Win 7 preinstalled with download rights: still Free upgrade to Win 10?

hi AB. I'm Greg, an installation specialist, 10 year Windows MVP, and Volunteer Guardian Moderator here to help you.

Normally you'd have Downgrade rights from one of the higher version but not both. Those are also administered by your PC maker so I'd contact yours to ask to exercise your right to change back to the higher version.

If they confirm you have a WIndows 10 license then following the gold standard Clean Install in this link which compiles the best possible Install of Windows which will stay that way as long as you stick with the tools and methods given, has zero reported problems, and is better than any amount of money could buy: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki...

Preinstalled WIndows has a Product Key embedded in the BIOS chip so if you hadn't been on Windows 10 long enough for it to convert to the Digital LIcense used for most activations, you can read the key by installing ProducKey from http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/produkey-x64.zip and look for the OEM-BIOS key. That key may work if you know it's for Windows 10 and not Windows 8.1 or 8. If there isn't any OEM-BIOS key then it isn't a branded PC with factory install which are all that have Downgrade rights in the first place.

If you need further help to sort this out contact Microsoft Support phone or chat options here:
https://partner.support.services.microsoft.com/...

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask back any questions and keep me posted. If you will wait to choose if I solved your problem, I will keep working with you until it's resolved.

Thank you Greg for the quick reply!

I checked and on the specs of my laptop it says:

Windows® 7 Professional 64 preinstalled
through downgrade rights in
Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit or
Windows 10 Pro 64

So maybe it's a bit unusual to have both....

So does this mean I get a free upgrade now?  Or is it too late?

The website you posted doesn't seem or work? 

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/produkey-x64.zip

Is the N really supposed to be an M?

Ok, I see the website is real with an "n,"  but the like for the zip file doesn't work? 

Try another browser or get it from here:
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_vi...

You said you saw the Downgrade rights message in Specs, but where? Can you give me a link to them, or post a screenshot so we can see what you're seeing: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/o.... Attach using Attach Image button in reply box.

Here is the link:  https://psref.lenovo.com/Detail/ThinkPad_T450s?M=20BX001PUS

But you have to click PDF or Excel, and have your browser allow the pop up.  It's Lenovo's site.

I ran that program and it gave me a Bios key and a key for my Win 7 Pro, but how do

I know if the Bios OEM key is really for windows 10?

Thanks again for your help...

I see Windows 8.1 DG Windows 7 Pro 64 which implies it came with Windows 8.1 embedded Product Key (the first Windows that uses those). You should be able to revert to Windows 8.1, but it says nothing about Windows 10 so I don't know where you saw that as I've never heard of it.

There is a Lenovo information page here with more information on Downgrade rights:
https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/solutions/ht07...

I would first contact Lenovo Support to confirm how they want their Downgrade rights reversed to the old OS. Each manufacturer has it's own way of doing this. Microsoft Support would probably refer you to them, although you can try asking them via the link I gave to chat or phone Support. It's possible that either one of them might give you a Windows 10 key, so it doesn't hurt to ask once you find out what you're entitled to already.

This is a bit technical for me Greg....

I don't understand for a few reasons:

1.  On the link to the pdf file on lenovo's site that I sent you it  states Windows 8.1 Pro OR Windows 10 Pro.

2.  The link that you sent on Lenovo's site says: 

    

Microsoft Windows 10 Pro to:
- Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro
- Microsoft Windows 7 Professional

3.  When I first got it, I actually updated to Win 10, but shortly after, downgraded back to win 7.

A while after that I did a clean install via the partition.....( win 7)....freshen up.

Anyway, in the box, there is a paper that says: Your computer is preinstalled with the Windows 7 pro os through the downgrade rights of the win 8 pro license.  With no menion of windows 10.  But when I bought, I pretty sure I recall reading about win 10 upgrade as well.

But like I said, I already updated to Win 10, and how can Lenovo say explicitly on the link I sent???  I'm confused, and I don't

understand what you meant when you said, "I see Windows 8.1 DG Windows 7 Pro 64 which implies it came with Windows 8.1 embedded Product Key."

On Lenvo's site that you sent me, it says:

Eligible for Microsoft Windows 10 Downgrade

Below that, it lists Win 10 Pro, to: Win 8.1 Pro, and Win 7 Pro.

Just like what PDF or excel file on lenovo's site said (explicitly with PRO versions):  i.e. Window® 7 Professional 64 preinstalled
through downgrade rights in Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit or Windows 10 Pro 64

I really lost here...

Kindly clarify...

Thanks again for your help!

2.  When I first got the pc, I actually upgraded to win 10, but shortly after, downgraded back to win 7.

The issue may be that after that , I did reinstall to factory defaults (just to give a fresh install of the win 7) from the

partition.

and BTW, this is where I purchased, but it says there that "...while the installed operating system is Windows 7 Pro (64-bit), a Windows 8.1 (64-bit) license is included at no additional cost." 

I bought mine a few years ago though, and like I said above, I recall it had a free upgrade to Win 10, and indeed, I very briefly undated, like I said above....

Where did you say you already Upgraded to Windows 10? I went back and looked and I dont' find it until you just now wrote it and said "like I said."

If you upgraded to Windows 10 and saw it was activated with a Digital License then it will still be there if you reinstall WIndows 10. You might need to contact Microsoft Support to revert to it, but not always.

You also just now said that in the Spec .pdf you sent me it says it downgrades from Windows 10. Where? I quoted all it says about Windows in the specs under "Preload: Windows 8.1 DG Windows 7 Pro 64" which clearly says it is for 8.1, not 10. Nothing is said in any specs you gave me about Windows 10 for this PC. In the Lenovo information pages on Downgrade rights I gave you (which are written for consumers and not technical) it refers to Downgrade rights from either Windows 8 or 10, never both. I have handled literally tens of thousands of activation cases in forums and have never heard of both being downgradable.

Sorry for the confusion:

In the original link I sent:  Where you click PDF:  in that file, it says: PRELOAD in the right pane.  Can you find it?  To the right of that, that's where it's located.

If I must contact support to revert to it, what # do I call, and what do I tell them?  Do I give them the Bios key that I got

from that zip file you gave me?