What would happen if

[BillWindows]

Okay what would happen if I just had one computer with XP 3 and updated to 8 and trashed the HDD beyond repair and I had to buy a new HDD but I have a key for 8.

Even worse, if it was a laptop with no disks just a recovery partition.

 

[magicfairy]

Reinstall Windows 8. Enter key, will probably tell you already been activated, so will be reduced functionality till you sort it out.
Go through phone activation, pick option to talk to someone, explain what you did and provide your existing license key. They will see it has been activated and issue you a new key that can be activated.

 

[Mystere]

Okay what would happen if I just had one computer with XP 3 and updated to 8 and trashed the HDD beyond repair and I had to buy a new HDD but I have a key for 8.

Even worse, if it was a laptop with no disks just a recovery partition.

I don't really understand what you're saying here. Licensing is very simple.

1) you can't install it on more than one computer at a time. You have to uninstall or otherwise remove (format, disk crash, whatever) the previous install first then you can install it again.
2) OEM copies cannot be installed on a different computer (unless you built the first computer to begin with).

There are a lot of other conditions and clauses that apply to various situations, but that's the majority of what you need to know. So i'm not sure what you're asking here.

 

[BillWindows]

Am I speaking French or something, I thought it was the most basic question anyone could ask. This is not a trick question and MagicFairy you're wrong.

Oh and Mystere I didn't mention any other computer.

 

[Mystere]

Obviously your question is not as clear as you think it is, if two people didn't understand what you are asking.

What exactly is your point? I don't understand what you're getting at. What happens if? Based on your description, your hard drive gets trashed. That's the only conclusion one can draw, as there seems to be a lot missing from the question.

 

[labeeman]

Okay what would happen if I just had one computer with XP 3 and updated to 8 and trashed the HDD beyond repair and I had to buy a new HDD but I have a key for 8.

Even worse, if it was a laptop with no disks just a recovery partition.

Your Windows 8 key most likely is an upgrade and it will not see a windows system will not install Windows 8 seeing that the new HDD is blank.

 

[BillWindows]

Okay what it boils down to is this, as far as I can see,

In the first instance, you don't get the option to download Windows 8 or burn it or anything, so what next.

In the second instance you don't have any disks at all. So again what next.

 

[BillWindows]

Okay what would happen if I just had one computer with XP 3 and updated to 8 and trashed the HDD beyond repair and I had to buy a new HDD but I have a key for 8.

Even worse, if it was a laptop with no disks just a recovery partition.

Your Windows 8 key most likely is an upgrade and it will not see a windows system will not install Windows 8 seeing that the new HDD is blank.

Thats sort of right, but with XP you don't get the option to download anything, and yes it needs to see an OS.

 

[labeeman]

Okay what it boils down to is this, as far as I can see,

In the first instance, you don't get the option to download Windows 8 or burn it or anything, so what next.

In the second instance you don't have any disks at all. So again what next.

You will have to get install media snailed mailed to you or you have to go pick up install media.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

The key is tied to the mobo, not the HDD, right? So replace the HDD, fresh install, and reactivate. As long as 8 was registered originally as an upgrade, one can fresh install.

 

[Mystere]

You can most certainly download an iso image of the upgrade. You may have to download it on a different computer and burn it to disk. One that is not running Windows 8.

There must be an OS on the computer to install the upgrade. If you don't have a licensed OS, then you are breaking the license. Even if you "in theory" have a licensed OS, the OS won't install.

You may be able to get away with downloading a trial version of Windows 7 (don't think any XP trials are still available), installing that and installing the upgrade over it, though i'm not sure. That would only be legal if you have an actual license for XP.

 

[orlandotek]

Actually, in XP, it DOES download Windows 8 it just puts it in a hidden folder. You could go through and copy out the folder (after you unhide it) re-install Windows XP, put the folder back and then re-upgrade Windows XP to Windows 8.

But, here is something better. Do you have access to ANY PC anywhere, school, job, neighbor, other PC, that is running either Vista or Windows 7?? If so, you can re-download the Windows 8 with your key and on THAT system it will THEN allow you to create a backup media - either CD or USB Key - of the download so it can be installed directly.

