Monday, February 23, 2009

Windows 7 Beta on a Thinkpad T42/p

This week I bought an old Thinkpad T42/p off of eBay. IMHO, this system was the pinnacle of the Thinkpad T series, with a great keyboard, a spacious 15" display running 1440x1050, Gigabit Ethernet, and most importantly an ATI Radeon Mobility 9600. This particular system has 1GB of RAM, which I'm told is the minimum required to run Aero. The only real downside to this laptop is that it does not support SATA drives, so you can't put in a 7200rpm SATA drive.

I did a clean install of Windows 7 and I have to say that it runs really well - far better than Windows XP ever did with a similar configuration. Superfetch makes a HUGE difference. I haven't tried to add ReadyBoost yet.

Although the system initially came up with the standard VGA display driver, the Radeon 9600 driver was automatically installed the first time I connected to Windows Update.

The Aero interface did not work at first. I'm not sure exactly what I did to get it working - maybe generating the Windows Experience Index under Control Panel / Performance Information and Tools. I also rebooted a few times. In any case, Aero is now working perfectly.

Here are the numbers reported by the Windows Experience Index:
Processor: 2.0
Memory (RAM): 4.1
Graphics: 2.0
Gaming graphics: 3.6
Hard drive transfer: 2.0

As near as I can tell, all features of the laptop are running properly. There are no missing drivers in the device list. Speedstep works properly. The wireless card works (although I had to choose WPA instead of WPA2 to connect properly to my WRT54G router running DD-WRT.) Display brightness works, volume works, even the ThinkLight. The only thing I installed from Lenovo is the Active Protection for the hard drive.

All in all, I'm quite happy with the T42/p and with Windows 7 experience running on this system.

[Update 5/21/2009] I wiped the system and installed Windows 7 RC today. I confirmed that Aero kicks in AFTER you generate the Windows Experience Index and reboot.

Here are the numbers reported by the Windows Experience Index for the RC. Compared to the Beta, Processor and Hard drive transfer went up and Gaming graphics went down.
Processor: 3.2
Memory (RAM): 4.1
Graphics: 2.0
Gaming graphics: 2.0
Hard drive transfer: 4.3

[Update 10/28/2009] Lenovo has published System Update version 4, which provides a few updates for Windows 7, including the HotKey manager for onscreen feedback of volume, brightness, etc. ActiveProtection is also supported. However, most of the other Thinkpad utilities are still not available for Windows 7.
Posted by at

36 comments:

  1. AnonymousMarch 25, 2009 at 8:38 AM

    Good article. I also have the DVD from Microsoft, so I might try now. I like the suggestion of buying another machine used to try.

    thanks

    ReplyDelete
  2. Live WireMay 10, 2009 at 1:51 AM

    Thanks 4 that. Does power management work well -- is there a sleep mode and does it work? It doesn't under Vista which is annoying :-(

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jim BeveridgeMay 10, 2009 at 7:50 PM

    Yes, power management works fine, better even than it did under XP. I never tried running Vista on one of these Thinkpads.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Live WireMay 10, 2009 at 7:54 PM

    I have installed Win7 on a thinkpad R51e and it is great. Sleep mode is excellent (works like the Macs I have played with). T42s have had sleep issues however and have required modded video drivers to make it work (do a google search and you will see).

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousJune 13, 2009 at 10:21 PM

    I installed the RC Build 7100 but am having problem with the screen refresh rate - only option is 50Hz. I have updated the newer ATI Radeon driver but no use.

    Is your screen refresh rate at 60Hz?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jim BeveridgeJune 14, 2009 at 7:41 AM

    I can't help you on the 50Hz issue. The only option showing on my system is 60Hz.

    Did you upgrade instead of doing a clean install?

    ReplyDelete
  7. scottAugust 18, 2009 at 6:04 AM

    I too am only getting 50hz on a T42 with Windows 7 7000.

    ReplyDelete
  8. johnSeptember 28, 2009 at 9:14 PM

    i have a t42p and I just installed windows 7 build 7600 and I can't for the life of me get my network drivers to install. I have tried windows xp, 2000, and vista in compat mode. What drivers did you use and where did yall get them?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Jim BeveridgeSeptember 28, 2009 at 10:32 PM

    I believe I have an Intel 2200bg. It just worked, I didn't have to do anything at all.

    ReplyDelete
  10. MartynOctober 1, 2009 at 6:18 AM

    Same problem, I have Intel Pro 10/100/1000 Gigabit ethernet, and cannot get any drivers to work for that or wireless (on T42p 1600x1200). Any ideas how to overcome this? Trying the technet official release of ultimate.

