Dreaded OEM Clean Install

[theog]

Well how to retrieve an ISO is another problem entirely but not really a difficult one. Keep in mind you do have the legal right to own windows 8. If you happen to get an ISO in whatever way (hint:google), there's nothing wrong in using it (the physical download isn't what's important, your key and your right to use it is). Just make sure whatever ISO you get has matching hashes to the official MS ones (MSDN Subscriber Downloads). You can use Sigcheck from microsoft to retrieve the hash (sigcheck -h filename/directory).

You DO NOT own Windows 8, you have the right to USE Windows 8.

As Pelmore has the MSI OEM manufacturer's Pre-installed version of Windows 8, this would be the only version He/SHE has the right to USE.

 

[oneeyed]

Sigh.. You understood me before, no need to nitpick. He has a legal key for windows 8, if he installs from whatever source which retrieves the embedded key, his new OS will be totally LEGAL.
Or are you saying if I have 2 official dvds for the same version of windows 8, I can only use the one coming with my pc ? Haha. No, it doesn't matter.
And sorry english isn't my 1st language, I assumed everyone understood that you don't actually "own" windows 8, just your key, which I expanded on later and everyone else (again my assumption) understood.

To make matters clear, I do not condone piracy. But by buying his OEM PC, Pelmore has the right to use the specific version which was installed. If by whatever means he happens to find an ISO that matches this version, and installs it, there's nothing wrong with it (at least for this specific machine)

 

[Clintlgm]

Your stuck between a rock and a hard place. You need a Retail 8 Core product code to get the Core download. Or a full retail ISO/DVD to use as install media. One thing you can get from The MSDN site is MD5 check sums. If you can find an ISO from another source you can check the hash code to see if that ISO has been altered or modified from the original.

So it seems I have 1/2 a key to two different locks. The retail ISO for W8 PRO and a key for OEM Core with no ISO.

Before I look into the MD5 check sums and comparing them to what else is available on the interweb, would it be possible to use the generic Windows 8.1 key to do a clean install with that .ISO and then activate it using the Windows 8.0 OEM key that I have?

Check out this web site it is really for Asus Notebooks however his ISO Links are reliable and Safe.

 

[alphanumeric]

The TechNet ISO's for Windows 8 and 8.1 do not list separate OEM and Retail versions. Those ISO's will also except embedded OEM keys along with retail keys. If you install with those ISO's the embeded key is read and used and activation is exactly the same way it was with the factory OEM install. I fail to see how using one of those ISO's is illegal. If that were true I would think this this would also be illegal to do on an OEM install. http://www.eightforums.com/installa...retail-windows-8-1-windows-8-product-key.html

 

[Pelmore]

Well how to retrieve an ISO is another problem entirely but not really a difficult one. Keep in mind you do have the legal right to own windows 8. If you happen to get an ISO in whatever way (hint:google), there's nothing wrong in using it (the physical download isn't what's important, your key and your right to use it is). Just make sure whatever ISO you get has matching hashes to the official MS ones (MSDN Subscriber Downloads). You can use Sigcheck from microsoft to retrieve the hash (sigcheck -h filename/directory).

Ok, I went ahead and grabbed an .ISO from google. I've never done a hash check/MD5 check before, so I thought I would give it a go. I installed HashTab v5.1 and then clicked on the downloaded .ISO. I noticed there was a tab for a hash comparison, but I do not have a MSDN .ISO to compare it to. I did click on the details tab on the MSDN for the W8 (multiple editions)(x64) ISO and saw that the SHA1 is the same as the downloaded ISO.

I did not see any information regarding the MD5, so I am not sure how to go about checking that.

Provided the .ISO i'm using checks out as an authentic, A-OK file, then I believe it will work with my Core Windows 8 product key, since it should have both the Core and Pro versions contained inside.

 

[alphanumeric]

That looks to be the one I used with success on my ASUS K75DE. Yes 8 Core should be installed automatically and you shouldn't be prompted to enter a key. It will activate over the Internet when it gets a connection. I don't remember having to click the Activate Windows but don't panic if it says windows isn't activated or prompts to activate Windows. It should activate fine manually or all on its own.

 

[pparks1]

You DO NOT own Windows 8, you have the right to USE Windows 8.

This is correct

As Pelmore has the MSI OEM manufacturer's Pre-installed version of Windows 8, this would be the only version He/SHE has the right to USE.

But what is the "difference" between this MSI version of Windows 8 and say a Technet version of Windows 8? You don't get more features, you don't get additional functionality, you don't get additional roles...its the same darn thing.

I don't see Microsoft "ever" coming after anybody if they bought a machine that came with a Windows 8 pre-installed and then later used a different set of media to reload the OS. This would NEVER, EVER happen.

 

[oneeyed]

Ok, I went ahead and grabbed an .ISO from google. I've never done a hash check/MD5 check before, so I thought I would give it a go. I installed HashTab v5.1 and then clicked on the downloaded .ISO. I noticed there was a tab for a hash comparison, but I do not have a MSDN .ISO to compare it to. I did click on the details tab on the MSDN for the W8 (multiple editions)(x64) ISO and saw that the SHA1 is the same as the downloaded ISO. I did not see any information regarding the MD5, so I am not sure how to go about checking that.

If the SHA-1 checks then you should be fine. MD5 is older and basically only useful when checking if a file hasn't been corrupted when copying/moving, much like crc32.

I don't see Microsoft "ever" coming after anybody if they bought a machine that came with a Windows 8 pre-installed and then later used a different set of media to reload the OS. This would NEVER, EVER happen.

Indeed.

 

[alphanumeric]

You DO NOT own Windows 8, you have the right to USE Windows 8.

This is correct

As Pelmore has the MSI OEM manufacturer's Pre-installed version of Windows 8, this would be the only version He/SHE has the right to USE.

But what is the "difference" between this MSI version of Windows 8 and say a Technet version of Windows 8? You don't get more features, you don't get additional functionality, you don't get additional roles...its the same darn thing.

I don't see Microsoft "ever" coming after anybody if they bought a machine that came with a Windows 8 pre-installed and then later used a different set of media to reload the OS. This would NEVER, EVER happen.

The only big difference is the OOBE and the OEM branding. Once you get past that, functionality wise its no different. Core is Core and Pro is Pro. Like you say, you don't gain any extra features.
One thing I noticed on TechNet for Windows 8 and 8.1 is there is no separate OEM ISO and Retail ISO, just the one multi edition. The one ISO accepts OEM and Retail keys. If Microsoft didn't want you using it on your OEM PC they wouldn't have set it up to read and use the OEM embedded keys automatically. By doing that they ensure that the PC is OEM licensed like it was originally. Activation is as original with the original key. Like you say, they are never ever going to come after you for doing it. Something ells I noticed is my COA sticker on my laptop, if you can call it that, does not say OEM on it anywhere. All that's on it is ASUS and Windows 8. I guess one could assume that because it has ASUS on it, it must be OEM. Something else to consider is, if you upgrade to 8.1 or even 8.2 is that sticker still valid?

 

[Pelmore]

I have good news to report, the .ISO from google allowed me to install windows 8 OEM and it reports it as being activated. Checking the key with pkeyui shows that it is the same as before, so it looks like it pulled it off the bios just fine.

Thank you for the help everyone! Off to install a ton of updates.

 

[alphanumeric]

:thumb: That's good to hear. I'm glad you got it all sorted.