Solved Will the released product require a complete reinstall?

I'm getting so I really like Windows 8 on my two 24" monitors. Its a dual boot system and I have access to all my data and email folders. As for metro, what metro? Don't use it, don't need it. Okay its got its place as a replacement for the start menu.

The question is, will the released product require an install that then requires you reinstall all your programs? If yes, I won't bother to install the many programs I sometimes use. My basic "get the work done" programs are installed and running well so I would just leave it at that.

Likely, complete reinstall not necessary.

For Windows 7, it was not allowed by default but was officially supported. Microsoft themselves showed everyone how to edit a file to make it happen. The had a blog about it.

As a matter of fact, my Win 7 install is the same one since beta 7000.

I doubt it. I think the Consumer Preview even offered to upgrade while keeping everything, so chances are to expect the same.

Even if is possible, I would not think that it is such a good idea. A clean install is always preferable.

In release version, will the product key that got from Windows 8 CP Setup (not website) will work?

No, the CP key will be disabled for the RTM version.

papin97 said:

In release version, will the product key that got from Windows 8 CP Setup (not website) will work?

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Of course not !!

GMan said:

Likely, complete reinstall not necessary.

For Windows 7, it was not allowed by default but was officially supported. Microsoft themselves showed everyone how to edit a file to make it happen. The had a blog about it.

As a matter of fact, my Win 7 install is the same one since beta 7000.

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For anyone interested, here is the blog I mentioned:

https://blogs.msdn.com/b/e7/archive...ality-upgrade-experience.aspx?Redirected=true

"Here’s what you can do to bypass the check for pre-release upgrade IF YOU REALLY REALLY NEED TO:

1. Download the ISO as you did previously and burn the ISO to a DVD.
2. Copy the whole image to a storage location you wish to run the upgrade from (a bootable flash drive or a directory on any partition on the machine running the pre-release build).
3. Browse to the sources directory.
4. Open the file cversion.ini in a text editor like Notepad.
5. Modify the MinClient build number to a value lower than the down-level build. For example, change 7100 to 7000 (pictured below).
6. Save the file in place with the same name.
7. Run setup like you would normally from this modified copy of the image and the version check will be bypassed."

In Windows 8 You don't need to burn a DVD - you can mount iso files natively - just double click them to load as a virtual DVD-ROM, then copy the new DVD drive contents to a new folder, then follow from 2.

In Windows 7 a 3rd party tool will mount ISOs - ELBY Virtual Clone Drive from ELaborate BYtes software http://www.elby.ch/fun/software/,even though it doesn't say Vista or 7 are supported, and for XP VCD from Microsoft themselves did the same! How to customize Windows PE by using the source files that are included with the Microsoft SMS 2003 Operating System Deployment (OSD) Feature Pack. I believe Nero also had a utility to mount CDs in the past.

either Right click in explorer to dismount (eject) the drive or just wait until you reboot - the mount is not persistent.

Another tool that will extract files from an ISO is 7-Zip. Download

You know fafhrd...I learned the hard way myself with Windows 8.

Usually, I would just upgrade by mounting and then running installer without copying to HDD first. (Should have listened to Brink!)

I can't recall exactly precisely because although I VERY rarely drink much, I am now lol. (Yes, I know...same as few days ago!)

Windows 8 doesn't work well like that.

Anyhow, recommendation is PowerISO because of driver reasons. Other probably are alright and good, but PowerISO my personal guarantee!

lol - Gman - I did say "then copy the new DVD drive contents to a new folder, then follow from 2." at the end of Para 1.

I should have said as in 2. (GMan's post above)

I don't know about powerISO - it's a complete CD/DVD burner etc., I believe - but just as ISO mounting utilities, the others did not let me down yet, and it's much quicker and cheaper to mount a virtual OD than burning a real disk that you are not going to use.

For speed, size and flexibility, 7-zip is incomparable as a file manager, opening and extracting ISO, VHD, CAB, MSI, EXE, etc., as well as archived formats, nested archives and ordinary files with equal ease.

Windows 8 doesn't work well like that...

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Hmmm - is the honeymoon over, I see lots of comments to that effect surfacing?