O/T (for X61T) How to unblock a Windows key?

[atanasoff]

I have an X61T which was upgraded to W7 prior to my acquiring it. It is not, afaik, in any way using bootleg, hacked or cracked software.

Somewhat impulsively, I tried Windows 10. No advantage on this machine, so I rolled back. I did not have a disk image to restore, I used the W10 trial inbuilt rollback. Yep, that was not a wise move. The machine is working, but not windows update, and there seem to be various minor issues. Live, learn.

I now need to do a repair install of W7, but have no install media. I attempted to d/l from MS, it didn't like the OEM COA from the original sticker. I contacted MS, who informed me that my Windows code was "blocked" and to contact Lenovo regarding that.
Before going into the support-line infinite loop
1. Is there a particular department I should attempt to reach?
2. Do I have other options besides attempting to fix the mysterious block?

[Neil]

Is the COA sticker actually for Win 7? Most X61 machines shipped with Vista. If it's a Vista COA, that would explain why MS considers it blocked for a Win7 installation.

[atanasoff]

Is the COA sticker actually for Win 7? Most X61 machines shipped with Vista. If it's a Vista COA, that would explain why MS considers it blocked for a Win7 installation.

The COA sticker is for Vista Business, the machine was upgraded prior to my receiving it.

[MikalE]

Vista Business is all you can load with that COA. Apparently they didn't give you the COA for the upgrade they did to Win 7.

[MisterB]

You need to recover the product key for the installed version. I use a utility called Winkeyfinder. http://www.winkeyfinder.com/ There are several such utilities that can do this. Once you get the full product key, save it. If it is a retail Windows 7 product key, Microsoft should accept it.

[atanasoff]

You need to recover the product key for the installed version. I use a utility called Winkeyfinder. http://www.winkeyfinder.com/ There are several such utilities that can do this. Once you get the full product key, save it. If it is a retail Windows 7 product key, Microsoft should accept it.

thx --
Forgot to mention, I did do the key recovery and plugged that key into the MS website, after that bombed I forwarded it to MS support. It is the recovered W7 product key that comes up as "blocked", whereupon MS refers me to Lenovo. I have the Lenovo site open in another tab, it looks like that may be a tangled process, as I'm not sure it is their upgrade key.
I will try to get in touch with the seller, but it's been over a year and it's not really their problem at this point. I had no issues and no need to do a repair install until the W10 upgrade/rollback a couple months back.

[RealBlackStuff]

Install Middleton's BIOS, then find any Lenovo W7 recovery set and install that.
It will automatically activate.
Problem solved.

[atanasoff]

Install Middleton's BIOS, then find any Lenovo W7 recovery set and install that.
It will automatically activate.
Problem solved.

K, that sounds good.
Can I do a repair install, rather than a format and fresh install, using said media? I have no virus/malware/etc issues that I can detect. It may have the improved Bios already, as it has an SSD. The bios reports as 7SET39WW (1.25 ) 03/22/2011 in Belarc Advisor, and the blue Thinkvantage button does nothing.

[RealBlackStuff]

Recovery sets only do a complete fresh install, no repair-install.
Benchmark the speed of your SSD, if you have Middleton already, it should be 200MB/s or better.

[atanasoff]

Recovery sets only do a complete fresh install, no repair-install.
Benchmark the speed of your SSD, if you have Middleton already, it should be 200MB/s or better.

I ran the AS SSD benchmark, which produced a set of 6 results spanning from 16 to 160 MB/s, and an error message on completion. Does that mean I do not have the Middleton BIOS? Does that BIOS have a distinct ID tag I can retrieve?

2. K, if the recovery set does a wipe + install, it's a headache I don't need at the moment (health issues, have enough going on). Since this is an OEM install with particular Lenovo drivers, I'm not sure what my other options are.

[RealBlackStuff]

1: only benchmarking for HD/SSD speed will show if you have M's BIOS or not (your slow speed says NOT)
2: apply M's BIOS, regardless.
Can't give you better/cheaper install-advice than I already gave you.

[MikalE]

You can always download the wi-fi/ethernet driver and burn it, do your clean install, install the wi-fi or ethernet driver and visit the Lenovo website and let the computer do the rest.

