Install Windows 8
Greg Shultz documents the entire Windows 8 clean install procedure so we have a roadmap to follow and know what to expect. Direct and install Windows 8.1 Update, 32-bit and 64-bit, individually if you are unable to download and install it via Microsoft Store or Windows Update. There are several ways to install Windows 10 on your PC, whether you’re upgrading from Windows 7 or 8, installing a new operating system from scratch, or reinstalling a fresh version of Windows 10. There are still ways to get a free Windows 10 upgrade license, too.
Windows 8.1 is a free upgrade to all Windows 8 users, but you normally can’t install Windows 8.1 with a Windows 8 product key. Luckily, you can get around this limitation if you really want a fresh install of Windows 8.1.
Microsoft also only allows you to download Windows 8.1 installation media with a Windows 8.1 key, so we’ll show you another trick that allows you to download Windows 8.1 installation media with a valid Windows 8 key.
Update! Microsoft Makes it Easier
If you want to just download the installation media for a fresh reinstall of Windows 8.1, there’s a new option from Microsoft that can allow you to download that image without even entering your product key. And if you are completely reinstalling a Windows 8.0 PC you can use this 8.1 installation media with the same key from Windows 8.0, so there’s no reason not to do so. It even comes with Update 1 integrated.
Simply download the Windows Installation Media Creation Tool, and then select the details about which version you want (Windows 8.1 or 8.1 Pro, etc), and then follow through the wizard to create your boot media.
You can choose to put the boot media directly on a USB drive, or you can create an ISO for later use or to burn to a disc later.
The Problem, and How We’ll Fix It (Old Version)
The problem is that Windows 8.1 product keys are different from Windows 8 product keys. You can’t enter a Windows 8 product key into the Windows 8.1 installer, just as you can’t enter a Windows 7 product key into the Windows 8 installer. You also can’t install the original version of Windows 8 with a Windows 8.1 product key.
This normally makes sense, but Windows 8.1 isn’t really a different version of Windows. It’s a free upgrade to every single Windows 8 user, so there’s absolutely no reason to introduce a new product key system.
RELATED:What You Need to Know About Windows 8.1
Microsoft wants you to install Windows 8 normally and use the Windows 8.1 upgrade offer in the Windows Store to get Windows 8.1. Only people who purchase Windows 8.1 can install it fresh, not people who origianlly purchased Windows 8.
That’s the theory, anyway. In reality, there’s a way we can get around this limitation. The Windows 8.1 installer refuses to accept the Windows 8 product key and won’t allow us to install Windows 8.1 with it. However, Windows 8.1 will accept the Windows 8 product key if you enter it on the desktop after installing Windows 8.1 — no, we don’t know why it works this way. If we had a way of skipping the product key prompt during the installation process and entering the key later, we could install Windows 8.1 fresh — luckily, we do have a way of doing that. We’ll just need to modify the Windows 8.1 installation media a bit.
Update: We’ve been informed that simply entering one of the KMS Client Setup Keys from Microsoft’s website during the Windows 8.1 installation process should let you install Windows 8.1 normally. You should then be able to change your key to your original Windows 8 key from the desktop later.
Download Windows 8.1 With a Windows 8 Product Key
RELATED:Where to Download Windows 10, 8.1, and 7 ISOs Legally
The second problem is that Microsoft only allows you to download Windows 8.1 installation media with a Windows 8.1 product key. You can’t normally download it with a Windows 8 product key. Luckily, there’s yet another confusing trick we can use to get around Microsoft’s limitations.
First, visit the Upgrade Windows with only a product key page. Click the install Windows 8 button to begin downloading Windows 8 installation media. Run the downloaded tool and enter your product key. After the download begins, close the setup tool.
Next, visit the Upgrade Windows with only a product key page. Click the Install Windows 8.1 button and run the downloaded tool. The Windows 8.1 setup tool won’t prompt you for a key, but will download Windows 8.1 normally. Select the Install by creating media option after it completes and create either USB installation media or an ISO file. We’ll assume you’re creating USB installation media for this process, as it’s the easiest way to do this.
Modify the Windows 8.1 Installation Media
If you try to install Windows 8.1 with the media you created and your Windows 8 product key, you’ll see an error message. Instead, we’ll need to modify the installation media before beginning in the installation process.
This is easiest if you’ve created USB installation media, as you can edit the files directly on your USB flash drive. If you created an ISO file, you’ll have to modify the files inside it before burning it to disc.
Open the USB drive in Windows Explorer or File Explorer and navigate to the sources folder inside it. Right-click inside the sources folder, create a new text file, and name it ei.cfg . (Ensure it’s named ei.cfg , and not ei.cfg.txt — this may require ensuring file extensions are shown.)
Open the ei.cfg file in Notepad or another text editor. Copy-paste the following text into the text file and then save it.
[EditionID]
Core
[Channel]
Retail
[VL]
0
If you have a product key for the Professional version of Windows, replace the word Core with Professional.
Install Windows 8.1 Normally and Enter Your Product Key Afterwards
How To Install Windows 8
You can now install Windows 8.1 normally using the installation media you created. You won’t be prompted for a product key while installing it. After the installation process completes, you’ll see a product key prompt. You can enter your Windows 8 product key here, and Windows 8.1 will accept it for some reason.
You now have a fully working Windows 8.1 system fresh-installed with only a Windows 8 product key. The installation media you created can be used to install Windows 8.1 on other systems with a Windows 8 product key, so you can more quickly install Windows 8.1 on multiple computers.
