Thinkpads Forum

I would like to change my OS on my Thinkpad X61 to Vista 64 Business. My Thinkpad X61 originally comes with Vista 32 bit Business (I cannot choose OS when ordering Thinkpad in Thailand).

I've tried to contact Microsoft Thailand to get Vista x64 business. MS rep told me that I cannot get any support for OEM Vista, hence I could not get alternate media for Vista x64. Anytime upgrade DVD has not been market in Thailand as well. MS rep told me to buy another Retail vista ultimate which comes with x64 disk and charge me for nearly $400 for it. I think it is rediculous that I have to pay twice for the same license on the same machine.

Hence, I contacted Lenovo/IBM in Thailand. They have FRU number for Vista Business x64 but refuse to import it for me regardless the price. I don't understand their attitude at all.

I'm now stuck with this issue. I've the OEM key on my machine which allows for both x64 and x32 Vista Business. But I don't have the Installation Disc.

I don't want to get any Pirate Disc which is widely available in Thailand for as little as $5. But I cannot find anyway to get the hand on OEM disc (Most people I know use either pre-install version or pirate one and I've never come across anyone using x64 here in Thailand).

I've tried to get Anytime upgrade disc from US before but found that all online shop esp. big name like newegg or amazon are totally refuse to ship to Thailand.

Can anyone help me with this issue? Where can i get the x64 business disc that can be use with the key under my machine. All help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Pirated and original don't make any difference as long as there is no crack integrated into the install. Install with a real license key and you'll be fine.

Vista Business x64 works very well on my X61, except for the fact that Adobe Acrobat Professional loses its ability to "print to PDF" and iTunes does not burn CDs with my external DVDRW drive.

http://www.mydigitallife.info/2007/12/2 ... oad-links/

that's the direct download link....

from the comments on that page:

hey, i found a fix for the “Denied” page!!

example (”http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net ... nstall.wim”)
for the install.wim,

just change this part (”/21305682-3473582–NOA/”) to anything else (leave the slashes “/” though!) to like even (”/2/”) or (”/37423/”) or whatever the hell u want and it’ll let u download!….i did it on accident! thought i’d post and let everyone else know!

edit: the links no longer seem to be working, even though it worked for me as little as a week ago

oh, and a good way to get the cd out of the wim:

http://www.mydigitallife.info/2008/01/0 ... ite-guide/

and a way to install from a usb drive:

http://kurtsh.spaces.live.com/blog/cns! ... 1665.entry

(i just did this for my x61t without a cd drive)

Thank you for all your help. I feel oblige to tell you that the reason I don't want pirate copy because they are mostly modified. Some of them even said it is pre-crack (no password or activation required)

One kind soul send me an pm that he has an x64 for vista disc lying around but it is lebelled Home Premium Edition (it is a vista alternate media disc) and willing to send to Thailand for me if it works.

Please let me know whether the Vista Home Premium x64 which is an alternate media disc provided by MS is capable of installing Business edition? And the key under Thinkpad or the factory installed key extracted from original pre-install Vista Business x32 using ABR method will work with it?

Thank you in advance for your reply.

All the best,
Koo

from the link i posted:

"Microsoft does provide official download links for 64-bit edition of Windows Vista through its delivery partner Digital River Inc which handles sales for Windows Marketplace. So there is no need to afraid of infecting spyware, adware, virus or Trojan when downloading from BitTorrent or P2P networks, and can have assurance and guarantee that the downloaded copy of Vista is clean, original, not modified, not changed, untouched and not subjected to fake copy."

I used the Vista 64bit Ultimate CD from my Dell Precision 390 to install on my X61 and it works perfectly fine, the only small problem that you will see a Dell Logo on Performance Page, other than that, my X61 is running smooth with 4GB ram and Software Upgated from Lenovo.
LD

kookatt wrote:Thank you for all your help. I feel oblige to tell you that the reason I don't want pirate copy because they are mostly modified. Some of them even said it is pre-crack (no password or activation required)

One kind soul send me an pm that he has an x64 for vista disc lying around but it is lebelled Home Premium Edition (it is a vista alternate media disc) and willing to send to Thailand for me if it works.

Please let me know whether the Vista Home Premium x64 which is an alternate media disc provided by MS is capable of installing Business edition? And the key under Thinkpad or the factory installed key extracted from original pre-install Vista Business x32 using ABR method will work with it?

Thank you in advance for your reply.

All the best,
Koo

ludu35 wrote:...the only small problem that you will see a Dell Logo on Performance Page...

you'll find the path to that logo under the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\OEMInformation