Using purchased recovery disks

[noeffort]

When using the IBM purchased recovery disks, does it require the product key? Are these disks Notebook COA specific.

I have the orginal COA on 2 notebooks and want to get them to original factory condition.

Can I use the same RD's on both (I would think I could). What determines the Product ID installed with the disks?
Thanks in advance.

[richk]

THe product ID comes from a configuration chip that is loaded when the machine was made. You can use the same disks many times. No activation is needed. The only exception is if you clone hard disks and put them into a different machine. For some models, activation is required.

[noeffort]

THe product ID comes from a configuration chip that is loaded when the machine was made. You can use the same disks many times. No activation is needed. The only exception is if you clone hard disks and put them into a different machine. For some models, activation is required.

Thanks, you answered all my questions!
I have 2 machines with COA's on them. The Coa's dont match the bios product ID's.

Interested to see if when I install the RDisks will I be able to change the P ID to the COA on each machine.

[richk]

THe product ID I was talking about is the number like 2373-XXX, which has nothing to do with windows. THat is the ID associated with the kind of machine you have. There are other ISs in the BIOS (UUID, MAC address, serial numbers). They also have nothing to do with windows.

[noeffort]

THe product ID I was talking about is the number like 2373-XXX, which has nothing to do with windows. THat is the ID associated with the kind of machine you have. There are other ISs in the BIOS (UUID, MAC address, serial numbers). They also have nothing to do with windows.

I understand, (was getting P id confused with win xp key) my models (product id's are) 2374 xxx and 2373 xxx.

I guess the Win Xp CD key is generated from the Recovery disks purchased from Ibm/lenova. I just used the same discs in both machines and came up with the same cd key.
The key doesn't match COA's on either machine.

[noeffort]

I guess the Win Xp CD key is generated from the Recovery disks purchased from Ibm/lenova. I just used the same discs in both machines and came up with the same cd key.
The key doesn't match COA's on either machine.[/quote]\
Totally confused now. Read this:
Authenticity
The IBM Recovery CD Sets for all ThinkPad models do not contain or carry any 'authentication' identification that is detectable by your ThinkPad. The unique Windows OEM Product Key for your ThinkPad is generated and fed automatically by the IBM Recovery CD Set, based on information recorded into the BIOS of your ThinkPad when it was manufactured.

I just did a clean install with the Recovery disks and both came up with the same Windows Xp key.

Is it possible for both machines to have same windows key and get ativated.

I tried changing the installed win xp key with the microsoft key changer to the COA key on the bottom of each with no luck.

[richk]

If you are talking about the internal key that windows generates, that's not equal to ANYTHING. It is a hash generated when windows is installed, using things like the motherboard serial number, the MAC address, the CPU ID, the disk drive serial probably the UUID, and secret stuff Big Brother in Redmond, WA doesn't want you to know. It is the number that is used to tell Him when you try to activate the same windows COA number on 2 machines. You are using a mass-issued OEM recovery CD that is good for as many machines you want, as long as they are thinkpads of an appropriate type. Since you don't go thru activation, they are meaningless. When I talked above about problems trying to clone disks, that was related to this on older models that required activation.

[bill bolton]

When using the IBM purchased recovery disks, does it require the product key?

The recovery disk set has an IBM/Lenovo Volume Licence Key embedded in it. This VLK will be different to the COA key shown on each individual ThinkPad, but as long as the COA is for the same operating system version that you are installing, you will have satisfied Microsoft's licencing conditions.

Cheers,

Bill B.

[noeffort]

When using the IBM purchased recovery disks, does it require the product key?

This VLK will be different to the COA key shown on each individual ThinkPad, but as long as the COA is for the same operating system version that you are installing, you will have satisfied Microsoft's licencing conditions.

Cheers,

Bill B.

I used the jellybean keyfinder after installing Recovery disks on 2 T41's. Keyfinder came up with the same win xp key. Never asked to activate. So you don't have to input the COA key at any time and Big Brother (MS) is ok with it.
I just think it's odd that two machines have the "same" key.
But I guess with the volume license on the Recovery disk it's ok.
What would prevent me or anyone from using the Recovery disks in this way:Get T41's without OS and installing these disks on multiple machines without paying for Win xp? Not that I would do such a thing....

[bill bolton]

What would prevent me or anyone from using the Recovery disks in this way:Get T41's without OS and installing these disks on multiple machines without paying for Win xp?

Nothing at all. As long as the T41s have an appropriate COA, then it's all legal from a Microsoft licencing point of view. The licence attaches to the COA, not to the Recovery disk!

Cheers,

Bill B.

[carbon_unit]

There are thousands of Thinkpads out there using the same VLK number. The fact that you have a COA sticker for the version of windows you are running is what is important.
The recovery discs read the model/type number (237x-xxx) from the BIOS and install the version of windows that was originally supplied with the machine, along with drivers and apps for the original configuration.

[noeffort]

thanks guys, you cleared up the confusion. What I get out of this, install with recovery disks, don't worry about problems from big M as long as there is a legal COA on each pc/laptop. No matter if keys match on different machines after RD install.

[carbon_unit]

You got it!