Everyone loves to bring a large tablet or computer while traveling to watch movies/shows when bored or to research/book activities. I wanted the biggest screen computer I could get that weighs under 3lb and there was only a single option I could find called LG Gram 17. I prefer a 17″ screen to suit my aging eyes, but LG sells the Gram model in several different sizes (link). I purchased my LG Gram 17 from Costco (link) when it was on sale for significantly less money.
LG Gram 17 Specifications
You can get the LG Gram with 5 cores or 7 cores based on your needs.
LG Gram 17 Dual SSD Slots
The cool thing I found in the LG Gram 17 was the dual SSD slots feature which gives you the ability to easily upgrade them to larger SSDs.
I was able to open the back panel (using a tool kit) and replaced both of the factory SSD’s (link) with a Samsung 990 Pro 2TB (for OS) and a 990 Evo 2TB (for storage). The extra storage gives me the ability to store all my high resolution pictures and editing is a lot faster.
Fresh Installation of Windows 11
Since I chose to upgrade the factory hard drive with a Samsung 990 PRO, I wanted to do a clean install of Windows 11 Enterprise. I always hated the bloatware that comes with commercial laptops.
The installation went without any glitches and I was able to join my home WiFi without any issues. I heard some people requiring a WiFi LAN driver installation (link) before being able to join the network.
LG Update Tool & Windows 11
After completing the installation and several Windows Updates, I still noticed several uninstalled drivers with yellow triangle marks under device manager.
I installed the LG Update Tool (link), but it failed to show any available updates despite multiple restart attempts. I did not have any success finding matching drivers from looking under the old windows program folder (from the old SSD) or using programs like Driver Identifier.
How to find LG Gram drivers after a fresh Windows 11 installation?
I found all the required LG updates buried under the “Optional Updates” section of the Windows Update (see image below).
I was surprised to see several important updates (e.g., Goodix Biometric, LG firmware and DTS) sitting there (see image below). I chose to download and install them and all the updates have been installed after a few restarts (the fingerprint sensor is working perfectly now).
Conclusion
LG Gram 17 is a wonderful travel laptop and unique with two user replaceable SSD’s. I have had the LG Gram 17 for over 4 years and I heard the new models don’t come with fingerprint sensor. I encourage interested readers to buy when the computer is on sale at Costco and consider a fresh windows 11 installation.