T4x laptop, Vista and memory requirements

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someone watching

Was thinking about purchasing Vista (not sure which version though). It
would be used on an IBM Thinkpad laptop PC. I've read Vista really needs
2GB memory to work best, but how would it work with 1.5GB? Really don't
want to go to two GB, and the laptop is mainly used for internet, email,
small various non-graphic intensive apps. Oh, and I don't need 3D
bubbles (glass?) and all the glitzy fluff MS seemed to think was so
important.

Thanks
 
Alex, it's a T41. IBM provides Vista software support too so there are
drivers etc.
I want to keep the memory to 1.5GB because of HDD space and hibernation
issues so consider 2GB is out of the question.

From your response I take it already 1.5gb is too small, is that so?
___
 
someone watching said:
Was thinking about purchasing Vista (not sure which version though). It
would be used on an IBM Thinkpad laptop PC. I've read Vista really needs
2GB memory to work best, but how would it work with 1.5GB? Really don't
want to go to two GB, and the laptop is mainly used for internet, email,
small various non-graphic intensive apps. Oh, and I don't need 3D
bubbles (glass?) and all the glitzy fluff MS seemed to think was so
important.
Click to expand...


Should work fine if you can get all the Vista drivers for your hardware.
 
Why are you worried about HD space and RAM?

Virtual memory, by default, is 1 and a 1/2 times your RAM.
But, you can alter it.

What size HD do you have?
You really need a minimum of 80G for Vista, to be comfortable!
 
Was thinking about purchasing Vista (not sure which version though). It
would be used on an IBM Thinkpad laptop PC. I've read Vista really needs
2GB memory to work best, but how would it work with 1.5GB? Really don't
want to go to two GB, and the laptop is mainly used for internet, email,
small various non-graphic intensive apps. Oh, and I don't need 3D
bubbles (glass?) and all the glitzy fluff MS seemed to think was so
important.
Click to expand...


How much memory you need for good performance always depends on what
apps you run. Moreover, other factors (CPU speed, HD speed, etc.)
affect performance, so it's very difficult to tell you how well your
particular computer running your particular apps will perform.

Moreover, with a laptop, you normally have video support on the
motherboard, rather than on a separate card, and that means that some
of your main memory is used for video purposes, thereby lowering
what's available to Windows. You may have only 1 or 1.25GB available.

I know you said "don't want to go to two GB," but if it were me, I'd
go to 2GB or even more. Otherwise I'd stay with whatever operating
system is currently installed.

Also, before you consider upgrading an existing laptop to Vista, be
very sure that drivers exist for your hardware. Many older laptops
don't have drivers available and essentially can't be upgraded.
 
Ken Blake said:
How much memory you need for good performance always depends on what
apps you run. Moreover, other factors (CPU speed, HD speed, etc.)
affect performance, so it's very difficult to tell you how well your
particular computer running your particular apps will perform.

Moreover, with a laptop, you normally have video support on the
motherboard, rather than on a separate card, and that means that some
of your main memory is used for video purposes, thereby lowering
what's available to Windows. You may have only 1 or 1.25GB available.

I know you said "don't want to go to two GB," but if it were me, I'd
go to 2GB or even more. Otherwise I'd stay with whatever operating
system is currently installed.

Also, before you consider upgrading an existing laptop to Vista, be
very sure that drivers exist for your hardware. Many older laptops
don't have drivers available and essentially can't be upgraded.
Click to expand...

I agree here. I have tried Vista on many machines. I am happiest with 32
bit Vista with 3 GB of RAM (and 250 GB of hard drive) for laptop use.
 
I agree here. I have tried Vista on many machines. I am happiest
with 32
bit Vista with 3 GB of RAM (and 250 GB of hard drive) for laptop use.
Click to expand...
Hmmm, what processors are you using. The T41 Thinkpad has a 2GHz Pentium
M. For video it has an ATI Radon 7500 32MB. Pretty lame compared to
newer notebooks but I like the t41 for many reasons and want to stick
with it instead of moving to another NB.

The max memory it supports is 2GB but as I said (without going into all
the reasons), I need to stick with 1.5GB. Also, this system is a
multi-boot (250GB HDD) with W98 (a MUST!), W2K, XP and Linux. I love XP
but realize as time rockets by I'll likely need Vista for certain
software support, thus my questions.

To summarize from these responses, 1.5GB RAM, 2GHz Pentium M, 250GB WD
HDD, 32MB video -SHOULD- yield at least acceptable results with Vista.
If I'm 'off' in this summery someone please let me know! I've heard WAY
to many complaints from people about Vista's performance and software
compatibility issues.
 
Hmmm, what processors are you using. The T41 Thinkpad has a 2GHz Pentium
M. For video it has an ATI Radon 7500 32MB. Pretty lame compared to
newer notebooks but I like the t41 for many reasons and want to stick
with it instead of moving to another NB.

The max memory it supports is 2GB but as I said (without going into all
the reasons), I need to stick with 1.5GB. Also, this system is a
multi-boot (250GB HDD) with W98 (a MUST!), W2K, XP and Linux. I love XP
but realize as time rockets by I'll likely need Vista for certain
software support, thus my questions.

To summarize from these responses, 1.5GB RAM, 2GHz Pentium M, 250GB WD
HDD, 32MB video -SHOULD- yield at least acceptable results with Vista.
Click to expand...


