Do I need to buy another Windows 8 licence for a new hard drive?

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Angus Boyd

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Aug 10, 2015
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My hard drive recently died and I was wondering do I need to buy another windows licence for the new hard drive I am about to order or can I get another Windows 8 for free. My other hard drive came stock with my laptop so it had a pre installed Windows 8 on it. I never got a Windows 8 installation disc with my laptop so using something like that is out of the question.

Is there a way I can install Windows 8 say through a USB? And if so can I downloaded it off the Microsoft website for free as I already had Windows on my other hard drive?

Thanks
 
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USAFRet


1. Unfortunately, you can't download it direct from Microsoft. The works with Retail licenses. Your OS is/was an OEM license. MS expects you to get that installation media from your...
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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1. Unfortunately, you can't download it direct from Microsoft. The works with Retail licenses. Your OS is/was an OEM license. MS expects you to get that installation media from your manufacturer.
Generally, there would be a Factory Reset partition on the drive which would allow you to create your own install media.
But since that drive is dead...:(
Contact your manufacturer. You might be able to download it for free, or for a small fee.

2. Yes, you can install via USB. See this: Windows USB/DVD Download Tool

 
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Angus Boyd

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Aug 10, 2015
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4,510
Thank you very much for your reply. If I used that second method and made a USB into an installation device with the original windows 8 that was already installed into my laptop, will it be able to install onto my new hard drive without asking for a product key? I ask this because I read somewhere that this is possible if my laptop has the product key embedded into UEFI firmware. This might be the case with my laptop as there was no COA sticker located on it.

Thanks
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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That tool won't create an installation USB or DVD from the installed OS.
And since the original drive that it lives on is apparently dead, you can't read it anyway.

Contact the manufacturer and see what they say about the OS and a dead drive.
 
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