How to download the Windows 8.1 ISO

[Mustang]

#alphanumeric: Thanks for that info. I'll hunt around and find an ISO download then check the hash codes as suggested.

Once the ISO is downloaded, on a clean install would you use a generic key to install it, and then replace the key with the OEM key off my Win 8 Pro disc?

Good stuff to on the ei.cfg files. Ironically my son is a qualified PC techo and only told me the other day how he had to replace the hard drive on a Sony laptop ... cup of coffee spilled over it ... which meant there was no recovery console ... and he did exactly what has been pointed out in the previous posts on this thread. That is, he removed the ei.cfg file to allow all versions of Win7 to be installed; in this case it was W7 Starter.

Cheers Mustang

 

[theog]

Once the ISO is downloaded, on a clean install would you use a generic key to install it, and then replace the key with the OEM key off my Win 8 Pro disc?

Good stuff to on the ei.cfg files.

If you use a ei.cfg file, NO need for the generic key.

 

[Mustang]

Once the ISO is downloaded, on a clean install would you use a generic key to install it, and then replace the key with the OEM key off my Win 8 Pro disc?

Good stuff to on the ei.cfg files.

If you use a ei.cfg file, need for the generic key.

Thanks theog. Should that have read "no need for generic key"?

 

[theog]

Yes, edit.

 

[alphanumeric]

#alphanumeric: Thanks for that info. I'll hunt around and find an ISO download then check the hash codes as suggested.

Once the ISO is downloaded, on a clean install would you use a generic key to install it, and then replace the key with the OEM key off my Win 8 Pro disc?

Good stuff to on the ei.cfg files. Ironically my son is a qualified PC techo and only told me the other day how he had to replace the hard drive on a Sony laptop ... cup of coffee spilled over it ... which meant there was no recovery console ... and he did exactly what has been pointed out in the previous posts on this thread. That is, he removed the ei.cfg file to allow all versions of Win7 to be installed; in this case it was W7 Starter.

Cheers Mustang

Yes, it won't accept your 8.0 for install so you need to use the 8.1 generic key, then activate with your 8.0 key. Or add the ei.cfg file. If you do that you can just leave the product code field empty during the install. Then click activate now and enter your 8.0 key. Without the ei.cfg file it won't let you continue the install without entering a product code.

 

[Mustang]

A friend gave me a Windows Pro 8.1 disc. Can anyone please advise where the SHA key is located on the disc when read from the root directory of optical drive so that I can confirm I've got the correct version.

#theog: How do you create an ei.cfg file, as shown in your earlier post using the codes:

For OEM:

[EditionID]

[Channel]
OEM
[VL]
0


or

For Retail:

[EditionID]

[Channel]
retail
[VL]
0

I can put the text into a text document ... Win 8.1 does not have Note Pad per se ... but can only save it as a text file, not an ei. file.

 

[theog]

Windows 8/8.1 both have Notepad.



What is the wording on the DVD?

 

[genet]

How do you create an ei.cfg file

You don't need add the ei.cfg file, even if you have an OEM product key.

[DEL]You have to enter the Windows 8.1 generic product key to install Windows 8.1, if you don't have a legal Windows 8.1 Retail\OEM product key.[/DEL]

edit: How to download and clean install Windows 8.1 -> link

 

[alphanumeric]

A friend gave me a Windows Pro 8.1 disc. Can anyone please advise where the SHA key is located on the disc when read from the root directory of optical drive so that I can confirm I've got the correct version.

#theog: How do you create an ei.cfg file, as shown in your earlier post using the codes:

For OEM:

[EditionID]

[Channel]
OEM
[VL]
0


or

For Retail:

[EditionID]

[Channel]
retail
[VL]
0

I can put the text into a text document ... Win 8.1 does not have Note Pad per se ... but can only save it as a text file, not an ei. file.

To check the SHA code of the ISO you run a utility on it and that utility generates a code for the ISO file. You then compare what the utility generated to what it should be. Something like this, MD5 & SHA Checksum Utility - Free download and software reviews - CNET Download.com

EDIT: It looks like Genet beat me to it, I suck at typing.

 

[Edwin]

I suck at typing.

I'm great at Copy/Paste!!!

 

[adamf]

Win 8.1 does not have Note Pad per se

Except for notepad.exe I suppose which I use every day.

 

[Mustang]

Thanks everyone for the input. :thumb:

#thoeg & adamf:

Windows 8/8.1 both have Notepad.

Must have been half asleep ... is listed in Windows Accessories .

1. When you put the text in the note pad, what goes in the blank space under EditionID? Would that be something like Win 8.1 Pro?

2. When you save the file it only shows *txt, highlighted. So I figure after the name you need to type in: .exe
And then add it to the source files?

For OEM:

[EditionID]
Win 8.1 Pro
[Channel]
OEM
[VL]
0

#alphanumeric:

EDIT: It looks like Genet beat me to it, I suck at typing.

Yeah but the file download from your link is easier to use. You run it off the desktop and don't have to install it.

#genet:

You don't need add the ei.cfg file, even if you have an OEM product key.

Thanks. Pity the generic key doesn't work to get the ISO download from MS.

 

[Brink]

Hey Mustang,

When you click on File -> Save As in Notepad, you could change the "Save as type" to "All Files (*.*)" to be able to type in the name and file extension you want to save the file as.

 

[Mustang]

#Brink:

When you click on File -> Save As in Notepad, you could change the "Save as type" to "All Files (*.*)" to be able to type in the name and file extension you want to save the file as.

Thanks for the heads up! Cheers, much obliged. :thumb:

I presume for eic.fg file to paste in sources you would simply give it any name and save as .exe file?

 

[Brink]

You should name it ei.cfg I would assume.

 

[Mustang]

Thanks Brink. When I run my Win8 Pro OEM disk (bought at a retail computer shop) under sources I can't find any file like that?

 

[genet]

@Mustang:

You don't need add the ei.cfg file.

Windows Setup Edition Configuration and Product ID Files (EI.cfg and PID.txt)

"Applies To: Windows 8, Windows 8.1"

"The edition configuration (EI.cfg) file and the product ID (PID.txt) file are optional configuration files that you can use to specify the Windows product key and the Windows edition during Windows installation."

 

[alphanumeric]

Thanks Brink. When I run my Win8 Pro OEM disk (bought at a retail computer shop) under sources I can't find any file like that?

View attachment 37813

The ei.cfg files not there in Windows 8, you are adding one. And as the name implies you name ei.cfg. It's a file that doesn't have to be there but Windows will look for it and use it if it there. PID.txt is another one that isn't there but can be added to make your install media custom. Windows will do different things during the install depending on whether either one of those files is there and what's in it. They are both text file but the cfg extension makes Windows handle the file a certain way. ei.cfg is there by default in Windows 7 and actually sets the version to be installed. If you remove it you get the selection menu. Microsoft changed it up in Windows 8 and striped it out. Adding it actually gets you the OS selection screen. I do believe you are supposed to leave that line under Edition ID blank. That's what gets you the pick and chose menu. If you put an entry in there Windows will install that version by default and likely make you enter a key during the install. Leaving it blank will let you select the version manually and be able to skip entering a product code to install.

 

[Mustang]

Thanks alphanumeric and genet.

I checked the SHA-1 code on the disc my friend gave me and it does not seem to match either of the codes given by genet in post #648 so probably not safe to use it.

 

[theog]

the disc my friend gave me

What is the wording on your friends DVD?