Cluttermagnet Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 (edited) Hi, All- For those of you who may not have read my thread in Hardware, I bought a refurb Lenovo Thinkpad R61 for cheap and plan to use it mainly with Linux, but- It did come with a copy of Win7 which I did install when I first fired up the laptop. All went well and it is installed on the 80G/5400rpm drive which came with the box. But because I am quite nervous about the onslaught of hack attacks directed at Win platforms online these days, I wanted to wait and let my new copy of Win7 see internet only after I have gotten back up to speed on free security software and gotten some of them installed- or whatever native Windows utilities properly enabled. I don't fully know what I'm doing at the moment. I've been 7 years away from the whole Windows experience at this point... need to get back up to speed... So here's the question: As best I remember, one has a functional copy of Windows for 30 days, after installation, but that if you 'time out' and have not yet activated, the OS self-cripples. I may go well beyond 30 days before I feel ready to let Win7 see internet, at which time it is indeed set up to self-activate. In fact, I have now pulled that drive from the laptop and set it aside- I put in a 120GB SSD and installed Linux on that drive. Now, here's the crux of the matter- when I finally do put the Win7 drive back in, if it self-cripples, do I remember correctly that it retains at least a modicum of functionality, i.e. the ability to navigate on the net to the MS site and get itself activated at that late date? Inquiring minds want to know... Here's the thing- I have a lot of things competing for my attention right now, and frankly, the prospect of all the learning I need and all the security software gyrations I'll need to go through, makes this a daunting task overall, and makes it all the easier to put off. I don't want to go off half-cocked and put a poorly secured Win7 platform on the net before it is adequately hardened. In any case, I will image Win7 before I take that risk. Also right after- in case the non-activated image becomes useless. So do I need to panic and rush and push this somber ceremony of activation to the fore, or can I safely let this wait. I point out here that a hobbled OS may not be amenable to letting me install security software. Must I get this over with now? I'd rather wait. I've other things prioritized higher at the moment. So really, my question can be restated as follows: does Windows serve me, or must I serve Windows? I probably have about 2 weeks more before this thing times out... Thanks, Clutter Edited December 14, 2014 by Cluttermagnet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onederer Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 Boy, you sure are making things complicated. First off, since it would cost you nothing to activate Widows, you've got nothing to lose! But if you wait, then there is more pain to do the activation. Second, if you put in Windows after Linux, you are asking for more problems. Normally the Linux boot manager takes care of offering which Os you want to boot up. That means that Linux should be installed last, after Windows is already installed and available in the computer. Third, even if you have both OS's running in your machine, and dual-boot is available, who says that you have to use Windows? However, you probably should run it once in a while, for the OS to get it's updates. If you do want to run Windows, I'd recommend "Zone Alarm" for a firewall, and virus checker. I've used it for years, with no virus problems, and it's free! Free, Anonymox for hiding your actual IP (it can make it look like you are in some other State, or another country). I've got both OS's in this machine. Internally, Windows, on a 1TB hard drive. And Linux on a 1TB external USB hard drive (it sits in an external dual slot USB docking adaptor. The hard drive is a standard full-size internal hard drive). The nice thing is that Linux on boot up, always asks me which OS I want to run, and after making the selection, it runs that OS. If i yank out the external hard drive's USB cable (the 2 slot docking system), Then Windows simply boots up by itself, without any problems whatsoever. You can do it any way you want, but if you want to save time, and a future burden of adding something to it later on, it would be more expeditious to do the the whole job once, at the same time, and get it over with. Then enjoy the fruits of your labor from that point on. Happy Holidays! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goretsky Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 Hello, I would have thought that Microsoft Windows 7 would have been activated by the refurbisher when they installed Windows. Or were you just sent a blank machine and an install DVD? Also, where is the Product ID key for Windows? Is it on the DVD, the bottom of the R61, behind the battery, etc.? If Windows wasn't activated for some reason, that's what you would type in to activate it. Regards, Aryeh Goretsky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burninbush Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 (edited) @ clutter ... a couple of win7 tips: you can extend the free trial period to 120 days perfectly legally. Just google 'extend win7 trial period'. Note removing the drive will not solve the 30-day problem, it will still know that time has passed. I s'pose you could also set the clock back. I recommend booting with a live cd and partitioning your disk first, putting the primary win7 partition first. After win7 is installed in the first partition, then it's very simple to add grub4dos components [grldr, grub.exe, menu.lst] to make the win7 loader instead start grub ... from which you can chain to win7. Does not require rewriting the MBR, just copying some files and renaming a couple, very easy to back out of if you change your mind . Edited December 16, 2014 by burninbush 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cluttermagnet Posted December 16, 2014 Author Share Posted December 16, 2014 (edited) Hello, I would have thought that Microsoft Windows 7 would have been activated by the refurbisher when they installed Windows. Or were you just sent a blank machine and an install DVD? Also, where is the Product ID key for Windows? Is it on the DVD, the bottom of the R61, behind the battery, etc.? If Windows wasn't activated for some reason, that's what you would type in to activate it. Regards, Aryeh Goretsky It comes pre-installed to the drive, Aryeh. On the bottom of the case is a Windows/Refurbisher product key. When the machine wakes up it is set to immediately activate Windows, in the sense of entering that 25 character code from that label. Windows then prompts you- I made the choice for it to auto- activate when it first sees internet, For academic interest, the original Vista product code label is also on the bottom of the machine, with an overstamp that says something like 'obsolete- use refurbisher code'. So of course I have activated Win7* but it will still need to go online and get the official MS blessing. (* entered Windows 25 character code) As I hazily remember the rules, I think that Windows cannot even be moved to another, bigger drive, because it is a refurbisher code. I think it is good for that drive only(?) Based on what I have read above, it sounds like I should snatch it back from Betty and put the original hard drive back in and let it see internet. I just don't have time to mess with things I'm not up to speed on, like optioning Win native security stuff even, let alone Zone Alarm or Avast or whatever. So I will let it go and take that risk, and the minute I see it successfully interact with the MS activation server I'm going to yank internet- until I know what I'm doing. Onderer and Burninbush- I bought an inexpensive, used laptop to run Linux on, but it did come with WIn7 which could occasionally prove handy for running some free Windows software I have- geek stuff that will calculate electronic component values, etc. It will socket only one hard drive. It came with a little 80G/5400 drive with Win7 occupying it entirely. That drive is too small to squeeze Windows down and fit Linux in. So my answer is to just set Win7 up and then swap in a 120GB SSD I bought, and that is what I did. So I have a Linux OS on that SSD. What I might do eventually is to put the linux on an external drive and that way I could keep the Windows option. I'll have to experiment to figure this all out. Most important, I just need to get back up to speed so I feel that I know what I'm doing and know how to adequately defend Windows online. Edited December 16, 2014 by Cluttermagnet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/activate-windows#1TC=windows-7 Is this what you're looking for, Clutter? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cluttermagnet Posted December 17, 2014 Author Share Posted December 17, 2014 (edited) Yes, although I'm even more confused now. I already have entered the 25 character activation key supplied on the sticker by the refurbisher. Maybe I am already activated? Reminds me a little of those 'pre-activated' Dell Windows installs- no need to go for online activation if the DVD you use is installed onto a Dell computer... BTW let's make the distinction here- I believe this refurbisher is indeed one of those 'MS authorized' type firms... They had already installed Win7 to that disk, all I did was create a user, set a few preferences, and proffer my key... Whatever I did there was described by the refurb folks on a half- sheet cardstock flyer which came with the machine. They said that's what you do first- like it's not voluntary, just to it. They say certain keys on the keyboard will be locked out briefly while going through the