Thinkpads Forum

Does anybody know what Lenovo charges for the vista to XP downgrade they offer? It looks to me like it is a just a way to get a set of XP recovery CDs, hopefully for less that the $45 they normally charge.

I looked into getting the XP downgrade for a client who had BSOD's on his VU T61p. From everything I found from Lenovo to this forum the recovery set is the same recovery set that you would receive if you had XP. There is no different downgrade set.

Lenovo would not send them without a charge. Try calling though you may have better luck then me.

Brad

Rich:

If your system comes with Vista Business or Ultimate, you are "eligible" to downgrade your OS to XP (the CDs should have come in your computer box). For any other version of Vista, I do not believe Lenovo will give you XP Recovery CDs because of their licensing agreement with Microsoft. However, you can call Lenovo and speak to them to see what they can do (and remember, if the first tech says no, call back a few hours later and get someone else).

If your system came with Ultimate (VU?) then you should be able to complain that the CDs were not in the box and should have been and you would like their supervisor to approve the XP Recovery CDs at no charge (otherwise they WILL charge you the $45).

It might be a challenge tell what CDs are what... while I have no interest in downgrading from Vista "Ultimate," I just noticed that in teeny tiny print, what I presume are the XP downgrade discs read (system purchased March '08):

Disc <#> of 6
July 2007
P/N 43T8187
XP-P SP2
EN
FRU P/N 43T8160

(Emphasis added) These are labeled "ThinkPad Product Recovery CD for .... <<model numbers>>"

There is also a Lenovo Rescue and Recovery CD:

Disc 1 of 1
July 2007
CD P/N PO/N:43E0987
WINPE
EN

...and a lenovo Supplemental Product Recovery CD (no "WIN" in the fine print).

So, I'm guessing the only Vista reinstall discs I have are the ones I made using Lenovo's tool. Glad I did... I had presumed that the discs provided were to reinstall the OS I ordered, but that bit about "XP-P SP2" certainly suggests they aren't.

In my T61p (6457) XP SP 2 recovery set labeled FRU 44Y2596 disk one has the same FRU 43T8187.

Brad

Hi.
I've done few weeks ago a downgrade of a R60e (hw is pretty similar to my T60) from Vista Business to Windows XP Professional.

As i known, i had to pay to obtain the XP recovery cds from Lenovo, so i decide to install myself it.

It's easy, you can maintain the recovery partition and, after XP installation, install drivers and softwares directly from Lenovo with their Update Manager tool.

My 2 (Eur)Cents.
Regards
M