Lenovo/Windows Upgrade Deadline?

[emtee3511]

I think the deadline for requesting free upgrade to W7 is running out (?January 31st?) I wanted to make a note of my upgrade experience in case anyone here is still deciding whether to request upgrade or not -- I'm thinking this post applies to thinkpads in general, but if it should be in the W7 forum, moderators can please move it for me Most of my ThinkPads have been purchased either on this forum or on ebay -- have shopped at Lenovo and Lenovo Outlet a few times, but always made the final purchase on forum or ebay -- I've had several recent thinkpad purchases (as well as two sony vaio p's) that fell within the timeframe given for upgrading from Vista to W7 for free (actually ran between $15 and $17 each total cost for shipping and handling.)

This is what I found interesting -- The first time I applied for the free W7 upgrade was for a new Sony Vaio P, which I purchased off eBay from a kind of 'typical' power-seller type -- I googled the W7 upgrade info, filled in the form, provided a copy of my paypal/ebay receipt, and W7 upgrade was quickly approved and received.

I don't remember if I purchased my X301 first or the Sony Vaio first, but they were both off ebay, probably about a month apart in Nov/Dec. I searched Lenovo's website regarding the W7 upgrade and came to the mistaken conclusion that my X301 didn't qualify for the free W7 because I purchased it from a private seller on ebay. In the meantime, I purchased a second Sony machine (both Sony's are teeny-tiny machines with SSD's that will fit in a purse or small pack, so are good to sling around the car or house with no breakage worries) -- the second Sony was another private purchase off ebay, and it was used -- but I decided that maybe it was a new enough model that it had been originally purchased in the required timeframe -- so I applied for the free W7 upgrade and furnished my paypal/ebay purchase info, and was again approved and have received W7 upgrade for that machine --

The last machine I added was an X200 which I needed to replace a Z61t that I didn't want to spend money repairing -- the X200 was in new condition, but has an "R" in the serial number because it is a refurb -- again, I didn't purchase from Lenovo, but purchased from an ebay Seller -- I decided to find out if it qualified for the W7 upgrade because it was purchased during the required timeframe -- When that machine was approved by Lenovo for the free Wu7 upgrade, I decided to backtrack and see if my X301 qualified -- both the new X301, and the refurb X200 purchased from ebay qualified for the free W7 upgrade after I filled out the forms and furnished copies of my paypal/ebay receipts --

This experience leads me to believe that if a machine with vista or xp is purchased new (or maybe newly refurbed) within the timeframe (which I think was from June '09 to January 31, 2010), and you furnish the purchase receipts along with proper forms, the machines automatically qualify for the free W7 upgrade -- even if not purchased from a big-box store, and even if you are not the original purchaser -- I will note I purchased an IdeaPad S10 here on the forum in October, but it was around a year old at the time of my purchase, so had not been originally purchased in the W7 free upgrade timeframe -- didn't even try to get that freebie

I have purchased Retail W7 for three of my machines, including the IdeaPad, and the install is much easier with the manufacturer's upgrade because of the supplied drivers and applications -- if you have purchased a machine in the last six months here on the forum or elsewhere, you may want to check out the free W7 upgrade before January 31st.

[RealBlackStuff]

You could save yourself a lot of hassle (AND money) by buying the Lenovo W7 Recovery disks cheap from:
http://www.<promotion of site not allowed>.com/

[emtee3511]

I'm so glad I posted here -- I was under the mistaken impression that my only recourse was Lenovo and that my machines didn't qualify for the W7 restore because they were original Vista machines -- I didn't even think about going elsewhere for the restore/upgrade -- this senior citizen is a bit of a slow learner, but I catch on eventually -- will use this info for future reference --

Thanks very much, RealBlackStuff

edit: I just thought of something -- I can't use the recovery for W7 on my thinkpads unless I have purchased the licensed W7 upgrade -- can I?

[bill bolton]

I can't use the recovery for W7 on my thinkpads unless I have purchased the licensed W7 upgrade -- can I?[/color]

Those restore disk sets are NOT licenced for use on a ThinkPad unless the ThinkPad carries an CoA for the exact version/model of operating system concerned... so you would definitely be in breach of the Microsoft EULA if you loaded a Win 7 Factory Restore disk set on a ThinkPad that carries a Vista CoA.

Having a Win 7 upgrade disk/CoA is NOT adequate licencing to use the Win 7 Factory Restore disk set under the terms of the EULA.

It is up to you to decide whether you care about that or not.

Cheers,

Bill B.

[emtee3511]

"Having a Win 7 upgrade disk/CoA is NOT adequate licencing to use the Win 7 Factory Restore disk set under the terms of the EULA"

Hi Bill -- thanks for the clarification -- can you give me just a little more info... does that mean that a machine I purchased during the special upgrade timeframe, and that I applied for and received the free W7 upgrade would not qualify for an additional purchase of a W7 restore set? Not sure I said that right but my question is, are these special circumstnces, being machines sold with the understanding that they qualified for W7 when it was finally released -- once the free W7 upgrade is received, does that then meet the EULA for using a W7 restore disk at a later date?

[bill bolton]

does that mean that a machine I purchased during the special upgrade timeframe, and that I applied for and received the free W7 upgrade would not qualify for an additional purchase of a W7 restore set?

Yes, that is why Lenovo is prevented from selling you a Win 7 Factory Recovery set.

are these special circumstnces, being machines sold with the understanding that they qualified for W7 when it was finally released -- once the free W7 upgrade is received, does that then meet the EULA for using a W7 restore disk at a later date?

No, it doesn't. The Volume OEM licences are basically associated with a Certificate of Authenticity (CoA). You should have a CoA for Vista on your ThinkPad, and possibly a Win 7 UPG CoA on the Upgrade disk packaging. That licences you to use the Upgrade disk set on the ThinkPad with the matching Vista version CoA.

It does not licence you to use the Factory Recovery system image for Win 7.... to be licenced for that you need appropriate original Lenovo OEM Win 7 <version> CoA on your ThinkPad, which only occured for new ThinkPads bought post October 22nd, 2009.

This is same old, same old in terms of the way Windows upgrade licences have pretty much always worked. There is nothing new about this at all.

Cheers,

Bill B.

[emtee3511]

to be licenced for that you need appropriate original Lenovo OEM Win 7 <version> CoA on your ThinkPad, which only occured for new ThinkPads bought post October 22nd, 2009

Thanks Bill, that's exactly what I was confused about -- may be "same-old" to you guys who've been around for awhile, but I came late to this party I purchased my first computer -- a ThinkPad I think I remember was a 360e -- about five years ago -- I'm also a bit of a slow learner so I really appreciate your taking the time to repeat something for me that's been around awhile -- sometimes I miss things the first time around