I want to nuke this box and start from scratch, no Lenovo partition / drivers
/ clutter. I purchased a copy of Vista from Lenovo and have a Product Key
but hey do not ship a disc with the machine, they require the recovery
software be used. I usually reformat with an MSDN OS, but this is not a
corporate computer.

Where can I download a copy of Vista from Microsoft and use my key to unlock
/ use / register it?

Thanks

Sorry you can not download a copy of Vista from anyone and your key will not unlock any version
except that supplied by Lenovo. Have a happy OEM system!!
Of course you could go to your local computer store and buy a copy of Vista, download the required
drivers from Lenovo and then do what you want with the computer.

"BurnChrome" <BurnChrome@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:84E2F8DA-A9E3-44C2-87A9-3253533AF8BE@microsoft.com...[color=blue]
>I want to nuke this box and start from scratch, no Lenovo partition / drivers
> / clutter. I purchased a copy of Vista from Lenovo and have a Product Key
> but hey do not ship a disc with the machine, they require the recovery
> software be used. I usually reformat with an MSDN OS, but this is not a
> corporate computer.
>
> Where can I download a copy of Vista from Microsoft and use my key to unlock
> / use / register it?
>
> Thanks[/color]

Lenovo may sell you a CD version for a few bucks,,, many makers do...

"BurnChrome" <BurnChrome@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:84E2F8DA-A9E3-44C2-87A9-3253533AF8BE@microsoft.com...[color=blue]
>I want to nuke this box and start from scratch, no Lenovo partition /
>drivers
> / clutter. I purchased a copy of Vista from Lenovo and have a Product Key
> but hey do not ship a disc with the machine, they require the recovery
> software be used. I usually reformat with an MSDN OS, but this is not a
> corporate computer.
>
> Where can I download a copy of Vista from Microsoft and use my key to
> unlock
> / use / register it?
>
> Thanks[/color]

"BurnChrome" <BurnChrome@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:84E2F8DA-A9E3-44C2-87A9-3253533AF8BE@microsoft.com...[color=blue]
>I want to nuke this box and start from scratch, no Lenovo partition /
>drivers
> / clutter. I purchased a copy of Vista from Lenovo and have a Product Key
> but hey do not ship a disc with the machine, they require the recovery
> software be used. I usually reformat with an MSDN OS, but this is not a
> corporate computer.
>
> Where can I download a copy of Vista from Microsoft and use my key to
> unlock
> / use / register it?
>
> Thanks[/color]


Dunno if OEM keys will work with MSDN or retail discs. You could try it with
one of your MSDN discs and see whether it will let you do that. Might wanna
image the seat b4 trying that, though... although I guess if the OEM key
doesn't work with the MSDN DVD, you'll find that out before it starts
installing the OS to the hard drive, so I'd guess you have nothing to lose
but the time required to figure out whether it will work or not.

And... folks with experience with this scenario may respond prior to you
spinning your wheels on something with which I'm not familiar.

Lang

Lang

Others will tell you that it's a violation of the EULA, but if you "borrow"
a copy from someone and do what you suggest, it will work. You may need to
use the phone activation.

"BurnChrome" <BurnChrome@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:84E2F8DA-A9E3-44C2-87A9-3253533AF8BE@microsoft.com...[color=blue]
>I want to nuke this box and start from scratch, no Lenovo partition /
>drivers
> / clutter. I purchased a copy of Vista from Lenovo and have a Product Key
> but hey do not ship a disc with the machine, they require the recovery
> software be used. I usually reformat with an MSDN OS, but this is not a
> corporate computer.
>
> Where can I download a copy of Vista from Microsoft and use my key to
> unlock
> / use / register it?
>
> Thanks[/color]

If you want a generic OEM Windows Vista DVD, you'll have
to purchase it along with a new license. The OEM product
key affixed to your computer is only valid with the computer
manufacturer's recommended recovery method.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

--------------------------------------------------------------------

"BurnChrome" <BurnChrome@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:84E2F8DA-A9E3-44C2-87A9-3253533AF8BE@microsoft.com...
I want to nuke this box and start from scratch, no Lenovo partition /
drivers
/ clutter. I purchased a copy of Vista from Lenovo and have a Product Key
but hey do not ship a disc with the machine, they require the recovery
software be used. I usually reformat with an MSDN OS, but this is not a
corporate computer.

Where can I download a copy of Vista from Microsoft and use my key to unlock
/ use / register it?

Thanks

If you paid for a copy of Vista, then call Lenovo and tell them that you
want your copy not just a recovery disk. I did this with Dell, now it may
take a little bit to get to the correct person, but you should be able to
get the disk from them for either free or maybe shipping.
"Carey Frisch [MVP]" <cnfrisch@nospamgmail.com> wrote in message
news:A1CF9A64-4313-4E87-8AFB-7FFC003E2953@microsoft.com...[color=blue]
> If you want a generic OEM Windows Vista DVD, you'll have
> to purchase it along with a new license. The OEM product
> key affixed to your computer is only valid with the computer
> manufacturer's recommended recovery method.
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows Shell/User
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "BurnChrome" <BurnChrome@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:84E2F8DA-A9E3-44C2-87A9-3253533AF8BE@microsoft.com...
> I want to nuke this box and start from scratch, no Lenovo partition /
> drivers
> / clutter. I purchased a copy of Vista from Lenovo and have a Product Key
> but hey do not ship a disc with the machine, they require the recovery
> software be used. I usually reformat with an MSDN OS, but this is not a
> corporate computer.
>
> Where can I download a copy of Vista from Microsoft and use my key to
> unlock
> / use / register it?
>
> Thanks
>[/color]

