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The Lenovo ThinkPad T60p got a clean OS install, because I wanted to see how the experience has changed since Vista's main launch on January 30. The Vista experience is now a topic of great debate. For example, CNET's Crave blog—UK version, anyway—puts Vista on its list of "top ten terrible tech products."

That's for all time, not just for 2007, or so it looks based on the list. Mac OS X 10.0 was a whole lot worse than Vista, guys. Where were they in 2001? Seventh grade?

I hadn't ever done a clean install on the T60p with Vista only, meaning no Lenovo drivers or other software. T60p configuration: 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB DDR2 SDRAM, 100GB hard drive (but with only about 86.8GB available to the user), 15.4-inch widescreen display with optimum resolution of 1680 x 1050, 256MB ATI Mobility FireGL V5250 graphics processor (dedicated RAM and 767MB shared with the system memory), multi-DVD recorder (which may include DVD-RAM), 802.11 a/b/g wireless, Bluetooth and biometric reader.

The T60p shipped with Windows Vista Business, but Lenovo also provided a Windows Anytime Upgrade DVD. In theory, the disc could install Home Premium or Ultimate, too, depending on the license key. I had a legitimate Ultimate key and tried that.

Problem: The installation process wouldn't accept the Ultimate key as valid. But when I typed the Business key from the bottom of the laptop, the installation proceeded just fine. I assumed that some DRM mechanism required installation of the original operating system from the disc and would upgrade later on. I assumed wrong. Later I learned that despite my repeatedly checking the Ultimate key, I had confused a D for a 0. The key would have worked if not for my mistake.

Installation took about 30 minutes and went by fairly trouble free. Vista booted up with a generic VGA driver and a poor Windows Experience Rating of 1.0 (the scale goes to 5.9). The generic graphics driver had been expected. I wanted to see if Vista would detect the hardware and offer up the correct graphics driver. Any improved Vista experience since launch would be predicated on Windows Update and it providing correct and updated hardware drivers. I waited about five minutes following installation and then used Windows Update. Surprise, surprise. Windows Update offered the correct driver for download.

Another surprise: There were 36 other necessary updates, mainly security, bug fixes and enhancements. That number doesn't include the optional updates, such as other drivers. Thirty-six updates later, plus the video driver, I rebooted Vista, which came up with the correct graphics driver installed and optimal screen resolution. But Aero was missing. Vista loaded the Basic user interface, instead.