Lenovo XP Cds are loaded with their crap apps!

I ordered a T400 with Vista Ultimate, for the only reason that I'll have a free copy of Windows 7 ultimate when it's out. But before that date (october 22) I want to downgrade to XP pro. And I don't want any of the Lenovo apps installed (with some exceptions, but I want to install those by myself).

I received 2 XP recovery cds with the T400. But when reinstalling everything, I saw that those cds are not plain vanilla XP cds, they are full of pre-installed crap apps. And of course they are OEM with no real serial number so I can't get a regular XP cd copy I would find on Internet and use the legit serial number.

Is there a way to install a plain version of XP pro using what is distributed with a T400? I can't believe I would have to buy a regular XP pro cd (used) since I DID PAY FOR VISTA ULTIMATE!!

 

This may be of interest.

Link

 

Thanks, this is interesting indeed. But...

- A "Windows License Key" is required... Since they do not provide a key, will this method work with the key I would extract using keyfinder?

- Windows XP must be installed to create those installation CDs. So would I have to install the lenovo version of XP instead of the installed vista ultimate version, then create the "plain" XP Cds from it and finally reinstall XP? I guess it would work but it's a pain!

 

I'm surprised that you even thought that the XP CDs (emphasis on the "s") were retail.

No.

 

I'll agree with cloud Nine with proviso's.

He is right that there is no way to install a plain copy of XP with a Lenovo CD. He'll have to buy an ordinary XP and install it after initializing the disk prior to it working.

When I installed Vista in my t61p, I installed an MSDN version of Vista because I didn't want all that stuff on my system. This is the only way to accomplish a clean install.

 

The method in the link Zaz points to is probably the only way I can think of that you can use to install a pre-activated copy of Windows XP.
It's probably easier to learn to live with Vista. What kind of problem do you have with it?

 

But again: I think you need a key to use this method.

XP is perfect for me, I don't feel the need to change my OS. I'll do it with Windows 7 because XP won't be supported anymore.. And there are better reviews for Windows 7 than for Vista.

 

Use magicjellybean to extract the key.

If you just base on reviews to determine the usefulness of Vista, it's not very practical. Most reviews of Vista were made before Service Pack 1 is released. SP1 has fixed most problem people were having with Vista.

 

This is what I asked in my second message!

But are you sure this key will work with the created cd? I did try the extracted key on a copy of XP I found on Internet and it did not work. But since the copy would have been created from an already installed copy, I guess the key extracted using magicjellybean would work!

I'll try it soon...

 

Actually, I've run Vista on several systems and I have not had one problem or crash with it. I'm a system's designer and I know of no one one that places a load like I do on systems.

Renee

 

And what are you able to do that I can't using XP pro?

I'm a developer and I run a lot of servers/services on my computer 24/7 and I never have any crash either!

I don't hate Vista, I just don't need it.

 

I don't hate Vista either --I just dislike it. Windows XP is faster, and I'm more productive with it. Windows 7RC is faster than it, and fixes all the minor UI annoyances I have with Vista.

SP2 did help Vista's performance for me --but even then, Windows 7 just works better, and that's just the RC.

 

XP copies found online are to be used with retail keys. What you're creating here is an OEM copy of windows XP, which works with OEM key (the key gotten from magicaljellybean)

 

thanks, I'll try it!

 

No problem. Good luck.