replacing failed hdd in a windows 8 laptop

[edscdk]

anyone done this? Will any old windows 8 ISO just find the serial number in the bios?

Or do i need to find a toshiba OEM windows 8 disk?

There are no recovery disks available

 

[nightmare99]

anyone done this? Will any old windows 8 ISO just find the serial number in the bios?

As long as the edition matches the key in the BIOS then the answer is yes (I presume the edition is Core, it would need to be a Windows 8 ISO not 8.1).

However this is how I would do it :-

1. Find a Windows 8.1 English UK ISO that matches the edition you are running (presume Core)
2. Do a clean install from the ISO, during the out of box experience when prompted for a product key press skip
3. Find & download RW Everything portable, run this on the new install select ACPI > MSDM and copy the product key (this is being read from the bios)
4. Open Windows activation and paste the key in, it will then activate fine

 

[Raumarik]

I had to do this last week for a relative's HP laptop, no recovery disks of course. Pretty much as nightmare99 has described. Fairly straightforward too.

Easier than doing the same with Windows 7 to be honest.