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I recently bought one in the US. I ordered it with Windows 7 professional 64 bit.
I now want to make a clean installation without the OEM software, but I can't seem to see the sticker with the Windows 7 key on the bottom of the computer.
Is this supposed to be this way? How can I obtain my license?
Also, is it recommended to have a clean installation and get rid of the Lenovo software stuff?
Shaihi
Posted 2010-01-28T20:02:20.130
Reputation: 432
5
I don't know about Lenovo, but Dell has started sticking the OEM stickers under the battery. Have you checked there?
EDIT: If you look at this service manual on page 137, it shows that it is directly under the battery.
Russ Warren
Posted 2010-01-28T20:02:20.130
Reputation: 2 523
0
I want to make a clean installation without the OEM software, but I can't seem to see the CoA sticker with the Windows 7 key on the bottom of the computer.
Is this supposed to be this way? How can I obtain my license?
Depending on how you ordered it this might have been the way it was intended.
If you ordered Windows 7 professional 64 bit as a full product to be bundles with your installation (and the price rose a 100 Euro-ish) then no. You should have a proper working CoA sticker.
If you just selected 'windows 7 prof x64' from a menu while configuring the laptop then you probably ordered thre OEM version. That one is usualy activated by a key in the BIOS and there is no need to actually ship a laptop with a CoA.
Despite this many laptops ship with a OEM installed OS version, a matching key in the BIOS and a CoA. To use this CoA you will need the matching regular ISO and not the OEM prepped version.
OK, with all this background out of the way: CoA tended to get worn down. Putting some tape over it helped, but most were still unreadable after a year or five. Many manufacturers solved this problem by moving the CoA to a different place than the bottom of the laptop. In the case of your laptop it is behind the battery.
Also, is it recommended to have a clean installation and get rid of the Lenovo software stuff>
Yes. Yes it is.
Hennes
Posted 2010-01-28T20:02:20.130
Reputation: 60 739
Ayayay - you beat me to posting the answer. I searched google images and saw someone taking the computer apart - there I saw the sticker sitting nicely. Thanks!
What an inconvenient place! – Shaihi – 2010-01-28T20:17:31.377
That makes sense. Placing the sticker and the instructions to find it in a convenient place for the average user to find... sometimes I just don't get these decision. – Shaihi – 2010-01-28T20:30:08.537
5I like it. I can't tell you how many stickers we've seen rub off because of wear. It's no longer an issue if the sticker is under the battery! – Russ Warren – 2010-01-28T20:56:46.277