T61 has CoA for Vista Business, can I run XP on it?

[Muse]

I bought the T61 refurb around 2 months ago, and it came with the factory install of Vista Business and it has the CoA for it on a plain sticker on the bottom. I computed with it for a while, looked (quickly) once but didn't see a way to make restore disks that would restore to the factory default Vista Business, but I imagine there is a way to make those CDs/DVDs, and think I should.

The issue here now is that I upgraded the machine from 2GB to 4GB DDR2 and having a disc of Windows 7 64bit ultimate, I removed the 100GB HD (still has that Vista Business install on it), replacing it with a new Samsung 640GB 7200RPM HD and installed Windows 7 from scratch. Problem is I'm not happy with Windows 7. Several of my pet programs/utilities either don't work or work not very well. Vista Business was better with them, but XP Pro actually is a better fit with the programs I usually run. I have tried XP Mode, maybe haven't tried hard enough but am pessimistic I can be happy trying to make my programs work with this patch together system.

I have a couple of T60's, both of which have XP Pro CoA's and they are running XP Pro. I have the XP Pro R&R disks with which I can install XP Pro to factory defaults. Is it possible to install XP Pro on my T61 using those disks? Yes, it's a downgrade from the Vista Business of it's CoA. Will it install?

[ausmike]

hiya Muse...
Xp; on a COA machine with Vista_ Legally - NO
Legally COA = has to match the "OS" with the 'sticker' - granted that in YOUR VIEW it might be a 'downgrade' of OS.....

As far as "Borrow" recovery DVD's / Backup etc from T60 to install in T61.... LEGALLY SAME RULES APPLY (CoA = machine specific and NOT TRANSFERABLE .... AFAIK)

However there are lots 'common' between two t6x series - and if you have spare drives - you can test them first ! - might suprise ya!
Cheers

[msb0b]

Disagree with ausmike. You are permitted to use XP with Vista Business CoA.

Microsoft has a downgrade rights program for users of OEM Business/Professional editions of the operating system. This program is targetted at the businesses who standardized on previous versions of windows.

This PDF file summarizes what can be done in the program.

[lead_org]

You can use XP pro with Vista Business and above license, this is also true for Windows 7 Professional above.

The T60 Recovery disks won't work in the T61, the only way to get it working would require the following procedure:

1. Insert the T61 hdd into the T60, then use the T60 recovery media and install the recovery partition.

2. Take out the T61 hdd containing the T60 recovery partition and put it back to the T61, then do the recovery to factory condition in the T61 machine. After that you would need to install the missing drivers.

[ausmike]

..............of the operating system. This program is targetted at the businesses who standardized on previous versions of windows.

This PDF file summarizes what can be done in the program.

NOTE HIGHLIGHTED !! <<BUSINESS>> AFAIK its for business , not HOME USER

[msb0b]

Microsoft does not care if your organization is business or home. As long as you have purchased Business or better, you have the downgrade rights. Muse's T61 has Vista Business CoA so he is qualified to use XP Professional.

There is no downgrade program for home editions.

More information on the downgrade rights program/scheme

[ausmike]

...learn something everyday!!!

[Muse]

...learn something everyday!!!

With all due respect Mike, if you only learn one new thing a day nowadays you are falling behind, way behind. All your fingers aren't enough to count the new things you have to learn daily in this world. By the same token I find it amusing the way people talk about New Years resolutions. I make resolutions daily all year. There are no new ones I could come up with at this time that aren't on my long and short lists (written or not).

Thanks everyone for the help, I really appreciate it. I'm in love with you people!

[Muse]

You can use XP pro with Vista Business and above license, this is also true for Windows 7 Professional above.

The T60 Recovery disks won't work in the T61, the only way to get it working would require the following procedure:

1. Insert the T61 hdd into the T60, then use the T60 recovery media and install the recovery partition.

2. Take out the T61 hdd containing the T60 recovery partition and put it back to the T61, then do the recovery to factory condition in the T61 machine. After that you would need to install the missing drivers.

I used my T60 recovery disks to restore to factory default on one of my T60s a few months ago. I don't recall seeing where I could create a recovery partition. What I remember was that I could restore from the discs or restore to default factory condition. Well, TBH I found the interface confusing. Rescue and Recovery is quirky and it isn't intuitively obvious what you can and can't do in there. The R&R disc set that I have is a 7 disc set I made around 2-3 months after getting my first T60. I had done practically nothing with the T60 to that point. I don't recall, but think I may have been prompted to make the discs (I saw this pop up on my newly setup T60 a few weeks ago).

How exactly can I create a recovery partition on the T61 with the media? I know those discs are capable of restoring to factory defaults because I did it a few months ago on this T60.

[lead_org]

when you restore from the discs it will automatically create a hidden recovery partition on the hdd.

Those T60 discs won't directly work in your T61.

[ausmike]

Hi Muse...
Thanks for the tip re learning ...but then am trying to slow down these years as after starting my working carrier 2nd week after my final exams from Uni ((College for some)) and 35+ yrs. of working nearly 7x24 a week; travelled 3Million+ miles round this earth ,,,,,,I am happy with ONE ITEM per day <lol>....
As lead_org has suggested ; recovery dvd wont DIFRECTLY work in t61P , but they are CLOSE ENOUGH ! (i am bit hesitant due to forum rules here to write complete set of instructions for you...)
If you have a NEW HARD DRIVE - formated it and install in t61p (yes t61p) than put recovery Dvd and follow the steps - and you see - might sprise ya
(hint - not much is different between XPpro in t60p and T61p - usually just video drivers and or wireless - dpending on models of cause!
I have done a few of these - as I used to have both T60 and T61 and often I would jsut swap the HARD DRIVE and never needed to do much else!! - but then I am not a windows fan - my first windows system was 3 yrs ago ! The T60 series machines are ONLY MODELS that IBM has supplied with FACTORY LINUX support ( am a LINIX/UNIX fan)

Happy New Year ,,,, cheers

[Muse]

( am a LINIX/UNIX fan)

I'd like to check it out, being a rebel it would fit my personality, but my career has been built on now MS technology, being FoxPro/Visual FoxPro, and the EULA stipulates (the impudence!) that you can only run it on MS OS's! I hear you can run it on WINE, but to me that's little more than hearsay, and in any case, it technically violates the EULA. So, inasmuch as I use FoxPro every day I've stuck with Windows. Does it irritate me sometimes, you betcha!

[twillis449]

You can get a complete set of recovery disks for XP on a thinkpad for $25 from a site I'm no longer allowed to directly mention here because Lenovo apparently considers the site to provide illegal products. However when Microbloat eventually invades your machine to check the validity of the version of XP that you've installed, it doesn't complain, so I personally consider the product legitimate. Just google 'thinkpad recovery cds' ...

[Muse]

You can get a complete set of recovery disks for XP on a thinkpad for $25 from a site I'm no longer allowed to directly mention here because Lenovo apparently considers the site to provide illegal products. However when Microbloat eventually invades your machine to check the validity of the version of XP that you've installed, it doesn't complain, so I personally consider the product legitimate. Just google 'thinkpad recovery cds' ...

I believe I have a good set of recovery disks for XP. I made a set ~4 months after buying my first T60 (i.e. made the set in March 2007), and I used them to install XP on my other T60, which I bought used without a HD a few months ago (typing on it now). The set was capable of installing the default XP installation, and I spent some time updating things for current conditions, seems OK now. I suppose that in the process a hidden recovery partition was created, but I don't know a way of confirming that (I did look).