Transfer Windows 7 from G550 to W500

[rew232]

I have a W500 with Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit and a G550 with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (both OEM).

Can I transfer the Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit to my W500 using the ThinkVantage "Create Product Recovery Media"?

How exactly would I do this, what software packages would I need to install afterwards, how long would it take?

[schmidtj]

OEM versions of Windows are not transferable according to the MS company line.

You might call them when you activation fails and explain you are just replacing the

machine. Worth a try.

[bananaman]

Hi rew232, and welcome to the Lenovo User Community!

schmidtj is right, that's not going to work.

The easiest route is to get the 64 bit version from Lenovo:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=MIGR-74752

[schmidtj]

I don't think Lenovo will (or should) sell you recovery media for Windows 7 if your PC was purchased with Vista as the OP indicated.

What is not obvious from the verbage pointed to by your link is if I subsequently upgraded to Windows 7 via the Vista -> Windows 7  upgrade program will Lenovo now sell me Windows 7 recovery media?

I don't think so since they are referencing to PC's original warrantee information to determine the licensed version.

[bananaman]

Yes you are correct. It's a bit buried in there, but Lenovo will only provide you with recovery disks to switch bits on the original OEM operating system delivered with the system (this is verified during the order processing). The OEM license stays with the system - you can't transfer it. If you want to upgrade from vista to Windows 7, you have to pay for an upgrade. rew232 cannot transfer a Windows 7 OEM license to another system.