Ordered XP Pro, COA is for Vista Business

We just received our two R61i laptops yesterday, but I'm a little concerned. We ordered both with Windows XP Pro, but they arrived with Vista Business COA labels. Even our shipping order says a Windows XP label is included. Windows XP is installed on our machines.

So, my question is this: I really want to follow the "fresh XP installation" guide, but am concerned that when I install XP, my COA for Vista won't work.

Should Lenovo have shipped another label, or is this what everyone who orders XP Pro gets?

Thanks for your help!

 

You should get back to Lenovo as soon as possible, and I am afraid they wont just hand out XP discs to you, so they would want the notebooks back..!!
See if you can stop part of the payment that amounts to be the total cost of both the OSs....to be on the safe side..!! Although you should'nt have any problems with it..!!

 

I thought vista business lets you do a free downgrade to xp. I would rather have vista business in this case

 

Unfortunately, we need to use XP at our school (I'm an educator), since our IT guy can't figure out how to get Vista to connect to our network drives.

I just found it strange that Lenovo installed XP Pro (as we requested) but affixed a Vista label. I just wondered if this how they usually do things or if they've made an error and I should contact them.

Thanks!

 

The route Lenovo probably used was the Vista/XP downgrade option. Since they can't sell XP anymore, they must sell Vista, and use the downgrade to offer XP to their customers.

 

I was thinking the same thing, but I ordered it on 6/16, which I believe still fell in Lenovo's window of selling XP systems.

It's starting to sound like I'm going to have to contact Lenovo to rectify this.

 

hmm... you can always use an app to identify the windows xp key currently being used in your system, and proceed with that one...

slightly off-topic here... i don't have winxp but my friend does. can i use the key that came with my t61. in other words, can i use an oem key of winxp pro on a retail copy of winxp pro?

 

The key should work for either XP or Vista. You may have to call to get it activated.

 

I too because of work related applications have to use XP Pro, so I ordered XP Pro with my R61 in May. And I did get what looks like "normal" XP Pro. From other's machine, I also see "Vista" version XP Pro. To me, there has to be some different with the two versions, but will that make any different in my work, so far, still don't know yet.

 

Did they affix the Vista label on the bottom of your notebook or an XP label?

 

If your IT guy can't figure it out, tell him to try Network Magic. It's the best solution I've found for tenacious XP/Vista/MacOS networking problems.

LOL there are many arguments I can think of for using XP, but an IT guy who can't figure out network drives on Vista is a new one .

 

I have long criticized our lousy computers and networking. It's scary, but the only computers that run effectively on our network are those with WINDOWS 98. Ugh. Those of us with personal computers and XP have been able to get things to work, but our students really suffer on the school computers.

Sorry...little off topic rant there...ANYWAY, this Vista downgrade stuff is new to me, but it appears that I won't have much of a problem downgrading my installation if I use the XP Pro retail disc I have lying around and make a call to MS. Thanks for all of your help!

 

No, it is not a Vista label, but truly a Window XP Pro version (I guess, because I re-installed by recovery twice and did not see any Vista logo, and the COA is not showing any Vista word). I read here for advice and get inform that the XP Pro is going to discontinue, so I hurry and ordered in May to make sure I get the XP Pro option.

 

I had this happen to me with my T61. I ordered with XP Pro on the last day they were offering it (6/18).

The COA on the bottom was Vista Business, but XP Pro was installed. I'm not sure what the recovery includes, as I haven't looked.

Another strange thing was the sticker on the palm rest was for Vista Basic.....

Very odd.