Thinkpads Forum

I just bought a Lenovo ThinkPad SL410 with Win 7 Pro 64-bit installed. Of course it's crippled with bloatware and of course I wiped the hard drive clean for preparation of a fresh and clean clean install of Win 7 Pro 64-bit. I was gonna use my installation disc and product key from my MS action pack subscription account but figured I shouldn't waste it on this laptop since it came with its own product key.

Before wiping the hard drive I did create recovery discs from the pre-configured/installed hidden recovery partition. How can I install the bundled Windows 7 Pro 64-bit minus the bloatware (as if I'm doing a fresh install from a retail disc) so that it uses the product key included with the laptop?

Microsoft itself provides downloadable ISOs through it's partner Digital River, wich means downloading is quite legal. Of course you need to have a proper license. Here are some of the links, but remember to pick the right one for your license:

Windows 7 Home Premium (x86) – DVD
(English) http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net ... -65732.iso
(German) http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net ... -65740.iso
(French) http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net ... -65738.iso
(Spanish) http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net ... -65770.iso

Windows 7 Home Premium (x64) – DVD
(English) http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net ... -65733.iso
(German) http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net ... -65741.iso
(French) http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net ... -65739.iso
(Spanish) http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net ... -65771.iso

Windows 7 Professional (x86) – DVD
(English) http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net ... -65804.iso
(German) http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net ... -65812.iso
(French) http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net ... -65810.iso
(Spanish) http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net ... -65842.iso

Windows 7 Professional (x64) – DVD
(English) http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net ... -65805.iso
(German) http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net ... -65813.iso
(French) http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net ... -65811.iso
(Spanish) http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net ... -65843.iso

Are these associated with the OEM License Key or part of their online Retail license model?

-t

Which versions are those?

AFAIK..... Digital River = MS partner that has been choosen for HOST & make avalible verious downloadable "WINDOWS RETAIL" of Specific Windows Software ( OS & Apps ).

You still need the paper "COA" and "KEY" to make these 'download(s)' LEGAL !


Hope this helps

Hiya T*D

Right. In another thread someone says the COA sticker is under the battery on the SL510, so this is where you should look on a SL410 i guess.

As far as i know, if you pick the right download (Home Premium if you have a license for Home Premium and so on), it doesn't matter if your license is a sticker on your laptop, bought online at MS or bought at a shop with a real DVD.

Maybe someone can just give it a try?

@ausmike: I believe the download is quite legal, as is the installation, even if you have no license. However, the OS will not activate and i guess it will stop working or nag you to license after some time. So you need a license anyways ).

doesn't accept my key, although it is the correct version. any *legal* ideas?

Oh, this about an SL510, not about the T61.

a lot of Digital River 'downloads" have been UPDATED with ""windows activation checks" ie"security + SP1" so often even the SLIC etc wont work on 'these downloads'

Not sure of any other legal way - buy JEY and install from the above "downloads" worked for me. I jsut upgraded (Edge 15 that I got as WHP) and did fresh install of Windows 7 Prof from DR downloads and it works nciely. The download had SP1 included which is nicer

Sorry not much help towards T61; but i hope its of some help.

Cheers