Lenovo Product Key

[garnerya000]

This is for an AiO, but I didn't see a category for AiOs, so I apologize.


The issue I am having is that I am installing a SSD in a Lenovo ThinkCentre M93z 10AF that had the HDD completely fail (no recognization at all, not in a dock or in the BIOS). I know that Lenovo uses proprietary HDDs, but I have upgraded Lenovos w/ digital licenses to SSDs before. The problem is that the computer came with Windows 7 Pro with the option to upgrade to Windows 8 Pro, but it only has the W8 Pro GML label, not the label for W7 Pro with the product key. I want to keep W7 Pro considering the use of the computer. My question is will 1) the digital license on the board be for W7 and W8 Pro, in which case loading 7 should automatically activate, 2) the digital license be for W8 Pro but I will have the option to roll back to W7 Pro, or 3) I am hosed and will be stuck with W8 Pro?

Any help would be awesome. Thank you!

Ryan

 

[GreyCatz]

If you bought the ThinkCentre with Windows 7 Pro, the digital license should be linked to this OS (the factory setting). Upgrading to Windows 8 Pro simply links the PK to the new OS.

If you decide to re-install Windows 7 Pro the PK should revert to the factory setting, but it might take a few minutes for Microsoft's Activation Server to register the change. You may have to go through the activation screens a couple of times.

 

[BFG-9000]

Back in the days of Windows 7, activation could be local. With the proper SLIC table in the BIOS, simply installing via the genuine OEM restore/install disc (or merging a certificate file after) would activate it right there with no internet connection required. Unlike XP's WPA files, the WAT result code and two hashed identifiers (MachineID and GGUID) were stored in the registry. Needless to say, there was no digital license in the cloud.

The Win 8 license should give you downgrade rights to install Windows 7 if it's OEM. Apparently this doesn't work with retail copies.