It's time consuming but not difficult.

[atanasoff]

You can always download the wi-fi/ethernet driver and burn it, do your clean install, install the wi-fi or ethernet driver and visit the Lenovo website and let the computer do the rest.

It's time consuming but not difficult.

? Is not a wifi driver included in the factory clean install disks?

[n2ri]

same think happened to me and many others its Microsofts backup plan to force you into win10 by sabtiging your PC and OS. lucky my son had a full install with ney key so I didnt have to do the youtube butch hack on win7 just to keep MY property from falling to the indian givers at MS

[atanasoff]

1: only benchmarking for HD/SSD speed will show if you have M's BIOS or not (your slow speed says NOT)
2: apply M's BIOS, regardless.
Can't give you better/cheaper install-advice than I already gave you.

Got it. That is helpful, as it saves timewaste looking for alternate fixes. I see the M BIOS is at ThinkWiki.

[MikalE]

You can always download the wi-fi/ethernet driver and burn it, do your clean install, install the wi-fi or ethernet driver and visit the Lenovo website and let the computer do the rest.

It's time consuming but not difficult.

? Is not a wifi driver included in the factory clean install disks?

Factory disc maybe, but if you fetch an .iso from one of the internet providers you won't likely get any drivers. Just the OS.

[Pete B]

Under Control Panel, System and Security, Find and Fix Problems, click on: Fix Problems With Windows Update, under Advanced check run as administrator. Let it run for hours if it has to. This should fix your Win Update problems.
I'll PM you about the COA problem.

You should have done a full image backup before you did the win 10 update, and if you have data
or programs that you care about do one soon. Also, back up your data alone just in case you need to rebuild it from scratch.

[atanasoff]

Under Control Panel, System and Security, Find and Fix Problems, click on: Fix Problems With Windows Update, under Advanced check run as administrator. Let it run for hours if it has to. This should fix your Win Update problems.
I'll PM you about the COA problem.

You should have done a full image backup before you did the win 10 update, and if you have data
or programs that you care about do one soon. Also, back up your data alone just in case you need to rebuild it from scratch.

"You should have done a full image backup before you did the win 10 update, and if you have data."
Yep. Should have .
That said, I dimly recall it getting launched before I intended to. It can't be cancelled once started.

I've already run the fixit tool, the file permissions tool, and various other fixes.

[MrMaguire]

The person you bought the X61t from probably used a Windows 7 key meant for volume licensing. These keys are often "leaked" out and are subsequently abused. Thus Microsoft has no choice but to block them from use. People mostly do this because buying a brand new copy of Windows will eradicate any profit margin they have when reselling old machines. On the other hand nobody wants a laptop with Vista on it. It's one of those rock and hard place deals. The situation is a lot simpler with Macs, which is probably why Microsoft has decided to move in their direction. When I sell a laptop with Windows on it, I install whatever's on the COA and leave it at that.

[Pete B]

My X61t was a refurb by an authorized MS outfit. The original COA has in sharp
new ink "OLD COA" stamped on it, with an X across the old numbers. There is a
new COA that says "Windows 7 Home Prem Refurbished PCs".
It looks very official so I'm going to guess that it is genuine.
It would be nice to find out if there is some way to buy these COAs at a good price.

[MrMaguire]

Oh right. I've seen those COAs specifically for refurbished PCs before. PC refurbishment people get them cheap from Microsoft. In that case it's definitely an OEM key. And the fact that you upgraded to Windows 10 means it is a legit key. Microsoft won't let you upgrade with a pirated copy of Windows. (I probably should have remembered that earlier) Microsoft also won't let you download a Windows ISO with an OEM key, which absolutely stinks.

You can do repair installs of Windows 7. There's a trick. You do an "upgrade" install over the existing copy. All you need really is a copy of Windows 7 Home Premium. Maybe somebody on here could help you with that.

[MikalE]

http://www.keysaleonline.com/

I've bought from them in the past. They are legitimate.

[RealBlackStuff]

Or try this: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 32#p770732

[Pete B]

You might also be able to "rearm" it as a trial version by doing this:
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows- ... -120-days/

at least until you figure out how to get a complete fix.