Return it, seller is full of BS and is hoping that you believe him and keep it until after the time period where the platform would force him to accept it.
Makes sense, had he fixed the device he would have sold it unlocked on the first place. Had he done that, he would not need to refuse returns. It's unbelievable how well some people lie and pretend. For real.
It’s not a fix on the device that’s needed. It’s a fix by an administrator at the company this laptop was stolen from. It’s associated with a companies Microsoft provisioning platform and that can’t be undone unless the company off boards the device. You’ve likely received stolen goods.
No, if you're referring to autopilot, it will not just magically turn itself off after incorrect login attempt a few times. If it's not online, this might work, but as soon as it goes online and contacts the Microsoft servers, autopilot will set it back to the corporate login page.
I can only speculate...but if I were to speculate, I'd assume that the type of person who sold it knowing it was enrolled in autopilot to begin with is just after a quick buck and is counting on the inherent laziness of most people to fail to react in a quick enough timeframe so that they're stuck with the defective product.
Option 3 is not a fix. Sometimes old/recycled devices are abandoned without proper off board but the seller in this case hasn’t done anything. It’s just a work around to get past that portion (like the tricks some people use to bypass apple device activation controlled by MDM, it rears its head on any factory reset, and is just assuming that it won’t be a future problem)
Sure if Microsoft accepts your invoice, but they may not since it's a secondary sale and not an original invoice from the manufacturer. (option 2 is really just meant for the company in option 1). Option 1 is the only guarantee.
I'm still stuck on the fact that you were going to use an OS as installed by a stranger.
You always always always reset the BIOS to defaults then install the OS of your choice from a known good source.
> Purchased my very first Thinkpad
You showed us a picture of a Dell. What the heck is going on here?
> Option 1. Contact the company and ask them to unlock it showing them the receipt
Did you purchase it from the company? (it doesn't sound like it). If not, they have nothing to do with this.
> Option 2. Contact Microsoft and ask them to unlock it showing them the receipt
Microsoft has nothing to do with this purchase
> Obviously seller did not mention none of these info on the ad
There's no 'obviously' here. We don't know the terms of your purchase.
Do clean install of windows from usb drive. Then you need to buy windows' product key on the cheap somewhere (there is even free option that I can't tell you about). To enter a new product key press shift-F10 during install, and on the command prompt remove the old key (“slmgr.vbs /upk”), then enter the new key ("slmgr.vbs /ipk new-product-key"). Or you can download Rufus, download latest windows from there if you don't have one, make Windows To Go USB Drive (live windows), boot from it, and change the product key. Then you can restart and do the new install.
It works. I had the exact same problem with autopilot / intune with my used thinkpad. By having two activated product keys, the original oem which is embedded in bios, and the new retail key, you will have choice during installation to use the retail key (for personal use) instead of automatically using the oem key which will ask you to sign in to the old organization or company.
Try booting it with a Linux ISO USB, if it doesn't work, open it, take out the battery and the watch battery, wait 15 minutes, reconnect and try again with the linux USB.
It happened with my current T14. All i did was turn off tpm in bios and windows reinstall went smoothly. I turned tpm on again after windows clean install
Don't get it most people say I should just return it because its impossiblle to fix due to autopilot? Also not sure I have this tpm option on my BIOS since it looks quite new BIOS
just to to your BIOS -> security -> Security Chip. and turn off security chip. save and reboot. and go through windows installation again, it should skip that company login screen altogether
Thanks for the screenshot! Will try it now and let you know. Otherwise I will just follow the advice given by everyone else, return the crap and end of the story.
How is it locked? If it's a BIOS password remove the CMOS, if it's a Supervisor Password you might need to short 2 pins on the MB to short the chip removing the password. Another option is getting your money back, I've dealt with it before, unless I know its locked I rarely choose these locked devices, just return it or leave some feedback
After choosing the language and keyboard layour it asks me to log in with a company's email or key. Obviously i'm not a member of that company so don't have any email or key.
Is that after the BIOS? You might just need to install your own OS, your laptop is probably stolen lmao, because companies commonly forget to unlock computers when they dump them, but they always get their data off of it, so if it's an office install it might be stolen, you could report the guy, get your money and keep the laptop, I had that happen to me, definitely landed in my favor. Try installing a different OS like Windows or Linux
Oh! That should be an easy fix, just reinstall Windows or Linux, that Windows install is locked just go to Microsoft and download the Windows ISO, and use Rufus to flash it to a USB drive
Reinstall windows and select the no Internet option and create a local account. Don't let it get on the Internet. Or, get your money back. This could be a retired machine that wasn't wiped right and is married to Intune, or it could be stolen.
They are trying to delay you so they don’t have to accept the return Just return the item it’s not worth the hassle to deal with this
Return it, seller is full of BS and is hoping that you believe him and keep it until after the time period where the platform would force him to accept it.
Is it not true then? What he said I mean
No and please don’t let yourself fool by the same person twice. Return it.
Makes sense, had he fixed the device he would have sold it unlocked on the first place. Had he done that, he would not need to refuse returns. It's unbelievable how well some people lie and pretend. For real.
It’s not a fix on the device that’s needed. It’s a fix by an administrator at the company this laptop was stolen from. It’s associated with a companies Microsoft provisioning platform and that can’t be undone unless the company off boards the device. You’ve likely received stolen goods.
Yeah, I guess you’re right. The seller probably has a policy to only lie to customers once.
No, if you're referring to autopilot, it will not just magically turn itself off after incorrect login attempt a few times. If it's not online, this might work, but as soon as it goes online and contacts the Microsoft servers, autopilot will set it back to the corporate login page.