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousOctober 22, 2009 at 11:23 AM

    I did a clean install of W7 RC on my T42, ATI Radeon Mobility 9000. One of the items I cannot get to work is connecting to an external projector or monitor. Do you think there is something that still needs to be installed (ThinkVantage utilities) or does it sound like the display port is not working? I cannot get the presentation director to work, old or new versions and have installed a few of the basic ThinkVantage utilities & drivers.

    Any thoughts??

    ReplyDelete
  12. Jim BeveridgeOctober 24, 2009 at 1:13 PM

    Anonymous - sorry I can't help with this one. I've connected to an external TV with the S-Video connector and had no difficulty.

    ReplyDelete
  13. pedroOctober 28, 2009 at 6:45 AM

    Hi Jim,

    T42p is indeed a great laptop. Bought mine early 2005 and still rocks, with the original win XP install... and i'm a telecom SE so.. a lot of tweekin over the years.

    Now i'm buying windows 7 ... question have you installed any ssh, telnet client what about ultraedit.

    tks

    P

    p.s. T42p in the states come with 1600x1200 ati firegl T2 no ?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Jim BeveridgeOctober 28, 2009 at 11:27 AM

    Pedro, I've run the cygwin utilities under Win7 with no difficulty. Win7 was designed for maximum compatibility with Vista, so I don't foresee any problems with any application released in the last two years.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Kathy and Dave WhittleNovember 5, 2009 at 11:22 AM

    I have a T42 (not P), model 2379-R9U, which has the Radeon Mobility 9600.

    Encouraged by your great post, I installed Win7 Pro from the Microsoft Action Pack, just as you described.

    The problem is that the video driver hasn't yet updated - it's still using the default Microsoft driver. ATI's web site doesn't offer Win 7 support.

    Can you give me any details about the driver that Windows update installed? I'm wondering why it's not installing on my system now, and how to find the driver you have and manually install it.

    Thanks,
    Dave

    ReplyDelete
  16. Jim BeveridgeNovember 5, 2009 at 11:29 AM

    You have to let Windows Update do its thing in order for the video driver to be updated. However, you MUST have 1GB of RAM minimum. If you still have the original 512MB of RAM that came with your system, it won't work.

    Note that my blog entry above was based on the Win7 RC (Release Candidate), not the final gold release. I haven't yet tried to install the final gold release.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Kathy and Dave WhittleNovember 15, 2009 at 7:50 PM

    I do have 1GB RAM and I have let Windows Update do its thing, but I'm using the final gold release. My video performance scores are reporting 1.0, and Aero isn't working.

    I wonder if they perhaps had problems with the Win7 RC updated drivers and pulled them from Windows update...

    ReplyDelete
  18. TysonNovember 17, 2009 at 8:20 PM

    I am having the same problem as other users with the Intel Pro 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet card. When I had Windows 7RC build 7100 installed, I was able to overcome the problem by installing the drivers I found in this forum here:
    http://bit.ly/4EgscF

    However, when I installed the full release of Windows 7 Ultimate, the OS would no longer allow me to install those drivers. I have yet to find a solution and would love to hear of any work-arounds you've found. I'm about to regress to Windows 7RC 7100 because it's the only way I've found that lets me install the damn Ethernet Controller driver. Strangely enough, wired ethernet still works.

    ReplyDelete
  19. TysonNovember 17, 2009 at 8:22 PM

    Also, please note that I have tried running Windows Update and the Thinkpad update utility, to no avail. They did fix some missing audio drivers, etc. But, no dice on the Ethernet Controller. My wireless is inoperative currently.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Jim BeveridgeNovember 18, 2009 at 5:54 PM

    Kathy and Dave: In order to enable Aero, you need to generate the Windows Experience Index under Control Panel / Performance Information and Tools. After I did that, Aero automatically enabled.

    ReplyDelete
  21. AnonymousDecember 7, 2009 at 4:14 PM

    hi try Intel(R)PROWireless21_125836 from intel site works on mine perfectly

    saimonides85@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  22. AnonymousDecember 27, 2009 at 10:48 PM

    To get all the T42p devices working after installing windows 7, connect your laptop to wired internet, do a windows update. after that, install the lenovo thinkvantage system update 4. your laptop will be up and running after that!

    ReplyDelete
  23. AnonymousDecember 28, 2009 at 7:08 PM

    Tyson, W7 should find the 1000 Ethernet alright, it never found my Intel 2200 though.

