Need help with windows 8 clean install on retail pc.

[JW0914]

@JW0914

Thank you.

As I said though, the previous hard drive had died. It is when I installed a new hard drive is when the problems began, because everything is gone. A new one was installed. So losing data is not an issue, already happened and was unrecoverable.

I used option 5 from this link on the sister site 8 forums here.

Product Key - Find for Windows 8

So whatever that tool reported is the oem key I have. As far as I know and what I read online and elsewhere, it is the most reliable in accuracy.

Are you saying the program returned a PK that specifically had "OEM" within the PK itself, in other words the value "OEM" would be within product key with dashes on either end?

 

[andrew129260]

No as shown in the screenshot for step 5 it says oem: then the 25 key

 

[alphanumeric]

If you don't know what was originally installed that could be an issue. My COA sticker just says Windows 8. I would think if the PC came with 8 Pro the sticker would say Pro. If it just says 8 I'd assume its 8 Core. I haven't seen an 8.1 COA sticker.

Getting install media is an issue if all you have is an OEM key. The only official download, other than MSDN, will not accept OEM keys. That download is a custom Core Pro download depending on what key you use. If you enter a Pro key you get Pro and it will not accept a Core key for install.

My MSDN ISO's are multi edition, Core and Pro. The key you enter during install determines what's installed. If an OEM key is detected the matching version is installed automatically. As far as I know my MSDN ISO's are identical to the retail DVD's. There is no ei.cfg file to delete on Windows 8 ISO's. There is a trick to bypass having to enter a key though. The end result is you install with a generic key and have 30 days to activate. You'd still have to know which version Core or Pro to install. It's likely in the tutorials somewhere.

The generic keys are blocked for this download, Solved Activate retail Windows 8.1 with Windows 8 Product key. , its retail keys only. The reason I posted it was just to let you know that, even if your PC came with Windows 8.0, you can still clean install 8.1 and activate with your 8.0 key. That's all.

I personally like the new activation setup. I have access to MSDN though, so ISO's are not an issue for me.

With Windows 7 and earlier, each OEM had a master product key and all their PC's activated with that key. The custom OEM install media had the key on the disk. The COA sticker was their so you could use regular install media. The product code on the sticker was never used for activation. You actually had to do a phone activation if you tried to use it. at least the first time anyway.

Now each Windows 8 PC that has an OEM install has a unique Product key embedded in the BIOS. Matching that key to the what is printed on the sticker would just complicate things. If the machine that prints the stickers gets out of sequence things get really messed up. I can see why they didn't print the keys on the stickers for OEM PC's. If the keys weren't in the BIOS they would have to be entered manually for each PC, not something the OEM's are going to want to do. It's got to be automated somehow.

 

[JW0914]

No as shown in the screenshot for step 5 it says oem: then the 25 key

Then that key should be able to be used to activate 8.1, as that's not the actual OEM key. The program is returning it after "OEM:" because it's the actual PK the OEM wrote to your BIOS. To articulate this better:

There are two types of keys on every laptop purchased with Windows installed on it and built by an OEM - the OEM volume license key, which contains the value "OEM" with the key itself, and the COA product key, which OEMs are required by federal law to include on their laptops shipping with Windows.

The value the product key finder returned after "OEM:" is the product key that is, or would be, present on a COA (certificate of authenticity). This is an actual product key and can be used to activate Windows 8.1, provided you install the correct version of 8.1. In other words, you DO NOT have to install Windows 8, then upgrade that installation to 8.1... you can simply install 8.1 and activate once logged in using either PC Settings - Activate or via command line with slui.

If you or the owner do not know what version of Windows 8 came with the laptop, you will have to use trial and error (install 8.1 core, try activate, install 8.1 pro, try to activate, etc.). Now, if this was a computer manufactured by an OEM, you should be able to go to that OEM's website, type in the service tag or serial, and view the original configuration the computer shipped with, which would tell you what version of windows 8 it came preinstalled with.

 

[alphanumeric]

@JW0914

Thank you.