RELATED:Why Have Most Windows 8 Users Not Upgraded to Windows 8.1?
Yes, it’s ridiculous that we even have to write an article about this. Windows 8.1 is practically a service pack for Windows 8, and it’s free to all Windows 8 users — Windows 8.1 even accepts Windows 8 keys when installed, but it doesn’t during the installation process. There’s no reason to force Windows users — especially loyal ones who purchased Windows 8 at release thanks to Microsoft’s $40 offer — to jump through so many hoops.
Thanks to Paul Thurrot for demonstrating how to download Windows 8.1 installation media with a Windows 8 key, and thanks to nate.wages on Neowin for sharing how to install Windows 8.1 with that key!
Image Credit: KniBaron on Flickr
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Over the last couple of months, we have shown you a number of methods to install Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. One can install Windows 8.1 from bootable USB flash drive, install without DVD/USB, install Windows 8 on USB flash drive, install Windows from DVD, etc.
As always, the best method is installing Windows 8.1 from a USB flash drive. But if you don’t have a USB flash drive, you can create a bootable DVD from the downloaded ISO file.
You can use this guide to create:
1. A bootable Windows 8/8.1 DVD from the ISO file
2. A bootable USB drive from the ISO file
METHOD 1: Create a bootable USB flash drive from an ISO file
We are going to use the officially available Microsoft Windows 7 USB/DVD tool. Even though the tool was originally developed to write Windows 7 ISO file to USB, it supports Windows 8 ISO file as well.
Step 1: Start the procedure by downloading and installing Windows 7 USB/DVD software.
Step 2: Double-click on the Windows 7 USB/DVD software shortcut on the desktop to launch the software. In the first step, you need to select the Windows 8.1 ISO file. To do that, use the browse button to browse to the Windows 8.1 ISO file that you have downloaded from Microsoft (use these direct links to download Windows 8).
Once selected the ISO file, click Next button to continue.
Step 3: In this step, you need to select the media type (DVD or USB). As we need a bootable Windows 8 USB drive, click on USB device button.
Step 4: Finally, connect your USB flash drive to the PC, backup all data and then use the Refresh button to see your USB drive in the list. Once done, click Begin copying button to start copying Windows 8.1 setup files to the USB drive.
If you see “The selected USB device must be erased in order to continue. Do you want to erase all contents from this device” message, click Erase USB Device. Cutler hammer panelmate power pro software. Please note that you will loose all data on the device. So, if you have any data on the USB device, please backup before starting this procedure.
Click Yes for the confirmation prompt to continue.
Step 5: Once done, you will see “Files copied successfully” message. Exit the application and then use the USB flash device to install Windows 8 from USB.
If you are having any issues with the above procedure, please check out the below mentioned method to burn the ISO file to USB drive. If you are familiar with the Command Prompt, we recommend using this 100% working install Windows 8 from USB flash drive guide.
METHOD 2:Create a bootable USB flash drive from an ISO file
There are many ways to create a bootable USB drive from an ISO file. In this guide, we are using the same tool that we will use in Method 3 to burn the ISO file to DVD. The beauty of Passcape ISO Burner is that it lets you write the ISO file to both DVD and USB.
Step 1: Connect the USB drive to your PC and backup all data before proceeding to the next step as the USB drive will be erased during the process.
Step 2: Download Passcape ISO Burner Software from here. The software comes in a zip file. So, you need to extract the zip file to get the Passcape ISO Burner exe file. Use 7-zip software to extract the zip file and then double-click on ISOBurner.exe file to run the software. As this is a portable software, it doesn’t require an installation.
Step 3: Once launched, in the main screen, select Create bootable USB disk option and then select the Windows 8 ISO file location before clicking the Next button.
Step 4: In the following screen, you need to select the USB flash drive that you want to use to install Windows 8.1. Select the right USB drive (if you have two or more) as the drive will be erased to make it bootable.
If you can’t see the USB drive in the list, please use Refresh the list button.
Step 5: Finally click CREATE button to start formatting the drive and then creating bootable USB.
NOTE: Please don’t close the application even if the application appears Not Responding for a while. The tool will work in the background to complete the task.
Step 6: Once done, you will see “USB drive has been created successfully. Do you want to detach the drive” message. Click Yes button to safely remove the drive and No button to keep using the USB drive.
Reboot your PC, enable USB boot in BIOS and then start installing Windows 8 from USB.
METHOD 3:Create a bootable Windows 8.1 DVD from the ISO file [Using third-party tool]
In this guide, we will show you how to create a bootable Windows DVD using ISO file.
Step 1: First, download Windows 8 ISO file or Windows8.1 ISO. If you have already downloaded, skip this step.
Step 2:Download Passcape ISO Burner software, extract the zip file to get ISOBurner.exe file. This is a portable software and doesn’t require an installation. Double-click on the ISOBurner.exe file to run the software.
Step 3: On the home screen, under What do you want to do section, select Burn ISO image to CD/DVD option and then select the Windows 8/8.1 ISO file by clicking the button next to Source ISO image file.
Step 4: Click Next button to select your CD/DVD recorder (if you have two or more). Insert a blank DVD into the optical drive, and hit the BURN button to start writing the ISO file on to the DVD.
Install Windows 8 1
Your bootable Windows 8 DVD should be ready within a few minutes. The writing process shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes.
Step 5: Exit the application and follow our how to install Windows 8 guide to begin installing Windows 8.1 on your PC.