    W7 drivers don't exist for the 2200 so I had to grab the Vista ones. You might want to try that if it is still not working for your ethernet

    ReplyDelete
  24. AnonymousFebruary 4, 2010 at 8:24 PM

    I have recently upgraded from win xp pro to win 7 pro on ibm thinkpad t42. the windows card games run very slow . the pop up message says hardware acceleration is disabled or not supported by video card driver. The system does not accept updating the driver from lenovo web site. Can you suggest remedy. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Industrial ReasaMarch 31, 2010 at 7:21 PM

    OK, my problem is this: the video driver that I have on my IBM Thinkpad T42, that it's who comes with the windows 7, for me, doesn't work fully well, for example: the stand-by option in the windows menu it's unfuctional.
    I tried to install a video driver that is posted in the lenovo's official page, in the "Windows 7 BETA Drivers and Utilities" (http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/WIN7-BETA.html), but it doesn't reemplace the driver intalled on my laptop.
    And the driver post on the "Drivers and software - ThinkPad T42, T42p" (http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/MIGR-55386.html#video) says that it can be installed for the system operation (windows 7).
    Can someone please send me a notification or a response leting me know where is this driver, or it someone knows where it could be please tell me.
    In my case, the only driver that is missing for windows 7 it's this, I reaped, I have a Thinkpad IBM T42
    Thanks for read, I'll be pendient of any answer, Thanks :D

    ReplyDelete
  26. Jim BeveridgeMarch 31, 2010 at 10:47 PM

    Industrial Reasa,

    To the best of my knowledge, the only supported video card for Windows 7 on the T42 is the ATI 9600, which was standard in the T42/p systems but was a rare upgrade for the "normal" T42. If anyone else has seen anything different, please chime in.

    ReplyDelete
  27. AnonymousApril 25, 2010 at 1:45 AM

    Hi, it was a very useful article for me. Thanks a lot :-)

    sirius2834

    ReplyDelete
  28. charlieOctober 4, 2010 at 4:43 PM

    i also have a t42.......but the video is ati mobility radeon 7500. i am having the hardware
    acceleration issues with solitaire and can not
    locate driver update to fix this issue.

    fishplate2@triad.rr.com

    ReplyDelete
  29. AnonymousApril 8, 2011 at 10:59 AM

    I have also tried the video driver that is posted in the lenovo's official page, in the "Windows 7 BETA Drivers and Utilities" (http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/WIN7-BETA.html), and it did not work for me. I have a T42p model with radeon 9600 chipset.

    Then I found the following site "Thinkpad T42p graphics driver in Windows 7", (http://www.mymegabyte.com/2010/12/thinkpad-t42p-graphics-driver-in-windows-7/), and it works great now! I was able to follow the instruction as is since I have T42p model. However, those of you with T42 model with different graphics chipset may want to try another compatible drivers (see instructions) before modifying it with the tool. Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Jim BeveridgeApril 8, 2011 at 11:13 AM

    Anonymous,

    All I had to do to make the 9600 chipset work was to connect to Windows Update and let Windows 7 update its drivers. No special effort required at all.

    ReplyDelete
  31. AnonymousMay 8, 2011 at 12:06 PM

    Late update, but if you want up-to-date (usable) ATI drivers, then you should look into DHmod (Driverheaven.net). The generic ATI drivers didn't support any of the mobile chipsets due to demands from the manufacturers of the laptops, pretty much all of whom were terrible at providing any updates. DHmod, modified the INF files to force the generic drivers to install.

    The latest ATI drivers have dropped support for the older chipsets. In my case (9700 mobility in a T42), I have to run 10.2 as those are the latest drivers that still support my chipset (R300). Driver version in device manager shows as 8.593.100.0. Aero works fully, games are playable. Graphics score is still 2.0, but gaming graphics score is 3.6!

    Regards,

    Tim

    ReplyDelete
  32. KiranlalMay 14, 2011 at 1:03 AM

    Hi,
    I have installed Windows7 on my Thinkpad T42.But Audio is not working.Can you suggest some place from where I could download the audio driver for Windows7 that my T42 will support.PS mine is T42 not T42p.
    Thanks in advance.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Jim BeveridgeMay 14, 2011 at 1:04 PM

    Go to the Lenovo site and download the latest version (Rel 4.0) of System Update software...this latest version will help you find all pertinent Windows 7 drivers.

    Lenovo Support & downloads - ThinkVantage System Update 4.0

    ReplyDelete
  34. KiranlalJune 4, 2011 at 2:55 AM

    Hi,
    Thanks Jim that pretty much solved the Audio driver problem.In turn while doing the update using the software from the link you have given my standard VGA adapter driver was replaced by another version of display driver which resulted in display being in a stretched manner.Can you suggest me a way to resolve this display problem.My display card is ATI 7500.
    Thanks again.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Jim BeveridgeJune 4, 2011 at 9:27 AM

    Doesn't sound like a driver bug. Did you go to Settings for your display and check that it is set properly?

    Alternatively, uninstall the display driver and go back to the original.

    ReplyDelete
  36. KiranlalJuly 5, 2011 at 11:04 AM

    Thanks Jim,I know I responded late but I wanted to say that I had done as you said after seeing my setting was set correctly and it solved the problem with display for now but I am hoping the new system update would bring me luck with the display driver.Also wanted to let you know your effort of posting response for such an old post with in short time is deeply appreciated and regarded.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)