As I said though, the previous hard drive had died. It is when I installed a new hard drive is when the problems began, because everything is gone. A new one was installed. So losing data is not an issue, already happened and was unrecoverable.

I used option 5 from this link on the sister site 8 forums here.

Product Key - Find for Windows 8

So whatever that tool reported is the oem key I have. As far as I know and what I read online and elsewhere, it is the most reliable in accuracy.

Are you saying the program returned a PK that specifically had "OEM" within the PK itself, in other words the value "OEM" would be within product key with dashes on either end?

Don't confuse the PID shown on the system page with the Product Code. The PID can have xxx-OEM-XXXXX.... its the product ID. The actual product code will not have -OEM- in it.

Also, some of those key finding utilities will retrieve the key that is stored in the registry, the currently active key. That may or may not be your OEM key. For instance, if upgrade to Pro or add Media Center though add features, the OEM key is replaced with the Pro key or the MC key in the registry.
Option 5 here should get the OEM key, Product Key - Find for Windows 8

 

[JW0914]

If you don't know what was originally installed that could be an issue. My COA sticker just says Windows 8. I would think if the PC came with 8 Pro the sticker would say Pro. If it just says 8 I'd assume its 8 Core. I haven't seen an 8.1 COA sticker.

Getting install media is an issue if all you have is an OEM key. The only official download, other than MSDN, will not accept OEM keys. That download is a custom Core Pro download depending on what key you use. If you enter a Pro key you get Pro and it will not accept a Core key for install.

My MSDN ISO's are multi edition, Core and Pro. The key you enter during install determines what's installed. If an OEM key is detected the matching version is installed automatically. As far as I know my MSDN ISO's are identical to the retail DVD's. There is no ei.cfg file to delete on Windows 8 ISO's. There is a trick to bypass having to enter a key though. The end result is you install with a generic key and have 30 days to activate. You'd still have to know which version Core or Pro to install. It's likely in the tutorials somewhere.

The generic keys are blocked for this download, Solved Activate retail Windows 8.1 with Windows 8 Product key. , its retail keys only. The reason I posted it was just to let you know that, even if your PC came with Windows 8.0, you can still clean install 8.1 and activate with your 8.0 key. That's all.

I personally like the new activation setup. I have access to MSDN though, so ISO's are not an issue for me.

With Windows 7 and earlier, each OEM had a master product key and all their PC's activated with that key. The custom OEM install media had the key on the disk. The COA sticker was their so you could use regular install media. The product code on the sticker was never used for activation. You actually had to do a phone activation if you tried to use it. at least the first time anyway.

Now each Windows 8 PC that has an OEM install has a unique Product key embedded in the BIOS. Matching that key to the what is printed on the sticker would just complicate things. If the machine that prints the stickers gets out of sequence things get really messed up. I can see why they didn't print the keys on the stickers for OEM PC's. If the keys weren't in the BIOS they would have to be entered manually for each PC, not something the OEM's are going to want to do. It's got to be automated somehow.

Unless the version of Windows being installed is directly from a manufacturer's repair disks, you can use a generic product key to install and once windows is installed, use the activation key to activate. (for example, I have Alienware and I can't take an Alienware windows disk and use it to install windows on an Asus due to the Alienware OEM key that is embedded within the installation files)

 

[alphanumeric]

If you don't know what was originally installed that could be an issue. My COA sticker just says Windows 8. I would think if the PC came with 8 Pro the sticker would say Pro. If it just says 8 I'd assume its 8 Core. I haven't seen an 8.1 COA sticker.

Getting install media is an issue if all you have is an OEM key. The only official download, other than MSDN, will not accept OEM keys. That download is a custom Core Pro download depending on what key you use. If you enter a Pro key you get Pro and it will not accept a Core key for install.

My MSDN ISO's are multi edition, Core and Pro. The key you enter during install determines what's installed. If an OEM key is detected the matching version is installed automatically. As far as I know my MSDN ISO's are identical to the retail DVD's. There is no ei.cfg file to delete on Windows 8 ISO's. There is a trick to bypass having to enter a key though. The end result is you install with a generic key and have 30 days to activate. You'd still have to know which version Core or Pro to install. It's likely in the tutorials somewhere.

