60 tablet with a business software that needs speed, so anything that will slow down my system goes out the window. I recently found a good software that you can use if you have an external USB device. This software is Ceedo. What it does is that you can install some of the programs 'offline' and into the USB device, so that when you plug into someone else program, you can run your favourite programs on THAT computer (using it's resources) BUT nothing will be written on that host computer (everything store in your USB). With this program, any misceallaneous programs, for example google picassa, winzip, etc etc I install in on ceedo. That makes my XP runs with minimal software (can you say fast?) and when I need some other program, I just plug in my ceedo USB drive

 

Huh... about the only thing I am interested in is fingerprint and active update. http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=TVSU-UPDATE
You didn't keep Thinkvantage active update?

 

The thing I also find strange is simply how much HD space ThinkVantage dominates. Right now, I only have 80GB out of 105GB after installing the ThinkVantage utilities (everything except CSS, Power Management, and Access). I also noticed that with ever install/uninstall of the utilities, my HD free space keeps shrinking. Is this much HD usage normal?

 

Yes....

If you are using the older software installer, ALL the files are duplicated and store in C:\Drivers, C:\Tools etc etc. All these files are useless after uninstallation. For example, if you download RnR4, you would find 400MB of it alongside the 300MB of RnR3. So if you don't need it, I throw ALL of these into the trash, then reboot. If thinkpad works, then I empty the trash.

Note that these files are mostly useless after the installation and a few weeks later new version may come out.

If you are using the newer Software update 3.0, it's store in another folder (I forgot which one, but you can remove that one as well).

 

Yes I kept it.


BTW far the greatest user of resources is (on my system) VersionCueCS2.exe, followed by some noton stuff. First I removed Norton, then reinstalled the corp. version. Some other program just did not cut it.

I am using ProcessExplorer a great free utility that tells you everything about the processes.

Perhaps instead if removing stuff it is better to tweak the startup setting/services list. Otherwise one can remove things that you really need.

I have T60P, XPpro.
Peter

 

I just looked through a bunch of drivers/utilities. I can't find CSS. What is it?

 

Client Security Solutions

 

I am not a computer guru and the laptop for me is only school and business use. I need it in the most reliable condition, so I keep all of them. Maybe a little bit slow but I am comfortable about it and again the reliability is the most important thing for me.

 

What I did was remove everything. Went to the net to get the latest versions and reinstall. I then remove everything in the C drive that was useless like "Drivers" "I386" and the like. Clean the reg, defrag, checkdisk, boottime defrag, run "Tweak XP's Ultra fast boot", defrag, restart defrag, and defrag and use.

 

I use it, cause it helps me with wireless internet. I just select the profile, and click connect. ( I'm too lazy sometimes to use the other windows wireless thing)

 

I kept it because I didnt know any better. the worst culprit of course was Access Advantage which is the slowest application known to man. I am in the process of deleting most of it - with professional assistance of course. I will never buy a laptop again with this kind of software as I have lost countless hours over using it - such a loss in productivity. In fact when the computer was brand new, I had to reformat as the bundled software was in such conflict [Norton especially], It was a nightmare. I will keep only what i absolutely have to and DUMP the rest!!!!! If id known better I would have done this sooner.

 

the sidebar looks like a mem hog also

 

"ThinkVantage is an entire escort agency, with Access being by far the biggest resource whore. "


I really take issue with this langauge and hope moderation removes language belittling to women.

 

Just uninstalled access connection because of problems I had with the wireless card turning completely off .... and just let windows manage my wireless connection

process drop least by 10 processes... I dont really see now use for it when you can have windows take care of it.

now im looking into deleting more

 

oh playmaker started this thread...good ole' playmaker still comes up time to time. haha

 

After a clean install of Vista x64 I re-installed active protection, access connections, power manager and system update. I left everything else out, with exception of the hardware drivers off course.

 

Lenovo added a nice piece of software on their latest RR4.2......the express recovery that compares all the window's o/s files to the original to repair any corrupt operating files. Saved my a_s the other day....so I will be keeping this capability.

For me, the start up or boot time is not as important as the operating speed of the PC so.....I will keep all the Think Vantage "stuff".

 

I found most worthless, but the disk active protect, presentation manager and Access Connections are great. I have yet to find another screen manager that works as well as presentation director either - the only annoyance is it won't remember icon placement well. I also use the power manager but XP seems just as well.

The others are junk imo, especially the update manager, it is way to flakey.

 

I formated and kept only the Power Manager. Might install the Active Protection System.

Agreed. The first (and only) time I used it, it found updates for only half the drivers and utilities, even though they were all outdated.

 

What is actually "Rescue and Recovery" doing anyway ?? I mean, if we have the Lenovo's hidden partition intact (for a safe future re-install), do we really need R&R or we can safely remove it ?

 

I clean installed my computer when I received it, and reinstalled Power Manager, Active Protection, Fingerprint reader, and system update. System update might be flaky (I would follow Stallen's guide for a clean install-driver reinstall, not rely on SysUpdate), but it's an easy way to check for Lenovo updates all at once.

 

thats a very good idea/program thanks! Don't know if its really worth $30 though!

 

Ditched Access Connections 'cuz it sucked monkey balls. Kept everything else.

 

RR does give you the last saved HDD image which might save you many hours of effort. RR to factory image takes a lot of time and not having to add any software you might have had saves even more time

 

I wouldn't have used that language, but...

Merriam Webster says:
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Middle English hore, from Old English hōre; akin to Old Norse hōra whore, hōrr adulterer, Latin carus dear — more at charity
Date:
before 12th century

1: a woman who engages in sexual acts for money : prostitute; also : a promiscuous or immoral woman
2: a male who engages in sexual acts for money
3: a venal or unscrupulous person