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    ABR utility with new activation?

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by homesizzle, Sep 13, 2009.

  1. homesizzle

    homesizzle Notebook Enthusiast

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    Let's say I install a brand new oem or retail version of Vista on my laptop.

    Can I use the ABR utility to download the key and go do a reinstall and use the ABR utility to activate?

    From reading the threads here it seems like the ABR utility only works with the factory state install of Vista...
     
    homesizzle, Sep 13, 2009
    #1
  2. LDM91

    LDM91 Notebook Guru

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    Other way round mate. Stallen's guide says you use it to activate the OEM and Retail versions.
     
    LDM91, Sep 13, 2009
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  3. StealthTH

    StealthTH Notebook Evangelist

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    LDM is correct. You use it to back up your OEM activation from the Lenovo Preinstall and restore it on your custom clean install of the OS. I have done this and it worked wonderfully.
     
    StealthTH, Sep 13, 2009
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  4. homesizzle

    homesizzle Notebook Enthusiast

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    I know.

    I bought this laptop through the school and they installed XP over the Vista, so there's no way to go back to the factory state to use the ABR utility.

    I technically have a legit copy of Vista Business with the cd key on the bottom and a copy of the vista install disks. So I wanted to install, use the cd key on the bottom of the laptop, explain myself to Microsoft and then use the ABR utility for future reinstalls.
     
    homesizzle, Sep 13, 2009
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  5. StealthTH

    StealthTH Notebook Evangelist

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    That is perfectly fine to do, just have to do activation over the phone (I haven't done it, but heard it was automated and simple). After that you can back it up using ABR
     
    StealthTH, Sep 13, 2009
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