The generic keys are blocked for this download, Solved Activate retail Windows 8.1 with Windows 8 Product key. , its retail keys only. The reason I posted it was just to let you know that, even if your PC came with Windows 8.0, you can still clean install 8.1 and activate with your 8.0 key. That's all.

I personally like the new activation setup. I have access to MSDN though, so ISO's are not an issue for me.

With Windows 7 and earlier, each OEM had a master product key and all their PC's activated with that key. The custom OEM install media had the key on the disk. The COA sticker was their so you could use regular install media. The product code on the sticker was never used for activation. You actually had to do a phone activation if you tried to use it. at least the first time anyway.

Now each Windows 8 PC that has an OEM install has a unique Product key embedded in the BIOS. Matching that key to the what is printed on the sticker would just complicate things. If the machine that prints the stickers gets out of sequence things get really messed up. I can see why they didn't print the keys on the stickers for OEM PC's. If the keys weren't in the BIOS they would have to be entered manually for each PC, not something the OEM's are going to want to do. It's got to be automated somehow.

Unless the version of Windows being installed is directly from a manufacturer's repair disks, you can use a generic product key to install and once windows is installed, use the activation key to activate. (for example, I have Alienware and I can't take an Alienware windows disk and use it to install windows on an Asus due to the Alienware OEM key that is embedded within the installation files)

Recovery disks are completely different. They don't install windows they restore the factory image. There is no point trying to use them on different hardware anyway.

EDIT: For OA2.1 and earlier, the OEM key is on the branded OEM install Media. With the new OA3.0 its not, its in the BIOS.

 

[JW0914]

Also, those Windows 8 generic keys aren't blocked... they ONLY work on clean installs, NOT upgrades. If you attempted to install Windows 8 via the microsoft upgrade download, they won't work... however if you were to boot from the installation media and clean install windows, they will work.

This is due to the licensing structure changes Microsoft made with the release of Office 2013 and Windows 8. My educated guess is they were trying to better combat piracy, but an unintended consequence was people with legitimate Windows 8 product keys purchased directly from Microsoft could not install Windows again once that product key had been used to activate. It was after this was discovered that Microsoft released the generic keys for retail editions... enterprise and server edition generic keys were always available via technet

 

[JW0914]

Recovery disks are completely different. They don't install windows they restore the factory image. There is no point trying to use them on different hardware anyway.

It depends on the manufacturer and how they use the term... yes normally speaking recovery disks contain an answer file, the installation media, and multiple wim files. Alienware offers those for a price of around $30 at system purchase, however, regardless if you buy them or not, Alienware also provides an Alienware branded installation disk for whichever version of windows you purchased. Both types of media are considered recovery disks by Alienware... it simply depends on how the OEM uses the term.

 

[alphanumeric]

Also, those Windows 8 generic keys aren't blocked... they ONLY work on clean installs, NOT upgrades. If you attempted to install Windows 8 via the microsoft upgrade download, they won't work... however if you were to boot from the installation media and clean install windows, they will work.

This is due to the licensing structure changes Microsoft made with the release of Office 2013 and Windows 8. My educated guess is they were trying to better combat piracy, but an unintended consequence was people with legitimate Windows 8 product keys purchased directly from Microsoft could not install Windows again once that product key had been used to activate. It was after this was discovered that Microsoft released the generic keys for retail editions... enterprise and server edition generic keys were always available via technet

The generic keys are blocked for the download in the link is what I was saying. If you try to use an OEM key or one of the generic install keys you won't be able to download the install files.
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/18309-windows-8-windows-8-1-iso-download-create.html?

 

[JW0914]

Something else just occurred to me that may be the cause of the activation issue...

