How to make new T61 run faster?

Hello there!

I just recently got my T61. I haven't had much time to play with it but it is running painfully slowly. What should I do? Would using something like PCdecrapifier help fasten things up a bit or will I have to purchase additional memory since I am running Vista Business with only 1 GB Ram?

I do have the Turbo Memory option but that doesn't seem to be helping much at all. Memory is always shown to be at about 60% at best.

Machine is beautiful otherwise.

Thanks, in advance, for your helpful response.

 

Disable Aero, disable System restore, remove most of thinkvantage bloatware. Mine runs fine Turn off sounds aswell.

 

really need 2gb at the least to have a snappy system in Vista. Hate to tell you, but a clean install is the way to go as well.

 

Ok... Sounds like I do need to get some more Ram.

By a clean install you mean a full installation of Windows. Right?
What sorts of things should I be looking to do differently, during the installation, in order to make it run faster?

 

not sure if you have a extra copy of vista lying around but there are ways to use the vista anytime upgrade dvd to clean install your computer. If you recover it using the partition you'll still have all the bloatware on your computer.

 

not if you do a custom factory install

 

A real clean install makes the machine "fast". I did it myself and it works great now! Dont forget to remove the iAstor and iAstorV parameters from the registry!

 

Try x64, I think Windows 64bits, files move/transfer faster. Disable "Windows Search" service, I found no use for it and it does slow down the computer. Disable: Tablet PC Input service (no use for T61)

 

Don't do a custom factory install. Do a real clean install.

Definitely get at least 2GB of RAM.

Search for Orev's guide to clean install. After clean install, install chipset driver from Intel then the rest of the drivers from Lenovo. Search tool is your friend here... this has been discussed many times over and over and over.

 

does a 7200rpm drive help much over a 5400rpm in the T61?
2GB memory already there.

 

I can't speak for the T61 because I don't have it yet, but it should be a noticeable increase in performance. I have installed hard drives in desktop computers. 5400RPM to 7200RPM... 7200RPM to 10000RPM. There has always been a noticeable increase in boot times and application launch times. In general the hard drive is the slowest component of the computer... the bottleneck. My preference is to get the fastest hard drive you can afford and if space is a concern get an external HDD for storage or the ultrabay HDD adapter for more internal storage.

 

hmm, interesting