I read on the Thinkpad forums that many had simply given up running 8 and went back to using Windows 7. The switchable graphics card driver for Windows 7 is, at best, buggy. I found this especially true on my T500, which actually does have the Radeon 3650. My W500 constantly developed errors related to the AMD software and this was a constant source of frustration to others, requiring a specific set of steps to install drivers to minimize problems.
This is totally unacceptable, but something I just had to deal with. My options were to accept the buggy software and simply use the Intel GMA card, disable the switchable graphics in BIOS and use the buggy mis-identified 3650 driver, or keep trying to hack on the drivers until I got something to work. But as I primarily used the AMD/ATI grpahics card for gaming, I opted to disable the Switchable graphics option and force the Discrete Graphics card to be used. These options are all in the BIOS, so you will need to do this first.
I found a post by one member who claimed he was able to get the Lenovo drivers to work by installing the driver package, but by cancelling out the actual driver install portion. It seems that you can use the Windows 7 drivers by setting Windows compatibility to an earlier version and running the package as an administrator.
I tried this, but kept getting an error during the CIM portion of the install. My solution was to open the installation folder, seek out each of the individual installers, and set each to Compatibility mode for Windows 7. After a few tries, I eventually located the CIM installer and, it too, was set to compatibility mode for Windows 7. While the install completed, Windows 8 then popped up a compatibility module for the driver software.
As I understood Windows 8 architecture, Microsoft .Net Framework Services are now embedded in the OS itself, meaning you no longer have to download and install the packages as with previous versions of Windows. However, some older software may require legacy versions of the .Net Framework to operate. This was the case with the Lenovo Windows 7 AMD Driver package.
Windows 8 prompted me to download .Net Framework files for versions 2.0 through 3.0 in order to guarantee operation of the driver software. I did so, once the download was complete and a reboot of the OS, the AMD driver package worked properly.
The post caliming Windows 8 functionality also claimed he was able to get the switchable graphics function to work, but I have never cared for this functionality, so have decided to just use the AMD card for now.
To sum up what I did, here are my instructions for getting the AMD/ATI Discrete Graphics to work properly in Windows 8.1 Pro.
Changes to BIOS
1. During boot, hit "Thinkvantage" button to access Thinkpad BIOS.
2. On the Graphics card function, disable OS Detection of Switchable Graphics.
3. Set the Primary Graphics card to "Discrete"
4. Save Changes and EXIT BIOS.
Finding the correct driver
5. Boot into Windows 8.1 - the graphics card will likely be detected and the OS will download a Radeon 3650 WDM- driver package from Windows Updates. This is OK.
6. Download the Lenovo Windows 7 W500 Switchable Graphics /AMD-ATI Driver Package from the Lenovo website.
7. Allow the Driver Package to extract the files to the c:/Drivers directory, but do not allow the installer to install software just yet - it will fail.
Edit the properties of the Installation package components
8. Open the c:/drivers directory and locate the following files:
- c:/drivers/win/video/setup.exe
- c:/drivers/win/video/bin64/ATIsetup.exe
- c:/drivers/win/video/bin64/InstallManagerApp.exe
- c:/drivers/win/video/bin64/setup.exe
9. Each of these, open the properties and set program compatibility to "Windows 7" and check the "run as administrator" option at the bottom of the check list. Click Apply and OK.
Run the installer package manually.
10. Run the c:/drivers/win/video/setup.exe program. If you get any errors during the installation, make note of the item and then go back into the installer directory to locate that installer, change the compatibility of that installer, and run it again. You should have all components successfully install.
The Net Framework portion
10. At this point, Windows 8 will prompt you with a request to download addition .Net Framework components. Allow Windows to download these from Windows Update and complete their installation. At the end of this process, you may be prompted to reboot the computer. DO IT!!!
Follow-up
11. During the reboot, the driver package will run an automated command line prompt for WinSAT.exe Just allow this to complete as this is part of the Windows 7 installation. Once this has completed, you will boot tot he desktop and be all set.
12. If you check the Graphics Card Properties, it should correctly display the Radeon Mobility FireGL V5700 properties instead of the Radeon 3650 WDM driver.
Thats it!
If you have questions, please post below and I will try to help out the best I can.