Microsoft sold Windows 8 as an upgrade and would not allow it to be activated unless a prior version of Windows had been on the HDD prior. Attempting to install Windows 8 on a new HDD with no prior OS would allow Windows to be installed, but NOT allow it to be activated. This is not the same for 8.1, at least not in my experience thus far with the 8.1 ISO I pulled when I first went from 8 to 8.1. This may not hold true with all 8.1 ISOs, but does with an ISO pulled from an 8 to 8.1 upgrade.

If you installed to a bare bones drive that never had an OS installed, this could also be the issue. Grab a Windows 7, Vista, or XP install media, install that version of windows, go through the new user set up, once at the desktop restart, boot from the Windows 8/8.1 media and install

 

[alphanumeric]

If you don't know what was originally installed that could be an issue. My COA sticker just says Windows 8. I would think if the PC came with 8 Pro the sticker would say Pro. If it just says 8 I'd assume its 8 Core. I haven't seen an 8.1 COA sticker.

Getting install media is an issue if all you have is an OEM key. The only official download, other than MSDN, will not accept OEM keys. That download is a custom Core Pro download depending on what key you use. If you enter a Pro key you get Pro and it will not accept a Core key for install.

My MSDN ISO's are multi edition, Core and Pro. The key you enter during install determines what's installed. If an OEM key is detected the matching version is installed automatically. As far as I know my MSDN ISO's are identical to the retail DVD's. There is no ei.cfg file to delete on Windows 8 ISO's. There is a trick to bypass having to enter a key though. The end result is you install with a generic key and have 30 days to activate. You'd still have to know which version Core or Pro to install. It's likely in the tutorials somewhere.

The generic keys are blocked for this download, Solved Activate retail Windows 8.1 with Windows 8 Product key. , its retail keys only. The reason I posted it was just to let you know that, even if your PC came with Windows 8.0, you can still clean install 8.1 and activate with your 8.0 key. That's all.

I personally like the new activation setup. I have access to MSDN though, so ISO's are not an issue for me.

With Windows 7 and earlier, each OEM had a master product key and all their PC's activated with that key. The custom OEM install media had the key on the disk. The COA sticker was their so you could use regular install media. The product code on the sticker was never used for activation. You actually had to do a phone activation if you tried to use it. at least the first time anyway.

Now each Windows 8 PC that has an OEM install has a unique Product key embedded in the BIOS. Matching that key to the what is printed on the sticker would just complicate things. If the machine that prints the stickers gets out of sequence things get really messed up. I can see why they didn't print the keys on the stickers for OEM PC's. If the keys weren't in the BIOS they would have to be entered manually for each PC, not something the OEM's are going to want to do. It's got to be automated somehow.

Unless the version of Windows being installed is directly from a manufacturer's repair disks, you can use a generic product key to install and once windows is installed, use the activation key to activate. (for example, I have Alienware and I can't take an Alienware windows disk and use it to install windows on an Asus due to the Alienware OEM key that is embedded within the installation files)

What part of my post was that comment in response to?

 

[JW0914]

Also, those Windows 8 generic keys aren't blocked... they ONLY work on clean installs, NOT upgrades. If you attempted to install Windows 8 via the microsoft upgrade download, they won't work... however if you were to boot from the installation media and clean install windows, they will work.

This is due to the licensing structure changes Microsoft made with the release of Office 2013 and Windows 8. My educated guess is they were trying to better combat piracy, but an unintended consequence was people with legitimate Windows 8 product keys purchased directly from Microsoft could not install Windows again once that product key had been used to activate. It was after this was discovered that Microsoft released the generic keys for retail editions... enterprise and server edition generic keys were always available via technet

The generic keys are blocked for the download in the link is what I was saying. If you try to use an OEM key or one of the generic install keys you won't be able to download the install files.
Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 ISO - Download or Create

That's not due to the keys... Microsoft stopped supporting their tool when they found majority of Windows 8 users had updated to 8.1. For the minute percentage of users that were still on 8, they instructed for them to use Windows store to download and upgrade.

 

[JW0914]

If you don't know what was originally installed that could be an issue. My COA sticker just says Windows 8. I would think if the PC came with 8 Pro the sticker would say Pro. If it just says 8 I'd assume its 8 Core. I haven't seen an 8.1 COA sticker.

