Bill,

as Charly noted above, there are several ways to do it.

However, here's a thought:

1. You can make it query registry hive for a specific key.

2. You can make it query the BIOS info through WMI calls.

3. You can make it fail to install if it doesn't find Dependency Settings.

4. You can put additional effort to obfuscate DepSettings so it can fail to install if you find WinStore limiting, in return rendering Metro app useless.

5. And proably easiest, you can issue a hotfix that changes partner ID.

There are probably more ways, but hey, I'm just an armchair philosopher, not a Lenovo S/Dev Manager.

Crux of the matter is that Lenovo CAN resolve it to the best interest of its customers but it most probably won't because we're the edge case and those who lost their drive are more than welcome to purchase recovery media provided that original image was Windows 8 in the first place.

I wonder what will happen when business customers realize that their image is not enough to have fully finctional Think/Idea system.

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However, here's a thought:

 

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That's a maybe list, at best, in terms of programatic actions that can be reasonably be comptemplated from within the apps store  :smileyindifferent:

I find it rather offending that my suggestions seem so uninformed to extent it inclines you to reply so condenscendingly and without substance. I'm sorry of I am picking it up wrong.

I do not have the knowledge of Store APIs but looking at the dump here the thing is "leveraging" a lot of system libraries and makes lots of calls.

In any case, most suggestions require actual application download and the measures suggested are to prevent being installed on the non Lenovo unit if the applications were to be submitted to regular channel.

That said, the bigger issue here is that this effectively renders my brand new system obsolete. There is no middle ground. Thinkvantage applications are disadvantage on Win8 since they either crash or do not function at all and this proper software is not going to be updated for win 8 while the toyish apps they're are replacing it with are not available for installation.

Moreover, the status quo on the subject is mantained for four months now.

I expect more from Thinkpad.

It is not only about the missing ThinkVantage programms, drivers like Bluetooth still doesn't work properly. You have to use this ones from Windows Update or from Broadcom directly. Ok, then you'll be able to see the Bluetooth button, but the status LED of BT is always on, indifferent of the switch position. It is on my opinion also a dirty solution and, of course some kind of an ignorant attitude against the customers of so called Win8 compatible hardware. So it's about time to get a concrete point of view from Lenovo, otherwise their behavior would become inacceptable!

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wrote:

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wrote:

However, here's a thought:

 

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That's a maybe list, at best, in terms of programatic actions that can be reasonably be comptemplated from within the apps store  :smileyindifferent:

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???

I, for one, and very fed up with just about every "moderator" and "leader" who chooses to reply here with uninformed data about how "hard" this would and how Lenovo is "working on it."

NOBODY "works" on stuff this long. We have gone through so many weeks since Win8 released that we would have seen Lenovo spend the equivalent of hundreds of thousands of dollars and hundreds of man-hours trying to solve this. They obviously have not. I assume they have spent less than 5 man hours on this and have not even written an MRD around it.

I can list plenty of things that do not work properly in Win 8 on a machine that "fully supports" Win8.

- Bluetooth crashes off and on, hard to control, always looks on even if it is off.

- WWAN card needs "beta" drivers from beta page, does not work properly with Windows utilities to connect to AT&T - Constantly have to re-enter my user info because the flash in the wwan card is wrong.

- WLAN intermittently crashes. You must disable/re-enable wifi adapter to have it scan for SSIDs and connect.

- Power management is a joke. Computer runs hot off and on, cpu throttling is intermittently broken 

- Audio driver comes with a service that will eat 80% CPU all the time until you disable it.

- Multitouch is reduced to 2 point touch support though my machine supports more in Win7.

- And who knows what-all else that I have worked around and then forgot about.

And none of this matters. Lenovo sold computers and said they would work with Windows 8. This issue with the Thinkvantage applications was identified about 1 day after Win8 released. There has been NO COMMENT from Lenovo AT ALL to even reassure us that they will fix this. 

As someone above said, we are an edge case so they must not care. I take this experience as a learning experience about Lenovo.

I wonder if anyone will EVER actually pick up this thread and reply with some official statement. 

I agree. I have called Lenovo support, and had a live chat, and both were not helpful.

From the phone support, the rep told me if I install Win 7 think vantage softwares, I should be okay. It seemed to work for a bit, but the system crashed the next day, so I had too recover back to pre-install state.

So, I went on for the live chat, and the rep said windows 8 pro upgraded from windows 7 is not supported by Lenovo, and there she doesn't know when the update will be made. I asked her if waiting is my only option, and she said "thank you for your understanding"

Now, I feel like we need to act out for this case, for majority of us believed our think pads fully supports windows 8, and upgraded so by paing additional $15. I think lenovo is liable for what they have stated when we purhcased our products.

I demand Lenovo for a clear answer and time frame if there's going to be any fix for our problem.

I am surprised Lenovo US support is as bad as Lenovo UK.  When I phoned and e-mailed UK support about the switchable graphics error 43 all I was told was the machine was sold with Win 7 Pro. Lenovo are not responsible.  The fact that it switchable graphics never worked properly with Win 7 Pro was glossed over.  More of concirn is the reduced battery life but they would not comment on that as I was not using their OS.  I went to Win  8 for compatability with a tablet but I will not buy another Lenovo product now, 

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