Clean Install of Windows 8 without install disc?

[fafhrd]

see this: http://www.eightforums.com/tutorial...s-8-without-installation-disk.html#post176968

 

[theog]

Also, I have another idea how perhaps one could do a clean install without an install disc, although I don't know if it would work, and wonder if anyone has tried this. In the pre-boot recovery options of Win 8 (booting into the System Reserved partition), there is an option called Reset Windows. In another forum someone speculated whether that might do a clean install. Then they tried it, said it did not, it did the same thing as the manufacturer recovery media, brought the computer back to the state it came from the factory, bloatware and all. It occurs to me though--what if one deleted the manufacturer recovery partition, and then did this Reset Windows thing. The system would not have the manufacturer recovery, so could not set it back to factory. Might it then do a clean install? Anyone tried that?

You would still need the Install.wim or the DVD.

 

[maiki]

You would still need the Instasll.wim or the DVD.

For reset windows?

It looks like a standard recovery option, that one can access from the built-in Windows recovery partition (which looks like two partitions on my computer), or the recovery boot media one can create from Win8.

As said, some have reported doing that and getting a factory reset, which is not a clean install. Therefore, I was wondering if one deletes the manufacturer's recovery partition (in my case a 10GB one from Lenovo), while keeping the two much smaller Windows recovery partitions, then does that reset, it could not reset to factory without the manufacturer partition, so I wondered if then it would do a clean install?

It is possible that install.wim is on one of the Windows recovery partitions. Then it should be there, on any Win8 computer. (As said though, I did the recoverydrive command to create a recovery USB flash drive, and did not see any file named install.wim on that.)

I will guess that one is only asked for an installation disc when one does reset, if one has deleted the Windows recovery partition (again, in my case it seems to be on two partitions).

 

[CBoxDD]

Install.WIM and now?

Hi,

I got the install.wim from the hidden recovery partition using Paragon Software (free Edition --> advanced mode --> extract from hidden partition to local hdd --> so no need to use the discpart tool).

But now I don't know, how to create a bootable DVD or USB just from this one file.
All the tutorials I found here Forum need an ISO-file that I don't have.

Does the oscdimg.exe create also an ISO just from the install.wim ?? (not tried as the parameter tells something from boot files)

I need the bootable device as I want a fresh install from my preinstalled Win8 OEM to a new SSD Drive. (and ASUS doesn't provide any install medias *grrr )

regards
C-Box

 

[theog]

   Information

We always assume you have made your Recovery Disks using the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Media Creator app the first day you had your new PC.
& made the Startup Repair CD.
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/5132-recovery-drive-create-usb-flash-drive-windows-8-a.html
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2855-system-repair-disc-create-windows-8-a.html
​

You can use the ASUS version of
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/5132-recovery-drive-create-usb-flash-drive-windows-8-a.html

or you can clone the HDD to the SSD.
http://www.eightforums.com/installation-setup/17083-how-migrate-os-new-hard-disk.html

 

[fafhrd]

You can use dism.exe to apply a .wim image to a formatted volume (partition or disk or mounted virtual hard disk) which has been assigned a drive letter and made the active partition.


It is possible to apply the Windows install.wim image using dism.exe - which is found in your c:\Windows\system32 folder.


The command (elevated command prompt) is


dism /apply-image /imagefile:d:\sources\install.wim /index:1 /applydir:t:\


(this is absolutely equivalent to: imagex /apply d:\sources\install.wim 1 t: but without the large download needed for imagex.exe), where d:\sources is the path to the install.wim file and t: is the target volume drive letter.


Both methods take a similar time to apply the image. ~20 min

Then the boot files can be installed using bcdboot

bcdboot t:\windows /s t: /f ALL

On first bootup you should be taken to the OOBE to setup location, user network and activation.

 

[theog]

Would be easier use the OEM manufacturer's version of
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/5132-recovery-drive-create-usb-flash-drive-windows-8-a.html

 

[CBoxDD]

Hi Theog,

thanks for your reply

You can use the ASUS version of
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/5132-recovery-drive-create-usb-flash-drive-windows-8-a.html

OK... I'll give it a try if I have a bigger USB-Flash as the assistent tells me that the stick must be larger than 16 GB (and the biggest I own is lame 8GB )

or you can clone the HDD to the SSD.
http://www.eightforums.com/installation-setup/17083-how-migrate-os-new-hard-disk.html

I already read that topic but I'm afraid of the different alignment of the SSD after cloning it.... so there is a link to a check-tool... but what if the alignment is not correct... could this get fixed after cloning withour reformating the SSD?

