Lenovo IdeaPad Y500 Laptop: i5 3230M 2.6GHz CPU, 6GB DDR3, 1TB HDD, Dual NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M SLI, 15.6" LCD (1920x1080), Backlit Keyboard, WiFi N, 6 Cell, Win 8 $900 + Free ship

Quote from l0wki : i pulled the trigger, my only worries is that I have a 120GB SSD that I want to use on this laptop, but how would I install Windows 8 if I don't even have the actual disk? Even if I can download the image file from the official microsoft site (don't even know if this is possible) how would I know if a fresh install of windows 8, will find all of the drivers for this laptop - especially the SLI video card drivers. Should I just stick with the 1TB 5400rpm drive?

Drivers ar enot an issue, they are available online

as far as the windows installation goes, I don't know..

Quote from xninjagrrl : The only professional review for the Y500 is the notebookcheck article and the guy states the msata is for cache only, but you are right there may be work arounds for the tech savvy.

I have the real answer to the question after reading NBR forums on this very issue. It is possible and it's not that hard. This software [extend-partition.com] is the answer. You use the "One key migrate OS to SSD" feature to clone your hard drive to the mSATA drive and there should be no problems. You then set your boot order in the Bios to the mSATA and you're done.

The problem lies in how Lenovo decided to go with how the Windows License Key is stored and how the bios boots Windows in the first place. I'll skip over the technical explanation, but basically if you want to use the Windows License that came with the machine, the computer expects the hard drive to be partitioned in a very specific way. If it is not partitioned in that way, the bios won't validate the copy of Windows installed on the drive.

This is awesome. That means I can order a 200GB+ mSATA and use it a primary drive. Thus, keeping the 1TB drive it came with for file storage and what not.

Quote from l0wki : i pulled the trigger, my only worries is that I have a 120GB SSD that I want to use on this laptop, but how would I install Windows 8 if I don't even have the actual disk? Even if I can download the image file from the official microsoft site (don't even know if this is possible) how would I know if a fresh install of windows 8, will find all of the drivers for this laptop - especially the SLI video card drivers. Should I just stick with the 1TB 5400rpm drive? also, for those who own this laptop, does it come with a lot of bloatware?

It should possible, though not very convient. If you were to install on an mSATA drive it would be easier. Basically, you will need to clone the internal hard drive on to the SSD somehow using this software. [extend-partition.com]. (One key migrate to SSD).

That requires you to attach the SSD while the internal hard drive is still plugged in. Which leaves you with two options: an external USB HDD case or the $100+ HDD caddy sold by Lenovo for this machine that fits in the same spot the second 650m is in.

The cheaper option will be the external USB case.

EDIT: Almost forgot...

There is also another way. Download the Win 8 disk image from Microsoft, burn it to DVD, and use that to install Win 8 again. Now, Lenovo has stored the Windows License Key in the bios and quite a few people have reported that their computers don't have the Win 8 stickers on them. They have had to use software to force the computer to cough up the Win 8 key, write it down, then go through the normal install procedures.

I have a 256gb 830 samsung ssd. can i put it in the extra storage bay, put windows 7 on that, and then wipe the terabyte? use the SSD for windows 7 while the already installed TB is the storage drive?..

shouldnt be hard right? just wanting to clarify before i buy it.

Will this laptop use a port replicator?

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Ok, so I have this computer, and I just put in a 128 msata on my own, using a fresh install. Drivers are easy to come by (even the sli ones), and you leave out all the unneeded programs lenovo so thoughtfully installed for you...however, if you are truely worried, there is another partition on the hdd that houses a bunch of drivers for use as recovery.

I had purchased a W8pro upgrade with back up dvd disk. Since I have the SLI model, I cloned the disk on another comp to get my iso, but you can find them online (though i'm not sure you even need them, see below). from the iso I used the win 7 usb install software from microsoft http://www.microsoftstore.com/sto...vd_dwnTool.

You have to get a little tricky then as if you want to keep the uefi and not legacy install, you go ahead and write to the usb, but this program formats the usb as ntfs, which uefi does not like. So you can either copy all those usb files back to your hdd or just go straight to a another usb that youve formatted as gpt with fat32. I also think you possibly can go ahead and skip to this point - if you set your file view options to view hidden system stuff, I think you'll see a folder called ESD under in your C:. Those files to me look like they are the same that go onto the usb.

