Edited sentence: A key problem was that most consumers purchased computers with no pre-loaded operating system and later loaded pirated versions of Microsoft's Windows operating system.Due to government pressure they did so.In 2005, Yang Yuanqing began to position Lenovo to become a key ally of Microsoft.In July 2005, Gates and Steve Ballmer asked Yang for assistance combating piracy.Microsoft agreed to offer a rebate on Windows and marketing assistance in return for preloading it on most Lenovo computers sold in China.Microsoft had difficulty with this issue for years.Microsoft tripled its sales of pre-loaded versions of Windows over the next year.Over the following months Yang worked out a deal with Microsoft China executives.Using his substantial influence in China's technology industry Yang was able to assist Microsoft with fighting piracy of its software.Yang was counting on other manufacturers to do the same