Thinkpads Forum

I did a search but couldn't find the answer. Where do I get a Windows 7 disc so I can do a clean install? And what's the best way to get my key?

Thanks and sorry if these are real rudimentary questions.

You may download one here.

Thanks! Can i just burn it and boot if I have my key?

Yup.

I downloaded and then extracted and it's not an iso but a bunch of files. Do I need to make it into an ISO?

Then why didn't you download the ISO from that page?

Did you do any reading on that page?

Figured it out. For some reason it was downloading and opening with WinRAR. I opened it with an ISO program and it works. Thanks.

If you are planning to use the key that came with your thinkpad, it will only work with an OEM installation disk, not a retail one.

When using thinkpad windows key and the retail disc, windows gves you a phone number to activate windows by telling them your installation ID, then entering their confirmation ID. I'm not sure if it's the best way.. But windows tells me it's 'genuine' after that :/

It looks like this picture I found on google :/
http://cdn.geckoandfly.com/wp-content/u ... e_how3.jpg

FWIW, I just had no problem activating online using the W7 COA on the bottom of my W500. My install media was downloaded from the MS Volume Licensing Service Center--I usually use KMS or MAK keys for my corporate clients with this ISO but the OEM one worked fine. I didn't have to call...

FYI - Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008/R2 keys are not media specific. You may use any disc with any key (OEM, retail, upgrade, VL) and the software will "convert" to the version that corresponds witht the key.

FYI - Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008/R2 keys are not media specific. You may use any disc with any key (OEM, retail, upgrade, VL) and the software will "convert" to the version that corresponds witht the key.

I can vouch for that being the case with Windows 7 OEM and retail CD's and Windows 7 OEM and retail keys I have. I don't have to use my trusty O.E.M. re-installation CD as I had to use for XP Pro OEM keys on the back of Thinkpads and then a retail XP Pro CD for CD keys I have. Also can vouch for the fact that the same key will activate Windows 7 32-bit or Windows 7 64-bit versions. I just installed Windows 7 Professional 64-bit using the C.O.A. on my newly acquired W500 and I'm so glad I did. First time for me using a 64-bit operating system. Being able to utilize more than 3GB memory is great, and I haven't encountered any problems at all with software I have not functioning properly under a 64-bit OS. I never use recovery CD's when setting up machines. My W500 came with a 160GB hard drive loaded with Windows 7 (32 bit) already installed, and a lot of Lenovo clogware. I removed and stored away that drive for a rainy day. I did a clean, streamlined Windows 7 (64 bit) installation on a 500GB hard drive. I had no problem activating online. When people have to "call in" it's usually because that key has been activated before, activated on more than 1 machine, installed and then uninstalled, or moved a hard drive from one computer to another (which I do a lot when testing laptops). So then Windows will detect a hardware change and require call-in reactivation. I've "called in" MS activations many times. So many times that I have MS Activation as one of my speed dials LOL. Hey, no use wasting a good key just because MS wants to give you a hard time and make you punch in a hundred numbers. BTW, this machine runs like a champion under W7 64-bit. I can see why people call the W500 a workhorse

Daniel.

That was a welcome change - in the past, particularly working on 2003/XP servers and desktops/laptops, it was frustrating to keep all of the relevant media on hand.

The only difference is now, is that the volume license media has a built in key that instructs Windows to attempt to contact a KMS server for internal activation, however this is just done simply for convenience, as you can install your own KMS key onto retail or OEM media installs and the net result would be a volume license install. Windows 7 Professional and Enterprise are the only SKUs that offer KMS activation.

Mid through the XP lifecycle, Microsoft blocked Internet activation for the large royalty COAs because a black market formed for COAs stolen out of large computer manufacturing plants. Although you could still activate them fine by phone, they made you take that extra step so it wasn't quite as convenient. I think they did away with this along the Vista timeframe.

Vista behaves the same as Windows 7 as well regarding activation.

I am having similar issue.

Bought this W500 on ebay with an install of windows 7 professional 64 bit. I extracted the key/serial number, resized the partitions, created a restore disk, and did a disk image backup.

Then went and put a 256 GB SSD in thinking I could the restore the OS back to the SSD. Didn't work .... and on top of that the original 320 GB drive is now giving a disk error on boot.

I have spent all day trying to download ISO's and tools to create a windows 7 professional installation, but when I do it on USB I get "NTLDR is missing" and when I try to do a bootable DVD I get the "CD/DVD driver missing" ......

Not sure what to do here except maybe go out and buy windows 7 again, which would really suck.

Well at one point I was able to boot off the cd and then the install would come off the thumbdrive, but then I ran into another error and it would not continue

The vendor on ebay who sold me this unit said that I should put the 320 GB hard drive back in and boot while hitting F11 to get to the lenovo install partition. Still it says "Missing operating system" .....

Think I am screwed and will need to invest in windows 7 professional 64 bit on ebay .....

I think were I messed up was that I had both the SSD and the 320 GB drive plugged into my XP pro workstation. Opened up partition magic and it prompted me several times about fixing errors in partition tables.

Crap .... this has cost me way to much time and $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
F*ck

PM Sent

Thanks

emtee3511 wrote:PM Sent

Okay I got the laptop booting of a fresh installation of win 7. Thanks to emtee3511 on this forum.

Before proceeding I want to the lenovo backup and repair partition to work. I installed the restore and repair module off the lenovo site and installed it but F11 still doesn't work?

Glad your W7 install worked. I'm not sure how Lenovo F11 Restore works -- have you already made your backup and restore disks from Windows?

mackconsult wrote:Okay I got the laptop booting of a fresh installation of win 7. Thanks to emtee3511 on this forum.

Before proceeding I want to the lenovo backup and repair partition to work. I installed the restore and repair module off the lenovo site and installed it but F11 still doesn't work?

hmmm, do you still have a working/functional restore partition on your new hdd?

Well I have done a fresh install of win 7 on the SSD. Installed the lenovo recovery application and tried to point it to the lenovo recovery partition on a USB drive enclosure. Its sees the partition but when I try and do a complete re-install to factory condition it tells me the recovery partition has been removed.

Partition wizard shows that partition as being 15 GB in size and 65% used up. So the DATA is still there .....

Not sure what to do .... but I do want to get the laptop back to a factory state because it has some other applications that I would really like (windvd and corel apps).

You have to press ThinkVantage button not F11.

Sent from my HTC using Board Express