Getting install media is an issue if all you have is an OEM key. The only official download, other than MSDN, will not accept OEM keys. That download is a custom Core Pro download depending on what key you use. If you enter a Pro key you get Pro and it will not accept a Core key for install.

My MSDN ISO's are multi edition, Core and Pro. The key you enter during install determines what's installed. If an OEM key is detected the matching version is installed automatically. As far as I know my MSDN ISO's are identical to the retail DVD's. There is no ei.cfg file to delete on Windows 8 ISO's. There is a trick to bypass having to enter a key though. The end result is you install with a generic key and have 30 days to activate. You'd still have to know which version Core or Pro to install. It's likely in the tutorials somewhere.

The generic keys are blocked for this download, Solved Activate retail Windows 8.1 with Windows 8 Product key. , its retail keys only. The reason I posted it was just to let you know that, even if your PC came with Windows 8.0, you can still clean install 8.1 and activate with your 8.0 key. That's all.

I personally like the new activation setup. I have access to MSDN though, so ISO's are not an issue for me.

With Windows 7 and earlier, each OEM had a master product key and all their PC's activated with that key. The custom OEM install media had the key on the disk. The COA sticker was their so you could use regular install media. The product code on the sticker was never used for activation. You actually had to do a phone activation if you tried to use it. at least the first time anyway.

Now each Windows 8 PC that has an OEM install has a unique Product key embedded in the BIOS. Matching that key to the what is printed on the sticker would just complicate things. If the machine that prints the stickers gets out of sequence things get really messed up. I can see why they didn't print the keys on the stickers for OEM PC's. If the keys weren't in the BIOS they would have to be entered manually for each PC, not something the OEM's are going to want to do. It's got to be automated somehow.

Unless the version of Windows being installed is directly from a manufacturer's repair disks, you can use a generic product key to install and once windows is installed, use the activation key to activate. (for example, I have Alienware and I can't take an Alienware windows disk and use it to install windows on an Asus due to the Alienware OEM key that is embedded within the installation files)

What part of my post was that comment in response to?

Well... it was supposed to apply to the first part, but I appear to have misread another post tonight lol please disregard the prior post.

 

[alphanumeric]

Something else just occurred to me that may be the cause of the activation issue...

Microsoft sold Windows 8 as an upgrade and would not allow it to be activated unless a prior version of Windows had been on the HDD prior. Attempting to install Windows 8 on a new HDD with no prior OS would allow Windows to be installed, but NOT allow it to be activated. This is not the same for 8.1, at least not in my experience thus far with the 8.1 ISO I pulled when I first went from 8 to 8.1. This may not hold true with all 8.1 ISOs, but does with an ISO pulled from an 8 to 8.1 upgrade.

If you installed to a bare bones drive that never had an OS installed, this could also be the issue. Grab a Windows 7, Vista, or XP install media, install that version of windows, go through the new user set up, once at the desktop restart, boot from the Windows 8/8.1 media and install

Only an issue if you actually installed an upgrade version. The OP's PC came with Windows 8 preinstalled. His issue is that his install media didn't use his embedded key, he had to actually enter one. Also now that he knows what the key is Windows is refusing it. Most likely because he installed Pro and his OEM key is only for Core.

 

[alphanumeric]

Unless the version of Windows being installed is directly from a manufacturer's repair disks, you can use a generic product key to install and once windows is installed, use the activation key to activate. (for example, I have Alienware and I can't take an Alienware windows disk and use it to install windows on an Asus due to the Alienware OEM key that is embedded within the installation files)

What part of my post was that comment in response to?

Well... it was supposed to apply to the first part, but I appear to have misread another post tonight lol please disregard the prior post.

OK, no problem, it just had me confused a bit is all.

 

[JW0914]

What part of my post was that comment in response to?

Well... it was supposed to apply to the first part, but I appear to have misread another post tonight lol please disregard the prior post.

OK, no problem, it just had me confused a bit is all.