You will have to follow the tutorials here on how to perform a clean install with an Upgrade key. But it's not very hard.

 

[BillWindows]

Okay what it boils down to is this, as far as I can see,

In the first instance, you don't get the option to download Windows 8 or burn it or anything, so what next.

In the second instance you don't have any disks at all. So again what next.

You will have to get install media snailed mailed to you or you have to go pick up install media.

You get the brass ring, that's what I was getting at, there's no easy way of doing it, it's a pain in the bum.

 

[Mystere]

Upgrades have limitations on them. This has always been the case. If you did not order upgrade media, and you did not burn the upgrade to disk in the firstplace, then you have some hoops to jump through.

If you don't want those limitations, then buy a full version.

 

[BillWindows]

Sorry got called away, as I said just one computer, not doing anything illegal, just updating to Windows 8 with XP and something goes wrong, nightmare situation.

I'm not saying this is me, I have multiple PCs and licences, but it must be tough for someone not 100% geek to overcome this situation. Sure he could ask his neighbours, they'd say what's Windows 8. Even a lot of people with computers wouldn't know what to do in this situation.

I personally think Microsoft could have handled this a bit better.

i also don't think you should have to ring Microsoft to reinstall Windows 8 onto a new HDD, motherboard yes, HDD no, sorry I mean activate.

 

[orlandotek]

Well, from Microsoft's point of view, if there weren't so many people pirating their software they wouldn't need to have people at the phones waiting for your call to activate the software. Things are as they are.

You should be able to re-install Windows 8 using your upgrade key using the several tutorials in this forums. They worked for me.
Even on a different hard drive. Without having to call Microsoft. BUT, you do need to have the ISO burned to a USB Key or a DVD.

 

[BillWindows]

"Even on a different hard drive. Without having to call Microsoft. BUT, you do need to have the ISO burned to a USB Key or a DVD."

That's the whole point of this story, with XP you don't get the option to burn a DVD, so for a newbie, it's one big pain in the butt.

Same with the HDD, if you put in a new HDD and reinstall, you have to contact MS to activate.

 

[orlandotek]

Well, for whatever reason, on Winows XP it is not an option to burn the DVD or USB key. Most reasons why Microsoft would do this is because something in the software they developed to do this is not compatible with Windows XP.

I had the same issue with a friend of mine on his XP machine. I just re-downloaded it on his OTHER PC that has Windows 7 and from there I was able to make the USB Key for him.

I agree. I don't understand why Microsoft did it that way. Yes, its a pain in the butt. Simply find a Windows 7 machine and create your USB or DVD disc.

 

[DavidY]

I believe there is a way to burn an ISO from an XP PC, without needing another PC.

You go through Upgrade Assistant and use the option to keep as much as you can under XP (you can keep files but not programs).
Then once you've arrived under Windows 8, run the Setup program (which should still be on your drive) again and I believe you can select Install by Creating Media and burn the ISO to a DVD.

(At that point I think you can also do a Clean Install if you want -obviously this will delete any files on the disk.)

So that will get you a DVD with an Upgrade install, without needing another PC.

However as mentioned I'm not sure that this Upgrade install would allow you to reinstall on a new empty HDD after an HDD failure?

I'm hoping that by taking a System Image and making the System Repair disk after upgrading to Win8, then I can at least restore that to my new empty HDD if I was in that position. I'm still using the same licensed PC so it should be legal.

However I don't know if it would object to the change of HDD device either (a) from a driver/ device manager point of view or (b) in the activation process?

But my hunch is that making the System Image/ System Repair would be the key step. I've certainly made them on my PCs (in case of disaster) anyway so I hope they're the answer if I do get a problem!

 

[BillWindows]

Sorry Davidy you can't do any of the things you mentioned, except if you get it all installed cleanly you can create a system image and restore that onto another HDD, and then it will just accept it as your normal system.

So for anybody who's installing Windows 8 onto an XP computer, I would advise them to make an image that they can restore to save headaches down the track.

Even if you have an XP original Disk you still have to go to the hassle of reinstalling that and downloading Win 8 again if you have any major problems.