I know you can activate a clean install of win 8.1 with a win 8 product key but you see, I don't have one - I only have the WMC upgrade key that got installed over it when the previous owner of my PC added the Windows Media Center feature (which I read was free once upon a time). You see I have a retail Windows 8.1_RTM_x86.iso disk image and I want to be able to do a clean install.
View 9 RepliesI have a machine that has an activated retail windows 8 that came from the upgrade offer.
I just downloaded the 8.1 RTM from technet and burned the ISO install media to a DVD.
Will it work to upgrade the retail windows 8 with the RTM DVD by simply doing a setup.exe from within windows 8?
Will it retain the original permanent retail key after the upgrade?
Also, I'm assuming that any additional changes to the 8.1 will come through online updates so it will get caught up to whatever is released to the general public?
Currently i am using windows 8 pro retail version.But i want to change the retail edition of my windows 8 to volume license version of windows 8 pro so that i can activate my product with the key provided by my corporate network.How to change windows 8 pro retail to windows 8 pro vl without reinstalling windows??
View 2 Replies View RelatedI bought a new laptop with Windows 8 pre-installed (and immediately updated it to 8.1).
I decided after a week to buy an SSD and installed Windows 8.
I now find there is no product key to be found, and can't seem to activate Windows.
1. I've tried a few things. I tried to enable UEFI in PC Settings, but the setting isn't there (does this mean my laptop doesn't support UEFI?)
2. I entered my BIOS. CWM was enabled, and pwe enable. But SECURE BOOT disabled. So I enabled SECURE BOOT, but regardless of what options I select, the laptop keeps booting into the [Legacy] BIOS, possible because there are no BOOT OPTION PRIORITIES found any longer?
My problem is activating windows, and if UEFI is an option, enabling it.
Does the retail channel keys of Windows work on Windows 8.1 RTM clean installation?
View 1 Replies View RelatedI just wanted to know the build number of Windows 8 Retail. I mean the one that released Oct 26th.
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersion"
Does Win 8 also come in retail and volume channel versions?
How can I convert retail channel to volume (as I fear I have downloaded a retail version) from the torrent link in the Win 8 repository listed in MDL forum.
Can a lkink to volume version of win 8 be posted here (or PMed) to me?
Can I change the key, from a volume license kms one, to upgrade retail one?
View 2 Replies View RelatedIs it safe to download from windows update with Windows 8 pro retail kms activated?
View 3 Replies View RelatedI was installing Windows 8 at my desktop pc.Suddenly power cut occured and it caused the compute to shut down.Then when I restarted my pc again a messege appeared saying that the installation has been corrupted and it can't be continued and it doesn't log on.After that when I tried to re-install Windows 8 the setup got stuck at the "setup is starting" window.I waited overnight for it to go and the installation to start.But it doesn't happen.I have tried to re-install several times but the same problen happens again and again.So neither I can log into my computer now nor I can re-install windows.I don't know what to do.
View 9 Replies View RelatedCan I (correctly) convert my current 8.1 (retail) into VHDX and boot from it using the same 8.1 boot loader or not?
I honestly don't know if I would be running two instances. Would it work if I deleted the C:/ partition and booted the VHD from another disk or partition? Would that be OK? Seems to me it would be two instances but I don't know.
I'm not interested in VMware or VirtualBox - just Hyper-V or some similar bare metal solution. Hyper-V server I could not make work really - it is not what it is designed for - I want wifi, bluetooth etc. Windows server would work but I can not afford it.
Is it possible to activate WMC version of Windows 8.1 Pro only if you have a legit Windows 8 Pro WMC key from Microsoft? If no, then where are you getting the keys from?
View 1 Replies View RelatedWith windows 7, we were able to use windows loader during the install the pre-activate the OS and if it was a OEM based pc it could be setup to use all the logos etc etc, I was wondering if there is something like that for windows 8? or at least activate it during the install without having to manually do it with microsoft toolkit?
View 9 Replies View RelatedI have a HP Envy 4 Ultrabook and I want to install Windows 8 from scratch, I put the installation files on a flash drive from a DVD of Win 8 I had, but when I go to install it, it says the "We couldn't find any drives". I have tried using DiskPart within the CMD as well, but it only finds my flash drive when I run list disk. Also, my drives are completely formatted, and I accidentally wiped the recovery partition. I tried with a USB of Win 8 Pro, and it was fine, showing all of my drives correctly, but that version is linked to another PC, so I can't install it. Also, I booted into a Linux Mint live CD and tried to install it, it sees my hard drive correctly, but the Windows install does not, I can't figure this out, never encountered it before. Is Linux my only option at this point?