Once again, it depends entirely on what apps you run. This is not a
one-size-fits-all issue.
 
To summarize from these responses, 1.5GB RAM, 2GHz Pentium M, 250GB WD
HDD, 32MB video -SHOULD- yield at least acceptable results with Vista.
Click to expand...

Hi,

As others indicated, it also depends on the applications but I'd suggest you
to check component drivers first especially for ATI Radon 7500.

Hope this helps.
 
someone watching said:
Hmmm, what processors are you using. The T41 Thinkpad has a 2GHz Pentium
M. For video it has an ATI Radon 7500 32MB. Pretty lame compared to
newer notebooks but I like the t41 for many reasons and want to stick
with it instead of moving to another NB.

The max memory it supports is 2GB but as I said (without going into all
the reasons), I need to stick with 1.5GB. Also, this system is a
multi-boot (250GB HDD) with W98 (a MUST!), W2K, XP and Linux. I love XP
but realize as time rockets by I'll likely need Vista for certain
software support, thus my questions.

To summarize from these responses, 1.5GB RAM, 2GHz Pentium M, 250GB WD
HDD, 32MB video -SHOULD- yield at least acceptable results with Vista.
If I'm 'off' in this summery someone please let me know! I've heard WAY
to many complaints from people about Vista's performance and software
compatibility issues.
Click to expand...

I'm a bit of a ThinkPad enthusiast, especially the X-Series. You should
check out the unofficial ThinkPad forums, where I post at.
http://forum.thinkpads.com.

It looks like you must have upgraded your HDD in the T41, but how come you
have a 2.0Ghz CPU? There was no 2.0Ghz Banias Pentium M. Are you sure you
do not have a Dothan based T42?

Even without hardware virtualisation in the CPU, you should be able to run
Win98, and possibly Win2000 and Linux, acceptably within VirtualPC, as long
as you are not using apps that need 3D graphics power. While multi-booting
is better, if you 'upgrade' to Vista, it will complicate things, with its
different sort of bootloader, but I suppose you can manage with that as you
must be using some sort of bootloader if you have Linux already installed.

Personally, I would not bother installing Vista on that machine. It will
run though, and there are drivers
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/MIGR-46258.html
but while that machine is very zippy and pleasant to use with XP, it will be
a bit of a dog with Vista. And why would you want to? The graphics will
not allow you to use Aero graphics, which is one of the nicer, if pretty
useless, things about Vista, and if you run XP properly (not run as
Administrator, and call up admin tasks and control panel apps through fast
user switching, runas, or a command line runas admin), you will not need the
benefits and frustration of UAC. Vista is a disappointing operating system
with no real and tangible benefits.

ss.
 
I'm a bit of a ThinkPad enthusiast, especially the X-Series. You
should check out the unofficial ThinkPad forums, where I post at.
http://forum.thinkpads.com.
Click to expand...

Not familiar with the X-series, sounds like to you like it.!I belong to
the forum too. Sojourner is the logon name there.
It looks like you must have upgraded your HDD in the T41, but how come
you have a 2.0Ghz CPU? There was no 2.0Ghz Banias Pentium M. Are you
sure you do not have a Dothan based T42?
Click to expand...

Yes I did upgrade the CPU and it is a Dothan. The T41 accepts and
utilizes Dothan just fine. Especially nice is the 2M L2 instead of
Banias 1M, and there is a noticable increase in speed for certain files!
In fact I've read posts of some guys going all out and spending the
$200+ for the MAX 2.1GHz Dothan ... works fine too.
Even without hardware virtualisation in the CPU, you should be able to
run Win98, and possibly Win2000 and Linux, acceptably within
VirtualPC, as long as you are not using apps that need 3D graphics
power. While multi-booting is better, if you 'upgrade' to Vista, it
will complicate things, with its different sort of bootloader, but I
suppose you can manage with that as you must be using some sort of
bootloader if you have Linux already installed.
Click to expand...

I already multi-boot utilizing XP's boot loader, even for Linux!
Although I clone two drives except for the MBR, and on the other drive
use GRUB boot loader ... I like the password protection it provides but
I like the speed and ease of MS boot loader too.
Personally, I would not bother installing Vista on that machine. It
will run though, and there are drivers
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/MIGR-46258.html
but while that machine is very zippy and pleasant to use with XP, it
will be a bit of a dog with Vista. And why would you want to?
Click to expand...

Thanks for the driver link, and yes, XP is a pleasure to use on this
laptop! Why would I want Vista? Well, I'm thinking long term and want
(actually NEED) to keep the T41 around because of it's unusual ability
to actually work, and work well across sooo many different operating
platforms. In fact I know of no other laptop which provides good driver
support for every OS from Win98 (which I use) to Vista AND includes
Linux. Oh, there may be another laptop out there, but I don't know which
one it is and I need this flexibility.

I want Vista, thinking long term, for new software releases and because
of software support dropping for other the OS's.
Vista is a disappointing operating system with no real and tangible
benefits.
Click to expand...

I've heard this over and over! And hope MS will wise up and with the
next Vista service pack release and do everything possible to improve
its performance and compatibility. There are SOOO many people out there
very unhappy with it. Personally, I look at Vista as I did Win ME (never
bought ME), but may end up having to buy Vista out of necessity.

Hope to catch you on the forum!
 
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