Yeah, sorry about that... it had me confused as well when I re-read your post so I could answer your question. Not sure what I thought I read, but it clearly wasn't what was written in your post.

 

[JW0914]

Something else just occurred to me that may be the cause of the activation issue...

Microsoft sold Windows 8 as an upgrade and would not allow it to be activated unless a prior version of Windows had been on the HDD prior. Attempting to install Windows 8 on a new HDD with no prior OS would allow Windows to be installed, but NOT allow it to be activated. This is not the same for 8.1, at least not in my experience thus far with the 8.1 ISO I pulled when I first went from 8 to 8.1. This may not hold true with all 8.1 ISOs, but does with an ISO pulled from an 8 to 8.1 upgrade.

If you installed to a bare bones drive that never had an OS installed, this could also be the issue. Grab a Windows 7, Vista, or XP install media, install that version of windows, go through the new user set up, once at the desktop restart, boot from the Windows 8/8.1 media and install

Only an issue if you actually installed an upgrade version. The OP's PC came with Windows 8 preinstalled. His issue is that his install media didn't use his embedded key, he had to actually enter one. Also now that he knows what the key is Windows is refusing it. Most likely because he installed Pro and his OEM key is only for Core.

Right, but he says the HDD went bad and had to replace with a new HDD... or did I misread that post as well lol If I did, I'm really on a roll tonight lol

EDIT: OP wrote "...the previous hard drive had died. It is when I installed a new hard drive is when the problems began, because everything is gone. A new one was installed. So losing data is not an issue, already happened and was unrecoverable."

 

[alphanumeric]

Something else just occurred to me that may be the cause of the activation issue...

Microsoft sold Windows 8 as an upgrade and would not allow it to be activated unless a prior version of Windows had been on the HDD prior. Attempting to install Windows 8 on a new HDD with no prior OS would allow Windows to be installed, but NOT allow it to be activated. This is not the same for 8.1, at least not in my experience thus far with the 8.1 ISO I pulled when I first went from 8 to 8.1. This may not hold true with all 8.1 ISOs, but does with an ISO pulled from an 8 to 8.1 upgrade.

If you installed to a bare bones drive that never had an OS installed, this could also be the issue. Grab a Windows 7, Vista, or XP install media, install that version of windows, go through the new user set up, once at the desktop restart, boot from the Windows 8/8.1 media and install

Only an issue if you actually installed an upgrade version. The OP's PC came with Windows 8 preinstalled. His issue is that his install media didn't use his embedded key, he had to actually enter one. Also now that he knows what the key is Windows is refusing it. Most likely because he installed Pro and his OEM key is only for Core.

Right, but he says the HDD went bad and had to replace with a new HDD... or did I misread that post as well lol If I did, I'm really on a roll tonight lol

Replacing the hard drive won't affect anything. I put a blank SSD in my laptop and did a clean install with an 8.0 TechNet ISO. It read and used the OEM key in the BIOS and installed 8.0 Core automatically. I was not prompted for a product key and it activated online automatically with no issues. The OEM key is in the BIOS.

 

[JW0914]

Only an issue if you actually installed an upgrade version. The OP's PC came with Windows 8 preinstalled. His issue is that his install media didn't use his embedded key, he had to actually enter one. Also now that he knows what the key is Windows is refusing it. Most likely because he installed Pro and his OEM key is only for Core.

Right, but he says the HDD went bad and had to replace with a new HDD... or did I misread that post as well lol If I did, I'm really on a roll tonight lol

Replacing the hard drive won't affect anything. I put a blank SSD in my laptop and did a clean install with an 8.0 TechNet ISO. It read and used the OEM key in the BIOS and installed 8.0 Core automatically. I was not prompted for a product key and it activated online automatically with no issues. The OEM key is in the BIOS.

I wasn't aware of that... granted, all the threads and articles I read were from within the first few months after 8 was released and it was always specified unless the HDD itself contained a prior version, 8 would not activate... since no one ever spoke about devices with embedded 8 BIOS keys being different, I always assumed it was the same regardless.