View 1 Replies View RelatedI am trying to upgrade from windows 8 pro to windows 8.1 on a samsung laptop. The download completes and installation starts.
After a while the following message appears "you cant install windows on a usb flash drive with setup"
I am not actually trying to install to a flash drive. I contacted Microsoft and after 5 hours they said that I should connect to the internet with a cable and not by wireless in order to solve the problem (this didn't work of course and I had told them that it was an install problem and not a download problem).
Until very recently i was running Windows 8 with a 240 GB Sandisk SSD as a primary and a 2 TB Western Digital Green HDD as a storage. I decided to set up a RAID 1 setup so i purchased a second 2 TB HDD and installed it.
My intent was to run windows 8 off the 240 SSD as a primary and have a RAID 1 setup for my 2TB HDDs.
I learnt that my data configuration was set to AHCI. I decided to do a complete clean install and change the sata configuration in BIOS to RAID.
After successfully creating a RAID volume using my 2TB HDDs i proceeded to install Windows off my primary. I am however having difficulties in that it will not allow me to install windows on either drive.
Im trying to install Windows 8 (Not 8.1) but it gets stuck at the booting screen (Where setup shuold load files)
My system specs are on my profile.
I am trying to setup a new Windows 8 computer that is going to be a gift. I need to go through the setup procedure so I can install some software which is also part of the gift. How can I do this without having to use a Microsoft account, or at least with leaving the least amount of account remnants for the new user?
View 2 Replies View RelatedOk, so here's what I keep running into.......I turn off UAC, and within a few hours I start getting a notification that I need to activate Windows 8. It's a legit install, and this only happens when I turn off the UAC.
If I turn UAC back on, then the activation is not a problem and all is good. However, if I try to re-activate with the UAC off, it runs into an error.
For the past week or so, I am suddenly (in the middle of working on something) getting a blue screen that says "Activate Windows. Go to PC Settings to activate Windows." And there's a PC settings button to click. The only way out of that screen is to click there. So I do, and it briefly looks like I'm going to go to some sort of settings screen, but then it disappears and it takes me to my start screen. When I go back to my desktop, whatever I was working on is right where I left it. Happens several times a day.
Why this is happening and why it never actually takes me to PC Settings and what I can do to stop this?
I'm running 8.1 - I "upgraded" (I use that term loosely!) when it first became available back in October.
I did a fresh reboot of my system and now I cannot reactivate it. My product ID is "not available" and I have an activation error description. I've tried all the slui commands and the sfc scans.
View 3 Replies View Relatedtwo weeks ago I had a hard drive failure on the stated laptop. I installed an OCZ ssd and reinstalled windows 7 from a retail family pack. I used the Certificate of Authenticity (COA) windows key from the sticker on the HP laptop. This activated no problem. I purchased this laptop new at SAMS club.
I also upgraded two desktop computers to windows 8 that also had this family pack copy of windows 7 installed on them (about a year ago). Both of these computers activated with no problem. I also installed a separate windows media player upgrade on each computer.
I then upgraded the laptop to windows 8. I also upgraded it to windows media player.
I noticed that the key provided during the upgrade was the same provided by Microsoft during the upgrade of one of the desktop computers.
The validation was successful at first.A day later I got a message stating that windows was not genuine. I then attempted to purchase another key and Microsoft stated that I could not purchase a key in my current country or region (I am in Wisconsin).
The website stated that I had to validate windows by purchasing a validation pack at a local retailer.
Why cant I validate windows? I have the COA still attached and nothing is different about the computer except the replaced hard drive.
I currently have an issue with activating Windows 8.1. I bought a Samsung series 7 chronos NP780 last November that came with Windows 8 installed already. I upgraded to 8.1 a few days ago and left it overnight to complete. Everything went fine up until I had to activate it. It says that the product key is incorrect and to enter a different one. I have looked at the box that the laptop came in, the manuals in it and on the laptop itself and there is no product key to be found. One or two of the manuals/booklets might be missing but I'm fairly sure that the product key is within the BIOS so should it not recognise the product key itself automatically and complete the upgrade without asking me for the key? I ran belarc to can by laptop and at the section where the product key should be it says "Key: None activated". I also ran keyfinder and the key it gave me back didnt work (although the end of it seems to match the end of the one that is listed as the "current product key".
