Windows 8 Reinstall on Dell Laptop

Craig321

Craig321

Craig321

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I'm getting a Dell laptop in the next few days and have ordered a 128GB mSATA to go with it so will need a Windows 8 ISO to reinstall the OS.

I have read a few times that the Windows 8 Upgrade utility will work no problem, so from my desktop PC I can enter the product key from the bottom of the laptop and the upgrade utility will let me create an ISO.

Has anyone had any success with this method?
 
I'm not sure how it works with Windows 8 and manufacturer bloat but personally I would source an ISO online and install using that. You could even install 8.1 which has been leaked :).
 
I was thinking that but am not sure which ISO to get. Using the upgrade tool would be easiest as I used that for my desktop copy of Windows 8 and that lets you create an ISO however I don't know if that would work with the OEM activation system?

I wonder if Dell would send me something I can download although that means waiting until I have the laptop to sort it out. Want to get it downloaded & ready before it comes :S

[Edit]
I just read that any copy of Windows 8 downloaded through the Upgrade Tool will work even if it's Pro and the laptop key is for the normal version. Might give it a go - I already have a Windows 8 Upgrade ISO. Anyone tried it?
 
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I should mention that there won't be a sticker on the bottom of the laptop with the product key on it as that is coded into the BIOS and I doubt that the laptop would have the pro version of windows 8 so you would have to obtain a standard windows 8 OEM disc to install it (trying to install pro would result in a single finger salute from the installer since the product key in the BIOS isn't for that version).

The laptop should have software pre-installed to allow for the creation of recovery media, so you can start it up, get the recovery discs created, replace the hard drive and use those discs to install the OS.
 
I'm in exactly the same boat, got my 15R-7520 today. I'm planning to open it up tomorrow to see if its got the required msata connector and planning to move the OS to either an msata or standard sata drive, freeing up the large, slow drive for storage.

As mentioned above, there is no product key and there are no installation discs, only the option to create recovery media from the Dell app within. What I'm not sure about is whether the recovery media that can be created will include the extra software that Dell includes, such as McAfee. Having said that, I was pleasantly surprised to find they haven't loaded the thing up with tons of junk like they used to, most of it is easy to get rid of.

I'd be interested to know whether the OS can simply be installed from a standard, non-Dell Win 8 image and successfully activated.
 
demonix said:
I should mention that there won't be a sticker on the bottom of the laptop with the product key on it as that is coded into the BIOS and I doubt that the laptop would have the pro version of windows 8 so you would have to obtain a standard windows 8 OEM disc to install it (trying to install pro would result in a single finger salute from the installer since the product key in the BIOS isn't for that version).

The laptop should have software pre-installed to allow for the creation of recovery media, so you can start it up, get the recovery discs created, replace the hard drive and use those discs to install the OS.
Click to expand...

Hmm ok, it's just I read somewhere you can use the ISO provided by the upgrade tool whether it's Pro or not as it'll install whichever version you have automatically from the same ISO. Wanted to make sure before I wipe the laptop and find out the ISO I have is not going to work!

Guess I'll create the recovery media if necessary. I was hoping to install a clean Windows 8 without any of the modifications/applications Dell add.
 
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The only wayto reinstall without the dell bloat is using unbranded ISO, source it from online and just make sure the MD5 hash matches that of the ISO available from MSDN :).
 
I guess you could create the Dell recovery media as a last-resort and experiment with an unbranded ISO. I'll see what I can find...
 
Managed to find some stuff that will work as far as I can see. The only way to test is to try it now.

Laptop shipped from China today. Normal delivery time now is two days (from what I've read on a few forums) so should get it Tuesday hopefully. Can't wait!!! :D

I'll create Dell recovery media before I wipe though, just in case the ISOs I have don't activate for whatever reason (they are official MSDN ISOs so should just pick up the info from the bios).

Does anyone know who the final courier will be in the UK? Currently it's Walsh Western and has departed the manufacturing facility in China. Silly Dell account manager got one character in my address wrong (even after I spelt it to him and he spelt it back correctly!), but the postcode and town etc. are right so hopefully there are no problems there. I did ask them to change it, three times... :S
 
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The final courier should be UK Mail.

It sounds like you've found the same info as me. Mine has Windows 8 Core installed, verified by "slmgr.vbs /dlv". I have an MSDN ISO ready to go, mSATA ordered. Unfortunately, my laptop doesn't have the required daughter board, so I've had to order one with an mSATA connector on it, only £12 but will take about a week to get to me.
 
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