Return new T400 for 64-bit?

I ordered a T400 with Windows 7 Pro 32-bit from Lenovo and it arrived in three days ago. It's still sealed in the box.

Having just cleared up some misconceptions about 32-bit vs 64-bit, I am wishing I ordered Windows 7 Pro 64-bit. Looking for an alternative to returning the machine. Here is what I've considered:

(1) I've read elsewhere that someone with the same problem who purchased a Toshiba was told by Toshiba support that the recovery partition on his machine would install either the 32-bit or 64-bit. I'm told the Thinkpad recovery partition does not work in this way. True?

(2) Lenovo support refused to send me the recovery discs for the 64-bit version, even if paid for them, saying they it was a different o/s than what I ordered, and that they were prohibited from doing so. Not sure what the issue is, since there is no price difference between Win7 Pro x32 and x64, both on the Lenovo site or in a retail environment. I believe the license on the bottom of the machine will activate either version, and doing so would be ligitimate.

(3) I've considered a torrent of the recovery/restore discs, but there's the risk they won't work, and then my ability to return the machine is diminished or ruined.

(4) I've also considered buying a retail Win7 Pro install. The price would be comparable to what I’d pay Lenovo for the restocking fee, but it seems silly to wipe the recovery partition, invalidate the blue Thinkvantage button on a brand new machine. Besides, if I return the machine and purchase another at the same time, I understand I might get out of the restocking fee.

Is there any reasonable alternative to returning the machine?

 

All you need is alternate media.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=428068

 

Why not just wipe the HDD, install 64bit Win7 and make a system image with Windows? Just download a Win7 DVD through torrent (you have a valid key so your Win installation will be as valid as any other)

 

Nope, OEM keys are one or the other, only retail keys can install either.

 

Not here.....key worked for a downloaded iso

 

That's only the official EULA policy. Microsoft doesn't actually enforce it at all.

 

That's weird, because none of my OEM keys have actually worked back and forth. Are you leaving them blank during install, maybe, and then entering them later?

 

Yeah, you have to manually activate by calling the phoneline. The key on the bottom of the laptop technically isn't activated. When you get your laptop from the factory, it's running on a generic OEM key unique to the manufacturer. When you reinstall with the key at the bottom, the automatic activation won't always go through.

 

I thank you all for the responses, and the interesting link...

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=428068

...but they leave me with some additional questions.

(1) Does wiping the HDD, and installing 64bit Win7 per the other thread make more sense than exchanging the machine for a new one (i.e. returning the computer and buying another; I've read that they will waive the re-stock fee if you buy another one of equal or greater price)?

(2) If I install 64bit Win7, could I retain the factory installed recovery partition w/32bit Win7? Would it be of any value to me or would it be essentially useless?

(3) Could I modify the image on the recovery partition so that it installs my "new" system image? Not sure if there is much point in this.

(4) Does the blue Thinkvantage button lose all funtionality if perform the above?

Thanks again.

 

There was this clean install thread for Vista in the Lenovo forum. You just have to obtain the DVD media and then perform a clean install. Make sure you burn your recovery DVD's first. This way would get rid of you of all the preloaded junkware that comes with your laptop.

 

Yes but that wouldn't get rid of the recovery partition being 32bit which was the whole point.
Another difference between sending it back and wiping the HDD is that you won't have to wait 'till the new one arrives.

 

Just live with it. I run Vista 32 and W7 64 on dual boot and frankly there isnt that much of a difference in the speed of the OS. Just that Vista takes a heck of a long time to load and shut down. For the heck of it I went with 64 but 32 could have been fine. Unless you plan on putting 8GB of RAM into your system I dont see the real world need. All great in specs and show off to nerd heads like us but your real world friends wont even know what you are talking about. lol.

 

probably very true

 

But I see both of your OS' are 64. lol.

 

yes but i actually need ALL the RAM i can get....and will upgrade to 8gb when i have some spare €€

 

I don't work with Windows very much anymore, so I'm not sure, but I think if you install the Rescue and Recovery software it will allow you to create a restore partition from your own install. Or you can use something like TrueImage or Clonezilla to do it. TrueImage would be much easier, but Clonezilla is free.

 

Can't the OP partition it after afterwards to get rid of the hidden partition?