Can I Circumvent Lenovo and MS Licensing

[Piyono]

Hey, Fam.

I have a 2016 ThinkPad P50 which shipped with a Windows 7 Professional license. Still under warranty.

At some point in the last 2 years I lost the you-get-only-one USB flash backup I made and had to order (Windows 7) recovery DVDs (there's no DVD drive on the P50).
Now I want to reinstall Windows 10 but I don't want to go through the hassle of ripping the DVDs to ISO and making bootable USBs and the whole bit just to install Windows 7 and then figure out how to upgrade to Windows 10, if that's even possible any more.

Lenovo support agents say the BIOS won't let me install Windows 10 clean.
25-year-old-living-at-home me would have politely flipped them the bird and futzed around until I'd figured it out but now at 42 I'm rather averse to the idea of risking my main (and currently only) computer and I don't want to brick it for any length of time.

I dug through the MyDigitalLife forums but it's information overload over there, and I've been out of the computer tech game for long enough that I don't know how to get around this on my own, any more.

Is there any way I can install Windows 10 directly?

 

[Piyono]

I think I read somewhere that once you upgrade to Windows 10 the BIOS will somehow remember this and allow future installations but I don't really know if that's true or not.

 

[Piyono]

Okay, I just re-discovered the Windows Media Creation Tool. Maybe this is my answer.

 

[sechs]

Windows 10 either installs or it doesn't. I think that you're worried about activation.

If you activated Windows 10 online in the past it should reactivate after a clean install.

 

[Chewy509]

+1 to what sechs mentions.

Download the latest Win10 ISO, use the Windows Media Creation Tool to create a installation USB, and install. Barring any hardware incompatibilities it should be fine.

As for activation see: https://www.storageforum.net/forum/threads/windows-10.10394/post-206565

 

[Piyono]

Windows 10 either installs or it doesn't. I think that you're worried about activation.

If you activated Windows 10 online in the past it should reactivate after a clean install.

Gotcha.

 

[Piyono]

+1 to what sechs mentions.

Download the latest Win10 ISO, use the Windows Media Creation Tool to create a installation USB, and install. Barring any hardware incompatibilities it should be fine.

As for activation see: https://www.storageforum.net/forum/threads/windows-10.10394/post-206565

Do you mean that I should download the files using the WMCT or separately, from some other place?

 

[Piyono]

When the WMCT creates an ISO does it take into account and incorporate the drivers I already have installed or is it a one-size-fits-all, generic image?

 

[Stereodude]

When the WMCT creates an ISO does it take into account and incorporate the drivers I already have installed or is it a one-size-fits-all, generic image?

One size fits all. You might as well just use it to make a bootable USB stick.

 

[LunarMist]

Are you f*cking kidding?

 

[Chewy509]

Do you mean that I should download the files using the WMCT or separately, from some other place?

Download the ISO directly from MS: https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/software-download/windows10ISO

 

[Stereodude]

Download the ISO directly from MS: https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/software-download/windows10ISO

Which is where the Windows Media Creation Tool he referenced is going to get them from.

 

[Chewy509]

I guess the only advantage of having the ISO directly, is that you can use the Window USB/DVD download tool or another 3rd party tool like Rufus to convert the ISO to a bootable USB.

 

[Chewy509]

In some respects it's laughable how easy, yet so difficult MS make creating installation media...

 

[Handruin]

I'd agree from past experiences how it was a pain but the new windows media creation utility has made things much simpler for basic home installs/reinstalls. I can't speak for corporate/mass installs though.

 

[sechs]

The main problem is that you can't install a particular version of Windows 10. It'll only make up an installer for the current version.

 

[Stereodude]

The main problem is that you can't install a particular version of Windows 10. It'll only make up an installer for the current version.

Not that it matters. If you were to install an older version it would fairly promptly update itself to the newest version anyhow.

 

[Chewy509]

The only issue I see, IIRC, hasn't MS been removing hardware support during Windows 10 development? (eg what was fully supported on the initial release/update, may not be supported with the latest 1809 release)? IIRC some Intel/AMD CPUs are no longer supported, along with some older chipsets.

Admittedly this is for older hardware, but certainly a concern...

Source: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-gb/wi...inimum/minimum-hardware-requirements-overview

Section 3 highlights Intel x86/x64 support, and IIRC, "Supports CMPXCHG16b, LAHF/SAHF, and PrefetchW for 64-bit OS installation" was the element causing issues for some upgrading post 1703.

 

[sechs]

Not that it matters. If you were to install an older version it would fairly promptly update itself to the newest version anyhow.

For Home, maybe. All of my Pro installs stay at the version I want them to be at.

 

[Stereodude]

For Home, maybe. All of my Pro installs stay at the version I want them to be at.

Are they connected to the internet? Last I read only Enterprise editions could block Windows updates... Pro could not.

 

[LunarMist]

That is my experience as well. In the office they have an older version and only roll out some security updates. My 10 pro will update immediately when connected, regardless of settings.

 

[sechs]

I have three Win 10 Pro machines at home. One is on 1703, another on 1709, and the third is on 1803.

Just make sure to set your advanced options appropriately.

 

[Stereodude]

I have three Win 10 Pro machines at home. One is on 1703, another on 1709, and the third is on 1803.

Just make sure to set your advanced options appropriately.

Thanks for explaining how to do it.

 

[LunarMist]

I don't get it. I have options in 10 Pro of the semi-annual channel or semi-annual (targeting) channel. My understanding from about a year ago was that the semi-annual with the 120 days deferment was the longest delay possible for the regular users, not having Enterprise versions or hacking, etc.

 

[Stereodude]

I don't get it. I have options in 10 Pro of the semi-annual channel or semi-annual (targeting) channel. My understanding from about a year ago was that the semi-annual with the 120 days deferment was the longest delay possible for the regular users, not having Enterprise versions or hacking, etc.

That appears to not be the case. You can put it off for 365 days according to what I found. Or if you tell Windows you have a metered connection you can postpone it indefinitely.

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-...e-5-update-update-while-still-getting-updates

 

[LunarMist]

Apparently the Fungus is a scam.

 

[Striker]

Nice try Lunar, not falling for it.

 

[Newtun]

Apparently the Fungus is a scam.

Cool infinite-loop-link!

 

[Stereodude]

Cool infinite-loop-link!

That's one of his forum specialties!

 

[LunarMist]

I don't know why it does that. Sorry this is the wrong thread.

 

[Stereodude]

I don't know why it does that. Sorry this is the wrong thread.

It doesn't, you do.