Next from win 8 itself (not even boot screen) type in uefi into the search bar to get to advanced start up options. pick that and you'll get the option to boot from usb. select install windows and you are done. with the uefi, the win 8 key is stored in bios, so it'll install without prompting for a key.

oh, i through trial and error did some other steps, which i'll report, just in case they ended up being needed. i think i put in the msata, just booted up regularly then (because the old one was just used as cache, windows wont care its gone). i configured the drive as gpt and left it completely unallocated.

Now, you can also get into some other stuff for moving the user folders or other stuff to your TB drive for storage, to keep max space on your smaller msata. The steps here worked for me. http://www.tested.com/tech/2341-h...ary-drive/

this all sounds much more complex than it is, though it may be easier to do that clone os to ssd stuff some other people have posted...

then again, if you just want windows 7, id imagine thatd be pretty easy, just make sure you select legacy bios first.

Also, I in general like this computer. my touchpad is just fine, though i did receive a synaptics one. the screen is pretty good - not as good as my trusty dell sxps 1640 with rgb, but still nicer than most out there. i don't play super rough games, but it handles the blizzard ones quite well. i wish it had 4 usbs instead of 3, but that's what hubs are for. it doesn't get super hot, though the air blowing while running diablo would be uncomfortable probably if it was right on you.

Quote from Legionnaire : I have a 256gb 830 samsung ssd. can i put it in the extra storage bay, put windows 7 on that, and then wipe the terabyte? use the SSD for windows 7 while the already installed TB is the storage drive?.. shouldnt be hard right? just wanting to clarify before i buy it.

Nope, it should not be, you do just that, but you would put SSD into main HD porn, while the 1tb drive goes in the extra storage bay.

Thinking about pulling the trigger on this one, but this thread [lenovo.com] here leaves me worried.

But I am somewhat encouraged by neweggg's replacement policy.

Quote from zeth006 : Thinking about pulling the trigger on this one, but this thread [lenovo.com] here leaves me worried. But I am somewhat encouraged by neweggg's replacement policy.

Confirm with newegg who pays the return shipping if you need to exchange it due to faulty trackpad. In the past the customer eats the cost and it isnt cheap to ship/insure a laptop.

Hey guys i just received the i7 version of this laptop, its great so far. but i have a question i saw earlier that you can use a program to mount the os into an mSATA drive, i was planning to do this but not very good with this stuff has anyone done this or know of a reliable guide?

Oh by the way my trackpad is working fine it seems.

i was planning to install windows 7 on this laptop, but after searching on lenovos drivers website, they dont have "SLI" drivers, just standard nvidia drivers. However, Windows 8 drivers include "Nvidia SLI Drivers"... I wonder if Windows 7 will support the dual SLI

Agghh, I'm torn between the i7 for $879 from Lenovo Direct, and this deal... the i7 comes with 8GB RAM, and the 16GB SSD for cache — but only one GT650M...

If I'm just a light gamer and heavy Creative Suite user I'm guessing the i7 would be better than the i5?

Quote from PepticBurrito : I have the real answer to the question after reading NBR forums on this very issue. It is possible and it's not that hard. This software [extend-partition.com] is the answer. You use the "One key migrate OS to SSD" feature to clone your hard drive to the mSATA drive and there should be no problems. You then set your boot order in the Bios to the mSATA and you're done. The problem lies in how Lenovo decided to go with how the Windows License Key is stored and how the bios boots Windows in the first place. I'll skip over the technical explanation, but basically if you want to use the Windows License that came with the machine, the computer expects the hard drive to be partitioned in a very specific way. If it is not partitioned in that way, the bios won't validate the copy of Windows installed on the drive. This is awesome. That means I can order a 200GB+ mSATA and use it a primary drive. Thus, keeping the 1TB drive it came with for file storage and what not.

Ive read that cloning the hard drive is not recommended and its better to do fresh install or migrate the OS. Im debating just putting Win 7 on a ssd and selling the 1 TB on ebay. I actually have Win 7 key and disk. So much easier.

Quote from xninjagrrl : Ive read that cloning the hard drive is not recommended and its better to do fresh install or migrate the OS. Im debating just putting Win 7 on a ssd and selling the 1 TB on ebay. I actually have Win 7 key and disk. So much easier.

Remember the 650m SLI drivers are completely custom made by Lenovo. You'll need to download or use the installer on the 1TB it came with.