Windows 8 upgrade - do you need to run the purchase assistant from the PC in question?

Makhaira · 5 Jan 2013 at 17:45

I'm going to move my home server from WinXP Pro to Windows 8 since I'm replacing the drive anyways, but I'm not quite sure how the hardware info is used in the Upgrade Assistant. Can I run it on another computer to buy myself another WIndows 8 key, so I can do a clean install, or do I need to reinstall WinXP on the server, and then run the Upgrade Assistant direct from that PC?

Thanks!

the1gooner · 5 Jan 2013 at 20:31

I would say you need to have win xp on the server if that is what you are upgrading from.

Run the upgrade assistant and purchase windows 8 you will give an email address and to this microsoft will send confirmation of purchase along with your product key. There will also be a download link for windows 8.

If you access this email on a machine running a 64bit version of windows then this will enable you to download the 64bit version install of windows 8 which you can save to dvd or usb stick. Select the create media option when given the option.

You can then use this 64bit version to do a clean install on your server.

Makhaira · 5 Jan 2013 at 21:35

Cheers. Has worked a treat, and was able to do a clean install by running the upgrade assistant on another machine, and then installing onto the XP server.

the1gooner · 6 Jan 2013 at 18:06

Makhaira said:
Cheers. Has worked a treat, and was able to do a clean install by running the upgrade assistant on another machine, and then installing onto the XP server.

Excellent, thats exactly what i did.

I upgraded from windows xp home 32bit and then accessed the email on a windows 7 64bit machine to download the 64bit install and create a usb stick.

Very easy and a cheap upgrade. Well done to microsoft i say.