Lenovo Thinkpad S210 - How to install windows or similar

[JustAnotherFarang]

Hi guys

A friend of mine has just got a Lenovo Thinkpad s210 notebook with 320g hard drive and 2 gig of memory. When he switched it on he found that windows was not preinstalled and that he had just a version of freedos. He brought it to me to check it out but I dont know anything about dos and it does not have a cd drive to easily install windows

So what are his options to install a familiar operating system and how would he go about it. Might also need to look into upgrading the ram as well to 4gb or more as well

Cheers

JAF

[Rob13]

Easiest and cheapest is make a Linux USB and install from that. Or just take it to a shop for a Windows install.

[kkerry]

Firstly, Google the exact model number to confirm the RAM is upgradeable and by how much. A quick search shows similar models with 4GB in only one slot. Also download the Lenovo manual to check how practical it is to upgrade as some smaller notebooks don't make it easy e.g. difficult to access or soldered on.

If you wish to install Windows using a DVD then you will need an external CD/DVD player. They cost about a thousand baht but you can also install off a USB stick.

Genuine Windows 10 purchased from a large retailer like JIB will cost around four thousand baht. There are plenty of shops that can install cheaper non genuine versions but in the long run you are better off with the real thing.

[Seligne2]

Take it back to the shop where it was purchased and have them install Windows or Linux. Will not be free of course.

[JustAnotherFarang]

Cheers guys, I am going to install the free version of windows 10 using usb, not to sure whether to use 32 or 64 bit version. I can see that it has a celeron 1.6 chip and that the ram is upgradeable to 8gb which I will do. I have also downloaded all the latest drivers from the Lenovo site

JAF

[Rob13]

If you have 4gbs of ram or more use 64 bit; if they give you a choice; bigger faster better.

[Pib]

Cheers guys, I am going to install the free version of windows 10 using usb, not to sure whether to use 32 or 64 bit version. I can see that it has a celeron 1.6 chip and that the ram is upgradeable to 8gb which I will do. I have also downloaded all the latest drivers from the Lenovo site

JAF

There is no free version of Win 10 unless you are upgrading from Win 7/8.

While you can indeed download/install Win 10 right from Windows servers you will not be able to activate it which means after 30 days it will become crippled unless you buy a license to activate it.

[Rob13]

Cheers guys, I am going to install the free version of windows 10 using usb, not to sure whether to use 32 or 64 bit version. I can see that it has a celeron 1.6 chip and that the ram is upgradeable to 8gb which I will do. I have also downloaded all the latest drivers from the Lenovo site

JAF

There is no free version of Win 10 unless you are upgrading from Win 7/8.

While you can indeed download/install Win 10 right from Windows servers you will not be able to activate it which means after 30 days it will become crippled unless you buy a license to activate it.

How much is the license?

Never mind just googled it, 119 bucks

[Pib]

Probably much cheaper to just install Win 7 or Win 8 via buy/install at a local shop or buying license off Ebay....just get Win 7/8 installed. Then let Win 7 upgrade to Win 10 for free.

If concerned about undesirable stuff that may come with a local shop install, well, after the install and then letting it upgrade to Win 10 which gives you the permanent lifetime Win 10 license for that machine, then do a "Clean Install of Win 10" by downloading Win 10 ISO from Windows servers and doing a Clean Install. It will automatically activate since the machine's digital fingerprint from the Win 10 upgrade is forever contained in Microsoft activation servers.

[chrisinth]

Cheers guys, I am going to install the free version of windows 10 using usb, not to sure whether to use 32 or 64 bit version. I can see that it has a celeron 1.6 chip and that the ram is upgradeable to 8gb which I will do. I have also downloaded all the latest drivers from the Lenovo site

JAF

As stated by other posters, before you can take advantage of the W10 upgrade, you will need to have an activated W7/8 operating system installed. Depending on which version of W7/8 is installed will determine which version of W10 you will end up with.

<Deleted by poster> (Possible talk of illegal activities mentioned)

If you are planning to upgrade the RAM to 8GB, install a 64 bit OS as a 32 bit system, without tweaking, will be restricted to only 3GB of RAM regardless of how much you have installed.

[Pib]

Probably much cheaper to just install Win 7 or Win 8 via buy/install at a local shop or buying license off Ebay....just get Win 7/8 installed. Then let Win 7 upgrade to Win 10 for free.

If concerned about undesirable stuff that may come with a local shop install, well, after the install and then letting it upgrade to Win 10 which gives you the permanent lifetime Win 10 license for that machine, then do a "Clean Install of Win 10" by downloading Win 10 ISO from Windows servers and doing a Clean Install. It will automatically activate since the machine's digital fingerprint from the Win 10 upgrade is forever contained in Microsoft activation servers.

And just to ensure no misunderstanding where I said just get Win 7/8 installed, it must be "activated" also before you can upgrade free to Win 10.

[JustAnotherFarang]

Windows 10 installed with an available key, everything works well but alas its not a touchscreen which was disappointing. Also checked out its warranty which is now void as it ran out in March of this year. Explains why it was cheap and cheerful on Chilindo.com

JAF

[casualbiker]

Cheers guys, I am going to install the free version of windows 10 using usb, not to sure whether to use 32 or 64 bit version. I can see that it has a celeron 1.6 chip and that the ram is upgradeable to 8gb which I will do. I have also downloaded all the latest drivers from the Lenovo site

JAF

There is no free version of Win 10 unless you are upgrading from Win 7/8.

While you can indeed download/install Win 10 right from Windows servers you will not be able to activate it which means after 30 days it will become crippled unless you buy a license to activate it.

How much is the license?

Never mind just googled it, 119 bucks

I got a license from eBay..less than $20

[Pib]

Yea, when I bought two Win 10 "Pro" licenses (retail licenses) off Ebay in Sep 15 to upgrade my Win 10 on my two home machines, I paid 12.90 Euro (approx Bt500 for each).

[Rob13]

Yea, when I bought two Win 10 "Pro" licenses (retail licenses) off Ebay in Sep 15 to upgrade my Win 10 on my two home machines, I paid 12.90 Euro (approx Bt500 for each).

How can they sell them so cheap?

[Pib]

Yea, when I bought two Win 10 "Pro" licenses (retail licenses) off Ebay in Sep 15 to upgrade my Win 10 on my two home machines, I paid 12.90 Euro (approx Bt500 for each).

How can they sell them so cheap?

Got me...somehow sellers come up with a bunch of license numbers to sell. Yea, yea, I know some sellers market licenses that are not suppose to be sold/resold in the retail market but it still happens routinely. From looking at the Ebayer (Spain based) I bought my licenses from (he don't have any items to sell at the moment) he has an Ebay feedback rating of 99.6% with 1905 positives, 4 neutrals, a 7 negatives over a 12 month period. When scanning through those sales/feedbacks it like 90% made up of selling Win 10 and Win 8.1 retail licenses at around Bt500. Now he hasn't sold anything for a month after he ran out of the Win 10 licenses (he hundreds to sell), but he's still active and has a Top Seller Rating. I expect one day he put a bunch of more licenses up for sale like you see many Ebay sellers do.