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Win 7 activation fails with OEM disks
Win 7 activation fails with OEM disks
Quick question: I recently reinstalled Win 7 ultimate on my W500 using IBM recovery disks. Everything went smoothly, I checked the activation and it said it was activated.
After installing SP1 and the updates, at some point I checked the activation and it then said that Windows needed activation. OK, no problem, I put in the key...except that Windows would not activate. Reported back with an error, and gave me a choice of calling IBM. Which I did. An hour later, all they could offer was new recovery disks, which I don't need.
What's the fastest way to get the installation activated? It seems my options are:
Try the install all over again
Try Middleton's bios(?) will it even work on a W500 (?)
Buy a fresh copy of the recovery media from Lenovo
Buy a key from someone
Any guidance would be appreciated. If you have a legit key to sell feel free to let me know.
Thanks !
After installing SP1 and the updates, at some point I checked the activation and it then said that Windows needed activation. OK, no problem, I put in the key...except that Windows would not activate. Reported back with an error, and gave me a choice of calling IBM. Which I did. An hour later, all they could offer was new recovery disks, which I don't need.
What's the fastest way to get the installation activated? It seems my options are:
Try the install all over again
Try Middleton's bios(?) will it even work on a W500 (?)
Buy a fresh copy of the recovery media from Lenovo
Buy a key from someone
Any guidance would be appreciated. If you have a legit key to sell feel free to let me know.
Thanks !
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- ThinkPadder
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Re: Win 7 activation fails with OEM disks
The BIOS probably doesn't have the SLIC2.1 code in it, which is what the OEM recovery disks activate against. Is the COA for Windows 7?
T480 with T25 keyboard | T25 | W520 i7-2860QM·Quadro 2000m·IPS FHD | T601F T9900·NVS 140m·LED AFFS UXGA
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T420 IPS FHD | X220 IPS FHD | T61p·T61·43·42p|X13 Yoga G3·220T·301·41T·24·23·22|G41|A31p·22m|i1200|TransNote
600|770Z|770|760XD|760EL|701C|755C
Re: Win 7 activation fails with OEM disks
theterminator93 wrote:The BIOS probably doesn't have the SLIC2.1 code in it, which is what the OEM recovery disks activate against. Is the COA for Windows 7?
The COA is for Vista I believe. From reading the boards, though I thought that should not matter.
How do I get the SLIC2.1 code into the bios? I've added the Middleton bios to a T61, but not to a W500. Is there a version of SLIC2.1 for a W500?
and thanks for the help, btw.
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- ThinkPadder
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Re: Win 7 activation fails with OEM disks
Exactly - with a VB COA you've got SLIC2.0 in the BIOS, hence Windows 7's failure to activate seamlessly.
I'm sure there's a SLIC 2.1 mod for the W500 - I found this: https://www.bios-mods.com/forum/Thread- ... -Whitelist which may be useful. Based on a couple replies it seems to have the desired results on T500 and W500 models.
I'm sure there's a SLIC 2.1 mod for the W500 - I found this: https://www.bios-mods.com/forum/Thread- ... -Whitelist which may be useful. Based on a couple replies it seems to have the desired results on T500 and W500 models.
T480 with T25 keyboard | T25 | W520 i7-2860QM·Quadro 2000m·IPS FHD | T601F T9900·NVS 140m·LED AFFS UXGA
T420 IPS FHD | X220 IPS FHD | T61p·T61·43·42p|X13 Yoga G3·220T·301·41T·24·23·22|G41|A31p·22m|i1200|TransNote
600|770Z|770|760XD|760EL|701C|755C
T420 IPS FHD | X220 IPS FHD | T61p·T61·43·42p|X13 Yoga G3·220T·301·41T·24·23·22|G41|A31p·22m|i1200|TransNote
600|770Z|770|760XD|760EL|701C|755C
Re: Win 7 activation fails with OEM disks
Updating the bios with a modified SLIC 2.1 table worked well. Thanks for the help !
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