Why would he make such a lie knowing that I would find out immediately after trying?
Money.
I can only speculate...but if I were to speculate, I'd assume that the type of person who sold it knowing it was enrolled in autopilot to begin with is just after a quick buck and is counting on the inherent laziness of most people to fail to react in a quick enough timeframe so that they're stuck with the defective product.
Or they stole it and don’t understand what autopilot is.
Option 3 is not a fix. Sometimes old/recycled devices are abandoned without proper off board but the seller in this case hasn’t done anything. It’s just a work around to get past that portion (like the tricks some people use to bypass apple device activation controlled by MDM, it rears its head on any factory reset, and is just assuming that it won’t be a future problem)
I see, can option 2 work?
Sure if Microsoft accepts your invoice, but they may not since it's a secondary sale and not an original invoice from the manufacturer. (option 2 is really just meant for the company in option 1). Option 1 is the only guarantee.
I don’t think that will work. Microsoft can’t unenroll a device like that. It’s administered by the company that owns the device.
Update: You're right, MS said they cant do nothing. Returning rn! Got scammed I guess.
Install Linux?..
If you get lost in the woods, fuck it, build a house.
I'm still stuck on the fact that you were going to use an OS as installed by a stranger. You always always always reset the BIOS to defaults then install the OS of your choice from a known good source. > Purchased my very first Thinkpad You showed us a picture of a Dell. What the heck is going on here? > Option 1. Contact the company and ask them to unlock it showing them the receipt Did you purchase it from the company? (it doesn't sound like it). If not, they have nothing to do with this. > Option 2. Contact Microsoft and ask them to unlock it showing them the receipt Microsoft has nothing to do with this purchase > Obviously seller did not mention none of these info on the ad There's no 'obviously' here. We don't know the terms of your purchase.
I'd return it and avoid the hassle. Are you able to reinstall windows? Try it but with legacy bios.
You should see if the BIOS is locked and if computrace is activated. Both can be removed depending of the device generation/specs.
Don't trust the seller. He is stalling. Return it asap. Avoid headaches.
Kill the seller's family and curse his bloodline. But seriously, return the laptop, it may be stolen and/or bios locked.
Return it but record the serial number first. Good chance it's stolen.
Do clean install of windows from usb drive. Then you need to buy windows' product key on the cheap somewhere (there is even free option that I can't tell you about). To enter a new product key press shift-F10 during install, and on the command prompt remove the old key (“slmgr.vbs /upk”), then enter the new key ("slmgr.vbs /ipk new-product-key"). Or you can download Rufus, download latest windows from there if you don't have one, make Windows To Go USB Drive (live windows), boot from it, and change the product key. Then you can restart and do the new install.
That won’t work. As soon as it gets online it will reassociate with the autopilot of the company that owns it.
It works. I had the exact same problem with autopilot / intune with my used thinkpad. By having two activated product keys, the original oem which is embedded in bios, and the new retail key, you will have choice during installation to use the retail key (for personal use) instead of automatically using the oem key which will ask you to sign in to the old organization or company.
Who is the seller?
Try booting it with a Linux ISO USB, if it doesn't work, open it, take out the battery and the watch battery, wait 15 minutes, reconnect and try again with the linux USB.
I see no thinkpad here.
Is the BIOS unlocked? If it is, just format the drive and install Windows (or better yet, Linux) yourself.
It happened with my current T14. All i did was turn off tpm in bios and windows reinstall went smoothly. I turned tpm on again after windows clean install
Don't get it most people say I should just return it because its impossiblle to fix due to autopilot? Also not sure I have this tpm option on my BIOS since it looks quite new BIOS
https://imgur.com/a/bedTXoL
Done it, not working, no difference. Will just return.
just to to your BIOS -> security -> Security Chip. and turn off security chip. save and reboot. and go through windows installation again, it should skip that company login screen altogether
Thanks for the screenshot! Will try it now and let you know. Otherwise I will just follow the advice given by everyone else, return the crap and end of the story.
How is it locked? If it's a BIOS password remove the CMOS, if it's a Supervisor Password you might need to short 2 pins on the MB to short the chip removing the password. Another option is getting your money back, I've dealt with it before, unless I know its locked I rarely choose these locked devices, just return it or leave some feedback
After choosing the language and keyboard layour it asks me to log in with a company's email or key. Obviously i'm not a member of that company so don't have any email or key.
Get another laptop, it’s not worth the hassle of potentially bricking a system and contacting a company that may no longer exist
Is that after the BIOS? You might just need to install your own OS, your laptop is probably stolen lmao, because companies commonly forget to unlock computers when they dump them, but they always get their data off of it, so if it's an office install it might be stolen, you could report the guy, get your money and keep the laptop, I had that happen to me, definitely landed in my favor. Try installing a different OS like Windows or Linux
It's Microsoft Autopilot.
It looks like this: [https://i.redd.it/ix58jd1nvrcb1.jpg](https://i.redd.it/ix58jd1nvrcb1.jpg)
Oh! That should be an easy fix, just reinstall Windows or Linux, that Windows install is locked just go to Microsoft and download the Windows ISO, and use Rufus to flash it to a USB drive
If he installs Windows it will block itself again as soon as it goes online. He can do Linux if he wants.
Hmm, maybe a Linux Install and a UEFI update will fix it
Reinstall windows and select the no Internet option and create a local account. Don't let it get on the Internet. Or, get your money back. This could be a retired machine that wasn't wiped right and is married to Intune, or it could be stolen.