I own a Thinkpad W520 4270 CTO with the following specs:

Intel Core I7-2760QM 2.4GHz
16GB DDR3
320GB 7200 RPM HDD
nVidia Quadro 2000M 2GB GDDR3 & nVidia Optimus (Intel HD 3000)
Windows 7 Ultimate x64
1920x1080 15.6 FHD LED Backlit LCD

It runs windows 7 Just fine. However, I wanted to run windows 8, but every version of windows 8 that I've tried has just Frozen at "Setting up devices" With the Quadro shut off and set to just integrated, it boots but runs choppy, but anytime the discrete card is turned on, the laptop freezes, and I have to pull the battery to get it to shut off. any pointers or suggestions?

It might be a problem with your specific card. My desktop has Optimus (Intel HD 3000 and a NVIDIA GT 525M), and it runs Windows 8 just fine.

Two words. Driver issue. Probably try to disable any unnecessary components during installation, and add them after installation. I've never really used a ThinkPad here, so I'm not sure about the Quadro and the discrete card elements...

I figured driver problems, and it seems to be limited to the nVidia Quadro Cards in the workstations and the OOB Drivers. Anyway to find out What Drivers the Quadro is trying to use? If I can get it to boot, and then manage to force it to install the Windows 8 nVidia Beta Drivers, then maybe I can get it to boot, but it seems the nVidia Drivers don't install without the card active, and the machine won't boot to windows with the card active.

Safe mode work at all?

I was having a problem with my Dell Latitude E6400 with an nVidia Quadro NVS160M when trying to upgrade from Windows 7, I would get a plain white screen after "Setting up devices". I solved the problem by doing a full clean install.

You never mentioned if you were doing a clean install or upgrade.

I Tried both. With clean install, it just does a full lock. in upgrade it fails and reverts back to windows 7. Safe mode won't boot with the Quadro enabled in BIOS.

BIOS version up to date?

Have you tried a VMware8 install of the CP on your ThinkPad?

@stefan9 Yes, Bios version is at 1.37(The latest)

@viper Yes, It runs, but it's very choppy.


It's kind of unfortunate that it doesn't work. Here's hoping the Release Preview works.

P.S, any way to determine what drivers run the Quadro, and somehow force it to install the Windows CP nVidia drivers by deleting the built in drivers?

I figured it out. I had to disable the Quadro, install the beta Intel Drivers, then reboot with optimus enabled, and install the nVidia beta drivers. Now its running smoothly.

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/mic ... y-31/12820

Hopefully this is true..

I spoke too soon about that. It still had glitches with the nVidia turned on. Doesn't matter anymore though. The machine had an accident, and I'll have a W530 soon. hopefully it won't have the same problems running windows 8.