It's my first SSD ... so sorry for those "newbie" questions.

regards
Christian

 

[theog]

Hi Theog,

thanks for your reply



I already read that topic but I'm afraid of the different alignment of the SSD after cloning it.... so there is a link to a check-tool... but what if the alignment is not correct... could this get fixed after cloning withour reformating the SSD?

It's my first SSD ... so sorry for those "newbie" questions.

regards
Christian

Unknown with that free tool, as I use Paragon alignment tool, which paid for software.

 

[DarkBlue]

A general question: There are many reasons why one might want to do a clean install on a system that came pre-installed from the OEM. However, if the *sole* purpose of doing a reinstall is to get rid of bloatware, then I do not understand why users don't simply uninstall the bloatware, this can be done in 3-15 minutes depending on manufacturer. Isn't this the fastest and best way?

 

[caperjack]

A general question: There are many reasons why one might want to do a clean install on a system that came pre-installed from the OEM. However, if the *sole* purpose of doing a reinstall is to get rid of bloatware, then I do not understand why users don't simply uninstall the bloatware, this can be done in 3-15 minutes depending on manufacturer. Isn't this the fastest and best way?

3-15 min might be a tad quick ,but i agree, its what i do !!

 

[N30]

A general question: Isn't this the fastest and best way?

No. It's easier to do a clean install imo. I get to start with a clean installation of the OS with no bloatware/junk/crap I don't need. I also get to install the latest drivers (generally not from the OEMs but the manufacturer's themselves.) And I decide what to install, not the OEMs.

Doing a uninstall, as you suggest, is like wearing dirty clothes that have not been washed properly. Even though the unwanted programs, etc have been uninstalled there are generally still remanents of them in the registry, Program Files, User Files, etc.

Nothing wrong with doing it that way, just some of us prefer to put on a new pair of pants instead of wearing dirty clothes.

 

[DarkBlue]

N30, I agree both about about the manufacturer drivers and the remanents.
My point was: Most people justify their "clean install" by "getting rid of bloatware" and are quite obsessed about the fact that "there is evil bloatware". Provided you are fine with some minor remanents, I wanted to point out that in general, uninstalling bloatware can be quick and easy in many cases. Drivers can still be replaced by manufacturers', if needed(though one might have to uninstall and reboot first... yeah I see the problems). Nevertheless, there are more reasons to do a clean install, in fact I am just trying to figure out the advantages of a personal license install @ http://www.eightforums.com/installa...nstall-re-deployable-dissimilar-hardware.html myself, as opposed to OEM pre-installed.

 

[theog]

All about doing your HOMEWORK before buying.
If you do your homework, no need to uninstall bloatware or clean install.

 

[SMASH]

THE link to downloading Windows 8 using an existing key

Heya,

I was searching for a while to find this link, it let's you re-download your Windows 8 disc using your win8 product key:

Upgrade Windows with only a product key - Microsoft Windows Help

This is the answer. I guess Microsoft wanted to bury this link to encourage more sales.

Please re-post this link on any appropriate forums you're a member of.

Cheers

 

[theog]

Heya,

I was searching for a while to find this link, it let's you re-download your Windows 8 disc using your win8 product key:

Upgrade Windows with only a product key - Microsoft Windows Help

This is the answer. I guess Microsoft wanted to bury this link to encourage more sales.

Please re-post this link on any appropriate forums you're a member of.

Cheers

The link is for RETAIL versions only.

 

[SMASH]

k

Sorry I must have posted in the wrong thread.

 

[theog]

Yes. The original post stated that he has a key for the retail version.

The link is relevant to the question that was asked

Cheers

I just got a new laptop, a Lenovo X230, for which I paid extra to have the OS on it as Windows 8 Pro.

So--now I have it, and Win 8 Pro 64 is installed and activated on it. I am a legal owner of Win 8 Pro.

However, I would like to do a clean install of Win 8 on the computer, to have it free of bloatware, etc. (In fact, I would like to set up a multi-boot with Win 7, and perhaps even triple boot with Xp as well. (I have installation media and my product keys for XP and 7 though, so those are not really a problem.)

Lenovo is a OEM Licence, not a Retail.

 

[KkyK]

Hi everyone,

I have read the whole conversation and even found a person with my exact problem. I have read your suggestion but something isn't exactly clear to me:

I need to buy an ssd and put in my asus laptop. I have an OEM version of Windows 8.
The question is: once I have the recovery drive, is this considered as a full operating system ready to be installed in my machine, which has the cd-key matching that OEM version)?
The point is, if I install an SSD how can I install in there the windows version, since inside the ssd there isn't the recovery partition (it's new so it must be so)

I don't know if the question is clear.

Thanks in advance

 

[Ztruker]

See this thread for instructions on what you need to do: http://www.eightforums.com/installation-setup/58807-looking-perform-clean-install-need-oem-iso.html