Windows 8 clean install OEM?

SimonC

SimonC

SimonC

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7 Oct 2003
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I've got a new laptop coming and want to do a clean install to get rid of all the preinstalled crap that will come with it.
I have a Windows 7 iso that I put onto a flash drive when needed and boot from that, install, easy peasey..

But from reading around, doing a clean install of windows 8 or 8.1 with OEM key is either not possible or just plain awkward?

I have seen a few ISO's about, but am unsure if they will work with an OEM key, have also read about using a trial/generic key to do the initial install, then use the key on the sticker/or from bios to activate.


It can't be this difficult surely to do a clean install of Windows 8?

With the Windows 7 iso, I can either leave out or edit the ei.cfg file to what I need, so am hoping can do the same with a Windows 8 iso?
 
Find your BIOS-embedded product key - Use Belarc Adviser, or RWEverything will look it up directly from the BIOS itself (click the toolbar button for the ACPI table and it'll be under the MSDN tab). Grab one of the Windows 8.1 MSDN ISOs floating around (make sure you check that the SHA-1 hash is correct), re-partition/format as desired, install using the appropriate placeholder key - Core: 334NH-RXG76-64THK-C7CKG-D3VPT, Professional: XHQ8N-C3MCJ-RQXB6-WCHYG-C9WKB).

When you're done, change the placeholder key (Charms bar > Settings > Change PC Settings > PC & devices > PC Info) to your own OEM key and away you go. :)
 
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