Copy of window 8 after hard drive change (product key in bios)

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Tombodge

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Feb 25, 2015
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Hello. Ive done lots of searching and im nearly there on getting the information I need.

Basicly the problem ive got is ive installed a new internal hardrive on my laptop. The laptop was currenly running 8.1 and has the product key saved in the bios on the mother board.

So apparnly from what i can work out i need to download a 8.1 copy with an app to boot from a USB flash drive and when i install it it will use the product key already saved in the bios.

But where do can I download this copy?

Ive seen one on the windows website but beleave it might be an "upgrade"

It isnt clear where to get a copy to do a clean or fresh install to use with my presaved product key.

Can anyone point me in the right direction please?
 
Solution
RealBeast
Not a problem, you can install Windows 7 on a machine that came with Windows 8 pre-loaded.

Should work fine as long the Windows 7 disk and key have not been used if they are an OEM version, a retail version can be moved to another computer without issues.



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RealBeast

RealBeast

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Sep 13, 2010
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That is a problem with Windows 8. Retail disk images that are available for download will not work with OEM keys, as they did in Windows 7.

You need this image:
en_windows_8.1_with_update_x64_dvd_4065090

AFAIK the only place to get a copy legally is from MSDN, which is an expensive subscription site at Microsoft.

If you can find a copy, you would use THIS tool and instructions.
 
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Tombodge

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Feb 25, 2015
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Ok thanks for the help. How about installing windows 7? I acuatly prefer windows 7 and one of my friends has the disc and code. Its a brand new hard drive but im not sure if the prestored windows 8.1 product code in the bios might cause problems?
 
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Tombodge

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Feb 25, 2015
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Well ive got windows 7 installed now which im more than happy with. Only problem ive got now is its got no drivers on it. And the usb ports arnt working.

Im thinking i can burn the drivers onto dvd and install them that way but...... Most of the drivers HP have for my laptop are for windows 8.1. Will these windows 8.1 drivers work now its running 7? If not where do I get all the drivers for my laptop from
 
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RealBeast

RealBeast

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Not a problem, you can install Windows 7 on a machine that came with Windows 8 pre-loaded.

Should work fine as long the Windows 7 disk and key have not been used if they are an OEM version, a retail version can be moved to another computer without issues.



 
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Solution
RealBeast

RealBeast

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I am 100% sure that you cannot use a downloaded retail image and activate it with an OEM key in Windows 8. That was not the case in Windows 7 and has created a lot of issues for users that do not pay the additional amount for an 8 install disk when they buy an OEM machine.

Oddly, Microsoft allows transferring an OEM version of Windows 8 (but not 7) to a new machine, basically defined as a new motherboard -- but does not provide the means to do so unless you actually buy a Windows 8 OEM disk.

 
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FALC0N

FALC0N

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Apr 5, 2010
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Real beast, I think I know what your talking about now. The retail disk won't grab the key during install, but it does work. You use a generic install key to do initial installation, extract the key manually with a key finder, and change they. That's what I have been doing. I thought you meant it didn't work at all.
 
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RealBeast

RealBeast

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Yes you can use a generic key to download a retail image and then activate it with a retail key, but you cannot activate the retail image with an OEM key in Windows 8. OEM = original equipment manufacturer, like Dell, etc. or even those who buy an OEM version instead of retail from Newegg or wherever -- that's why you need to get a disk (or a download from the online seller) of an OEM disk image.

 
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