View 9 Replies View Relatedjust got windows 8 pro installed and using toolkit 2.4.1 just to check if I use the EZ-Activator will I need to use that every 180 days or does it do it its self? is that the best way to activate windows pro and office 2013?
View 9 Replies View RelatedToday I updated my Windows pro 8 PC to 8.1. Now it shows activate the license. When I'm running "Windows Vista - 7 - 8 - 8.1 KMS Activator Ultimate 2014 v1.8" tool, it shows following error.
.net_framework.pngWin license issue.png
This too display it successfully activated the Windows, but "System properties" windows shows it's not activated. Previously I used Windows loader to activate the Windows 8 pro.
I have Windows 8 pro 9600.
.NET Framework error log:- .net_framework.txt
I have tried updating my Windows 8.1 Pro (64-bit, upgraded from Windows 8 Pro) with the new "Update 1" (KB2919355) but it always fails with ERROR code 8007005 (or 80073712).
What I have tried do to fix:
Run WindowsUpdateDiagnostic (that e.g. removes files from C:WindowsSoftwareDistributionDownload and cleans Windows update history metadata info)DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /ScanhealthDISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /RestorehealthDISM.EXE /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup
After all of this, still the update (KB2919355) fails
There must be something that Microsoft needs to fix, there are xxxxxxxxxxxx amount of similar complains and reports out there...
I decided to install Win 8.1 RTM x64 yesterday but what I expected to be a breeze turned into a nightmare. Installation fails, I am even unable to get into Safe Mode.
I was running Win 7 Ultimate x64 before without any issues whatsoever.
I already described my issues here, with errors and logs: Windows 8.1 RTM installation fails on Dell XPS 1340
Changed memory from 2x4GB to original 2x2GB but completely same issue
I'm trying to install Windows 8 on my pc (hp pavillion g6) which its hdd is completely empty; but it gets stuck on expanding files at 98%
I'm installing it via dvd
I have recently formatted my old windows. But now I am not able to install windows 8(actually even windows XP and seven) . When I try to boot from USB setup starts But 'Getting files ready' (which is second step of installation) stucks at midway like at 14% or 52% or 74% i.e. at any arbitary percentage and nothing happens . Actually I am able to move my cursor but installation no more proceeds further . I have tried to format many times and to run installation but everytime installation stuck at midaway without any error .
My laptop specs are : Acer aspire 5745 , 500GB HDD , 3GB RAM , intel core i3 processor
I have Windows 8 consumer preview installed on my laptop. A couple days ago its licence expired, so I got Windows 8 professional to upgrade.
I made an install USB with the win7 USB utility and proceeded to boot from the stick. The setup then told me I should restart my pc and restart the installation from windows.
I did that, but Windows 8 setup won't start. It just starts reading from the usb for a second, then stops. The setup from the .iso I downloaded does the same thing.
To make things more interesting, the first time I restarted my PC after trying to upgrade windows from USB at start-up, I ran Windows 8 setup and it did start and started doing some things, on that small blue screen that pops up. I didn't pay attention to it until the blue setup screen disappeared and nothing else happened...
One more thing, I tried to install Microsoft windows server 2012 on my laptop a month ago and the same thing happened with the setup.
Did a few hours of research on the internet, tried to run it in compatibility mode.Can't really afford to do a "clean" install now, and on top of that, my PC reboots every 2 hours because my licence is expired...
how to retrace my steps to manually reactivate. I have gone to Windows 8 forum (Windows Defender - Turn On or Off in Windows 8) & followed the steps...but Windows Defender is not appearing in my action center...when I go here it shows my antivirus & everything on. There's no option to expand the "security" settings to locate windows defender.
Everything else I do turns up a notification that the app is "off"; but it doesn't give me an option for turning it on. Once again I'm lost in the dust of Windows 8 & it's embedded features...where I locate windows defender to turn it back on...otherwise I'll go the simpler route & just leave things "as is" & download iobit malware fighter or something. However, I've found that I have sporadic issues with Iobit Malware fighter where it works for awhile & then for some reason after a time it won't launch.
I find I'm rather routinely having to uninstall & re-install it. Is it a compatibility glitch with Windows 8.1? Cause Iobit website insists that their malware fighter coincides with all versions of Windows 8. Or should I even be concerned about the malware fighter...I have super antispyware...but it's not a program that is automatically active. My windows security center seems to be compensating with AVG antivirus in place of a malware program. I wasn't aware there was any anti-malware or spyware embedded in AVG?