Recovery Media on Loan only ?

[pkreli]

Recently bought a used T61 and became a new owner of Thinkpad and new member of this forum. The previous owner had downgraded to XP and and had no recovery partition.

But fortunately, the machine is still under warranty so I ordered a recovery media today.

I was told that the media is in 'loan' and has to be returned within 2 weeks after I restore my laptop. As mentioned in the contract form I had to fill in, it was according to licensing terms with Microsoft.

How come I cannot keep the media ? Anybody gone through same ? The contract even says I cannot copy the media.

A year before, I had ordered downgrade XP recovery media for Thinkcentre desktop PC and I could keep the media to myself.

Is this policy change recent ?

[loyukfai]

It's a standard procedure if you're talking about Lenovo Hong Kong, I have done it some years ago.

IIRC, you can create a set of recovery discs under Windows yourself (something named "Create Rescue Media"). I've moved to Windows 7 and ditched RnR so I cannot vouch for this.

Cheers.

[ZaZ]

Just make a copy.

[pkreli]

Yes it is from Lenovo Hong Kong.

I'd thought any media I received will be mine to keep. But apparently, there are two choices. Either I can loan them or I can buy them.

I received them yesterday and restored the laptop and created a new set for myself as well.

<promotion of site not allowed>.com is selling Windows 7 upgrade media for only $39 that they say can be used "For all Thinkpads & Thinkstations with a Valid Windows XP / Vista License".

Looks like a good deal to upgrade my two thinkpads to Win 7 (T43 with Win XP Pro and T61 with Vista Business).

But I was wondering, what will be the state of the license ? Is it really properly licensed and valid ? Because the price seems too good to be true when a retail Win 7 upgrade license costs $199.

[bill bolton]

<promotion of site not allowed>.com is selling Windows 7 upgrade media for only $39 that they say can be used "For all Thinkpads & Thinkstations with a Valid Windows XP / Vista License".

A "legal and valid licence" only exists if you have a CoA for the exact same version of the operating system on your ThinkPad.

Only if you a CoA for a specific version of Win 7 CoA already attached to your ThinkPad, would you then be able to use a factory recover disk set for the exact same specific version of Windows 7 on it.

Cheers,

Bill B.

[loyukfai]

I think it's too good to be true, if you intend to stay within the licence terms.

The cheapest upgrade option to Windows 7, sans educational or institutional discounts, is probably the Home Upgrade pack which asks for about $150 for a 3-user upgrade license, which only available in certain markets and while stock lasts.

Cheers.

[loyukfai]

BTW, if I recall and understood correctly, there was a mistake by Lenovo (HK-only? Not sure...), that there was a loophole in the Windows 7 upgrade kit ordering system, and they shipped some kits (with legit CoA) without proper checks. Could it be related to the dubious website you mentioned above...?

[hellosailor]

Bill-
"A "legal and valid licence" only exists if you have a CoA for the exact same version of the operating system on your ThinkPad. "
No argument there, but the MS Fulfillment Dept, which sells repalcement media for folks who have lost it, will point out that even if you have an OEM or Branded-OEM installation of Vista, the retail media will work AND they will activate and validate with your OEM COA.
Apparently this is legal (at least with the US licenses, other geogrpahies do vary) and the only real issue os that of course it will be a retail install without the Lenono drivers and applets.

I'd copy the discs and store the copies away--after installing from them, to make sure the copies work--just in case there's another failure downline. And of course, the recovery discs that are made by the cleverly hidden option in Vista itself should be sufficient for future use...hahaha.

Microsoft still hasn't learned what Lotus learned with Lotus123 v.1.0: If you protect the media aggressively enough, you'll just piss off the users who are having legitimate problems, and once you've done that, they tend to support the black side. There are better ways to breed loyalty and make profits.