IBM Thinkpad users thread

• wallcolm_x on 04 Aug 20 @ 01:51 PM #

  If the laptop came with Windows 8 or newer, the Windows product key is embedded in the BIOS.

  
  
  lifetime na ba yung key n yun para sa laptop na iyon? may nag sabi sakin na pde ko ilink sa ms account ko pano b mangyari dun? instead na local user gamit ko sa laptop ko ms account ang lologin ko? pano pag walang net?

• awakeruze on 04 Aug 20 @ 02:21 PM #

  lifetime na ba yung key n yun para sa laptop na iyon?

  
  Yes.
  
  Regarding MS accounts, I can't help there, as I don't create Microsoft accounts on the Windows 10 PCs that I have.

• wallcolm_x on 05 Aug 20 @ 02:28 AM #

  Yes.

  
  
  so if kahit palitan ko ito ng ibang storage ayos lang kasi andun sa laptop yung key naka embed?
  
  regarding sa recovery partition pala naka lagay iyon dun sa storage nya di ba? pano pag pinalitan ko storage mwawala na un? hindi na gagana yung recovery NOVO button nya?

• awakeruze on 05 Aug 20 @ 09:18 AM #

  so if kahit palitan ko ito ng ibang storage ayos lang kasi andun sa laptop yung key naka embed?

  
  Yes. I've upgraded a few laptops from HDD to SSD, did a clean install on most of them and Windows recognized the key in the BIOS. I did have to create a text file named EI.CFG with the following content and put it on the SOURCES directory of the installation USB disk:
  
  

  [EditionID]
  [Channel]
  OEM
  [VL]
  0

  
  
  This forces the installer to read the license and product key from the BIOS. This also allows me to choose the edition of Windows (Single Language, Home, Pro, etc.) during installation. This give me a sort-of "universal install disk" for laptops and branded desktops, as I don't have to download and keep installation ISO images from every PC manufacturer.
  
  Regarding the recovery partition:
  
  If you used a Windows installation image from Microsoft, it definitely won't create a recovery partition.
  
  However, using a manufacturer-supplied restore media won't automatically mean it would create a recovery partition: when I upgraded my mother's Ideapad to SSD two years ago, I used Lenovo's included software to create a Windows 10 restore disk, but when I used it, no recovery partition was made. On the other hand, the SSD was only 120GB (the original HDD was 500GB), and perhaps the installer was smart enough not to create the recovery area in that situation.
  
  -- edited by awakeruze on Aug 05 2020, 09:21 AM

• wallcolm_x on 05 Aug 20 @ 07:42 PM #

  [EditionID]
  [Channel]
  OEM
  [VL]
  0

  
  
  what if the laptop comes originally with a Home edition and i downloaded a Pro Edition from the Web and install it? can i use the key embedded key on it?

• awakeruze on 05 Aug 20 @ 07:49 PM #

  ^
  1. Use Rufus <click here for link> to create a Windows 10 installer USB flash disk.
  
  2. Check if there's an EI.CFG file in the Sources directory. If there is, replace its contents. If there isn't, create one.
  
  3. When you start the installation process, it will ask which Edition to install. From personal experience, most consumer laptops have Home-Single Language edition.
  
  -- edited by awakeruze on Aug 05 2020, 07:53 PM

• Battlestarmargarine on 09 Aug 20 @ 02:57 PM #

  Pinamana ko na yung X230 sa anak ko para sa online schooling nila. Maayos pa naman kase upgraded na yung hard drive to SSD and 16GB RAM. Next upgrade would be IPS screen at ang priority ko for now is the extended battery. Ayaw na talaga mag boot pag nakasaksak yung battery, ewan ko ba kung bakit so kelangan remove ang battery at direct sa charger lang muna para mag boot.
  
  I have existing battery here for another unit kaya pwede mag hiraman. May nakakaalam ba kung san maganda bumili ng genuine or 2nd hand battery? PM na lang sa name ng store. Thanks :-)

• st_anger_711 on 27 Aug 20 @ 11:05 AM #

  @all
  
  Baka pu meron kayong alam na pag kukunan ng battery ng T430 orignal pu sana, pa PM na lang pu ng store name. TIA.

• dejakenth on 27 Aug 20 @ 12:10 PM #

  Hi Ma'am/Sirs, got a used Yoga 260, but it has win10 home, but in the website it should have win 10 pro, may alam po kayo na way to upgrade it to win10 pro or do I need to reinstall from scratch and use the EI.CFG approach recommended earlier ni Sir Awakeruze?
  
  Thanks in advance po ...

• awakeruze on 27 Aug 20 @ 01:58 PM #

  ^
  The laptop should have a "Windows 10 Pro" badge. If the badge only reads "Windows 10", then it's Home Edition.
  
  IIRC there are programs that can read the product key that's embedded in the BIOS/UEFI firmware and check which edition it's valid for. I cannot check this as my X220 originally came with Win 7 and does not have an embedded product key.

• dejakenth on 27 Aug 20 @ 02:21 PM #

  ^ I see. thanks sir

• dejakenth on 27 Aug 20 @ 03:46 PM #

  sayang after checking via a tool our Yoga 260 comes with Win 10 Home lang ... :(

• awakeruze on 27 Aug 20 @ 04:08 PM #

  Usually, Win 10 Pro is bundled with business-class Thinkpad lines like the T, X, and P series.