Thinkpads Forum

Do refurbished Lenovo "Outlet" ThinkPads (like a W520 with Win7pro 64-bit) include the service recovery partition and the option to make one set of your own recovery disks?

Or, does Lenovo Outlet simply put an MS reburbisher version of Windows w/o the Lenovo service partition (like a generic OEM install)?

Thanks.

All the ThinkPads I ever bought from the Outlet had the partition intact, and by all criteria had a freshly installed OS on them.

It's been a while so YMMV...

I've not heard of a TP sold through the outlet as a refurb being marked as such other than on the box. I think most labeled so (on the machine) are refurbs done by third parties.

Radioguy wrote:I've not heard of a TP sold through the outlet as a refurb being marked as such other than on the box. I think most labeled so (on the machine) are refurbs done by third parties.

Not quite true.

If the machine was (as an example) a 8897-CTO it will come from the Outlet as 8897-CTR and be clearly marked with a sticker on the bottom as being a refurbished unit.

ajkula66 wrote:Not quite true.

If the machine was (as an example) a 8897-CTO it will come from the Outlet as 8897-CTR and be clearly marked with a sticker on the bottom as being a refurbished unit.

And that gets to the heart of my question .... on those specific XXXX-CTR refurbed units, does the Outlet typically install a factory-like new preload with hidden service recovery partition (along with the traditional bloatware) just like if it was a new unit?

eecon wrote: And that gets to the heart of my question .... on those specific XXXX-CTR refurbed units, does the Outlet typically install a factory-like new preload with hidden service recovery partition (along with the traditional bloatware) just like if it was a new unit?

In my experience, yes.

ajkula66 wrote:Not quite true.

If the machine was (as an example) a 8897-CTO it will come from the Outlet as 8897-CTR and be clearly marked with a sticker on the bottom as being a refurbished unit.

Beyond the "CTR" suffix? I've not seen that before...but would like to. If anyone has a picture (blurred where need be) of such a label, I'd appreciate seeing it.

No.

I'm talking about two different stickers.

The first one has the model/serial/date.

The second one is orange or dark red if I remember correctly and states "refurbished unit" or something along those line.

The last one I bought had (I've subsequently sold it so I can't take a picture) a white sticker with black lettering stating it was a refurbished unit. My friend has the same on his X201 tablet.

ajkula66 wrote:The second one is orange or dark red if I remember correctly and states "refurbished unit" or something along those line.

Thanks. Your earlier statement didn't exclude that it could be one label.

Is this other sticker Lenovo-specific, or just some basic one that any refurbisher would use? I've seen those in variety, and don't care to see more, but I'd love to be able to spot a Lenovo-specific one by heart.

wolfman wrote:The last one I bought had (I've subsequently sold it so I can't take a picture) a white sticker with black lettering stating it was a refurbished unit. My friend has the same on his X201 tablet.

From Lenovo Outlet?