You make it seem like you purchased a "seperate" Vista from Lenovo other
than what came with the machine when you originally purchased it...did
you???
If you did they should have send you a CD.............if you mean the copy
that was on the machine when you bought it then you can only use their
method of "recovery".
But after the "recovery" you can spend some time and uninstall Lenovo
programs you dont need or want.You mentioned partition...more than one??
other than the recovery partition and the C partition??? If the recovery
creates lets say 2 partitions...C and D it is possible to delete the D
partition and expand the C partition to include that unallocated
space...under Administrative Tools/computer management/disk
management...just make sure you leave that recovery partition alone or else
no way to recover in the future.I did this with my Acer..now I only have the
C partition and it is the almost full size of the HD..minus the recovery
partition.I also at this point used Acronis True Image to create an Image of
the C partition on DVD's so that I can recreate this changed setup if or
when Vista causes me a no start error.
peter

"BurnChrome" <BurnChrome@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:84E2F8DA-A9E3-44C2-87A9-3253533AF8BE@microsoft.com...[color=blue]
>I want to nuke this box and start from scratch, no Lenovo partition /
>drivers
> / clutter. I purchased a copy of Vista from Lenovo and have a Product Key
> but hey do not ship a disc with the machine, they require the recovery
> software be used. I usually reformat with an MSDN OS, but this is not a
> corporate computer.
>
> Where can I download a copy of Vista from Microsoft and use my key to
> unlock
> / use / register it?
>
> Thanks[/color]

Well... that's clearly nonsense! The OEM product key is valid even if you
never use the recovery method.

"Carey Frisch [MVP]" <cnfrisch@nospamgmail.com> wrote in message
news:A1CF9A64-4313-4E87-8AFB-7FFC003E2953@microsoft.com...[color=blue]
> If you want a generic OEM Windows Vista DVD, you'll have
> to purchase it along with a new license. The OEM product
> key affixed to your computer is only valid with the computer
> manufacturer's recommended recovery method.
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows Shell/User
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "BurnChrome" <BurnChrome@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:84E2F8DA-A9E3-44C2-87A9-3253533AF8BE@microsoft.com...
> I want to nuke this box and start from scratch, no Lenovo partition /
> drivers
> / clutter. I purchased a copy of Vista from Lenovo and have a Product Key
> but hey do not ship a disc with the machine, they require the recovery
> software be used. I usually reformat with an MSDN OS, but this is not a
> corporate computer.
>
> Where can I download a copy of Vista from Microsoft and use my key to
> unlock
> / use / register it?
>
> Thanks
>[/color]

"Carey Frisch [MVP]" <cnfrisch@nospamgmail.com> wrote in message
news:A1CF9A64-4313-4E87-8AFB-7FFC003E2953@microsoft.com...[color=blue]
> If you want a generic OEM Windows Vista DVD, you'll have
> to purchase it along with a new license.[/color]
[color=blue]
>The OEM product
> key affixed to your computer is only valid with the computer
> manufacturer's recommended recovery method.[/color]

Hi, Carey
What makes you believe your 'only valid...' statement. Is there some
particular phrase or paragraph in the EULA that states this? If so, can you
post that portion of the EULA or post some key words that I can use to
search and find that part of the EULA? My old eyes are losing their
cognitive ability and complain about reading all the UPPER CASE stuff that
legalese usually contains. I have two brands of preinstalled WXP and one
brand of preinstalled Vista that I will search, if you give me the key
words.

Thanks,

-Paul Randall

In article <OBccC5W9HHA.1900@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl>, paulr901
@cableone.net says...[color=blue]
> What makes you believe your 'only valid...' statement. Is there some
> particular phrase or paragraph in the EULA that states this?[/color]

It's well known that OEM installations are only valid on the "Computer"
they are first installed and activated on. That's the limitation for the
discount you get.

--

Leythos
- Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum.
- Calling an illegal alien an "undocumented worker" is like calling a
drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmacist"
[email]spam999free@rrohio.com[/email] (remove 999 for proper email address)

That's true -That fact IS well known. But it's unrelated to the statement
that Corey made.


"Leythos" <void@nowhere.lan> wrote in message
news:MPG.2152058f96cc835798993a@adfree.Usenet.com...[color=blue]
> In article <OBccC5W9HHA.1900@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl>, paulr901
> @cableone.net says...[color=green]
>> What makes you believe your 'only valid...' statement. Is there some
>> particular phrase or paragraph in the EULA that states this?[/color]
>
> It's well known that OEM installations are only valid on the "Computer"
> they are first installed and activated on. That's the limitation for the
> discount you get.
>
> --
>
> Leythos
> - Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum.
> - Calling an illegal alien an "undocumented worker" is like calling a
> drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmacist"
> [email]spam999free@rrohio.com[/email] (remove 999 for proper email address)[/color]

"BurnChrome" <BurnChrome@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:84E2F8DA-A9E3-44C2-87A9-3253533AF8BE@microsoft.com...[color=blue]
>I want to nuke this box and start from scratch, no Lenovo partition /
>drivers
> / clutter. I purchased a copy of Vista from Lenovo and have a Product Key
> but hey do not ship a disc with the machine, they require the recovery
> software be used. I usually reformat with an MSDN OS, but this is not a
> corporate computer.
>
> Where can I download a copy of Vista from Microsoft and use my key to
> unlock
> / use / register it?
>
> Thanks[/color]


Smart move. You will probably be a lot happier. I did that with my Acer.
'Cut boot time almost in half and increased general performance.

Saucy