initial boot of Win7 and entering of the key. So I did that. I entered the key and then Windows finished setting itself up, noted my User and Pwd, etc. A friend from Scot's was kind enough to send me an old, never-used XP Dell install DVD I'm going to put on one of my Dells. That one need not be activated online. P.S. Maybe all I 'set up' at the time I entered the key was for Win7 to go online and update itself? I am just going to throw caution to the winds and just reinstall that disk and let it see internet. I am hoping to promptly see some sort of MS interaction going on? Once I'm sure that transaction has concluded, I am going to yank Ethernet. I don' really have the time right now to get sucked back into the Windows security game. The little 80G drive can go live on a shelf for a while, until I can get around to this, for me, unpleasant task... Once I have it properly set up, I would tend to always not let it see internet- maybe once in a while for updates... I will take several disk images as I tread lightly through this... Edited December 17, 2014 by Cluttermagnet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goretsky Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Hello, Microsoft is usually pretty good about letting folks reactivate over the phone if it doesn't work over the Internet. Especially if you had a drive crash or it wiped it due to a virus, etc. Regards, Aryeh Goretsky 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cluttermagnet Posted December 17, 2014 Author Share Posted December 17, 2014 Yep, there is always hope. I'm not going to get too worked up over this. I just think it will all work out, and I'll end up with yet another useful tool. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cluttermagnet Posted December 20, 2014 Author Share Posted December 20, 2014 This is way too simple, Temmu. Even a caveman- or me- can do this. Thanks, man. That's what I need right now, very basic stuff like this. When I get back to that box I'll try it and let you know what it says... and I'll also try it on this box, Betty's new (old) Lenovo T420 lappie which also has Win7 on it... r click "computer" in the start menu. properties (the computer properties dialog appears) size the window to display all its contents bottom of page, "windows activation" windows is activated bottom right corner is a large blue "genuine microsoft" icon shows that your windows 7 is activated is that there? if not, connect to internet click "activate now" (no, sliding the win 7 hd in and out of the same machine does =not= change activation.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cluttermagnet Posted December 24, 2014 Author Share Posted December 24, 2014 (edited) OK, I finally got to this today. Thanks, Temmu, it was pretty straightforward. After asking a couple of networking questions (after I plugged in the Ethernet cable), it gave me a password to remember for the networking. Then I went into the Start/Computer screen, chose the properties tab, and it told me 10 more days to activate. There was a link to click, and I did so. Took less than 20 seconds I think, then the screen assured me I am genuine now. I'm golden. So I yanked the Ethernet plug and will address the other security issues later, making frequent images as I go along. Interesting side note- Windows could somehow tell I had a different drive in the laptop (120GB SSD). It woke up 'upset' and offered to take me into repair mode. I wisely opted to 'start Windows normally', and it did. But Windows was upset. I've also seen this behavior right after shrinking a Windows partition on a hard drive (to shoehorn Linux in at the top of the drive). Windows wakes up grumpy and does some housecleaning in that case, to sniff out the new boundaries it lives in. On this little 80GB/5400 drive I think I'll just leave Win7 alone. The drive is too small to shrink it to fit Linux in. OTOH I could do that on Betty's 'new' Lenovo T420, which has a 320GB/7200 drive. I may well put Linux on there- but meanwhile we did get a couple more 2.5in SSD drives, so I have a 240GB SSD in Betty's laptop with Linux on it. That will do for now. After we are both more familiar with the two new laptops, I can think about these other issues, some time later in the new year. Some time next year I'm looking forward to finally getting the time to try out a couple of Windows freebie scientific programs slanted towards my radio hobby, including an RF filter design program and an PC board layout (artwork) utility. So much stuff is written for the ubiquitous Windows OS... Thanks, Guys, for all the good help. I'll definitely be back later with some really basic Windows questions. It'll be a while before I can stop referring to myself as 'rusty' in Windows. Happy holidays, All! Edited December 24, 2014 by Cluttermagnet 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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