I’ve helped someone pick a laptop for their business - 16" Lenovo ThinkBook. Windows licensing is a clusterfuck, so I’m not sure if this is proper OS install or not.
Here are some facts:
The retailer offered it with or without Windows 11 pro, and since they need Windows for work, we went for the pre-installed option
The invoice clearly states Lenovo… whatever // Win 11 Pro
Activation channel shows up as OEM_DM (Digital Marker)
In the UEFI setup I see:
Preinstalled OS license: NO DPK
OA3 Key ID: all zeros
Windows license key came printed on a piece of paper that retailer slipped into the box
Running wmic returns the last four digits that match the key on the paper
There is no GML/COA sticker on the chassis, which as far as I can tell is expected for DM channel
The machine came with generic account on it - not like out of the box thing where user goes trough setup
My suspicion is that it’s the same ThinkBook SKU that ships without an OS, but the retailer installed Windows and slapped the Digital Marker license on it—rather than Lenovo shipping it with their official image.
Can you confirm this is a legitimate Windows 11 Pro license tied to the hardware via OEM_DM and not some aftermarket workaround?
I will definitely need to reinstall the OS since it came with admin account ready to go. Even if it is completely clean - letting a normie do their work on an admin account is a recipe for disaster.
As a bonus, Office 2024 requires Microsoft Account to activate. Lovely. It is only a matter of time before it asks the user to log in again and offer to switch them over to Microsoft account on their PC, they will blindly click YES and end up unknowingly breaking the law by sharing client data with Microsoft without informing their clients.
I have come across OEM windows that need specific OEM install media. Not looked too closely at how they make the media, and if it can be reproduced.
Easiest test, might be to try the key on a internet less VM install?
Then no harm, if the key only works with OEM media.
Perhaps one might even be able to get a Lenovo recovery install iso?
That would be harder to test in a VM, as the installer might be looking for specific hardware ID’s, and refuse to install on not-Lenovo stuff…
I don’t know, I can t try in a VM. However it makes no sense to send me the product key when I am unable to get OEM install media.
I did, it gives info, Licensed, Professional Edition, channel OEM_DM, and last digits of the key.
Probably not. It’s came with no OS from Lenovo, I suspect it’s the same SKU with OS slapped on it. Lenovo website has model lookup by serial number, and it doesn’t mention Windows in configuration. And it does have exact configuration.
If the OEM is the retailer, they might sell the recovery media as a upsell later, kinda scummy, but even if the OEM is lenovo, they would also charge, I think
Hmm, seems lenovo do offer their recovery iso free
Yeah, my bad, I re-read your post, and that bit did stick out…
Then reach out to the retailer?
Might be quicker to grab a spare SSD, and give the lenovo installer a go while waiting for them?
I just wiped it with Windows 11 ISO, and it activated after connecting to the internet. However that still doesn’t prove shit. It will do that even with gray market key, which is a complication I want to avoid in a business computer.
I guess that only thing I can guarantee is that the key does indeed have a Digital Marker.
However, now partial product key does not match. How fun!
Go to the Lenovo PC support page and enter the laptop’s serial number. You should see which OS it shipped with and have the option to download Lenovo recovery media.
Alternatively, install a clean copy of Windows 11 Pro. Use the Microsoft default product key VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T which will reactivate previously activated hardware with a digital license.
Office 2024 does not require a Microsoft account to activate. At least with the LTSC version anyway.
The last Lenovo I had in my hand was sold with Win and had a key in the BIOS.
It’s not like most modern laptops if they have Win then the key is in the BIOS… I rarely see new laptops with a key on the bottom or additional paper in 2025.
In your case it’s probably as you think. Sold bare without Win and on his own initiative the seller installed Win there with the key he has on hand for these operations. Did he add an extra $ for Win?
On principle I would purge the disk and install Win again. And the key… use this or buy a new one at your discretion or go https://massgrave.dev
Last year I bought a key for about $2…
So they gave you some kind of key from under the counter… Probably a similar quality key to my $2 one.
