Solved **FIX** Install Windows 8 Pro UPGRADE to clean HDD

metamorphic

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So I haven't tried it officially on a new HDD, but I did try it over a new Install of Release Preview and it worked great!

Background: I completely wiped my HD and had no install disk, recovery, nothing. I had to go on my Windows 7 and download a legit copy of Windows Pro 8 Upgrade. I had it on a USB drive and no matter what I did, I kept on getting an Error right after hitting "Install" stating that the product key installed is invalid, something along those lines, etc...

After all week and many lost nights, I finally found the solution. Granted I did do this install over a freshly installed Release Preview, but I am sure it will work on a new HD.

Once you create the Bootable USB drive from the Windows 8 Upgrade, just add this file "ei.cfg" to the \Sources folder and you should be able to install without the key error.

The file is in a .txt format so I could upload it, but just change the .txt to .cfg and it should be an actual file, not a text file.

IMPORTANT: You will need a VALID KEY once it is installed to even log into the machine. Let me know if this works or not.
 
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My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
Hello Metamorphic,

No need to go through all that, and violating the EULA by tampering with a system file and activation like that.

Instead, you could just as easily use the method below to legally do a clean install with a Windows 8 upgrade, and have it activated afterwards. :)

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/13375-clean-install-windows-8-upgrade.html

Thanks, and believe me, I would have LOVED it to be that easy but unfortunately I was getting an error message right after hitting the "Install" button, it WOULDN"T even ask me for a product key before installation. I WAS STUCK. and This was a fix, and I have seen many others have this same isse. :)

EDIT: BTW I'll do whatever I have to to install a product I paid for. ( Not being rude :p )
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro
Were you formatting the HDD, and using the same steps in that tutorial to do this all at boot?

What were you installing it on? Was this a brand new Windows 8 OEM computer?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    64-bit Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self built
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K OC'd to 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G7 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    OCZ Series Gold OCZZ1000M 1000W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gb/s Download and 35 Mb/s Upload
    Browser
    Internet Explorer 11
    Antivirus
    Malwarebyte Anti-Malware Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
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