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    Fresh install of bundled Win7

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by anuvatec, Jan 19, 2010.

  1. anuvatec

    anuvatec Newbie

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    I just bought a Lenovo ThinkPad SL410 with Win 7 Pro 64-bit installed. Of course it's crippled with bloatware and of course I wiped the hard drive clean for preparation of a fresh and clean clean install of Win 7 Pro 64-bit. I was gonna use my installation disc and product key from my MS action pack subscription account but figured I shouldn't waste it on this laptop since it came with its own product key.

    Before wiping the hard drive I did create recovery discs from the pre-configured/installed hidden recovery partition. How can I install the bundled Windows 7 Pro 64-bit minus the bloatware (as if I'm doing a fresh install from a retail disc) so that it uses the product key included with the laptop?
     
  2. hceuterpe

    hceuterpe Notebook Evangelist

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    Can't you download a vanilla OEM Windows 7 Pro disc and enter your CD key underneath the laptop? I recall someone posting about that and how you can dl DVD images from the digitalriver.com site...
    As far as I know, all those CD keys listed on stickers underneath laptops are for OEM versions..
     
  3. anuvatec

    anuvatec Newbie

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    Well, I believe product keys stamped on the machine itself are native only to that vendor (Lenovo, Dell, Toshiba, etc.) and you must have their branded re-installation disc to use it.

    This looks like it would be a lot of work to do this so I'm just gonna use the MAPS prod. key :/

    Thanks!
     
  4. Renee

    Renee Notebook Virtuoso

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    Yes, That's true. I've always done clean installs but I use MSDN disks which will take nothing but MSDN key's.

    Get a Windows 7 disk and add the license. The trick to use a dstribution that is the same type as the key.

    Renee
     
  5. hceuterpe

    hceuterpe Notebook Evangelist

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    Have you guys actually tried a generic OEM install disc? Your Win 7 should have come with a sticker with the number. You have to dig a little on the net to find the vanilla OEM discs, but they are out there. It doesn't hurt to try instead of just assuming it won't work...
     
  6. orev

    orev Notebook Virtuoso

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    Restore using the recovery discs, then backup the activation/license with my ABR tool (see sig). Then do a clean install using an OEM or retail disc, and restore the license/activation. Warning that Win7 support in ABR is in beta.
     
  7. hceuterpe

    hceuterpe Notebook Evangelist

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    Why wouldn't you just be able to enter the CD key written on the license sticker on the laptop with an OEM copy? That seems easier to me...
     
  8. orev

    orev Notebook Virtuoso

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    You can do that too, but the sticker license key does not activate over the Internet (at least it didn't in Vista), so every time you reinstall you need to call them and convince them you're not a pirate. If you have a backup of the original activation, you can restore it without getting MS involved.