Download retail ISO for new laptop?

Sorry if this has been answered before, I searched through the forum and tutorials and couldn't find anything. Google was no help either. Is it possible to do a completely clean install on a new laptop that came pre-installed with Win8? There are plenty of instructions for the upgrade, but I'm looking for the retail Windows 8 ISO. Laptop didn't come with any media, I want to install Win8 without all the Acer junk. Thanks!

Hello mindaugas, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Currently, a clean install is not an option available for Windows 8 OEM computers. However, you could go into Programs and Features afterwards, and uninstall any Acer bloatware you do not want.

OEM PCs come with a factory recovery partition that is used to reinstall Windows 8 back to factory conditions instead. If you like, the link below at Acer can help show you how to.

Using Acer Recovery Management to Restore Windows 8


If you like, you could create an Acer factory default backup on a USB flash drive.

Create a Acer Factory Default Backup in Windows 8


Hope this helps some,
Shawn

Brink said:

Currently, a clean install is not an option available for Windows 8 OEM computers.

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So your saying It is impossible to perform clean install for an OEM laptop/computer.

What if one comes up with a clean ISO of windows 8 and goes about an install. Windows 8 wont grab the SN in the bios and proceed with install? What makes a fresh install impossible?

Bad news for sure if true, I am about to try fresh install myself on a fresh new Windows 8 laptop with Acer bloat.

Nice vodeo's Shawn.

daram said:

Bad news for sure if true, I am about to try fresh install myself on a fresh new Windows 8 laptop with Acer bloat.

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I agree, it should just pick up the product key from the BIOS. Let me know if you're successful, I was thinking about just "obtaining" the ISO and trying it. This does seem like a bonehead move, what if the single hard drive in the laptop fails that contains the recovery partition and info? What if you want to upgrade the drive to a SSD after purchasing and don't need to transfer the image over?

I have created a just in case recovery partition on an external USB drive. The other reason i want a clean install is because I am using a SSD which isn't liberal on space.

Is it possible to do a completely clean install on a new laptop that came pre-installed with Windows 8?

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Yes it is. As daram pointed out you just need a msdn or RTM iso of Windows 8 and a valid Product Key.

Installing Windows 8 on a system that had Windows 8 pre-installed from manufacturer

This does seem like a bonehead move, what if the single hard drive in the laptop fails that contains the recovery partition and info? What if you want to upgrade the drive to a SSD after purchasing and don't need to transfer the image over?

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Funny. seems like the OP here Reinstall Windows 8 on a laptop is experiencing this.

Thanks, do you know if the RTM eval ISO will work?

Thanks, do you know if the RTM eval ISO will work?

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RTM not eval ​worked for me. I have 17" Acer laptop that I purchased the upgrade for but didn't use the upgrade method. I clean installed because I installed a second hard-drive and didn't want to install Win 7 to my new SSD then upgrade to win 8. Seemed faster to just clean install Win 8 from the start. Of course upgrade key is a bit different from oem in the bios key.

Neck Beard said:

Thanks, do you know if the RTM eval ISO will work?

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Worked for me. I have 17" Acer laptop that I purchased the upgrade for but didn't use the upgrade method. Of course upgrade key is a bit different from oem in the bios key.

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I think it has to be the MSDN copy or the RTM. I did purchase an upgrade to get it for $15 for my PC, at least that one I can clean install from the upgrade and I have a disk. To be honest, Acer wasn't too bad. The only major bloatware were AV trials that I removed. I'm just picky and like things clean. I'll have to see if I can get my hands on a MSDN ISO or I could bite the bullet and pay for MAPS, I would like server 2012 as well.

Oh right! Sorry didn't see RTM eval.

I think it has to be the MSDN copy or the RTM.

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You are correct. It has to be build 9200.

Acer wasn't too bad

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Acer kinda sucked for me not because of bloatware or install. But because of drivers stupid switchable graphics.

Neck Beard said:

Oh right! Sorry didn't see RTM eval.

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Does that mean RTM eval would work? that's a lot easier to get.

Neck Beard said:

Acer kinda sucked for me not because of bloatware or install. But because of drivers stupid switchable graphics.

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U mean switching between the laptop display and an external monitor? This was the cheapest laptop I could find with a gen3 core i3. With the SSD I'm happy with it. I'm still surprised how cheap brand new hardware can be, this doesn't feel like the sturdiest build quality but it's sitting on a table/desk 90% of the time so should be ok. The only weird thing I have been trying to figure out is why the display won't dim. It may be that it doesn't.

Does that mean RTM eval would work? that's a lot easier to get.

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No as far as I know eval won't work. But RTM build 9200 isn't that hard to get The Official Windows 8 Repository.

U mean switching between the laptop display and an external monitor?

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No switchable graphics is an AMD term where you have two graphics cards, one integrated and one discrete, and you switch between them on laptops for battery saving purposes.

The only weird thing I have been trying to figure out is why the display won't dim. It may be that it doesn't.

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Search for adjust screen brightness at the start screen. Or on the desktop click the power icon. Should be an option there to adjust or dim.

Neck Beard said:

No as far as I know eval won't work. But RTM build 9200 isn't that hard to get The Official Windows 8 Repository

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thanks again!

Fresh install on new windows 8 oem acer laptop filled with bloat .....installed flawless using win 8 rtm iso. As simple as 7 ....minus the activation procedure

daram said:

Fresh install on new windows 8 oem acer laptop filled with bloat .....installed flawless using win 8 rtm iso. As simple as 7 ....minus the activation procedure

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thanks for the inf, how did drivers work for you?