Lenovo Enhanced Experience

[Mark_Lenovo Former Administrator]

Evgenyk, markgrif,

Let me try to explain it this way:

If you buy a system between 6/27 and 10/22, you have a Vista COA (which may also entitle you to the XP downgrade the system may have shipped with).   Microsoft granted purchasers of qualifying system, the ability to receive a Win 7 upgrade CD/DVD which is essentially the standard over the counter Windows 7.  Also included will be a Lenovo drivers disk.   The combination  is not a "Lenovo Image" in the way that Recovery DVDs are.  

Customers will be able to download the EE enhanced BIOS and drivers for qualifying systems.

Once Win 7, + the BIOS, + EE drivers are installed, the principle difference between that level machine and what is shipped after the 22nd is the way in which the image is built.  I am not an expert on imaging, but there are optimizations in terms of registry, order in which drivers are loaded, etc, etc.   This all comes from the factory image for those systems that ship from the factory with Win 7 preloaded.  

Machines purchased before the 22nd don't have a Windows 7 COA on the system, and are not entitled to that image.  We can't sell or give away those images - they have to match up with systems that are licensed for them.

Hope that helps to clarify for now, and I expect you will get to hear more, directly from the experts in the coming days.

Best regards,

Mark

[cichlid]

So unless I am once again unclear on this, it comes down to licensing issues regarding the Lenovo version of Win7?  A license which users who purchase before the 22nd are not entitled to?  If it comes down to a money issue that is somewhat different from what I understood from your response yesterday, regarding Lenovo pre loading EE on PC's shipped after the 22nd and why it is a "more enhanced" version as oppossed to upgrading to Win7 and downloading the optimized drivers.

If it is a licensing issue (on Microsofts end) why wouldn't our upgrade to Win 7 that Microsoft is offering qualify us for the EE version, (its still basically Win 7 just optimized right?)  I am not an expert but what could the factory load on there differently that a consumer with a CD couldnt?

I understand if Lenovo wants to be compensated extra for the work they put into EE, but now I am even more confused about this than I was before.

[JaneL]

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cichlid wrote:

what could the factory load on there differently that a consumer with a CD couldnt?

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An OEM Win 7 license.

[CaptainObvious]

The way the image is built makes the difference.

As Mark mentioned, machine that entiled for Win 7  free upgrades may download the EE drivers. Of course it might not be a full EE state because the difference is, again, the way image is built. Am i correct?

"Once Win 7, + the BIOS, + EE drivers are installed, the principle difference between that level machine and what is shipped after the 22nd is the way in which the image is built.  I am not an expert on imaging, but there are optimizations in terms of registry, order in which drivers are loaded, etc, etc.   This all comes from the factory image for those systems that ship from the factory with Win 7 preloaded.  "

[2L82XLR8]

The Recovery Dvd's will be available shortly for most Thinkpads, just look up the the latest maintenance manuals for the latest Part numbers for Recovery DVD's.  The T400 is already listed.

Once you get the Discs, you can upgrade your thinkpad with the latest drivers and get that  Enhanced experience.

[hievan]

Anyone knows how to order the Recovery DVD?

[Thinkpads4Life]

That seems unfair. I just ordered the most expensive Thinkpad ever in September, since everone at CS promised up and down to me that yes, I would receive the SAME Windows 7 benefits that NEW models would receive. What a crock.

Maybe I should return it, since it's still within 30-day window. Without the restocking fee. I very much want the EE. The Windows OS with specific tune-ups for Thinkpads...sounds GREAT! I want it. What can I do?

[IMaPC]

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"the principle difference between that level machine and what is shipped after the 22nd is the way in which the image is built.  I am not an expert on imaging, but there are optimizations in terms of registry, order in which drivers are loaded, etc, etc. "

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i am not happy about this at all.

what can i say?

[DavidNg]

I wonder if this will trigger a lot of purchase and return within 30 days - let's see

buy an Win 7EE laptop - create a recovery dvd - return that machine within 30 days + pay the restocking fee

But seriously though, how much of an improvement is the Lenovo win 7 EE really going to be - is it really worth the trouble? - think it primarily improve startup and shutdown

I'be got a win 7 RTM loaded on a different machine and the boot up and shutdown is fast enough already

My 0.02

[IMaPC]

as fast as Snow Leopard?