Desperate with Windows 8.1 and T61

[joserogo]

Hello, again.

After two years in my T61 7664 (4GB RAM, Crucial M4 SSD 120 Gb) with windows 8 x64 without any problems, I decided to switch to windows 8.1. The main reason was to use elevated privileges to administrator using the fingerprint reader.

But do not get it to work: In the boot process W8.1 stays in the logo of windows or at most in the 2nd or 3rd dot, and this occurs in 3 of every 4 starts of the system, both restarts from system and reboots from power off.

I have tried the following:

1 - Sin peripherals.
2 - No Wireless, without Ethernet.
3 - Try x86 Windows 8.1 Update 1 x86 Pro and Enterprise.
4 - Try x86 Windows 8.1 Update 1 x64 Pro and Enterprise.
5 - Disable BIOS virtualization
6 - Try Windows 8.1 x86 Pro and Enterprise.
7 - Try Windows 8.1 x64 Pro and Enterprise.
7 - Erase the SSD with partedmagic
8 - I've Installed the admin kit to use xperf, but as the system does not boot, can not find where the system hangs.

Someone have an idea of ​​what problem I have?

I guess it should not be hardware because:
a) If I install W7 x64 I have no problem, boot normally.
b) If I restore an image I made of W8 x64 with Clonezilla, no problem, always start normally.

Thanks in advance,

Pepe.

[sktn77a]

I had the same problem on a dell Inspiron (5 months old but low spec). Came with Windows 8. After upgrading to Win 8.1, the computer would lock up after loading the OS but before getting to the desktop. Nothing worked (including a call to Dell tech support in India where their only solution was to try to get me to buy a Tech Support upgrade for $250!) I ended up wiping the system clean and re-installing windows 8. No windows 8.1 on this Dell - maybe the hardware is insufficient to handle the 8.1 updates (?)

[pianowizard]

maybe the hardware is insufficient to handle the 8.1 updates (?)

Doubtful, considering that I have run Windows 8.1 perfectly smoothly on three Core2 Duo computers, all of them with Intel graphics.

The only suggestion I have is update the BIOS, chipset and all drivers to the latest versions before attempting to installing 8.1, and it's probably best to get as many of these drivers from Dell as possible.

[crashnburn]

I am looking to go from 7 to 8/ 8.1 as well on my X61 & T61...

Could you please share your Hardware Specs/ Config? .. the people who had issues and people who got it working.

I am curious to see if certain BIOS versions/ GPU / other chips/ peripherals are causing issues.

[pianowizard]

I am looking to go from 7 to 8/ 8.1 as well on my X61 & T61...

You may want to just wait until October, when all current 7 and 8/8.1 users will be able to upgrade to 10 for free.

[crashnburn]

I am looking to go from 7 to 8/ 8.1 as well on my X61 & T61...

You may want to just wait until October, when all current 7 and 8/8.1 users will be able to upgrade to 10 for free.

I thought as much (since I have a Win 8 license sitting idle), but I might have to do this sooner.

I plan to .VHD + Sysprep this disk/ drive from this machine sometime sooner (in between).. and have it run on newer machines, where in Win 7 doesn't work (driver support).

I was wondering about one thing.

When we do an in place Win 7 > 8 upgrade and we get Windows & Windows.old (which can later be deleted if no issues found).. Does it allow us to:
- Dual Boot between Win 7 (old) and Win 8?
- Rollback/ Uninstall to Win 7 if Win 8 is not likeable/ unstable/ faulty? - What can you do/ if anything to rollback?

[Temetka]

You cannot roll back to 7 from 8 or 10 without reloading the OS.